UGA Columns Aug. 14, 2023 - Back to Campus

Efforts continue to improve campus parking. Read more on Page 3.

BACKTOCAMPUS

Dawg Source is a new one-stop service model for student resources. Read more on Page 3.

UGA to construct new residence hall

By James Hataway jhataway@uga.edu

The University of Georgia will build a new 565-bed residence hall for first-year students to address student housing capacity needs associated with recent enrollment increases and to support future growth.

Powerful progress

By Clarke Schwabe ccschwabe@uga.edu

Donors have long been a powerful source of progress at the University of Georgia, and the past year was no exception. Private donations to UGA in fiscal year 2023 reached $242.8 million, the second-highest fundraising total in the university’s history.

“I want to express my sincere thanks to each and every donor for helping us continue to elevate the University of Georgia to new heights,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “UGA would be a vastly different place without the gener-

ous support of our alumni, friends and the UGA Foundation. Private giving helps faculty members raise the bar in their fields, helps connect communities across Georgia to university resources, and helps students achieve things they never thought possible.”

From July 2022 to June 2023, 71,223 donors contributed to UGA, resulting in the third consecutive year—and sixth year of the last seven—that donations have surpassed $200 million. The university’s three-year rolling average, which averages the three most recent years of giving, rose to a record $235.1 million—the third

consecutive year this number has risen and the sixth consecutive year it has exceeded $200 million.

“What is so special about the UGA community is that their support is not just strong, it is always so consistent” said Neal Quirk, who chaired the UGA Foundation Board of Trustees during FY23. “Year in and year out, our donors give generously, and that reliable support is so very valuable. No matter what economic conditions arise, the university and its students can thrive thanks to the backing of our great alumni and friends. It makes our entire board very grateful and

The new residence hall, which was approved by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, will be located on South Lumpkin Street near the intersection of West Wray Street. The proposal approved by the board also includes plans to construct a new dining, learning and wellness center at the intersection of University Court and East Cloverhurst Avenue.

A separate proposal that would add a new parking deck adjacent to the existing West Campus Parking Deck south of Brumby Hall also has been approved.

“We know that living on campus is critical for first-year students to help them engage with the campus community and to benefit fully from all that the university offers,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “I am grateful for the Board of Regents’ support of our efforts to continue enhancing UGA’s world-class learning environment for these exceptional students.”

The residence hall will be constructed on a site that is now a surface parking lot. The 125,000 square foot, 565-bed facility will accommodate recent growth in

By Kristine Groft kgroft@uga.edu

University of Georgia graduate and professional programs continue to be recognized among the best in the nation in the 2024 edition of the U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools.

The latest U.S. News & World Report rankings coincide with a period of growing demand for graduate and professional training at UGA.

“The University of Georgia’s innovative approaches to graduate and professional education are not only benefiting our students, but also local, regional and global communities,” said Ron Walcott, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate School. “The strong performance of our graduate and professional programs reflects the excellence

and commitment of our faculty.”

The School of Public and International Affairs ranks No. 7 overall and has several graduate specialties among the nation’s top five. SPIA’s programs ranked third in both public finance & budgeting and public management & leadership, and fourth in local government management.The nonprofit administration program continues to climb and is ranked No. 13 in the nation.

The School of Law has earned its highest ranking ever at 20th among the nation’s 196 ABA-accredited law schools. The ranking places the School of Law among the top seven public law schools in the nation.

The College of Veterinary Medicine ranked No. 7, up three spots from its most recent ranking.

The Mary Frances Early College of Education moved up one spot from the prior year to be ranked No. 31 in

the nation, and several of its programs ranked in the top 10 — notably school counseling, secondary teacher education, and curriculum and instruction.

The full-time MBA program in the Terry College of Business advanced seven spots to 31 in the nation and No. 11 among public universities. In addition, the parttime MBA program ranked No. 35 nationally and No. 22 among public business schools.

The higher education administration program in UGA’s Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education rose to No. 6 in the nation, continuing a run of top 10 rankings dating back to 2007.

UGA’s online graduate business and education programs were recently ranked in the top 10 among all institutions in the latest edition of the U.S. News & World Report best online programs ranking.

By Stan Jackson ugastan@uga.edu

At the start of a new academic year, the University of Georgia continues its investment in supporting student mental health and well-being. The fall semester brings excitement and opportunity for new and returning students alike, as well as stress and worry at the challenges they face.

