Mapping Strong Careers and Futures

MAPPING STRONG CAREERS AND FUTURES

Six-building expansion in Gainesville Growing older with a helping hand

We remember Photo by Peggy Cozart

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UNG MAGAZINE | Fall 2021

UNG’s Student Government Association and the Corps of Cadets hosted a Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony for all students to mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Many corps alumni have fought in Afghanistan and Iraq in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, and eight alumni have died in combat.

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Features 20 Students map strong careers and futures The Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental & Spatial Analysis celebrates 20 years with students.

26 Room to grow in

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Gainesville

Six buildings renovated to house growing academic units and student services.

34 Growing older with a helping hand

Institute preps students to serve the needs of an aging population.

Departments

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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AROUND UNG

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CORPS OF CADETS

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SPORTS ROUNDUP

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CLASS NOTES

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IN MEMORIAM

UNG MAGAZINE | Fall 2021

University of North Georgia Magazine is published semi-annually by the University of North Georgia. E D I T O R I A L S TA F F Sylvia Carson, APR, editor Edie Rogers, writer J.K. Devine, writer Clark Leonard, writer Jill Johnson, contributor David Jones, designer Peggy Cozart, photographer Nikki Nicholson, intern C O N TAC T Division of University Relations 82 College Circle Dahlonega, GA 30597 706-864-1950 universityrelations@ung.edu

AT UNG, WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF POTENTIAL. The potential of those in need of financial support to see their dream of a college degree become a reality. The potential of those who are the first in their families to pursue a college degree. The potential of innovative, state-of-the-art programs and facilities, that will propel students to discover a world of possibilities and become the next generation of leaders. The potential of those who aspire to serve our country, develop next-level technology, protect our online security, become an entrepreneur, educate future generations, care for the health of others, and serve their communities.

AND WITH YOUR PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT, WE KNOW YOU BELIEVE, TOO. The 2020-2021 Donor Impact Report is now available online. Scan this smart code with your phone’s camera and tap the web link to read messages of gratitude, review UNG accomplishments, and learn about the impact of your philanthropic support. unggive.org/donor-impact-report

Looking to the future First, let me say how good it has been to have students fully back this fall for in-person classes and campus activities! Students are the core of our mission, and they bring an energy to our campuses that we have missed over the past year and a half. While we continue to take precautions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at UNG, we are optimistic that the threat of the virus will continue to recede. Throughout the pandemic, our faculty and staff have embodied our university values of excellence, integrity, engagement, service, and student-focus to support students and their success. Likewise, donors to the UNG Foundation have played a key role in student success, enabling the Foundation to award $3.2 million in scholarships to more than 4,000 students last year, including more than $450,000 in emergency student COVID relief. I am deeply grateful to you for your support of the university’s mission and our students.

“Students are the core of our mission, and they bring an energy to our campuses that we have missed over the past year and a half.”

Despite the challenges of the past year, UNG and our students, faculty, staff, and alumni continued to excel. Once again, U.S. News and World Report ranked UNG as one of the South’s best universities this fall, and UNG is the top public university in Georgia on its “Best Value Schools” list. Our continued strong performance in national rankings is further affirmation of UNG’s emphasis on academic excellence and our dedication to student success. As a state-designated leadership institution, UNG prepares students to lead in a complex and diverse world — skills that are at a premium in today’s workforce. This issue of University of North Georgia Magazine is filled with inspiring stories of success and leadership by our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. To leverage our momentum, we have resumed the strategic planning process we began in 2019. The pandemic and the fast-pace of technological innovation are shaping new ways of learning, teaching and working, and our planning committee is examining trends, challenges and opportunities to ensure that we continue to be well prepared to serve students in the future. Finally, I am excited that the work on our upcoming sesquicentennial – our 150th year – is underway. Our celebration will begin in fall 2022 and continue through summer 2023. Be sure to watch for details on our plans to build upon UNG’s heritage of excellence and leadership for the future. It remains an exciting time for UNG, and I look forward to working with you to prepare the university for the next 150 years. Sincerely,

Bonita C. Jacobs, Ph.D. President

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RANKED ONE OF THE BEST—AGAIN UNG ranked among the best in the South by U.S. News & World Report.

Our high-quality, affordable programs enable students to graduate with less debt and ready to be leaders in a variety of fields. Our students are making a difference — and that’s getting noticed. Again this year, UNG was lauded by U.S. News & World Report for excellence overall and as the state’s most affordable public university. We’re the public university of choice in Georgia for veterans, and our growing computer science program is one of the best in the state.

MORE RANKING ACCOLADES

UNG also is ranked among the best public universities in Georgia for: • Undergraduate Computer Science Programs • Undergraduate Teaching Programs • Undergraduate Business Programs • Undergraduate Nursing Programs

“Our continued strong performance in national rankings is further affirmation of UNG’s emphasis on academic excellence and our dedication to student success.” Bonita C. Jacobs, President

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Six students earn coveted Boren Scholarship Two members of UNG’s Chinese Flagship Program will study Chinese at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in Monterey, California, thanks to the Boren Scholarship. They are among six UNG students to earn the scholarship. Meghan McPeak of Chapel Hill, N.C., and Dillon Evans of Columbus, Georgia, both studied Chinese in UNG’s Summer Language Institute. The two seniors also are pursuing degrees in modern language with a concentration in Chinese for global professionals. In addition, McPeak is pursuing a second degree in strategic and security studies. The Boren Scholarship provides up to $25,000 for students to intensively study language and culture abroad. In exchange, students agree to work for the federal government for at least a year and receive coaching and mentoring upon their return to facilitate this objective. “Everything that I have planned for so long now is set in place,” Evans, a captain in UNG’s Corps of Cadets and member of the Honors Program, said. The four other students to win the Boren award were:

Dillon Evans

Daniel Shearer

Phillip Ly

Rhiannon Smith

Meghan McPeak

Katherine Torres

• Phillip Ly, a senior cadet from Forest Park, Georgia, pursuing a degree in strategic and security studies. • Daniel Shearer, a senior cadet pursuing a degree in East Asian studies. • Rhiannon Smith, a May 2021 graduate from Dahlonega, Georgia, with degrees in psychology and modern languages with a Russian concentration. • Katherine “Kat” Torres, a May 2021 graduate from Hoschton, Georgia, with a degree in political science with a pre-law concentration.

Students place second in Korean language contest A pair of UNG students placed second in their divisions of the fourth annual Southeastern U.S. Korean Speech and Quiz Contest. Ann Lim finished second in the nonheritage level three competition, and Emelia Thompson took second in nonheritage level one. Both are pursuing minors in Korean. Lim is a senior from Lawrenceville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in cybersecurity. Thompson is a junior from Covington, Georgia, pursuing a degree in communication with an organizational leadership concentration.

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Ann Lim

Emelia Thompson

Nine students earn Gilman Scholarships Denise Gonzales, a sophomore from Flowery Branch, Georgia, was one of nine UNG students to receive the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship this year. The program, aimed at students with financial need, provides funds for study abroad. Gonzales said she wanted to study abroad after an eighth-grade trip to Costa Rica. “I worked on the weekends to save money and applied for as many scholarships as I could,” Gonzalez, who is pursing a degree in accounting, said. The other eight students selected include: • Cassandra Canakis, a junior from Watkinsville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in marketing with a minor in Japanese, plans to study in Japan. • McLaren Christensen, a sophomore from Atlanta pursuing a degree in international affairs, plans to study in France. • Maren Cooper, a senior from Augusta, Georgia, pursuing a degree in international affairs and a member of the Corps of Cadets, plans to study in Taiwan. • Christian Cruce, a senior from Braselton, Georgia, pursuing a degree in strategic and security studies and a member of the Chinese Language Flagship, plans to study in Taiwan. • Gicel Sagastume, a senior from Winterville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in elementary and special education, plans to study in Spain. • Anh Tran, a senior from Gainesville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in marketing with a minor in graphic design, plans to study in the United Kingdom. • Christy Villeda, a junior from Cumming, Georgia, pursuing a degree in nursing, plans to study in Spain. • Mikalyn Wilkes, a senior from Cleveland, Georgia, pursuing a degree in elementary and special education, plans to study in Spain. For some their experience will be altered due to COVID-19, while others are choosing to defer their scholarships to later dates.

‘I worked on the weekends to save money and applied for as many scholarships as I could.’ Denise Gonzales

FEA scholarships fund study abroad Students Ketsia Malala and Robbie Griffin originally thought a study abroad was out of their financial reach, but both grabbed onto their overseas opportunities after winning the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) scholarships in spring 2021. “I was really happy and excited,” Malala, a senior from Buford, Georgia, pursuing a degree in Robbie Griffin management, said. “It was nice to succeed and know my efforts didn’t go to waste.” Griffin and Malala were the only two Ketsia Malala students to receive the scholarship. Griffin, a sophomore cadet from Grovetown, Georgia, pursuing a degree in strategic and security studies, said winning the scholarship eased his financial concerns. “It was a lot of work to apply, and it was stressful to wait for the news,” Griffin said. “Finally getting the award was a huge relief. It made me optimistic and excited for the future.” His and Malala’s futures involve trips abroad in summer 2022. The FEA allowed students to defer their scholarships because of travel disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Malala will head to South Korea while Griffin will study in Athens, Greece.

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Alumnus Mitchiner to lead new Institute for Cyber Operations

Retired Army Col. Chris Mitchiner, ’91, has joined UNG as the executive director of the new Institute for Cyber Operations in the Mike Cottrell College of Business. Mitchiner’s mission is to work with the university’s academic programs to build UNG’S cyber program into one of the top programs in the country. “The university is poised to become a beacon of cybersecurity expertise and excellence, which will provide many opportunities,” he said. “Cybersecurity is not going anywhere. It’s here to stay.” Mitchiner’s responsibilities include developing opportunities for cyber research with the government, military and corporate partners and raising additional funds for student scholarships and faculty support. He will also work with programs across the university, such as healthcare, to identify the best way to bring cybersecurity knowledge to related industries.

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DeSandre selected as dean for health sciences Dr. Carolynn DeSandre has been named the dean of UNG’s College of Health Sciences and Professions following a national search. DeSandre had served as interim dean since December 2019. She is eager to meet the college’s mission by helping to fill the region’s persistent health care workforce gap that has been exacerbated by COVID-19. “My vision for the college is to grow our amazing programs and enroll more students so they can get out there and fill these jobs in rural north Georgia,” DeSandre said. Dr. Chaudron Gille, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, announced DeSandre’s selection as dean. “Dr. DeSandre has provided valuable leadership during the COVID-19 crisis and in other significant college initiatives,” Gille said. “I am pleased to have her lead the university’s College of Health Sciences and Professions.” DeSandre joined UNG’s nursing faculty in 2007. She was one of the co-authors of UNG’s proposal for the Doctor of Nursing Practice, which launched its first cohort in fall 2019.

Bennett teaching in Romania as Fulbright Scholar Dr. Tanya Bennett, a professor of English, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award for the fall semester from the U.S. Department of State and Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. She plans to teach in an American studies program at the University of Bucharest in Romania from September through January. Bennett is one of more than 800 U.S. faculty, administrators, professionals, artists, and journalists who will conduct research and teach around the world during the upcoming academic year through the scholar program. “At this stage of my career, it’s an honor to be able to do this,” Bennett said. “It’s a chance for me to share my expertise, but it’s also a chance for me to expand my expertise by thinking about it from a completely different perspective.” Bennett researched Europe to discover where her expertise could be most useful. She is excited to teach about literature of the American South. She also looks forward to exploring the Romanian countryside and the literary history of Bucharest, the Romanian capital, during her downtime.

