34 minute read
SPORTS ROUNDUP
Softball team reaches Final Four
The UNG softball team won its first two games at the NCAA Division II championship in Denver, advancing to the Final Four before losing a pair of games to end its season.
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UNG finished the season 49-18 overall, including a 7-3 mark in the NCAA tournament and a 2-0 run to earn its eighth consecutive Peach Belt Conference (PBC) tournament title.
The team also won the PBC regular-season championship with a 20-4 record. The Nighthawks have won at least 43 games The softball team won the NCAA Southeast Super Regional to earn a return to the NCAA Division II championship. in all but one full-length season since 2009 and have reached the NCAA Division II championship seven times, including winning the 2015 national championship. Head coach Mike Davenport has 975 career wins in 22 seasons.
“I am extremely proud of this team. They have improved from the beginning of the fall until our final out in Denver more than any team I have coached in 22 seasons,” Davenport said.
Braves trophy makes stop in Dahlonega
Atlanta Braves fans had a chance to take photos with the 2021 World Series trophy on UNG’s Dahlonega Campus.
The trophy was on display at Haines and Carolyn Hill Stadium at Lynn Cottrell Park before and during a UNG baseball game.
The trophy’s stop in Dahlonega was the first stop in Lumpkin county and one of 151 stops on the statewide tour, commemorating 151 years of Braves baseball.
Plunkett inducted in Georgia College Athletics Hall of Fame
Mary Rob Plunkett, director of athletics, was inducted into the Georgia College & State University Athletics Hall of Fame in the fall.
Being added to the Hall of Fame is the latest addition to her long list of achievements. Plunkett was the first AllAmerican in Georgia College women’s soccer history after making the National Soccer Coaches Association of America third team in 2009. She also earned placement on the all-region and All-Peach Belt Conference first teams.
Plunkett was the most decorated goalkeeper in Georgia College’s history. She is the school’s career record-holder in goals against average (0.74), saves percentage (.854) and shutouts (19). She also ranks second in career saves with 275 and wins with 33.
The 2022-23 athletic year is Plunkett’s seventh year at UNG. She was promoted to athletic director in 2020 after serving as the associate athletic director for business. Plunkett also serves as UNG’s Title IX deputy coordinator and as Peach Belt Conference Senior Woman Administrator Council chair. She is a 2020 graduate of the Leadership Enhancement Institute.
Nighthawks finish year in Final Four
The UNG women’s basketball team made history during the 2021-22 season, reaching the NCAA Division II national semifinals for the first time.
The Nighthawks defeated Pace University 68-61 in the Elite Eight in Birmingham, Alabama, before their season ended two nights later in a 74-68 loss to Western Washington University in the Final Four.
“It was an honor to coach a team who loved and believed in each other at the level we did all year,” head coach Buffie Burson said. “To reach a Final Four is as rewarding as anything in my career because we pushed through so many challenges and earned our way through. It’s one of the happiest moments I’ve ever had for a team.”
Also, fifth-year senior forward Julianne Sutton received the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Player of the Year award.
Sutton became UNG’s first WBCA first-team AllAmerican selection since Mimi Hill in 2013-14. She is also the first UNG player to win the Player of the Year honor from the WBCA and the second National Player of the Year in program history, joining current assistant coach Jaymee Acton, who was named Daktronics Player of the Year after the 2011-12 season.
Ananthasane wins PBC title
For the first time in the history of the Peach Belt Conference Women’s Golf Championship, a player has won the tournament in back-to-back years. UNG women’s golfer Maddie Ananthasane claimed individual medalist honors as a sophomore, leading UNG to a fourth-place finish in the April tournament at Sea Palms in St. Simons Island, Georgia.
Ananthasane, from Dacula, Georgia, is just the second player in the league’s history to win the event twice. She keeps individual medalist honors with UNG for a third year out of the last four as Megan Sabol was the last person to win the event prior to Ananthasane in 2021.
Ananthasane finished with a final round of even-par 71 to claim a score of 5-over for the tournament, winning by two shots.
Where I Lead: Helping students realize their potential
BIO
JIM RAMIREZ-RUIZ is a senior pursuing a degree in middle grades education, with concentrations in mathematics and social studies. He is part of the Aspiring Teachers Program, a partnership through which the Gainesville City School System pays tuition for UNG students of color who want to be teachers and offers them jobs upon graduation.