“Everyone on campus is here for the students, we want—no, we need—the students to know that,” said Beau Seagraves, associate vice president for student well-being.

“Not only do we have the resources to help students who need them, but we also want to provide a learning environment in which students can thrive.”

The Well-being Resources initiative aims to help students become more active, healthy and successful. Initially launched in 2020 as part of Student Affairs’ 2025 strategic plan, and subsequently expanded and strengthened with support from UGA President Jere W. Morehead, the initiative connects a network of campus-wide programs and resources and convenes campus

Several new administrators and deans have joined the University of Georgia in the last year, including the following:

Kevin Abernethy

Kevin Abernethy was named vice president for government relations.

Abernethy previously served as chief of the civil division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia and was responsible for representing the U.S. government in all civil litigation pending in the district.

He also served as an assistant U.S. attorney and as chair of the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance

Commission (formerly known as the State Ethics Commission).

Abernethy earned a degree in political science from UGA and then received his law degree from Georgia State. He was a partner with the law firm of Hall Booth Smith, P.C. in Atlanta and served as vice president/general counsel of Abco Inc. for four years. In addition, he has previously served as deputy legislative counsel to

ADMINISTRATORS from page 1

Georgia’s lieutenant governor.

The Office of Government Relations serves as the primary point of contact between the University of Georgia and local, state and federal government offices and legislative bodies. Abernethy oversees an office that includes three directors who serve as UGA’s liaisons in these areas.

Michelle G. Cook

Michelle G. Cook will succeed Victor K. Wilson as vice president for student affairs upon his retirement Sept. 30.

Currently, Cook serves as the univer sity’s senior vice provost. In that role, she plans, guides and implements strategic initiatives and programs spanning the university while also leading the Office of Institutional Diversity. Cook holds a bach elor’s degree from Princeton University, a master’s degree from Yale University and a doctorate from Duke University. Cook began her career at UGA in 1998 and quickly assumed several leadership posts

As vice president, Cook will lead the 16 departments and over 600 staff members of the Division of Student Affairs.

Andy Borst

Andy Borst was named vice provost for enrollment management.

Borst was most recently director of undergraduate admissions at the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign. He has 20 years of experience in higher education, including 12 years serving in a senior lead ership role in enrollment management. He earned a B.S. from Buena Vista University, an MBA from St. Ambrose University and a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa.

In this new position, Borst will be UGA’s chief enrollment officer and will provide vision, leadership and strategic direction in the develop ment and attainment of enrollment priorities for the university. He will oversee enrollment management related to undergradu ate, graduate, professional and online education, working with senior leadership to develop strategic enrollment plans, monitor enrollments and matriculation, and plan for resource implica tions. Borst also will supervise the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Mark D. Hunter

Mark D. Hunter was named dean of the Odum School of Ecology.

Hunter previously served as the Earl E. Werner Distinguished University Professor and Henry A. Gleason Collegiate Professor in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Michigan.

The deanship marks a return to UGA for Hunter. In 1995, he joined the university as an assistant professor in the Institute of Ecology, which later grew into the Odum School, the first standalone school of ecology in the world. A member of the faculty for 11 years, Hunter was the founding director of the UGA Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Processes.

Hunter earned his bachelor’s degree in zoology and his doctorate in ecology from the University of Oxford. His research focuses on plant-animal interactions, ecosystem ecology, biodiversity and population dynamics.

As dean, Hunter will serve as the chief administrative and academic officer of the Odum School and will be responsible for its instructional, research and outreach programs.

Anna Westerstahl Stenport

Anna Westerstahl Stenport was named dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

Stenport previously served as dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Rochester Institute of Technology. She led 13 departments and 25 degree programs in the cognitive and social sciences, humanities and performing arts.

As dean, Stenport will oversee the college’s 30 departments in five divisions: fine arts, humanities, social sciences, biological sciences, and physical and mathematical sciences as well as its 30 multidisciplinary

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research centers, institutes and programs.

Following a year of study as an international student at the University of Georgia, Stenport earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Uppsala University in Sweden. She holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature from the University of

Juanita Hicks was named senior associate vice president and chief human resources officer.

Hicks previously served as the vice chancellor for human resources for the University System of Georgia. In that role, she provided leadership and oversight of the USG’s human resources strategy for its 26 public colleges and universities, 48,000 faculty and staff, and 18,000 retirees.