Jacobs, Gowan named among Who’s Who in Education

Georgia General Assembly honors Johnson for her diversity efforts

UNG President Bonita Jacobs (left) and Dr. Mary Gowan, dean of UNG’s Mike Cottrell College of Business (MCCB), earned inclusion on the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2021 Who’s Who in Education list. The pair are among 100 education leaders in metro Atlanta to be recognized. Through Jacobs’ leadership, UNG has been named a top producer of Fulbright students for four years in a row and scored consecutive decisive victories in the NSA Codebreaker Challenge. In recent years, UNG has been recognized by numerous national publications, including Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, Money magazine and Kiplinger, as one of the nation’s leading universities for academic excellence, student success and affordability. Since she became dean in February 2019, Gowan has helped plan and design the Cottrell Center for Business, Technology and Innovation.

Dr. Lauren Johnson, assistant dean of UNG’s College of Education, was recognized by the Georgia General Assembly in March for her work in diversity. State Rep. Will Wade, R-Dawsonville, presented a resolution to honor Johnson during the 2021 session for her effort to recruit and support diverse high school students from Hall County and Gainesville City Schools who want to be educators. “The proclamation demonstrates the legislature’s commitment to representation of people from diverse backgrounds,” Johnson said. “And it showed the Georgia Assembly was recognizing the efforts of women and people of color during Women’s History Month. Those are steps in the right direction.” Johnson’s previous honors include Governor’s Teaching Fellow, Fulbright-Hays Seminar Abroad Program, UNG Diversity Champion Award and UNG Emerging Leader Award. She also has secured five UNG-based research grants over the years.

Hollabaugh earns teaching award Dr. Nicole Hollabaugh, an associate professor of chemistry, has earned the G.E. Philbrook Teaching Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching. The award was presented by the Northeast Georgia Section of the American Chemical Society. “I can’t believe I am getting recognized for something that I have wanted to do for so long,” she said. “It is such a high honor.” Dr. Patricia Todebush, associate department head of chemistry, said Hollabaugh deserved the prestigious recognition. Hollabaugh earned tenure last year and consistently has great student evaluations, Todebush said.

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Elementary Education degree program honored by national literacy group

UNG’s elementary and special education degree has received National Recognition with Distinction from the International Literacy Association (ILA). UNG is the first undergraduate program to earn this honor and one of three total since it was first awarded in 2019. “Our review team was particularly impressed with UNG and its clear emphasis on continuous improvement in teaching across all areas of literacy,” Diane Kern, ILA National Recognition program coordinator, said in a press release.

Physics majors share research during “Posters on the Hill” virtual session

Suzy Steel

Two physics students presented their research to the U.S Congress in a virtual event in April. Recent graduate Suzy Steel and senior Rebecca Corley participated in the Council on the Undergraduate Research’s Posters on the Hill 2021 event. The two women were among 60 students selected for the annual event. Steel, who earned a physics degree in May, said it is especially rewarding since UNG is considered a small institution. “The Council of Undergraduate Research and others have recognized the importance of our research and how it can impact science,” Steel said. The two students’ research focuses on collisions between electrons and different nuclei. The two study the collisions and the particle debris field through computer simulation.

Rebecca Corley

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D.C. programs provide insight on governing Two students from the Department of Political Science and International Affairs were selected for prestigious programs based in Washington, D.C. Anna Caitlyn “AC” Anderson was selected by UNG President Bonita Jacobs as the 2021-22 UNG Presidential Fellow for the Center for the Study of Anna Caitlyn the Presidency Anderson and Congress. Anderson will follow Bradley Booth, who interned and studied in Washington, D.C., during the spring through the Fund for American Studies Capital Semester on International Bradley Booth Affairs and Public Policy. Booth graduated in August with a degree in international affairs with a European concentration. He worked an internship with military intelligence contractor Praescient Analytics and took courses on the American presidency, the presidency and the media, and international economics through George Mason University and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. Anderson is a senior from Gainesville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in political science with a pre-law concentration. Monthly online seminars will allow Anderson to study the public policymaking process and the president’s relationship with Congress, allies, the media, and the public. A multiday leadership conference in Washington, D.C., will wrap up the program.

Second fraternity establishes home on Gainesville Campus Despite challenges presented by the pandemic, Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity established the first North American Interfraternity Conference (IFC) group on the UNG Gainesville Campus. Thirteen students were initiated in spring 2021. “I was super excited,” Matt Caldwell, first president of UNG’s chapter, said. “It was an awesome experience” Delta Sigma Phi is the second Greek-lettered organization to call the Gainesville Campus home. Aubrey Frazier, director of fraternity and sorority life, said installing another group on the Gainesville Campus was part of her office’s strategic plan. “It demonstrates our continued effort to expand fraternities and sororities to the Gainesville Campus and enhance the college experience for those students,” she said.

Thirteen UNG students were initiated into the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity in spring 2021 on the Gainesville Campus. Delta Sigma Phi, known as Delta Sigs, is the second Greek-lettered fraternal organization to call the Gainesville Campus home.

Pi Kappa Phi celebrates 50 years UNG’s Pi Kappa Phi chapter celebrated its 50th anniversary on May 22. The golden anniversary was a major milestone for the social fraternity, which is the longest, continuous-running fraternity on UNG’s Dahlonega Campus. “This demonstrates the caliber of men we have as members, starting with our founders,” said Justin Harper, public relations chairman and past president of UNG’s Pi Kappa Phi chapter. The celebration was held virtually due to COVID-19, but there are plans to have an in-person event in the future. Founding member Bill Pope, ’72, said the lack of an in-person event doesn’t diminish the significant milestone or his memory of helping charter a new fraternity. “When we had our first meeting, we had 99 students there,” Pope, who now lives in Fayetteville, North Carolina, said. “When we got to initiation, 57 of us joined.”

UNG’s Pi Kappa Phi chapter celebrated its 50th anniversary in May. The national fraternity initiated nearly 60 new members in spring 1972 on UNG’s Dahlonega Campus. This golden anniversary is a milestone for the group, which is the longest, continuous-running fraternity on the Dahlonega Campus.

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UNG Press celebrates 10th anniversary

The UNG Press was admitted as an affiliate member of the Association of University Presses this year – the highest accolade possible for a higher education publisher. UNG Press Director BJ Robinson (right) and Managing Editor Corey Parson also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the press this fall.

“You can write a great book, but that doesn’t mean much if no one reads it,” BJ Robinson, director of the UNG Press, said. For the past decade, the scholarly, peer-reviewed press has worked to publish and showcase academic works that range from monographs, nonfiction and textbooks to literature, fiction and children’s books. “We help authors and try to do justice to their work,” Robinson said. The UNG Press has made a name for itself in the state and among other institutions. One of its most prominent accomplishments is being the state leader in Open Educational Resources (OER) and Open Textbooks. It has published 16 open textbooks with nine more in progress.

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Corey Parson, managing editor of UNG Press, said the OERs and low-cost textbooks have saved students about $5 million. And the 2017 UNG alumna knows first-hand how beneficial that can be. “I was a student at UNG for 10 years,” Parson said. “And I remember calling my parents to ask for money for textbooks. Knowing we have a small part of making college more affordable for everyone is my proudest moment.” Robinson said their success has resulted in the Clemson University Press, State University of New York Press and University of Texas Press seeking consultations from them about the open textbooks. Robinson said UNG Press being

designated as a University Press Partner with Affordable Learning Georgia, a University System of Georgia initiative, made the achievement possible. The UNG Press also cultivated a second high-profile partnership in 2020, when it joined forces with the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Book Program to publish books addressing subjects such as military land power and land warfare history, technology, combat, and strategy and tactics. This curated collection serves to educate members of the U.S. Army, the Department of Defense, the AUSA, U.S. government officials, and the public.

Children’s book lauds Gainesville community UNG President Bonita Jacobs and Richard Oates, vice president of UNG’s Gainesville Campus, collaborated to pen a children’s book featuring the Gainesville Campus and its signature community event, the Starlight Celebration and Fireworks. The UNG Press launched the book “UNG Best Day Ever!” in August during the annual community event. It is the second in a series of books spotlighting each of the university’s five campuses. The first book, “UNG The Gold I See: The Legacy of UNG’s Dahlonega Campus,” was released in fall 2018. “UNG Best Day Ever!” features the culturally diverse and multigenerational characters of Ana Green, her grandmother, and her dad, a UNG alumnus from the Gainesville Campus. In the story, the Green family prepares for Starlight by touring the campus and visiting landmarks in Gainesville, Georgia. Jacobs and Oates knew it was important to emphasize the close connection between the Gainesville Campus and the community in the book. Several key sites in the story include Green Street, the Ed Cabell Theatre, the historic downtown district, and the poultry monument. “UNG’s Gainesville Campus legacy and its impact on students and the area are closely linked with the community it serves,” Jacobs said. “This book illustrates the strong interplay between the two by showcasing iconic points of interest in Hall County, making it entertaining for children and nostalgic for adults and former students at our Gainesville Campus.” The illustrated, hardcover 40-page book costs $29.99, with

UNG President Bonita Jacobs and Richard Oates, vice president of UNG’s Gainesville Campus, authored a children’s book featuring the Gainesville Campus and the Starlight Celebration and Fireworks.

all proceeds going to UNG student scholarships. One of Jacobs’ top priorities as president has been to raise money for student scholarships. The UNG Foundation awarded $3.2 million in scholarships to more than 4,000 students last year, including more than $450,000 in emergency COVID relief.

The book’s illustrator is J’Nelle Short, Jacobs’ sister. Short has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Stephen F. Austin University and is an accomplished artist who has taught art for more than 30 years, including being named “Teacher of the Year” six times.

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Kirk named professor of military science Col. Bryan G. Kirk is UNG’s new professor of military science, and he hopes to keep the momentum of the Corps of Cadets rolling. “I’m really excited and honored to have been chosen as the professor of military science at UNG,” Kirk said. “I’ve had the privilege to work throughout the past 24 years with several UNG graduates, and I can’t think of one I wouldn’t want to work with again.” Kirk commissioned as an armor officer and has served in the U.S. Army Special Forces around the world the past 20 years. He most recently served as the director of operations for the Theater Special Operations Command for Central Command in Tampa, Florida.

Cadets Brandon Ware, Anna Chirillo, Esther Kim, Megan Collins, and Haydn Griffin gained experience at Army hospitals during the summer.

Cadets participate in prestigious summer program Five UNG cadets participated in the Army’s competitive Nurse Summer Training Program (NSTP). The internship provided Bachelor of Science in Nursing students Anna Chirillo, Megan Collins, Haydn Griffin, Esther Kim, and Brandon Ware with a four-week experience unlike their other clinical rotations. Each was stationed at a different location in the United States between their junior and senior years. “It’s a great opportunity. I have a year left in school, and I got to go and see what my job as an Army nurse will be like when I graduate,” Chirillo, a cadet first lieutenant from Newnan, Georgia, said. “I am better prepared to take it on when I graduate.”

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Assignments for the other cadets were: • Kim, a cadet captain from Johns Creek, Georgia, Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. • Collins, a cadet sergeant from Thomaston, Georgia, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. • Griffin, a cadet sergeant first class from Bainbridge, Georgia, Bassett Army Community Hospital, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. • Ware, a cadet private first class from Lawrenceville, Georgia, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.