How has UNG prepared you to be a teacher?
UNG has been an amazing journey for me. Ever since freshman year, I have been able to get involved with the Latino Student Association, interact with the Multicultural Student Affairs office, and receive resources on campus. I have also connected with the Nationally Competitive Scholarships office, and they helped me apply for and win the IME-BECAS Scholarship from the Mexican Consulate and the Ty Cobb Scholarship.
How do your students react to you?
It’s a shock to them. They’re mostly seeing Hispanic people in other fields. They begin to realize they can attend college and earn scholarships. They get more insights about higher education, which motivates them when they get down the road.
What inspired you to go into teaching?
My teacher in first and second grade actually cared about me and worked with me. That made me feel good about myself as a kid. I try to relate with my students as much as I can. Once the relationship is built, it helps them learn better. Students are there not just to learn from you. They are also there to interact with you. You have to build a positive environment where students can get along and be supportive of one another.
What is your main goal as you interact with your students?
I’m just trying to motivate them to be the best they can. I want them to think at a younger age about what they’re going to do after graduation. They can do anything they put their minds to.
Scan to learn more about Ramirez-Ruiz.
CONNECTING THE SUPPLY CHAIN LINKS
UNG is preparing students to be part of the solution to the nation’s supply chain and logistics issues.
BY CLARK LEONARD
The increasing prevalence of supply chain problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine underscore the importance of the supply chain and logistics management concentration UNG offers as part of its management major in the Mike Cottrell College of Business (MCCB).
Logisticians, who analyze and manage an organization’s product or material acquisition and distribution, are in high-demand; the Georgia Department of Labor projects 800 job openings for logisticians annually through 2028. These complex jobs often require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and have a median annual wage of more than $77,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This area of study is a natural fit for Kayli Allen, a Flowery Branch, Georgia, resident who is scheduled to graduate in May 2023. A logical thinker, Allen enjoys seeing how different pieces of the supply chain fit together.
“Being in school during the pandemic, I’m seeing these problems, and even in the textbooks they don’t know how it’s going to turn out,” Allen said. “This time of uncertainty helps build critical thinking skills through a flexible learning environment where we consider these issues ourselves.”
Dr. Mohan Menon, department head of marketing and management, said the supply chain disruptions have been eye-opening for many people who previously did not think about how they received products.
“It’s a great case study in how everything is linked to everything,” Menon said. “It is a structural problem because it deals with the raw processes like transportation and materials like fuel.”
Kayli Allen, Student
SYFAN PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS STUDENTS
A major contributor toward the success of UNG’s supply chain and logistics management curriculum has been its partnership with Syfan Logistics, which is based in Gainesville, Georgia. Syfan works alongside UNG to
Tony Rodriguez, director of human resources at Syfan Logistics, speaks with UNG faculty members Dr. Mohan Menon, Dr. Lu Xu, and Dr. Zuoming Liu.
ensure students are gaining the most up-to-date information in the field, and the company regularly hires students as interns and alumni as full-time employees.
A logistics lab in the new Cottrell Center for Business, Technology & Innovation, set to open at the Dahlonega Campus in fall 2022, will provide students further opportunities to gain hands-on practice and feedback from industry professionals as they grapple with these dilemmas. The Syfan Logistics Lab will provide students with a learning environment that emulates a real logistics center, merging current technologies with the benefits of classroom instruction.
“Our operations happen in a large, open room,” Jim Syfan, co-founder and CEO of Syfan Logistics, said. “That is not by accident. Rather than a lecture hall, I thought it would be helpful to contribute to an environment that will hone students’ communication skills with realworld applications.”
In the Syfan Logistics Lab, students will gain experience with McLeod Software, the leading software in the logistics industry, thanks to the support of McLeod Software and Syfan Logistics.
“These gifts are transformative for our logistics and supply chain program,” MCCB Dean Mary Gowan said. “Our alumni already do well in the industry, but having access to the logistics lab and the specialized software will ensure our students are highly competitive in the industry as they graduate. We are truly thankful for the partnership we have with Jim, Greg and Steve Syfan that provides jobs for our students and support for our program.”