Hicks will be responsible for the coordination and advancement of UGA’s human resources programs and services that are important to the university’s faculty, staff, students and retirees. She will work with senior leaders of the university, faculty, staff, USG colleagues and UGA’s Human Resources Division to fulfill these responsibilities and to elevate service and support to new levels of

Dan Silk

Dan Silk has been named associate vice president for public safety.

Silk previously was chief of the Uni versity of Georgia Police Department. In this new role, Silk will work closely with UGA’s new police chief and the director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness to advise and oversee the university’s stra tegic campus public safety opportunities and potential courses of action.

Silk will oversee, direct and support the planning, communication, community en gagement, evidence-based best practices, and training efforts of UGAPD and OEP.

Jeffrey Clark has been named chief of the University of Georgia Police Department.

Clark previously served as deputy chief for engagement, training, and standards for the department. In that role, he worked to align community needs and expectations, implement best practices in policing and further develop departmental strategies and goals through outreach programs, including engagement with students and parents through UGA’s annual orientation programs.

Clark’s career in law enforcement spans

26 years between the UGAPD and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. While at the ACCPD, he held multiple leadership positions, including lieutenant for the special victims unit family protection center, robbery, homicide and forensics units, and deputy chief of police.

As the chief of police, Clark will be responsible for law enforcement, public safety and managing a broad scope of operations that support UGA’s academic and student life missions.

Gagan Agrawal

Gagan Agrawal was named director of the School of Computing.

Previously,Agrawal served as professor and associate dean for research and graduate studies in the School of Computer and Cyber Sciences at Augusta University. Between 2001 and 2019, he served as associate professor, professor, graduate director and interim department chair of computer science at Ohio State University.

UGA elevated its department of computer science to a School of Computing in July 2022 in response to rising student enrollment and the growing role of computing in a range of fields. Created within an interdisciplinary framework, the School of Computing is jointly administered by the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering. Faculty in the school lead the university’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Institute for Cybersecurity and Privacy, Georgia Informatics Institutes, and Center for Cyber-Physical Systems. The School of Computing administers the university’s bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. programs in computer science as well as the master’s program in cybersecurity and privacy.

Martha Dannenbaum was named executive director of the University Health Center.

Dannenbaum most recently served as director of Student Health Services at Texas A&M University.

As executive director, Dannenbaum will provide strategic leadership for all aspects of the operation of the University Health Center. Additionally, she will play a key role in the Division of Student Affairs’ Well-being Resources initiative.

Dannenbaum began her medical career in private practice as an OB/GYN in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She moved into college health in 2006 as a medical provider for Texas A&M, and in 2008 became director there.

Dannenbaum is a graduate of Texas A&M University and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio medical school. She completed her residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center-Tulsa and is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology. She is a current member of the American College Health Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

David Odo

David Odo was named director of the Georgia Museum

Odo was previously director of academic and public programs, division head and research curator at the Harvard Art Museums.

Odo’s primary research and teaching interests lie in the anthropology of art, the body in art and material culture, and the intersections of art and medicine.An expert on 19th-century Japanese photography, Odo has published and lectured on the subject as well as on museum pedagogy. Odo earned his D.Phil. in social and cultural anthropology from the University of Oxford and his B.A. from Columbia University in East Asian studies.

SUCCESS OF UGA PRESIDENTIAL HIRING INITIATIVES

DATA SCIENCE & AI

ORIGINAL DATA SCIENCE & AI PRESIDENTIAL HIRING INITIATIVE

88% 44 50 of positions filled

INTEGRATIVE PRECISION AGRICULTURE

Integrative

DATA SCIENCE & AI PRESIDENTIAL HIRING INITIATIVE EXPANSION

50% 10 20 of positions filled

BRAIN & BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

80% 4 5 of positions filled 100% 5 5 of positions filled

Martha Dannenbaum

This initiative aims to recruit 70 faculty members who focus on the fusion of data science and AI in cross-cutting areas such as infectious diseases, integrative precision agriculture, ethics, cybersecurity, resilient communities, and the environment. The initiative started with 50 positions, and another 20 positions were added in December 2022.

precision agriculture (IPA) harnesses the power of technology and big data to sustainably provide for the planet’s growing population.