Boar’s Head Weekend 2021

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The Boar’s Head Weekend returned to UNG for its sixth installment Sept. 24-26 on UNG’s Dahlonega Campus. Organized by the North Georgia Corps of Cadets Association (NGCCA), the weekend

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offered cadets mentoring and networking opportunities with Corps of Cadets alumni.

1. Boar’s Head Weekend events included

Friday’s First Call evening event. Guest Speaker Major General Thomas Carden spoke to the Corps of Cadets, Corps alumni, friends, and supporters of the Corps assembled in the UNG Convocation Center. 2. Cadet Shane Henderson is joined by his family, SMG Joshua Thomas (left) and PMS Col. Bryan Kirk (right) during the Saturday evening Distinguished Military Student (DMS) banquet. 3. Cadet Alexander Haller receives recognition of his DMS award from President Bonita Jacobs and Commandant Col. Joseph Matthews during Sunday’s review ceremony. 4. Friends and family were part of the Saturday celebration. Cadet Komlan Sogah, is joined by his girlfriend, Bema Madieva (left), and sister, Gifty Sogah (right), who both are fellow UNG students. 5. The UNG Golden Eagle Band performed during the DMS Review Sunday. 6. A record 34 cadets were formally recognized at the DMS dinner and review.

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Acton named to 30 under 30 list Women’s basketball assistant coach Jaymee Acton has been named a Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Thirty Under 30 honoree. “I’m honored to be recognized alongside so many great coaches. It’s a blessing to coach at UNG and work under Coach Buffie Burson,” Acton said. “It’s the people who make this program so special and successful, from the team to our UNG Athletics staff to the community.” The 2015 and 2018 alumna and former UNG basketball player has spent seven seasons on the sidelines for UNG alongside Burson, the first two as a graduate assistant. Acton has helped the Nighthawks win three Peach Belt Conference tournament titles in the past four years. The Nighthawks also have been to three straight NCAA regional finals and earned four consecutive NCAA postseason appearances.

Davenport clinches 900th victory Softball head coach Mike Davenport earned his 900th coaching victory in March 2021. Davenport’s team also finished among the final four teams at the 2021 NCAA Division II championship and went 43-8. Davenport took over as head coach in 2001 and has averaged more than 45 wins per full season, including a 2015 NCAA Division II national championship and a school-record 62 wins in 2018. “I don’t think when we set out on this journey 21 seasons ago we had any aspirations of reaching a certain milestone,” Davenport said. “But reaching 900 wins in 21 seasons will always be extra special to me and this team because just over a year ago none of us were certain when we would get to coach and play the game of softball again.” His team was 23-4 in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season to finish the year ranked No. 3 nationally. “I am extremely proud and humbled to have been able to lead this program for the past 21 years,” Davenport said. “But our sustained success is solely due to the players who have played in our program and chosen to wear the North Georgia uniform.”

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Ralton to coach women’s soccer Kayley Ralton was promoted to head women’s soccer coach after serving more than three years as an assistant coach and a stint as interim head coach. UNG Director of Athletics Mary Rob Plunkett announced the decision following

an extensive national search. “Her values and vision for the program align with our university and athletic department, and she has a proven track record of success as both a player and a coach in the Peach Belt and the Southeast Region,” Plunkett said Ralton served as the interim head women’s soccer coach for the spring 2021 season, going 7-3 and making the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) tournament as the No. 2 seed after reaching as high as a No. 10 national ranking during the season. “UNG is such an incredible institution, and I am honored to be a part of a nationally recognized athletic department,” Ralton said. “I would like to thank Mary Rob Plunkett for believing in me to lead the program.” During Ralton’s time as assistant coach, the women’s soccer program earned a PBC regular-season title, an NCAA second-round appearance and a 38-12-5 record.

Two student-athletes join coaching ranks

Malasek among top 30 for NCAA Woman of the Year

A pair of student-athlete standouts will remain on campus in Dahlonega as graduate assistant coaches for the 2021-22 academic year. Kylee Smith, a four-time All-America pitcher and three-time Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Pitcher of the Year, helped lead the Nighthawks to a pair of NCAA Division II Championship appearances as a player. She will be a graduate assistant for softball head coach Mike Davenport. Megan Sabol, a two-time All-America and three-time PBC Player of the Year, holds at least a share of every UNG women’s golf record. She will serve as a graduate assistant for women’s golf head coach Sierra Campbell.

Kylee Smith

Megan Sabol

Women’s soccer player Taylor Malasek is among the top 30 candidates for the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year award, the national office announced in September. Malasek, a senior from Peachtree City, Georgia, is one of 30 college student-athletes representing 18 different sports across the NCAA’s three divisions to advance from the initial list of 535 nominees. Malasek is pursuing a degree in biology and earned the PBC Elite 15 award for women’s soccer in 2019. The award is given to the student-athlete competing in each conference championship who has the highest cumulative GPA.

S c a n to l e a r n m o re about Malasek.

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Where I Lead: Vaulting to a national championship

BIO

JOURNEY GURLEY won the NCAA Division II pole vault national title in 2021. The Danielsville, Georgia, resident is pursuing a degree in elementary and special education and is scheduled to graduate in May 2022, taking only three years to earn her degree.

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What was it like to bring home a national title to UNG? I was stressed out for two weeks going into it, and I was just trying to practice every second of every day. Once I won, it was all worth it. Graduate assistant coach Justice Ricketts usually didn’t let me know what height I was going for so that I wouldn’t change my vault. When he said I had cleared 14 feet, 2 inches, I didn’t believe him because it was such a shock. It could have been anyone who won. That day, I was the best. This shows UNG can be competitive at the national level and sets the standard for others to come. How did you start pole vaulting, and what do you enjoy about it? I started out in gymnastics. My mom saw that most gymnasts who leave the sport go into pole vaulting and do really well, so she started me with that. I did both throughout high school. I like it because it keeps me in the same shape I was in for gymnastics. It’s a lot of the same skills. I’m a thrill-seeker and I like falling, so that’s my favorite part. What other athletes have inspired you? I always looked up to Kerri Strug. She’s the gymnast who injured her ankle on her first vault at the 1996 Olympics, but still had to do her second vault for the U.S. to beat Russia and win the team gold. She was such a team player, and I always try to do whatever I can to help my team. What is an underrated aspect of leadership? A silent leader is someone who is leading behind the scenes even when you don’t see them out there. I like to push myself and lead by my actions more than my words. Our track and field team is very small. We all had to step up and be leaders.

S c a n to l e a r n m o re a b o u t G u rl ey.

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STUDENTS MAP STRONG CAREERS AND FUTURES WITH IESA The Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental & Spatial Analysis celebrates 20 years with students. BY J . K . D E V I N E P H OTO S BY P E G GY COZ A R T

 A total station surveyor is an optical instrument that uses electronics to calculate angles and distances.  A beaker is a glass container with a flat bottom that is used to hold, measure and pour liquids.  A laptop computer can be used for a range of activities in the field such as data collection or to view the path of a drone. Some IESA students also use iPads for similar functions.  A specialized water quality sensor measures several parameters such as temperature, pH, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total algae, cyanobacteria phycocyanin, and turbity.  The global navigation satellite system helps provide positioning, navigation and timing services on a global or regional basis.  Ground-penetrating radar takes an X-ray of the ground to show the different layers of the earth, including potential areas for fossil deposits.  Unmanned aerial vehicle, also known as UAVs or drones, are used for research and instructional purposes.

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D

uring his time as a student in UNG’s Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis (IESA), John Dees learned how to use the tools of an industry with evolving technology and multidisciplinary knowledge. “IESA teaches a lot of important skills for 21st century jobs,” the 2015 graduate said. “I learned to work with data, analyze results, model real-world problems, and work with code.” Dees learned transferable skills used across disciplines and sciences that he puts to work as a full-time consultant and science advisor with Carbon Direct, a scientific advisory service and investment capital company that focuses on the carbon removal and utilization ecosystem. “I primarily work on life cycle and technoeconomic assessment engineered carbon removal technologies and projects that will hopefully help us reduce or offset our fossil fuel emissions and decarbonize our economy,” Dees said. He also is completing his doctoral degree at the University of California at Berkeley. “I would attribute a great deal of my success to UNG,” he said. “I had wonderful professors who were generous with their time and passionate about their work. They helped me develop the skills and confidence to take the next steps that led me to where I am today.” Dees is one example of the many IESA graduates who become working professionals across the nation thanks to techniques learned from qualified UNG faculty in a nationally accredited institution. Supplying students with an education ranging from the earth sciences to environmental theory while using cutting-edge technologies is a goal of the IESA program, Dr. Jeff Turk, dean of IESA, said.

“Students graduate from the program with a broad perspective and ability to integrate approaches from multiple disciplines,” he said. “As a result, they are workforce ready to apply modern technological methods of spatial analysis to solve real-world problems.” This fall, more than 100 IESA students will glean knowledge through lectures and hands-on experiences in their new home in the Arts & Technology building on UNG’s Gainesville Campus. The new building facilitates the next phase for an institute that celebrated its 20th anniversary this fall.

INTERDISCIPLINARY ACADEMICS Since its creation in 2001, IESA has awarded approximately 1,100 associate and bachelor’s degrees and certificates. “IESA’s course and section offerings have grown significantly over the years and today we offer classes on all five UNG campuses, including several sections of geology, geography and environmental science and environmental studies courses that support the core curriculum,” Turk said. “In addition, IESA has added several new upper-level courses and programs, which complement IESA’s existing courses and programs in technology and the earth and environmental sciences.” In 2001, IESA was formed as an initiative among Gainesville College, North Georgia College & State University’s School of Natural and Health Sciences, and the University of Georgia’s biological and agricultural engineering department. The partnership’s main focus was to develop a more in-depth scientific understanding of water quantity and quality through collaborative grants activity and research. It also sought to expand educational programs

About 17 full-time and 15 part-time IESA faculty combine their knowledge to teach the following disciplines: DATA ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT CARTOGRAPHY AND EARTH MEASUREMENT EARTH SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENTAL LAW, SCIENCES, STUDIES, AND SUSTAINABILITY HISTORICAL, HUMAN AND PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY GEOMORPHOLOGY GEOSCIENCES, GIS, AND GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGY LAND USE AND CONSERVATION PHYSICAL SCIENCE AND PHYSICS REMOTE SENSING AND SPATIAL ANALYSIS LAND SURVEYING WEATHER AND CLIMATE

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COLLABORATION AND RESEARCH

Dr. Ali Mehran, assistant professor of earth and geospatial science in IESA, uses unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as UAVs or drones, for educational and research purposes.

through the cross-collaboration of several disciplines, such as social sciences; science, engineering and technology; natural and health sciences; and biological and agricultural engineering. “Our faculty come in with different areas of expertise and typically collaborate with each other. They also devise research opportunities to fuel their passion and inspire our students,” Turk said. “All of these elements provide our students various avenues to explore and allows them to learn and use state-of-the-art geospatial tools associated with their career.” IESA’s undergraduate and graduate students reap the benefits of the faculty’s expertise. “My classes have taught me different programs, which I would use in future jobs,” Parker Clark, a junior pursuing a degree in environmental spatial analysis, said. “My professors have also been extremely helpful and

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patient. One professor has taught me so much. Dr. Jacob McDonald is one of the main reasons why I have continued with IESA.” Clark said McDonald introduced the idea of an internship at Elachee Nature Science Center in Gainesville, Georgia, that focused on stream surveying and GIS analysis. “I have learned how to perform a stream survey and GIS analysis, and how stream restoration works,” Clark said. The resident of Jackson, Georgia, said the hands-on learning and fieldwork will give him a leg up on the competition when he applies for jobs. “The biggest benefits of my internship were being able to do the work, make mistakes, understanding why and what the mistakes are, and correcting them,” Clark said. “This method of working and learning has been very useful.”