Syfan’s commitment to student success doesn’t end with the naming of the Logistics Lab, either. Through the company’s generosity, the MCCB was able to award two $10,000 scholarships to highly deserving MCCB students and provide support for professional development opportunities for many other students.
SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES ARE A BALANCING ACT
The 104-acre Northeast Georgia Inland Port planned for Hall County will provide a direct link to the Port of Savannah via Norfolk Southern. The rail terminal will open with 9,000 feet of working track, expanding to 18,000 feet at full build-out. With a top capacity of 150,000 container lifts per year, the facility will offset 600 roundtrip highway miles for every container moved by rail.
Dr. Zuoming Liu, assistant professor of management, teaches his students about two of the main challenges in the supply chain: companies’ desire to reduce costs through overseas sourcing of their materials and businesses’ patterns of lean operations that keep only enough supply for a short window.
The difficulties in meeting both of those goals while providing enough product to satisfy customers is always a balancing act, but even more now in the economic uncertainty of a global pandemic.
“We cannot avoid globalization or lean operations,” Liu said. “But we must help our students find ways to balance these challenges.”
Liu has enlisted Allen and some of his other students to assist with research on supply chain resiliency. They check in with local businesses to see how well they have been able to keep their inventory stocked.
“We realized how fragile the supply chain was,” Allen said. “It’s been interesting. I’ve learned a lot.”
The subject matter extends far beyond abstract textbook material.
“I liked how concrete and applicable the information is. I can think abstractly, but I like practical applications for what I’m learning,” Allen added.
Dr. Lu Xu, assistant professor of business statistics and quantitative methods, said students are learning about three forms of sustainability: economic, environmental and social. She said that after years of economic and environmental considerations taking center stage, the social sustainability of taking care of employees and creating safe products is now gaining attention. Since everyone in our society is a customer, Xu said all can play a part in pushing for sustainability.
“We can take our power to move this forward,” she said. “If we work together as customers with a growing awareness of sustainability, we can help create a cultural change.”
UNG’s supply chain and logistics management concentration includes three courses specific to this field: quality and improvement, procurement and supply chain management, and supply chain management and logistics.
Dr. Lu Xu Assistant Professor of Business Statistics and Quantitative Methods
Where I Lead: Motivating others
BIO
BRADLEY WEAVER, ’14, is putting the management degree he earned to good use as he owns and operates Bradley’s Farms, which sells pumpkins, strawberries and Christmas trees. In addition to his thriving Dawsonville, Georgia, farm, he also has a landscape business.
How do you define leadership?
Leadership means encouraging and motivating people to help them find their passion. It requires listening and respecting the person.
How did UNG shape you as a leader?
The classes I took and the people, both teachers and friends, gave me a good foundation. Much of my knowledge came from books and professors, especially the ones who were business owners and led people.
Which skills does a leader need?
Fairness and knowledge. Know your employees, know your customers, and know your business. Take care of your employees, and your employees will generally take care of your customers.
How do you lead?
I take individuals and match whatever their needs are. I wouldn’t ask them to do anything I wouldn’t do. I try and make things easier for them, like come up with new ideas to make the job go by quicker and easier, which relates to employee satisfaction.
What advice would you give small business owners about leadership?
You don’t have to be the biggest overnight. You can slowly grow in to it and prove your concept and tweak it as needed. Whether you’re selling a product or a service, you can slowly build and work out the bugs and then go from there. In business you’re constantly tweaking things.
WOMEN RISING IN THE RANKS
BY DENISE RAY PHOTOS BY PEGGY COZART
Scan to see how women lead in the corps. Women are increasingly assuming leadership roles in the Corps of Cadets.
Hayley Farmer, left, and Esther Kim, right, work together at Camp Frank D. Merrill Army Ranger Camp during FROG Week. Both graduated in May 2022 and commissioned as Army officers.
In 1973, UNG became the first of the nation’s six senior military colleges to accept women into its Corps of Cadets, paving the way for alumna Col. Greta Railsback, ’99, to become the first UNG female graduate to rise to the rank of Army colonel. Last summer Railsback took command of the Soldier Recovery Brigade, National Capital Region, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The brigade provides leadership, case management, conditions to promote healing, and comprehensive transition planning for the Army’s most complex wounded, ill and injured soldiers.
