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A Legacy of Love: The Merri M. Brantley Funds
A Legacy of Love
Art by Brian Buxton, 2020
Scholarshipand professional preparation funds provide student support
Every University System of Georgia (USG) construction request undergoes rigorous planning before being included in the USG budget, which the state legislature must approve annually. renovation funding, within only a few years. So many requests from one institution was highly irregular – after all, GGC was the first public college established in Georgia after more than 100 years. “Merri was critical to the development of the campus,” said former Georgia Sen. Don Balfour, who represented the 9th District for 22 years. “Many times, the college wanted four or five projects, and Merri would help strategically prioritize the projects so we could get things done. GGC is what it is today largely due to her efforts.” “ She would come home and talk about the college. GGC was her life and she was devoted to it. They were her kids and she would have given them the clothes off her back.”
Former Georgia State Sen. Preston Smith pauses for a photo with Merri Brantley at the capitol in an undated photo provided by her family.
During legislative review, individual construction projects can be deleted from the budget. Members of the house and senate require information about the projects so they are kept in the budget all the way to the governor’s desk for signature. In light of this process, it is no small feat to build a new college from the ground up. Merri Brantley, executive director of governmental relations, managed GGC’s interactions with city, county, state and federal officials in cooperation with college and USG leaders. While her role included many activities, her most significant impact was facilitating the build-out of GGC’s campus. Brantley worked diligently with state elected officials, particularly members of the Gwinnett legislative delegation, to ensure they had all the information they needed to support GGC’s construction requests, which were timed to support the college’s meteoric enrollment growth. However, GGC needed several new buildings, as well as
– Lucia Brantley
The secret to her success was that she knew how to engage with legislators and their staffs due to previous work as press director for the Georgia Senate and other positions in the political and communications arenas. Brantley built relationships that persisted throughout her career. When she passed away unexpectedly in 2018, several members of the Georgia house and senate took time from the legislative session to attend her memorial service. Some even shared favorite stories about Brantley with the congregation. It is impressive to look around campus and realize that everything one sees is part of Brantley’s legacy to the college. However, there is a more personal side to her service. Brantley would seek out 12 underprivileged students each year and purchase Christmas presents for them. She regularly mentored students and sought opportunities at the capital for student interns. An expert in etiquette, she also offered advice on dress, manners and professional conduct. She took great personal pride in GGC and its students. “She would come home and talk about the college,” said her mother, Lucia Brantley. “GGC was her life and she was devoted to it. They were her kids and she would have given them the clothes off her back.”
Merri Brantley’s mother, Lucia Brantley, and sister, Sandra Creighton.
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“It was the air that she breathed,” said her sister, Sandra Creighton. “She loved every minute of it.” Brantley’s mother recalled that a student approached her after the memorial service to tell her, “I would have never gotten through college if it hadn’t been for Merri. She touched me more than anyone else.” “Merri told me that students like me are all the reason she did her job,” said Melly Hiciano, ’17, political science, another student mentored by Brantley. Today, Hiciano is a recruiting supervisor for the U.S. Census Bureau.
– Don Balfour
“I am a first-generation college graduate. My family never saw the value in education so, I had to figure out how to get through college without debt. My GGC mentors, like Merri, gave me the encouragement to finish my degree,” Hiciano said. “If Merri hadn’t continually knocked down my anxiety over breaking through the box people put me in, I probably would not have had the courage to pursue leadership roles like the one I have now.” Brantley’s family has honored her memory and her love for the college by establishing two funds with the GGC Foundation to support three needs close to Brantley’s heart. The endowed Merri M. Brantley Scholarship Fund provides support for full-time students with a minimum GPA of 2.5, with preference to first-generation students and those with financial need. The Merri M. Brantley Professional Preparation Fund supports two existing programs to be named in Brantley’s honor. The Merri M. Brantley Professional Attire Closet supports students who need appropriate clothing for job interviews, conference presentations and other professional activities. The Merri M. Brantley Etiquette Meal is a training activity for students, operated by the Career Development and Advising Center.
Merri Brantley and former Georgia Sen. Don Balfour take one of their many tours of campus during its construction years.
“It would tickle Merri to know that the closet and etiquette meal will be named after her,” said Lucia Brantley. “She was a perfectionist and believed that appropriate dress and etiquette were her way of honoring people. I think she would be very happy that these programs will pass this down to students.” “Merri had a great heart for GGC and gave it 110 percent,” Balfour said. “She was a wonderful person and dedicated the last years of her life to Georgia Gwinnett College. We should all be very proud of what she accomplished for the college and its students.”