McDonald said he enjoys working with students, especially when he can provide them undergraduate research opportunities. The assistant professor and two other UNG students spent part of the spring and summer of 2021 mapping the Unicoi Wagon Trail in northeast Georgia. It was the first route linking east Tennessee, western North Carolina and north Georgia. “We have historical documents to show where the trail was and we found evidence to back up that claim based on our fieldwork,” McDonald said. “Now we can learn about the past by using our present technology and preserve the community’s history for the future.” The Sautee Nacoochee Community Association (SNCA), which presented the idea to IESA, plans to share the trails map via its smartphone app, The Heart & Heritage of the Northeast Georgia Mountains, and Google Earth. “Much of the 200-plus-year-old Unicoi Wagon Trail has vanished under plows and bulldozers, but important sections remain,” Alan Hall, president of the SNCA Board of Directors, said. “We hope to engage citizens to help us find, verify and map the remaining traces of the old road, ultimately through all of Georgia.” This is one example of how IESA collaborates with the community on research that benefit the region as well as faculty and students. “This research project shows students the possibilities of what they can do in the real world,” McDonald said. “These skills can be used for history, archaeology and many more disciplines.” IESA faculty frequently collaborate with faculty in other disciplines. Dr. Katayoun Mobasher, professor

of geology in IESA, and Dr. Jerry Allison, a professor of chemistry who has recently retired, were awarded a grant to investigate the geology of Elachee Nature Science Center through geochemical and petrographic analyses of rock outcrops. The pair, plus two UNG students, conducted the research in 2019. “Dr. Allison and I had previously worked together on projects and we have a similar background when it comes to the study of rocks,” Mobasher said. “While serving as a course facilitator for Elachee’s Master Naturalist series, I was looking for the opportunity to study Elachee’s rock outcrops in detail and Dr. Allison, the geochemist, was available to help accomplish this. I enjoy working in Elachee Nature Center, a geologically rich area that is close to UNG’s Gainesville Campus.”

summer, NSF awarded the institute a three-year, $360,000 grant to improve undergraduate geoscience education in Georgia. Since then, IESA has developed two graduate-level certificates. One is in geospatial science and technology, which emphasizes theory while addressing real-world problems in a variety of disciplines. The second is in geomatics, which includes graduate-level coursework required for the state of Georgia’s surveying licensure. IESA’s faculty have developed its

academic programs strategically. Each curriculum, degree and addition leads toward unique master’s and Ph.D. degrees that are under development and that distinguish UNG from many higher education programs in these fields. “There aren’t a lot of doctoral programs in the spatial sciences and particularly in spatial data science,” Turk said. “If UNG receives approval for graduate programs in the spatial sciences, it would make us unique in this field and potentially draw students from across the nation.”

HIGH ACHIEVEMENTS IESA is one of only 19 programs in the nation to have a geospatial intelligence certificate program accredited by the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation. The accreditation puts UNG’s program in the company of schools such as the University of Southern California, Johns Hopkins University, Penn State World Campus, and the University of Maryland, plus the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. “A really small group has that accreditation,” Turk said. “We are grateful and honored to be accredited.” The accreditation is not the only recognition IESA has earned. In 2017, the institute was awarded a three-year, $619,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a curriculum for a new associate degree in geospatial engineering technology and a land surveying certificate program. This

Alumnus Matt Palmer and student Savanna Grayson collect data on large rock outcrops at Elachee Nature Science Center in Gainesville, Georgia.

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Where I lead: Advancing national security

BIO

Paul Arcangeli, ’87, graduated from UNG with a degree in biology and served 12 years in the Army. He is now the majority staff director for the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, which he has served for 16 years.

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What do you enjoy most about your job? I’m still involved with the things I’ve always cared about. Most people think Congress is fighting all the time. It’s actually about getting along with people. We provide for the common defense. It’s a testament to the people that work there. They try and get past the fighting to produce outcomes that are good for the country. You served in the Army for 12 years. What led you to change careers? I experienced sudden cardiac arrest, and it was a life-changing experience. It is not what happens to you that makes you who you are. It is how you deal with it. Everybody thinks they’re going to live forever, but at 33, I found out I was very mortal. And every day is extra. Make the most of what you’ve got. You taught at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for two years. How is UNG’s leadership model different? What I got at UNG was better. It forced me to deal with the real world and not a world that’s insulated from how things really are. It made me a better leader, there’s no doubt. It was the people who taught me there, my peers, the environment. It taught me things I still use every day. Caring about people, finding things that motivate people. What makes a person a good leader? You have to know what it’s like to take orders before you can lead people. People don’t do things because you tell them to do it. You have to give them reasons to follow you. You can say, “I care about the soldiers who work for me.” If you say it and you don’t care, they’re going to know. You can’t hide it. You can’t fake it. You really have to invest in those who are doing things for you.

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ROOM TO GROW IN GAINESVILLE

Students walk between the newly renovated Health Sciences building, right, and the Arts & Technology building on UNG’s Gainesville Campus. Health Sciences houses the Department of Nursing and Information Technology Services. Arts & Technology is the home base for the Office of Professional and Continuing Education, the Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis, and the Department of Visual Arts.

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S c a n f o r a vi d e o to u r of t h e n ew s p a ce .

Six buildings renovated to house growing academic units and student services. BY J . K . D E V I N E

600 700

500

P H OTO S BY P E G GY COZ A R T 200 400

In 2017, UNG inherited a surprising and highly welcomed gift. When Lanier Technical College decided to relocate its campus to a property 10 miles away, it left six unoccupied buildings adjacent to UNG’s Gainesville Campus. By acquiring the property, UNG could expand its physical space, offer more courses, enhance its degree programs, and provide room to grow for the university’s largest campus by enrollment. “Since this campus was established in 1964, it has grown to serve more than 7,500 students from the region and now offers a wide array of associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees and graduate-level programs – likely exceeding the expectations of the leaders who established it,” UNG President Bonita Jacobs said. “This campus expansion provides valuable space for high-demand programs to grow and for students, faculty and staff to engage, learn and pursue excellence in a space remodeled with their needs in mind. That is something truly worth celebrating.” The new tenants include communication, journalism and media (CMJ); nursing; visual arts; Information Technology (IT) Services; the Lewis F. Rogers Institute of Environmental and Spatial Analysis (IESA); Professional and Continuing

300

100

100: The new Arts & Technology building is home to the Office of Professional and Continuing Education, the Lewis D. Rogers Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis, and the Department of Visual Arts. 200 and 300: The Department of Nursing and Information Technology Services are headquartered in the Health Sciences building. 400: The building has not been renovated, but will be used in the future for Facilities. 500: The Film and Digital Media building has transformed the Department of Communication, Media and Journalism. 600: The Sculpture building provides an open-concept area for sculpture classes. 700: The Student Health Services building offers students medical services.

Education; and Student Health Services. These strategically designed spaces allow UNG to offer more courses and enhancements to the degree programs housed in the space. The renovated spaces also supply students with more study and lounge areas as well as a food court with outdoor seating. The renovation’s cost totaled $18.9 million. “This expansion builds upon and honors the legacy of the leaders who established this campus nearly 60 years ago,” Jacobs said. “Likewise, UNG has an unwavering

commitment to student success, academic excellence, affordability, and leadership development, and – with our community partners – we will continue to build upon that legacy in the decades to come.”

NEW LABS PREPARE FUTURE NURSES The newly renovated Health Sciences building houses UNG’s Department of Nursing, which is poised to support the state’s need for healthcare workers with its welltrained graduates. About 150 of Georgia’s 159

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“We anticipate these new facilities will allow us to have a significant impact on the nursing shortage in our region,” Dr. Carolynn DeSandre, dean of College of Health Sciences & Professions and assistant professor of nursing.

counties are medically underserved. “With more than 80% of our nursing graduates choosing to work in the north Georgia region following graduation, we anticipate these new facilities will allow us to have a significant impact on the nursing shortage in our region,” Dr. Carolynn DeSandre, dean of the College of Health Sciences & Professions and assistant professor of nursing, said. “We hope this impact will result in healthier communities and reduce the disease morbidity and mortality by increasing the number of nurses in the areas we serve.” The nursing program’s amplification stems from more classroom space on the Gainesville Campus. The additional 71,242-square-foot

building includes enhanced skills and simulation labs, which previously were smaller and in separate buildings. The simulation lab doubled in size and is now outfitted with video recording equipment and debriefing rooms. Both labs are equipped with adult, child and infant mannequins that can breathe, cry and talk. This allows students to practice the basic skills on lifelike patients in a realistic environment. “We can record learning sessions so students with their professors may review and identify what went well and what areas they can improve,” DeSandre said. “This helps the student go into a clinical setting more confident in their abilities.”

Students pursuing Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees learn to work together on a mannequin patient in the new simulation lab. The mannequins blink, breathe and talk, allowing the student nurses to learn effectively and efficiently.

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Associate Professor of Art Erin McIntosh teaches her Painting 1 class in the one of new studio classrooms housed in the Arts and Technology building on the Gainesville Campus. A student works on a still life painting in acrylic from direct observation.

ROOM TO BE CREATIVE In 2018, the Department of Visual Arts launched a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree that required completion at UNG’s Dahlonega Campus. Now the Arts & Technology building has the space to offer the BFA degree to students at UNG’s Gainesville Campus. “We have triple the space that we had in our previous location,” Jen Graff, interim department head of visual arts, said. “Now our students can access the equipment and resources to engage in their creative research on a level that is on par with larger university programs.” The BFA takes the students to another level through a greater number of art courses, more courses in a concentrated area and more professional development

coursework. Students are required to earn 78 credit hours in studio art and art history coursework with a focus on one area of study. The semester before the students graduate, they must pass a senior review. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of graphic designers in computer system design and related services is projected to grow. Companies continue to increase their digital presence, which sometimes requires graphic designers to help create visually appealing and effective layouts of websites. The new space will have quite an impact on the graphic design students who hope to fill these new jobs. “We’ve been able to double our resources in the graphics and digital arts areas and expand the

Gainesville Campus programming to include space and computers to support digital photography,” Graff said. Students will have access to separate studios for painting, drawing, digital photography, and graphic design. They will also have open studio time to work on assignments or research projects. Sculpture students will not have to share spaces with the painters, potters or others. A bare-bones sculpture building is located on the property’s edge.