“We’d all like to high-five each other, but I know we can do better. Every year, I want to see us do better,” Railsback said of her 2019 promotion to colonel. “This promotion is not winning for us, it is just the beginning.”
During her years in the corps, Dawn Brookshire, ’95, was the first female battalion commander. By 2009, UNG was the first to promote a female, Ashlie Shrewsbury, ’10, to the highest-ranking position in the corps – brigade commander. For the first time, all 700-plus members of the corps — the largest in the school’s history at that point — reported to a woman.
“I held a few different leadership positions throughout my time at UNG, but commanding the brigade was by far the most challenging,” Shrewsbury said. “One of my most lasting lessons is that empowered subordinate leaders excel if you give them the chance. Commanding the brigade changed how I lead people in a hugely positive way.”
Logan Scott followed in Shrewsbury’s boots in the 2019-20 school year.
THE MOMENTUM CONTINUES
By fall 2018, women made up 18.3% of UNG’s cadets. The university’s goal is to maintain a level of 16% or more, which correlates to the percentage of women officers in the U.S. Army. The percentage of incoming female cadets increases incrementally each year, with an estimated 25-27% of an incoming class being women, Mike Ivy, director of cadet admissions, said.
As the numbers continue to rise, so does the presence of women in positions of command and specialty organizations. In 2021-22, cadet leadership included Lt. Col. Callie Regal, ’22, 2nd Battalion commander; brigade Command Sgt. Maj. Jordan Armstrong; Capt. Isabella Hurst, ’22, Alpha Company commander; Capt. Hayley Farmer, ’22, Golf Company commander; and
2nd Lt. Kayla Danley commissioned into the Military Intelligence branch of the Georgia Army National Guard in May 2022.
Camaraderie is just one of the benefits of an increasing presence of women within the Corps of Cadets.
Bravo Company 1st Sgt. Laurana Bradley.
“As a battalion commander, it has been an honor to work with so many of my outstanding peers,” Regal said. “I thoroughly enjoy getting to work with the other commanders and staff as we tackle the tasks and missions that come our way.”
FUTURE LEADERS WITHIN THE CORPS
In 2022-23, women will again hold several leadership positions. Cadet Lt. Cols. Bentlee Roberson and Allyson Smith will be battalion commanders; Cadet Capts. Addilyn Koonce and Bellana Bradley will be company commanders.
Cadet command positions are selected through a competitive board process and having goals early on helps set cadets up for success when being assessed, Regal said.
“Being a leader is not easy, but it is worth every minute getting to help and mentor others,” Regal said. “I have learned a great deal about myself and about corps operations through this opportunity.”
The first female members of cadet specialty organizations include Vanessa Pizarro, ’11, the first female in the Mountain Order of Colombo, Ivy said. The Mountain Order of Colombo is based on U.S. Army Ranger training and named after Master Sgt. Louis P. Colombo, who volunteered his time and knowledge. Gretchen Blaschke was the first female member of the Aggressor Platoon. A scholarship was created in her honor after she passed in 1981. Joanna Schell, ’12, and sister Sophie Schell Bender, ’15, followed in Blaschke’s footsteps, and more recently Alison Gaynor, ’21. The Aggressor Platoon provides training in small unit, light infantry, and Ranger tactics. Cadet Capt. Taylor Stephenson is the current commander of the Blue Ridge Rifles, a military precision drill team.
In 2010, Capt. Jessica Carlock placed seventh out of 4,702 cadets in the nation on the National Order of Merit list.
Today, UNG female cadets have stood out at Advanced Camp, a month-long training event designed to demonstrate proficiency in basic officer leadership and military skills. The successful completion of the Advanced Camp is a prerequisite for cadets who seek a military officer commission. College ROTC programs from all around the nation
attend the event held every summer at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
In 2017, Addyson Albershardt was one of two who won the Bold Spirit Award, voted on by Advanced Camp instructors. She also was recognized as the female cadet with the highest score on the Army Physical Fitness Test.
In 2021, Farmer, received the USAA Warrior Ethos Award, given to a cadet in each of the 11 regiments at camp. After Advanced Camp, she helped mentor younger cadets at Basic Camp, also at Fort Knox.
RECRUITING VIDEO FOCUSES ON FEMALES
To highlight the achievements of UNG’s female cadets, Ivy and the Office of Cadet Admissions have developed a video.
“The video showcases the great impact women in the corps provide on a daily basis and the leadership opportunities women have,” Ivy said.
Ivy said that the corps should reflect the Army’s composition, and that the Army should reflect the people it serves.
“My goal as a director of cadet admissions is that when you see videos, presentations, regardless of who you are or where you’re from, orientation, race, gender, you can see yourself at UNG,” Ivy said.
“I really do think that the strength of UNG is in our diversity,” Ivy said. “Within the corps structure, the diversity of the talent that we have goes through all depths. It doesn’t matter what you look like, where you come from, what you’re socioeconomic status is, because at the end of the day, if you have the attitude and effort, and you want an education, and an opportunity to be a leader on day one after graduation, UNG is the place for you.”
Women are regularly assuming top leadership positions in UNG’s Corps of Cadets.
Training at Pine Valley is an integral part of the cadet experience at UNG.
Where I Lead: Preparing for a Fulbright experience
BIO
ANNA CAITLYN “A.C.”
ANDERSON, ’22, recently earned a degree in political science with a pre-law concentration. She was named a Fulbright finalist and will teach English in Spain for the 2022-23 academic year. At UNG, Anderson served as a Presidential Ambassador, orientation leader and Nighthawks Entertainment officer.
What made you want to apply for a Fulbright scholarship to teach in Spain?
I’ve always loved the cultures associated with the Spanish language. It’s different wherever you go. I wanted the opportunity to not only share my culture, but learn another while improving my Spanish and teaching English.
What was it like to seek out this opportunity?
The whole writing process can be very daunting. It can be time-consuming. It can be nerve-wracking. However, at the end of the day, it is an incredibly rewarding experience. You discover yourself by focusing on what you have and not what you don’t have. That is how you formulate your personal statement and your statement of great purpose.
What are some of the most important lessons you learned as a leader at UNG?
You can always develop as a leader. There’s no point at which you can’t grow and continue to better yourself. You should always strive for that betterment as a leader. Also, there’s no team member too big and no team member too small to make something happen in the leadership realm.
How did challenges help you grow in your time as a student?
The bumps in the road made me develop. And they made me broaden my ability to be adaptable, to be flexible, to be prepared for the unexpected and remain calm in a stressful situation.
NIGHTHAWKS STRONG
focusing on student mental health
BY DENISE RAY
In the five-year span from 2014-15 to 2018-19, anxiety replaced depression as the top mental health diagnosis on college campuses, and like the rest of the nation, UNG also saw an increase in the severity of problems.
“Not only were we dealing with increased demand, but also increased intensity, which was creating a mental health crisis across the country in college students,” Dr. Simon Cordery, director of student counseling, said. “This generation has so many more challenges to navigate than previous ones. They’re breaking down. They’re having meltdowns over small things. They go straight from, ‘This is horrible, I can’t deal with this’ to ‘I want to die.’”
Students’ capacity for resiliency diminished due to isolation. Socialization—a key element of collegiate life—was basically nonexistent as students no longer had the opportunity to be together for entertainment and activities.
A University System of Georgia mental health initiative, funded by the state during the COVID pandemic, supports a partnership with Christie Campus Health and the creation of “Nigel Cares,” a mental health support line where students can receive immediate mental health support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Also, if needed, students can receive five sessions with a mental health professional (either virtual or in-person).
Telepsychiatry is a solution to a national lack of access to psychiatrists and helps students in need of counseling or medication stay in school and continue to function at a level that allows them to succeed academically.
“This is an educational community, but we are a microcosm of the real world,” Cordery said. “Real-world problems exist and improved mental health improves everything else. We want students to be in the best possible frame of mind when they’re trying to pass a difficult course like organic chemistry that requires them to be functioning at a very high level. If they’re not sleeping, if they’re not eating, if they’re preoccupied with a relationship problem, they’re not going to do that successfully.”