MORE PROGRAMS FOR THE COMMUNITY Dr. Wendy Estes, executive director of Professional and Continuing Education (PCE), and her staff plus several instructors moved from the Performing Arts building

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for lecture classes such as driving education. “We knew we needed a computer lab with multiple purposes,” Estes said. “Desks that can have a computer on it or not makes it a flexible space.” And the transitional spaces will allow the PCE to grow its programs. “Our healthcare programs will benefit from expanded capacity,” Estes said. “We are fortunate to have a new multi-bed medical laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment for real-world learning simulations. In addition, we have a three-chair dental clinical lab for our dental assistant students.” The space also will gain the ability to host community events. “Brand-new PCE-dedicated classrooms will allow us to recapture our standing as a primary meeting and conference space in the Gainesville region,” Estes said.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

Students pursuing degrees in film and digital media have access to three soundstages, which allows them to operate like a true film studio.

on the south side of the Gainesville Campus to the renovated Arts & Technology building on the northeast side. Their new home means one thing: PCE has a space designed for their specific needs. “It was built just for us and suits our needs to deliver programs to the community,” Estes said. “In the other building, we shared our medical labs

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with the nursing department. We couldn’t hold medical classes in the daytime. Now, we can.” The new dedicated space includes three classrooms, a medical lab, a dental lab, a conference room, and a faculty lounge. It also has an innovative computer lab with desks that allow the monitor to drop inside. This feature creates a traditional desk

As the film industry in Georgia continues to grow, students pursuing degrees in film and digital media aim to fill those open positions with their hands-on knowledge. The Department of Communication, Media and Journalism provides that experience with professional educators demonstrating the technical skills to work in the industry. Now, those students will have the benefit of taking a film project from beginning to end in a space designed specifically for them. “We offer our students more creative spaces and resources that they won’t find anywhere else in our region,”Dr. Jeff Marker, department head, said. The new Film and Digital Media building features almost every amenity a film crew would desire. Inside the 20,723-square-foot facility are three soundstages with

Student lounge spaces are featured throughout the newly revamped buildings to allow students to congregate and study.

the largest measuring about 2,500 square feet. Actors have access to three dressing rooms and a makeup room, while writers can plot out a script in their own room. A computer lab, two private editing rooms, and one colorgrading and sound mixing room supplement the filmmaking process. Rounding out the building are two theater-seating classrooms, providing an ideal space to watch films for class or garner critiques. It is also an ideal space for the CMJ department to host the Georgia Film Festival, which was held Nov. 6-7. Seeing the building transform from a wide open space to a film crew’s dream made Marker practically giddy. “Walking through the building is a genuine thrill,” Marker said.

MOVE MARKS 20TH ANNIVERSARY The Lewis F. Rogers Institute of Environmental and Spatial Analysis crossed the street to take up residence in the new Arts & Technology building. Faculty and staff celebrated the move as the institute marks 20 years since its creation at the Gainesville Campus. The relocation provides faculty and staff much needed room to store and access its equipment more easily. Affording students hands-on experience with equipment will give them an edge among others when they venture into the workforce. The additional space helps IESA advance its plans to initiate a master’s and later a doctoral degree. For more information on IESA’s 20 years, visit page 20.

“Since this campus was established in 1964, it has grown to serve more than 7,500 students from the region and now offers a wide array of associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees and graduate-level programs.” President Bonita Jacobs

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REED Initiative strengthens community partnerships in region BY C L A R K L E O N A R D P H OTO S BY P E G GY COZ A R T

Dr. Wendy Walker, associate dean for faculty and graduate programs in the Mike Cottrell College of Business, looks at a mural UNG students helped create at Midtown Villages at Melrose in Gainesville, Georgia. The wall of murals was a stop on the Aug. 12 REED Tour.

UNG’s Regional Education and Economic Development (REED) Initiative continues to strengthen community partnerships throughout UNG’s service region and beyond. The REED Initiative launched in 2015 to support educational attainment and economic development through increased collaboration with K-12 educators and industry. It focuses on workplace readiness, access to education, and partnerships and collaboration. UNG held the first REED Tour in August. President Bonita Jacobs and other leaders from UNG visited six

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partners in Hall County. “We are thankful for our many community partners and the way they complement the work of our faculty and staff to prepare students for leadership in businesses and nonprofits,” Jacobs said. “These valuable relationships strengthen our academic programs and provide mutually beneficial experiences for our communities, students, faculty, and prospective employers.” UNG’s partnerships with businesses and industries across the region offer opportunities for students to have hands-on learning

while serving their communities. “It is important to tell the UNG story and promote the work of our students, faculty and staff to build on these partnership opportunities,” Ben Jarrard, executive director for government relations and economic development, said. “We look forward to replicating the tour in other communities in our service area.” The annual REED Summit will be held January 27 to showcase developing trends, challenges and job opportunities in the public service sector. The fourth annual event will focus on government, military, education, and nonprofits and feature the theme “North Georgia Serves and Protects.” Panelists and presentations will feature experts in the fields of public health, social services, government, and schools. This year’s event aims to bring awareness to the public-sector careers. Raising that awareness are keynote speakers include John Hancock, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Georgia since 2018, and John F. King, the first Hispanic statewide official of the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire commissioner and a Major General in the U.S. Army National Guard. Other speakers and panelists sharing their knowledge will be Forsyth County manager Kevin Tanner, ’95, and Debra Lam, managing director of Smart Cities and Inclusive Innovation in Georgia Tech’s Institute for People and Technology. Rope Roberts, community and economic development manager for Georgia Power, believes the REED Summit will happen at an ideal time. Currently, businesses in northeast Georgia are experiencing labor shortages. “We don’t have enough people to fill the empty positions,” he said. “We need people in the hospitality

THE REED TOUR IN HALL COUNTY HIGHLIGHTED THESE PARTNERSHIPS: • Georgia Poultry Lab Network: UNG offers a poultry science associate degree and a poultry science business certificate. The certificate, a 12-hour program designed to be completed in a full academic year, enables UNG business graduates understand how the poultry industry works. • Syfan Logistics: This leading logistics company partners with UNG’s Mike Cottrell College of Business, employs many UNG graduates, has a robust internship program, and provides some expertise for UNG’s logistics courses.

The REED Tour also stopped at the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network.

services, manufacturing and business sectors. I need every single student at the University of North Georgia to finish their degrees and enter the workforce.” According to the Georgia Department of Labor, the unemployment rate in August 2021 for the Georgia Mountains Area was 2.3% while the state rate was 3.5%. The Georgia Mountains area includes Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties. Combined with 447,288 job postings from January to July 2021, it means employers are having a hard time hiring. UNG hosts the REED Summit to introduce students to various career paths available in their communities and connect them with employers, Bobbi Larson, director of economic development at UNG, said. “The most value comes with a follow-up,” Larson said. “Students can follow up with employers, or they can contact UNG’s Career Services to learn more about the businesses.”

• City of Gainesville: City Manager Bryan Lackey, a graduate of UNG’s Master of Public Administration program, shared details on city development projects. • Gainesville Housing Authority Melrose Mural Project: UNG visual

arts faculty and students have helped create murals in this area multiple times since 2017. The project exposes children at the public housing complex to art and encourages them to stay in school and prepare for careers. • Gainesville City School System: The system’s Aspiring Teachers Program, helps diversify the teacher workforce in partnership with UNG. The system pays for students of color to earn education degrees from UNG and hires them as teachers after graduation. • King’s Hawaiian: In addition to partnering with UNG Athletics, the company works with UNG’s Kinesiology Department to study the physiological, biomechanical and psychological dynamics of movement relevant to the physical strength and repetitive motion requirements in manufacturing.

Rob Hathy, vice president of manufacturing at King’s Hawaiian, gave UNG leaders a tour of the company’s Hall County facility.

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Growing older with a helping hand Institute preps students to serve the needs of an aging population. BY C L A R K L E O N A R D P H OTO S BY P E G GY COZ A R T

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or Dr. Pamela Elfenbein, UNG’s Institute for Healthy Aging is all about providing students the connections to help them excel in the field of gerontology, which is the study of aging, while serving the local aging community. “Our students have success with finding jobs thanks in part to relationships we have in the community,” Elfenbein, the institute’s director, said. “Keeping our fingers on the pulse of the community allows more opportunities for our faculty and students.” Elfenbein helped launch the gerontology minor in 2006 when she joined the faculty at then-Gainesville State College. She helped start UNG’s Center for Healthy Aging as its director in 2017, and the center became an institute in 2020. “I want people to remain active and healthy in older years,” Elfenbein said. “That’s very rewarding.” The institute helps meet workforce needs for professions that serve the 65-and-older population in Georgia’s Appalachian region, where the demographic is growing faster than it is statewide, according to the Appalachian Regional Commission. This includes an increase in Hall County’s 65-and-older population from 11.1% of all residents in 2010 to 15.4% in 2019, according to the American Community Survey. Dr. Chaudron Gille, provost and senior vice president for Academic

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Dr. Pamela Elfenbein’s connections as the Institute for Healthy Aging director helps connect students with opportunities.

Affairs, said Elfenbein was a natural fit to lead UNG down these new paths. “Her experience as a scholar, teacher and practitioner was invaluable. She also brought an extensive network of connections with nonprofits and government agencies with her that helped inform her work,” Gille said. “Her enthusiasm, vision and energy have allowed us to advance the institute’s efforts in programming outreach, community partnerships and research.” Elfenbein appreciates the backing she received from university leadership to establish the institute. “It takes a lot to create an institute. They don’t happen in a flash,” Elfenbein said. “There’s a strong sense of backing and encouragement from our administration. They have

supported the vision of what could be.” The institute offers graduate and undergraduate certificates in gerontology, in addition to a gerontology minor. All three programs include a supervised practicum or research experience that ensure graduates are career-ready. UNG has also received approval for a new nexus degree in applied gerontology. The nexus degree is a new academic credential and the first new degree program in the United States since the 1890s, when the associate degree was added. Nexus degrees aim to help meet workforce needs in high-demand career areas. In addition to academic programming, UNG offers a variety of opportunities for community members to develop the tools they need to thrive, while also providing experience for gerontology students. The institute works on many of these initiatives in partnership with Wisdom Project 2030, which seeks to connect the wisdom of people 55 and older to the community needs of Gainesville and Hall County. Elfenbein has collaborated with Sandy Ott, director of UNG’s Blue Ridge Campus, and the College of Education’s Appalachian Studies Center to launch the Personal Enrichment, Action and Knowledge Series (PEAKS) for older adults in Fannin County and across northeast Georgia. It is a monthly program of seasonally-connected presentations

August 2021 graduate Mariela Pulido walks with her mentor, Mary Selbitschka, on UNG’s Gainesville Campus. They originally met virtually when Pulido recorded Selbitschka for an oral history project for the Institute of Healthy Aging.

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designed to meet the needs of the region’s rapidly growing older adult community. Elfenbein also serves on the board of directors for Legacy Link, an Area Agency on Aging in Oakwood, Georgia. Legacy Link CEO Melissa Armstrong earned her bachelor’s degree in human services delivery and administration from UNG in 2012 and has benefitted from Elfenbein’s mentorship for more than a decade. “Pamela Elfenbein has impacted my life in more ways than I could ever express, and I have watched her do the same for many students,” Armstrong said. Additionally, Elfenbein has helped UNG become the first school in Georgia to earn the Age Friendly

University (AFU) designation from the AFU Global Network. A few of the network’s principles include encouraging older adults to participate in educational and research programs, promoting personal and career development in late life, and recognizing the educational needs of older adults.

INSTITUTE STAYS ACTIVE DURING PANDEMIC The institute has remained responsive to the needs of older adults in UNG’s 30-county service area during the pandemic through a virtual town hall and student outreach. Caroline Samples, assistant director of learning support, led

The institute has helped student Christopher Burress deepen his skills, knowledge and abilities for service in the gerontology field.