Dr. Simon Cordery Director of Student Counseling
In December 2020, UNG students participated in a Healthy Minds survey, which highlighted the interference of mental health issues with academics, stress, anxiety, and suicidality. UNG has taken several steps to support student well-being and resiliency, including the expansion of a peer educator program, because, as Cordery said, students will listen to peers when building skills and making behavior and lifestyle changes.
“Students, faculty and staff want to help each other,” Dr. James Conneely, vice president of student affairs, said. “They realize it takes a community to accomplish this goal.”
UNG also began teaching Mental Health First Aid, a program for faculty, staff and students to learn to recognize and intervene in mental health issues in a way that helps them get the help they need.
“This course helps faculty feel so much more comfortable in their classroom, and it helps them intervene in a way that’s really effective,” Cordery said.
Kognito is an interactive online program for students to learn how to identify students exhibiting signs of psychological distress, approach students to discuss their concern and make referrals to university counseling centers. Students also learn about campus resources and support services, including counseling centers.
Through the mental health initiative, UNG is also working with JED Campus, a four-year program to build on existing student mental health and substance abuse and suicide prevention efforts.
The initial 2021 assessment identified 62 campus-level action items, and UNG has completed 34 items in the first year, Cordery said. He added that UNG has been well-prepared to make the improvements because of the university’s focus on student success and best practices.
ON OUR BOOKSHELVES
The faculty and staff at UNG have seen an impressive number of books produced within the academic year. While this is not an exhaustive list, it is clear that UNG has several great authors in its midst. These books even include work from President Bonita Jacobs and Dr. Richard Oates, former vice president of UNG’s Gainesville Campus.
“New Challenges and Opportunities in European-Asian Relations”
Dr. Bibek Chand, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, Co-Author Chand and his co-author focused on the European Union-Asia relations, specifically focusing on the foreign trade, political, and social issues in China. The book highlights interactions in fields many people tend to overlook when discussing the two regions and the problems they are facing.
“Thriving as a Woman in Leadership in Higher Education: Stories and Strategies from Your Peers”
Dr. Chaudron Gille, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Chapter Author Gille wrote a chapter in “Thriving as a Woman in Leadership in Higher Education: Stories and Strategies from Your Peers” in which she discusses the struggles women face when trying to share their own experiences. Her chapter encourages women in the field to talk more about their achievements.
“Embryology and the Rise of the Gothic Novel”
Dr. Diana Edelman, Interim Assistant Head of the Department of English “Embryology and the Rise of the Gothic Novel” is a book that focuses on the evolution of gothic literature. The book argues that one reason gothic fiction is so powerful is due to the fact that reproductive questions rarely have definite answers. For example, the story of Frankenstein is mentioned a lot throughout the book. During that time period many scientists were grappling with the role of the supernatural in reproduction.
“Something in the Water: A History of Music in Macon Georgia, 1823-1980”
Dr. Ben Wynne, Professor of History Wynne’s book focuses on Macon, Georgia, and its history of music that has evolved throughout the years. The city is known to be the birthplace of many iconic artists, such as The Allman Brothers Band, Little Richard and Otis Redding; all of whom Wynne mentions and talks about in his novel. The book also covers many musical genres, including blues, jazz, R&B, and rock and roll.
“Handbook of Research on Teaching Diverse Youth Literature to Pre-Service Professionals”
Dr. Danielle Hartsfield, Associate Professor of Literacy and Elementary Education The focus of the book is to help university educators teach their students how to use books when teaching smaller children. The book covers topics focused on diversity resources and activity planning.
President Bonita Jacobs and Dr. Richard Oates, former Vice President of UNG’s Gainesville Campus “UNG Best Day Ever” focuses on the Gainesville Campus’ signature Starlight Celebration and Fireworks event. In the book, a family prepares for Starlight by touring the campus and landmarks in Gainesville. This book is the second in a series that spotlights each of the UNG campuses.
“California ABC’s”
Written by Dr. Chris Jespersen, Dean of the College of Arts & Letters, and illustrated by Josie V. Toney, Staff Member “California ABC’s” follows Milo, a black lab, on a journey around California. Milo visits many of the state’s cities, famous and little landmarks, as well as state parks and recreational areas. Milo’s journey is targeted for classroom usage, with primary focuses on social studies, culture and geography.