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the Generation to Generation oral history project, through which gerontology students collected stories from older mentors by phone or Zoom to be archived on the online Nighthawk Open Institutional Repository. The archives will be available for student, faculty, staff, and public view as well as research. Researchers will have access to public information to investigate multiple points of view: life during the COVID-19 pandemic, family relationships, and historic time and context. Dr. Jeffrey Lentz, lecturer of sociology, is researching whether older adults’ participation in the Generation to Generation project during the pandemic combats loneliness. “So far, we have found that participating in our Generation to Generation oral history project is associated with a reduction in shyness,” Lentz said. “We continue to see anecdotal evidence that our participants felt that there are people who really understand them more often, they are slightly less isolated from others, and they could find companionship when they wanted it more often.” Mariela Pulido, a summer 2021 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in human services delivery and administration and a minor in gerontology, said the institute inspired her to serve older generations. After some initial awkwardness, her Generation to Generation conversations with mentor Mary Selbitschka became more natural. Now, they still meet at least once a month to catch up, either for coffee or at a park with Selbitschka’s grandchildren. “It became so easy to talk to her,” Pulido said. “It was like we’d known each other forever.” Christopher Burress, a UNG senior from Gainesville, Georgia,

Elfenbein serves on the board of directors for the Legacy Link Area Agency on Aging in Oakwood, Georgia. Multiple students and alumni work at the nonprofit and CEO Melissa Armstrong is a 2012 alumna.

pursuing a degree in interdisciplinary studies, said while the students aimed to serve their mentors through Generation to Generation, the benefits were mutual. “It has been an experience to monitor my own growth and not worry too much about small things. I’ve also learned to enjoy each moment as they come and go,” Burress said. “In Generation to Generation, you realize everything we do in life is about growth. None of us are perfect. But, each day we have a chance to be a better version of ourselves.” Veronica Schweitzer, a 2021 graduate from Dahlonega, Georgia, with a degree in sociology and a minor in gerontology, said she felt well prepared to enter the gerontology field. She works as Kinship Care

program manager at Legacy Link. She provides information, support and encouragement to people who are serving in a parental role for a relative’s children. “UNG’s gerontology minor teaches students what they need to know about the aging process, helps to combat age discrimination issues and breaks down some of the negative stereotypes about aging,” Schweitzer said.

ELFENBEIN HONORED FOR MENTORSHIP Lentz joined the UNG faculty in 2016, and once Elfenbein learned he was pursuing a graduate certificate in gerontology from another university, she took him under her wing. To this day, Elfenbein inspires Lentz.

“We hit it off from there,” Lentz said. “She is like the Energizer Bunny. She is the pedal to the metal.” Elfenbein wants her legacy to be mentoring the younger generation on how to care for older adults. That made it all the sweeter in May when she won the 2021 Hiram J. Friedsam Mentorship Award from the Gerontological Society of America. She will present at the group’s conference in November. “Receiving a mentorship award really validates the kind of work I have always done. I enjoy spreading my passion for gerontology with students and faculty,” she said. “It brought to mind all of my mentors that shaped me as the director of the Institute for Healthy Aging.”

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Alumni donors feel giving is their duty Obohos ‘pay it forward’ with scholarship BY E D I E R O G E R S P H OTO S BY S U SA N N A AV E RY- LY N C H

Lt. Col. Kitefre Oboho, ’02, and his wife, Kai Hawkins Oboho, ’05, firmly believe the “leadership laboratory” of UNG’s Corps of Cadets is instrumental in crafting leaders because they have experienced it. “The advantages of being at UNG, like the high pedigree of instructors and mentors that I had, is the foundation of who I am today,” Kitefre Oboho said. “If I hadn’t been at UNG, if I hadn’t interacted with that caliber of people, and lived in that culture, I think I’d be hard-pressed to be where I am today.” Kitefre Oboho assumed command

38 UNG MAGAZINE | Fall 2021

of the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia, in July 2021. Both Obohos are decorated combat veterans and spent the early years of their marriage as dual military, which often meant long separations. Kai Oboho served nine years in the Army as a logistics branch officer. She separated from the military in 2014, but not before she was selected for a promotion to major. Kai Oboho agrees that her experiences at UNG, which included participating in Ranger Challenge and serving as the pre-camp commander during her

senior year, made a difference in her career. “I felt like I had an edge in my peer group just by graduating from UNG,” she said. “Just having that leadership role, you can see the difference when you’re in your first Officer Basic Class, and you can see it throughout your career in the decisions that people make. At UNG, you had more time to practice your leadership, so when you became a leader, you were ahead of the game.” Early in their military careers, the Obohos decided it was time to pay it forward and started a scholarship at UNG in 2009. “Kai and I received scholarships while we were there, and it was just benevolent people trying to do the right thing by helping young cadets through college,” Kitefre Oboho said. “That paved the way for us to be successful and we felt we owed that back. As young captains, we wanted to give back to North Georgia.” The Knox Kitefre Oboho Military Leadership Scholarship is presented to the military cadet who best demonstrates leadership ability, service to the nation, state, community, and his or her desire to excel in all areas of military and academic endeavors. Kai Oboho believes that all alumni should give back to the university. “It should almost be a duty for graduates to give back and see the Corps of Cadets grow,” Kai Oboho said. “You want to see your university grow and be better than how you left it.” Throughout the years, the Obohos have returned to UNG many times because they enjoy it, Kai Oboho said. An occasion when they were able to present their scholarship in person was a welcomed opportunity to meet the recipient, she added. Kitefre Oboho downplays the couple’s contribution somewhat as

“nothing big,” but both realize the difference that financial support makes for students. “Receiving financial aid while you’re in college helps you reduce debt to avoid starting life out in financial stress,” Kai Oboho said. “Coming out of college with little to no debt leads to a brighter future.” Hayley Farmer, a senior cadet from Griffin, Georgia, pursuing a degree in criminal justice, was the 2019 recipient of the scholarship. “Being a recipient of this scholarship has allowed me to focus on my academics and participate in the corps, rather than having to pick up a job that would have prevented me from full participation in the units where I’ve built unbreakable bonds,” Farmer said. One of those units is UNG’s Ranger Challenge team. Farmer was a member of teams that, in 2019 and 2021, earned the ROTC title and placed in the top four overall in the Sandhurst Military Skills Competition at the U.S. Military Academy. Like the Obohos, the support Farmer has received motivates her. “Receiving this scholarship has inspired me to give back to the program that has given me so much,” she said. “I stand on the shoulders of giants who stood on giants before them. One day I hope to be one of those giants. I intend to support future cadets and pay my program back for everything they’ve done for me, by continuing to ‘pay it forward.’”

“It should almost be a duty for graduates to give back and see the Corps of Cadets grow. You want to see your university grow and be better than how you left it.” Kai Oboho

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Seven alumni selected as Fulbright finalists BY J . K . D E V I N E P H OTO S BY P E G GY COZ A R T

Seven alumni were selected as finalists for the U.S. Fulbright Program for the 2021-22 academic year. The highly competitive and prestigious program enables graduates to pursue research activities, become English Teaching Assistants, or enroll in graduate school. While UNG increased its number of finalists compared to last year, it had a banner year in applicants and semifinalists. A record 27 students and alumni applied, which led to a record-setting 18 semifinalists for the university. In February, UNG was named a national top-producer of Fulbright students for the fourth consecutive year.

NOAH

BRYANT

GRADUATED: MAY 2021 DEGREE: HISTORY HOME: CUMMING, GEORGIA PLAN: PURSUE A MASTER’S DEGREE IN ARCHAEOLOGY AT BANGOR UNIVERSITY IN WALES, UNITED KINGDOM

40 UNG MAGAZINE | Fall 2021

ABIGAIL

MEYERS

GRADUATED: MAY 2021 DEGREE: ELEMENTARY AND SPECIAL EDUCATION HOME: JEFFERSON, GEORGIA PLAN: ENGLISH TEACHING ASSISTANT IN TAIWAN

LYDIA

PELLETIER

GRADUATED: MAY 2021 DEGREE: ELEMENTARY AND SPECIAL EDUCATION HOME: CLEVELAND, GEORGIA PLAN: ENGLISH TEACHING ASSISTANT IN PERU

MONICA

PIZANO

GRADUATED: MAY 2019 DEGREE: MODERN LANGUAGES WITH A CONCENTRATION IN SPANISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE HOME: JEFFERSON, GEORGIA PLAN: ENGLISH TEACHING ASSISTANT IN URUGUAY

AQUILA

MURREY REYES

GRADUATED: MAY 2021 DEGREE: ELEMENTARY AND SPECIAL EDUCATION HOME: CUMMING, GEORGIA PLAN: ENGLISH TEACHING ASSISTANT IN SOUTH KOREA

KELLY

REID

GRADUATED: MAY 2019 DEGREE: ATHLETIC TRAINING HOME: LAWRENCEVILLE, GEORGIA PLAN: ENGLISH TEACHING ASSISTANT IN SOUTH KOREA

KATHERINE

TORRES

GRADUATED: AUGUST 2021 DEGREE: POLITICAL SCIENCE WITH A CONCENTRATION IN PRELAW HOME: HOSCHTON, GEORGIA PLAN: ENGLISH TEACHING ASSISTANT IN TAIWAN

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With gratitude to

UNG’s 1873 Circle REGENT’S CIRCLE

Annual gifts of $10,000 – $24,999

1873 CIRCLE MEMBERS 2020-21 ACADEMIC YEAR PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

Annual gifts of $25,000 and greater Anonymous The Chantal and Tommy Bagwell Foundation, Inc. The Benevity Community Impact Fund Estate of Atys D. and Sara E. Brunson Cooper Lighting Solutions Lynn and Mike Cottrell COL (Ret.) Wayne and Mimi Dill Bo and Carolyn Fears LTG Henry T. and Sharon Gaddy Glisson Dr. Randall and Peggy Kirner COL (Ret.) Gerald and Kay N. Lord, Class of 1961 McClure Family Foundation Northeast Georgia Health System Inc. Estate of Ella R. Oakes The George and Carol Olmsted Foundation George Finley Routon and Charlotte Madsen Routon COL (Ret.) Johnny D. Rusin and COL (Ret.) Jo B. Rusin Estate of Rachael D. Sanders Nick and Anne Marie Shreiber Warren and Jamie Stribling E. Paul and Frankie K. Stringer Syfan Logistics Mr. and Mrs. James K. Syfan, III University System of Georgia Foundation, Inc. Ms. Sandra M. Webb Estate of John Herbert Wheeler Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation, Inc. Jackie D. Woodard

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Anonymous Mr. and Mrs. Augustus R. Barksdale, II Dr. Lee G. Barrow Bates, Carter & Co. LLP LTC and Mrs. William H. Cabaniss Ralph and Mary Cleveland Foundation Courtesy Properties, LLC Fincher-Loughridge Foundation, Inc. John and Mary Franklin Foundation Dr. Karen Frost and Mr. Eddie Frost Mr. and Mrs. H. Carter Haley Nathaniel and Frances Fincher Hansford John M. and Marilyn B. Healey Dr. Ralph E. Hitt Jackson EMC Foundation, Inc. Gregory Johnson Fine Art MG (Ret.) William and Melanie Johnson, Class ’72 Chuck and Debbie Jones Dr. Jennifer E. Key Mar-Jac Poultry, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas W. Massengill John P. and Mary Helen Mashburn McGruder COL (Ret.) and Mrs. B. Parker Miller, III LTG (Ret.) and Mrs. Benjamin R. Mixon Mr. and Mrs. James C. Montgomery Mountain Top Lectures, Inc. Mrs. Jenny Muller, Class of 1994 Northeast Georgia, Inc. Dr. and Mrs. Jeff Payne LTC (Ret.) Lee and Beth Pence Dusty Pilcher, NGC, ’66 Mr. and Mrs. Bruce W. Pittillo Mr. and Mrs. William S. Prince Elizabeth Lord Rhodes COL (Ret.) Tom Richardson Rushton and Company Dr. and Mrs. John A. Simms The Gertrude E. Skelly Charitable Foundation SKF USA, Inc. MG (Ret.) Bud Thrasher ’72 and Ann Thrasher ’74 LTC (Ret.) and Mrs. Maximilian Toch Estate of Henry O. and Jean P. Ward CAPT (Ret.) and Mrs. Alan F. Ware

Supporters

THE 1873 CIRCLE COMPRISES UNG’S MOST GENEROUS LEADERS. With annual philanthropic contributions of $1,000 and greater, 1873 Circle members put their passion for UNG to work, playing a critical role in the advancement and success of the university and its future graduates.

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE Annual Gifts of $5,000 – $9,999

Anonymous (2) Albion Scaccia Enterprises, Inc. Mr. T. Carlton Allen James W. Anderson Atlanta Center for Reproductive Medicine David A. Ball Family Foundation Dr. Edith Belden and Bradley Belden Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey A. Brown, Class of 1989 MAJ (Ret.) and Mrs. Luis Carreras Chenoweth Halligan Studios Sandra Pryor Clarkson Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Inc. MG (Ret.) James J. Cravens, Jr. and Mrs. Jo Beth Cravens Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Crawford Mr. Reese W. Cross, Jr. Enterprise Holdings Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Terry M. Fortner Kathy Kaissling Gaston LTC (Ret.) and Mrs. James M. Gayler, Sr. Georgia Power Company Dr. Mary Gowan and Dr. Ed Moore GreyStone Power Corporation Linda Hughes Pruitt Hardie BG (Ga. Ret.) and Mrs. Edward H. Hightower, Jr. Mike and Robin Higley COL (Ret.) T. Haines and Carolyn Hill The Honorable and Mrs. Bruce Hoffman Dr. and Mrs. Trevor N. Hooper Ms. Deborah C. Hudson Bonita and Glenn Jacobs The Lightning Press

Lumpkin Coalition, Inc. Michael D. and Sally S. Masters John and Shirley Meredith MidwayUSA Foundation, Inc. COL (Ret.) and Mrs. Edward J. Nix Mr. and Mrs. John I. Orrison Mr. James H. Palmer Mr. and Mrs. Brooks M. Pennington, III Mr. and Mrs. William R. Rivers RLP Investments, Inc. Mr. John W. M. Roberts Marsha and Rip Roper, ’65 Rotary Club of South Hall County Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation Rochelle B. Schneickert Mr. Glenn H. Shaw Sigma Nu Fraternity-Kappa Chapter Mrs. Deborah M. Smith Mr. H. Verne Smith Mr. and Mrs. Russell T. Smith Mr. and Mrs. Timothy K. Stapleton Lt Col (Ret.) and Mrs. William F. Starnes Mr. and Mrs. James K. Swanson Mr. and Mrs. Joshua D. Teteak Tillman, Bailey, Samples and Associates, LLP Henry E. Tinley, Sr. and Dale Tinley LTC and Mrs. Justin R. Toole UNG Campus Connection Wayne Farms, LLC COL (Ret.) Franklin B. Weaver and Mrs. Helene Weaver BG and Mrs. Richard D. Wilson

The complete list of 1873 Circle donors will be included in the print version of the 2020-21 Donor Impact Report. Recognized donors made cash donations to UNG from July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021. Accuracy is important to us. For questions or corrections, please contact the Office of Donor Relations & Stewardship at (706) 864-1548.

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Foundation welcomes three members to board The UNG Foundation , the philanthropic organization that raises money for student scholarships and to advance institutional priorities, has added three new board members. In addition, Nick Massengill, ‘81 is the board’s new chair. Massengill succeeds Jimmy Faulkner who rotated off of the board at the end of June. Massengill, of Marietta, Georgia, is an operating partner with Building Industry Partners, a private equity investment firm focused in the U.S. building industry. Jack Elrod, ‘73 is the new vice chairman. Elrod retired in 2017 from TW Metals and lives in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

GILES BOWMAN

Bowman serves as chairman of the board for The Home Depot Foundation and is senior vice president and culture officer for The Home Depot. He previously was senior vice president of merchandising and building materials. Bowman has more than 35 years of experience in the home improvement industry. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of North Carolina. “The idea of being a part of an organization that takes pride in developing students into leaders and difference makers in our society makes my heart swell with joy,” Bowman said. “I hope my background, skills, knowledge, and learning will help this university continue its mission to provide a culture of academic excellence.”

JEANNELL GOINES

Goines is general manager for business development at J.B. Hunt Ag Services. She is responsible for finding new agriculture transportation business that fits into a portfolio of dedicated contract services. Prior to joining J.B. Hunt, Goines worked as the Southeast regional sales manager for Aviagen Inc., where she managed 41 clients in five states with more than $77 million in gross annual sales. She earned a Bachelor of Science in poultry science from Stephen F. Austin State University and a Master of Business Administration from Henderson State University. “I have a strong interest in higher learning, and I am delighted to be able to share what I was able to pioneer as a female in the poultry industry,” Goines said. “I want to be an example of hard work and diligence, and I look forward to serving UNG.”

MICHAEL HIGLEY, ’80

Higley retired as vice president of Sub-Sahara Africa for FedEx Corp. in 2020 after 38 years with the company. He led a team that managed operations in 52 countries across east, west and southern Africa. Higley holds a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from UNG and a Master of Science in management from Indiana Wesleyan University. He is an executive consultant at the Center for Ethical Leadership within UNG’s Mike Cottrell College of Business and is on the college’s advisory board. “UNG was vital in helping me build a solid foundation for my career,” Higley said. “I really want to give back, and I look forward to working with the board to build upon the great work that has already been done to support our students, faculty and the university.”

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CLASSNOTES Grange and Terry inducted into Army ROTC Hall of Fame Two retired generals who are UNG alumni are among the 2021 Army ROTC Hall of Fame inductees. Retired Brig. Gen. David Grange, ’69, and retired Lt. Gen. James Terry, ’78, both pointed to their time at UNG as the foundation for their long and decorated Army careers. Each commissioned into the Army’s infantry Retired Brig. Gen. David Grange branch from UNG. “You learn how to lead when you’re in the Corps of Cadets,” Terry said. “You can’t help but do so. That set me on the course I’m on today.” Grange, who served in Vietnam, said his time in Dahlonega reaped tangible benefits for his soldiers in Retired Lt. Gen. James Terry the midst of war. “In Vietnam, what I learned at UNG helped keep me and my soldiers alive,” Grange said. The ROTC Hall of Fame was established in 2016 as part of the ROTC Centennial celebration. The Hall of Fame honors graduates of Army ROTC who have distinguished themselves in military or civilian pursuits. UNG now has six inductees, including retired Lt. Gen. Burton Patrick, ’57, Mr. Bob Mathews, ’71, retired Maj. Gen. Alan “Bud” Thrasher, ’72, and retired Col. James “Tom” Palmer, ’73.

1980s Mark Landon, ’86, was appointed deputy director of the Office of Professional Development for the Georgia Department of Corrections. He began his career with the department as a public safety training manager in 2015. Joey Pirkle, ’86, retired from the Forsyth County School System after 35 years. He started teaching at Orwell Middle School in Cumming, Georgia, in 1986 after earning his education degree from UNG.

1990s Charity Clark, ’98, was appointed director of the Personnel Services Department for Forsyth County. Previously, she served as the risk and safety manager and was named Risk Professional of the Year in 2018 by the Georgia Public Risk Management Association.

2000s Robert Fowler, ’03, was presented with the Guardian of Ethics award by the Gainesville Rotary Club. He also was named Man of the Year. Fowler is CEO of Turner Wood & Smith Insurance and currently serves as chair of the North Georgia Community Foundation. Jason Brock, ’07, was named the director of school improvement and data analytics for Floyd County Schools. He previously worked in school systems in Whitfield and Gordon counties. Allison Grubbs, 07, was named the new director of the Broward (Florida) County Library. She had served as the interim director since February 2021. Prior to that, Grubbs had been the assistant division director since joining the library in 2019.

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Alumni serving in command earn new assignments, promotions

Katelyn Morton is one of the numerous UNG alumni who were either promoted or assigned a command post in 2021.

Navy Lt. j.g. Katelyn R. Morton, ’17, recently earned a promotion as an emergency trauma nurse currently assigned to Camp Lemonnier Expeditionary Medical Facility, Djibouti, Africa. She supports joint-service Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines as the role II emergency/trauma nurse and joint trauma program manager for the East African area of responsibility. Army Lt. Col. Kitefre Oboho, ’02, assumed command of the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia, in July. The Ranger Regiment is one of the elite special operations forces of the U.S. military. Marine Lt. Col. Buck Perry, ’04, recently earned a promotion. He is an AH-1Z pilot assigned to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, New Orleans. He supports the Marine Corps Reserves. Coast Guard Commander Chris Presnell, ’97, recently earned a promotion. He serves at the Coast Guard’s Aviation Training Center in Mobile, Alabama. After commissioning from UNG, he served nine years in the Army before joining the Coast Guard in 2006. Army Col. Greta Railsback, ’99, took command of the Soldier Recovery Brigade National Capital Region at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, in June. She previously was the director of the Center for the Army Profession and Leadership at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

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Christopher J. Watkins, ’07, has joined Cheeley Law Group. Previously, he served as an attorney who handled wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. Earl “Chico” Porter III, ’09, is hiking the Appalachian Trail to raise awareness of veteran suicide. Porter was a Distinguished Military Graduate and the No. 1 cadet in the nation as a senior at UNG. A former Army Ranger, Porter established Something Outta Nothing, a project of the nonprofit Toughest Kids Inc. to help raise support for the effort. Porter hopes to raise $1 million to empower a multi-disciplinary fight against veteran suicide.

2010s Emmy Lawalin, ’10, who goes by “Emmy Law” in the music industry, released “Bitter Heart,” in May. It is her second extended play album. Lawalin earned a music education degree from UNG and was a member

of the cross-country team. She earned All-Peach Belt Conference (PBC) honors in 2007 and PBC AllAcademic recognition in 2008. Avram Allen, ’15, is the new girls’ soccer coach at Gainesville High School. Previously, he served as the assistant coach of the men’s soccer team at UNG. The native of Kingston, New York, also played for the Nighthawks for two years. Truett Adams, ’19, was named the assistant coach of the Buford High School baseball team.

Williamson wins NSF’s graduate research fellowship award UNG alumna Jasmine Williamson, ’18, knows without a doubt “if at first you don’t succeed, try again.” After her third attempt, the former McNair Scholar won the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program award in March 2021.