“Reconstruction Politics in a Deep South State: Alabama, 1865-1874”
Dr. Warren Rogers, Professor of History This book offers a fresh perspective on how politics translated from Washington, D.C., to Montgomery, Alabama, during the pivotal period of reconstruction. Rogers examines the shifting political dynamics following the Civil War.
“Critical Essays on the Writings of Lillian Smith”
Dr. Tanya Bennett, a Professor of English, edited and contributed, along with three other UNG English Department faculty members contributing: Associate Department Head Dr. Wendy Kurant Rollins, Associate Professor David Brauer, and Senior Lecturer Cameron Crawford. The book tracks the evolution of Smith from her younger days into a courageous and talented writer. Bennett thought that students would connect well with someone who was from their state and might have a better understanding of the reading once they learned more about Smith and her writings.
“Homeschooling: A Guidebook of Practices, Claims, Issues, and Implications”
Dr. T. Jameson Brewer, Assistant Professor of Social Foundations and Leadership Education The book explores the claims made by advocates of homeschooling and the history of the practice.
“The Citizenship Education Program and Black Women’s Political Culture”
Dr. Dee Gillespie, Professor of History Most people know the major moments in the civil rights movement and Dr. Gillespie’s book brings light onto the lesser-known subjects. Her main goal with the book is to put Black women as the center of attention, show what effects they had on the movement, and history as we know it today.
THE CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM AND BLACK WOMEN’S POLITICAL CULTURE[ [ THE CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM AND BLACK WOMEN’S POLITICAL CULTURE[ [
DEANNA M. GILLESPIE DEANNA M. GILLESPIE
“The Basics of Global Politics”
Edited by Dr. Dlynn Williams, Department Head of Political Science and International Affairs, and Dr. Raluca Viman-Miller, Assistant Professor of Political Science. Dr. Craig Greathouse, Professor and Associate Department Head; Dr. Cristian Harris, Professor; Dr. Scott Meachum,Assistant Professor; Dr. Jonathan Miner, Professor; Dr. Nathan Price, Associate Professor; Dr. Sam Rohrer, Associate Professor; Dr. Seyed Hamidreza Serri, Associate Professor; Dr. Laurel Wei, Assistant Professor; and Dr. Dwight Wilson, Associate Professor, also contributed. Faculty at UNG took notice of the price of textbooks and decided they wanted to offer a low-cost alternative. The Department of Political Science and International Affairs authored and edited the textbook. The textbook introduces beginner political science students to the world politics. WWW. UNG.EDU 31
Sesquicentennial marks 150 years of scholarship, leadership and service
UNG will mark 150 years of serving the region, state and nation with its Sesquicentennial Celebration during the 2022-23 academic year.
A litany of special events and tieins with annual events will kick-off in August at UNG’s faculty/staff and student convocation ceremonies.
“We look forward to celebrating UNG’s rich history as we build on our momentum of preparing outstanding civic, professional and military leaders,” UNG President Bonita Jacobs said. “Our students, faculty, staff and alumni are an invaluable part of our legacy and the university’s impact on our state, and we are eager to celebrate this milestone with them and with our communities.”
The university began as North Georgia Agricultural College in 1873 in Dahlonega, Georgia, and was renamed North Georgia College in 1929. In 1996, due to its much wider scope of academic programs, the University System of Georgia reclassified the college as a state university and renamed it North Georgia College & State University (NGCSU).
Gainesville Junior College was founded in 1964, becoming Gainesville College in 1987 and Gainesville State College in 2005. It expanded in 2003 to include the Oconee Campus. In 2013, NGCSU and Gainesville State College consolidated to become the University of North Georgia.
The Cumming Campus opened as a joint venture between NGCSU and Gainesville State College months before the consolidation, and UNG opened the Blue Ridge Campus in 2015. Both campuses have helped expand access to higher education across the north Georgia region.
UNG is one of only six federally designated senior military colleges, which include The Citadel, Norwich University, Texas A&M University, Virginia Tech, and Virginia Military Institute. It has been preparing future officers to serve as officers in the U.S. Army since the university’s founding in 1873.