“It’s an amazing graduate scholarship and one of the best,” Williamson said. Thanks to the highly competitive and prestigious honor, she will receive up to $138,000 in funding for research. Williamson plans to design a research project featuring wildlife, which stems from her original research at UNG. She was involved in several projects with Jessy Patterson, lecturer of biology at UNG and one of her mentors. “I will probably conduct research on salamanders or fish,” Williamson, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, said. “And I want it to feature conservation and management strategies.” The 24-year-old from Cornelia, Georgia, credits UNG for her achievement. She said her membership in the Honors Program was instrumental. “Jessy Patterson said I needed to apply again, because I would get feedback every time and I could improve,” Williamson said. “And I knew I wanted it.”

2020s Jacob Smith, ’20, became editor of the Dawson County News in August. The weekly newspaper is based in Dawsonville, Georgia. Smith joined the news staff in March 2020. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a concentration in multimedia journalism. Heather Luther, ’20, has joined the Gilmer Chamber as tourism and events manager. Luther earned a marketing degree from UNG. She provides social media management and tourism marketing for a variety of events, including Apple Blossom Festival, Georgia Mountain Warbird Weekend, Taste of Ellijay, Pick Ellijay and the Georgia Apple Festival. She is also the assistant manager for the Georgia Apple Festival. Camile Dunn, ’21, joined Global Poultry as a field technician. She earned degrees in poultry science and business management from UNG. While in college, she interned with several poultry companies and gained valuable experience. Weston McArthur, ’21, joined the coaching staff at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas as assistant coach for athletic performance. Prior to his new job, he served as a graduate assistant strength coach at UNG where he oversaw the baseball, softball, men’s golf and rifle teams. McArthur also assisted with men’s and women’s basketball and women’s soccer. He earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a master’s degree in kinesiology at UNG.

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In Memoriam ALUMNI Mr. Carl Hamilton Alexander ’70 April 13, 2021 Mr. Iverson Robert Aultman ’08 September 10, 2021 Mrs. Mary Ann Banks ’61 May 19, 2021 Mr. Charles Donald Barrett ’93 August 24, 2021 Mr. Matthew Graeme Bartils ’10 August 17, 2021 Mr. Ivan John Basch ’64 August 17, 2021 Mr. Charles William Beckham ’46 August 31, 2021 Mr. Charles W. Black ’73 August 20, 2021 Dr. James Laval Bland ’56 April 13, 2021 MAJ Gwen Chadwick Brown ’00 June 29, 2021 Mr. Max Charles Brown ’62 August 21, 2021 Mrs. Sara Alice Burdette ’49 July 13, 2021 Mr. Allen John Cashon ’97 August 11, 2021 LTC (Ret.) Clyde Lamar Chapman ’52 June 24, 2021 Mr. Grady Randall Cody ’48 May 5, 2021 Mr. Kerry Earle Coe ’57 July 26, 2021 Ms. Joyce Ann Ivey Corley ’92 May 26, 2021 Mr. Terry Lee Cornett ’66 May 13, 2021 Mrs. Margaret Patricia Cousins ’63 April 4, 2021 Ms. Peggy Elizabeth Curley ’80 July 13, 2021 LTC (Ret.) Jonah B. Davis ’53 September 5, 2021 Ms. Katie Irene England ’68 June 28, 2021 Mr. Richard Thomas Estes ’86 July 7, 2021 Mr. William J. Fagan ’21 May 19, 2021 Mrs. Carolyn Ann Fears ’68 July 16, 2021 Ms. Rebecca Lynn Finch ’80 April 9, 2021 Mrs. Staci A Fyfe ’95 September 13, 2021 Mr. James Marshall Griggs ’67 June 27, 2021 Mrs. Christie Leigh Hanlon ’87 June 8, 2021 Mrs. Gail Johnson Harrison ’69 August 8, 2021 Mr. Bobby Dell Haynes ’54 June 6, 2021

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Mr. David Stanley Hitt ’70 July 14, 2021 Mrs. Shirley G Holtzclaw ’65 April 11, 2021 Mrs. Janis Glenda Huckeba ’56 September 4, 2021 Mr. William Hoyt Hurley ’58 June 18, 2021 Mrs. Sherry Ann Jackson ’73 June 13, 2021 MG (Ret.) George Marvin Johnson ’38 July 9, 2021 Mr. Phillip Edward Johnson ’56 August 7, 2021 Mr. Bobby Lamar Jones ’71 August 12, 2021 Mrs. Judith Jane Kilgore ’61 June 16, 2021 Mr. James Madison King ’71 May 17, 2021 Mr. Andrew Colby Kinsey ’18 March 21, 2021 Mrs. Melva Lorene Lingerfelt ’45 May 21, 2021 Mr. Parker Rice Lowry ’57 March 28, 2021 LTC (Ret.) John Anderson Magill ’59 July 21, 2021 Mr. Paul F. Martin ’55 May 23, 2021 Mr. Clauye Clyde McCranie ’64 May 8, 2021 Dr. Jack Heyward Melton ’69 May 14, 2021 Mr. Joel Reid Mullis ’60 April 20, 2021 Mrs. Almira Eugenia Murphy ’58 August 14, 2021 Mr. Augustus Lane Newton ’60 June 25, 2021 Mr. Michael William O’Brien ’74 August 4, 2021 Ms. Virginia P. Osburn ’45 May 4, 2021 Mr. Blake Daniel Oviedo ’21 May 6, 2021 Mr. Donald W. Parrott ’69 April 29, 2021 Mrs. Carolyn F. Pellerin ’69 April 14, 2021 Mr. Earl Franklin Phillips ’51 July 5, 2021 1LT (Ret.) Jerry E. Porter ’67 August 29, 2021 Mr. Robert Bruce Robinson ’69 August 4, 2021 LTC Jose Miguel Rodriguez ’73 July 14, 2021 Mr. David Joseph Sewell ’68 April 11, 2021 Mrs. Garnett Lynn Smith ’73 April 29, 2021

DECORATED MILITARY ALUMNUS DIES AT 103 Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. George Johnson, ’38, died July 9, 2021, in Florida at the age of 103. Born in Fort Valley, Georgia, Johnson served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and participated in seven major campaigns as a C-47 pilot, operations officer and commander of a troop carrier squadron. He dropped paratroopers and towed gliders. Johnson’s military awards include the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the French Croix de Guerre. He retired from the Air Force in September 1975 as a command pilot with more than 6,000 hours of flying time and more than 35 years of service. He received the Alumni Association Hall of Fame Award in 1974 and was inducted this fall into the Georgia Military Veterans’ Hall of Fame.

FORMER BUSINESS DIVISION CHAIR DIES Dr. Louise Crane Holcomb, who chaired the Business Division at what was then - Gainesville Junior College died June 17, 2021, at age 92. Holcomb retired in 1997 after 31 years at the college and 51 total years of educational service. Holcomb was responsible for starting many successful business and educational programs and received numerous awards for her teaching and service.

Dr. Luther J. Smith ’43 September 4, 2021 Mr. Emory Lonzo Stephens ’73 April 26, 2021 Mr. David Russell Stewart ’94 May 22, 2021 Mr. Thomas Alton Stewart ’40 April 3, 2021 Mrs. Mattie Jane Talley ’64 September 3, 2021 Mrs. Helen Pierce Taylor ’48 April 10, 2021 Mrs. Micha Toombs ’87 July 22, 2021 Mr. Charles Roy Wade ’96 March 11, 2021 Mrs. Sue Ellen Walls ’07 August 4, 2021 Mr. Robert Edward Weatherly ’73 September 3, 2021 1LT (Ret.) Danny Gordon Webb ’65 June 2, 2021

Mr. Ben Keith Wilbanks ’57 July 16, 2021 Mr. Kyle A. Wilbur ’21 April 21, 2021 Mr. James Blanton Young ’44 August 31, 2021 Mr. David Zhu ’24 March 20, 2021 FACULTY/STAFF/FRIENDS Ms. Sarah Harrison Boatwright August 6, 2021 Dr. Louise Crane Holcomb June 17, 2021 Mrs. Lessie B. Smithgall June 25, 2021 Ms. Linda McDaniel Stover July 17, 2021 Mrs. Nela Virginia Stowers September 2, 2021

Upcoming Events For event times and other details, as well as more event opportunities, visit calendar.ung.edu. UNG continues to monitor guidance related to COVID-19 and events are subject to postponement or cancellation.

DECEMBER

MARCH

December 12

March 3

Annual Women’s Holiday Scholarship Luncheon Chattahoochee Country Club Gainesville

December 16-17

Corps of Cadets Fall 2021 Commissioning Dahlonega Campus

December 17-18

Fall 2021 Commencement Dahlonega Campus

JANUARY January 9

Corps of Cadets FROG Graduation Dahlonega Campus

January 27

REED (Regional Education and Economic Development) Summit Convocation Center Dahlonega Campus

FEBRUARY February 4-12

Gainesville Theatre Alliance presents WonderQuest’s The Pirate Queen Brenau’s Hosch Theatre Gainesville, Georgia

February 7

A Little Night(hawk) Music Concert Series: The Music of Jane K Jazz featuring Tim Harper and Vivian Doublestein Performing Arts Center Gainesville Campus

February 8

Guest Composition Recital: The Music of Jane K Jazz featuring Tim Harper and Vivian Doublestein Shott Performance Hall Dahlonega Campus

February 24-27

Gainesville Theatre Alliance New Works Festival Gainesville Campus

Sinfonietta Orchestra Spring Concert Shott Performance Hall Dahlonega Campus

March 7

A Little Night(hawk) Music Concert Series: International Women’s Day Concert featuring UNG faculty Performing Arts Center Gainesville Campus

March 8

UNG Jazz Band Concert Shott Performance Hall Dahlonega Campus

March 29

Patriot Choir Spring Concert Shott Performance Hall Dahlonega Campus

March 30

Spring Euphoria Low Brass Concert Performing Arts Center, Gainesville Campus

March 31

Spring Euphoria Low Brass Concert Shott Performance Hall Dahlonega Campus

March 31

Corps of Cadets Military Awards Ceremony Dahlonega Campus

APRIL April 4

A Little Night(hawk) Music Concert Series: Tia Roper, flute Performing Arts Center, Gainesville Campus

April 7 & 8

Music Theatre Ensemble Spring Show Shott Performance Hall Dahlonega Campus

April 8-16

Gainesville Theatre Alliance presents The Secret Garden Brenau’s Hosch Theatre Gainesville, Georgia

April 15-17

Alumni Weekend Corps of Cadets Memorial Retreat & Review Dahlonega Campus

April 21

UNG Chorale Spring Concert Gainesville Campus

April 24

Annual Pops Concert featuring the UNG Music Department performing groups Convocation Center Dahlonega Campus

April 23-24

Alumni Weekend 50th Anniversary Alumni Reunion Dahlonega Campus

April 25

Annual Research Conference Gainesville Campus

April 25

Piano Night featuring UNG piano students Shott Performance Hall, Dahlonega Campus

April 26

Chamber Orchestra Spring Concert Performing Arts Center, Gainesville Campus

MAY May 5 & 6

Corps of Cadets Spring 2022 Commissioning Ceremonies Dahlonega Campus

Visit calendar.ung. edu for times and other details, as well as additional event opportunities. Visit www.ungalumni.org for updates related to alumni events. WWW. UNG.EDU 3

NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID Monroe, GA Permit #15

82 College Circle | Dahlonega, GA 30597

A special event to discuss industry trends, educational pathways and career opportunities in the public sector.

January 27, 2022 8 am – 4 pm

UNG CONVOCATION CENTER, DAHLONEGA CAMPUS

$25

Individual

$10

Student

Details & Registration go.ung.edu/reed-summit

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