UNG’s Sesquicentennial Planning Committee has begun its work with three distinguished honorary co-chairs: Wayne Baird, 1989 UNG graduate and vice president of the UNG Alumni Association; Jimmy Faulkner, immediate past-
Wayne Baird president of the UNG Foundation; and Pat Guthrie, former CEO of the Gainesville State College Foundation. Anna Brown, Jimmy Faulkner executive director of UNG’s Office of University Events, is the staff leader for the committee, which includes
Pat Guthrie students, alumni, faculty, staff, volunteers, and representation from each of UNG’s campuses. Learn more at ung.edu/150.
CONGRATULATIONS
University of North Georgia Alumni Association 2022 Award Recipients
2LT Aaron Brock ’20 Young Alumnus Award
LTG Stephen Fogarty ’83 Hall of Fame
Davis Isley Paul Hutcherson Outstanding Student Award
COL Kit Oboho ’02 Golden Steeple Award
Anna Pate Dot Strother Scholarship
James Ralph Dot Strother Scholarship
Adam Stead ’02 Ralph Colley Spirit of North Georgia Award
(Ret) COL John Thompson ’87 Distinguished Alumni
Hannah Watts Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship
Dr. Dlynn Williams Distinguished Professor
Dr. Christine Jonick Distinguished Professor
John Rucks Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship
Betsy Wilcauskas Paul Hutcherson Outstanding Student Award
The UNG Alumni Association annually honors the university’s most outstanding alumni, students and faculty who exemplify exceptional leadership, service and excellence in their roles serving or attending the university. To nominate someone, please visit ungalumni.org/alumni-awards-banquet . The deadline for award nominations is January 14, 2023
ALUMNI, PARENTS
GATHER FOR FUN, REMEMBRANCE
Hundreds attended the annual UNG ParentAlumni Weekend, gathering for fun and a chance to make new memories.
“Parent Alumni Weekend 2022 was a fabulous experience for all those involved,” Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving Wendi Huguley, ’90, said. “It was the first time in a number of years that the weekend included parents as well as university partners in the activities, and I’m so glad we were able to return to that model. We are all in this together and Parent Alumni Weekend is a testament to that university unity.”
The classes of 1971 and 1972 reminisced at Pine Valley for a 50th Reunion lunch, sharing photos and memories. On the Dahlonega Campus, others enjoyed live music, REUNITE, author meet & greets, military demonstrations, and lively conversations.
Lt. Col. Tim Palmer, ’01, was the keynote speaker at Memorial Retreat, an annual ceremony held to honor alumni who have fallen in battle and alumni who have passed since the previous year’s ceremony are read.
The keynote speaker at the Military Awards Review was Maj. Gen. Jamie Jarrard, ’88.
“We grow leaders here at UNG,” Jarrard said. “I’d like to talk about the best definition of leaders I’ve heard lately: when you begin to care more about others flourishing than you do yourself, you will have become a good leader.”
Jarrard went on to highlight that “no matter what you do in your life, build cohesive teams,” and in order to have a cohesive team, there must be trust.
“You can’t have trust in any organization unless every single member of that organization treats each other with dignity and respect. If you have dignity and respect for one another, you’ll have trust. And, if you have trust, you’ll be well on your way to a cohesive organization.”
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1 The Golden Eagle Band performed during the 2022
Parent-Alumni Weekend. 2 Student Jesus Penaloza attended the Reunite event with his family. 3 University System of Georgia
Chancellor Sonny Perdue watched as President Bonita
Jacobs handed a saber to the brigade commander for UNG’s
Corps of Cadets at the Military
Awards Review. 4 Corps of Cadets Brigade
Commander Ryan Jones with brigade staff at Military
Awards Review. 5 James Ralph received the Dot
Strother Scholarship award at the Alumni Association
Awards Banquet. 6 UNG’s very own authors and artist at REUNITE signed their books published by UNG Press. 7 The Reunite event held during the 2022 Parent-Alumni
Weekend featured live music, food and book signings.
8 President Bonita Jacobs
welcomed University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny
Perdue to the Military
Awards Review. 9 Cadets in formation at the Military Awards Review. 10 The 2-mile “fun run” through campus and downtown Dahlonega provided an early morning start to the
Saturday activities. 11 Alumni Student Hosts Maggie
Davidson ’23 and Caroline
Jones ’24.