This hiring cluster was transformed into the Isakson Center for Neurological and Disease Research, which seeks to decipher underlying mechanisms and develop early diagnostic biomarkers and novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Andy Borst

Mark D. Hunter

Jeffrey Clark

Rhodes to Success

From Athens to Kazakhstan, UGA’s 2023 Rhodes Scholar achieves at highest academic levels

By Erica Techo etecho@uga.edu

Natalie Navarrete didn’t know Russian when she came to the University of Georgia. Now, she has studied it around the globe.

Navarrete graduated in spring 2023 with several new stamps in her passport, as well as bachelor’s degrees in international affairs, Russian and Spanish, and a minor in Latin American and Caribbean studies. She capped off her academic career at UGA as a 2023 Rhodes Scholar, receiving the oldest and most celebrated international fellowship in the world. She was one of only three public university students, in addition to the nation’s service academies, to receive the honor this year.

“Coming to UGA and learning Russian without knowing a single letter in the alphabet was incredibly difficult, but also very rewarding,” said Navarrete, who studied in the university’s Russian Flagship Program, a federally funded languages initiative. “Going from absolute zero to now having a business proficiency has been a really interesting and honestly exciting experience.”

And Navarrete was up to the academic challenge.

She received the Foundation Fellowship, the university’s top academic scholarship which has supported students for the last 50 years. The fellowship is available through the Jere W. Morehead Honors College and provides travel stipends, grants for research and conferences and additional funding. She is also a Stamps Scholar, a prestigious distinction only given to five Foundation Fellows each year.

“I can’t say enough good things about the Foundation Fellowship and the support that UGA provides its students in general,” Navarrete said. “I’ve learned so much by being around amazing, curious and passionate people all the time. It also helped make UGA a lot smaller and less intimidating in its first year. The Foundation Fellowship provides

support for its students in a way that stands out from other universities.”

The fellowship helped Navarrete build a community, and other campus groups continued to strengthen it.

“For Natalie to accomplish so much in her four years at UGA is a testament to both her incredible drive for learning and the strength of our university’s academic programs,” said Meg Amstutz, dean of the Morehead Honors College. “From her immersion in the Russian Flagship Program to her engagement in the Foundation Fellowship, she has been an incredible example of UGA as an academic powerhouse. We are so proud of her.”

In the spring semester of her freshman year, Navarrete joined the Richard B. Russell Security Leadership Program and solidified her academic path forward.

“It was in the Security Leadership Program that I started learning about nuclear policy and nuclear strategy within the field of international affairs,” Navarrete said. “I did my first research connecting how Russian investments in media and education influence the way Latin American countries vote on security issues in the United Nations Security Council. From there, everything sort of snow balled.”

She seized the chance to study abroad. She improved her language proficiency, built a strong professional network and explored additional research opportunities.

“I don’t know how it all worked out, but my study away experiences perfectly built on each other,” Navarrete said.

These experiences started close to home, with opportunities in Athens and on campus, but they soon expanded worldwide.

From Middlebury, Vermont, and Honolulu, Hawaii, to Oxford, U.K., and Cortona, Italy, it all culminated in a yearlong study abroad in Altmaty, Kazakhstan. There were some disruptions due to the COVID pandemic—moving a program to Honolulu instead of Latvia, for example—but

the strength of UGA’s Russian Flagship Program eased those transitions.

“Our flagship was extremely creative and managed to come up with lots of solutions,” she said. “I got to study Russian in Hawaii with two of the best Russian professors in the world, who have written dozens of textbooks on learning Russian. It was an incredible experience. And we were all very excited to go to the beach.”

See RHODES on page 4

STUDENT AFFAIRS RENOVATION

One-stop service model for students launches

As part of ongoing efforts to enhance the student experience on campus, UGA is launching Dawg Source, a one-stop hybrid service model that provides resources to support students from pre-enrollment through graduation in person and online. This initiative was announced in President Jere W. Morehead’s 2023 State of the University address. Building upon the existing in-person student services currently located in Student Care and Outreach at the Tate Student Center, Dawg Source will add streamlined instant mobile access to student resources through a dynamic website accessible through the UGA App. When fully launched, students will be able to connect with resources for class registration, financial aid, billing, academic advising and more. Students seeking inperson support with navigating their personal circumstances or finding resources should continue to connect with Student Care and Outreach.

For phase 1 of this update, the UGA App for iOS and Android will be updated to offer customized views for students,

AUXILIARY SERVICES

employees and other user groups for a more streamlined mobile experience. Users will be invited to select an experience category based on how they interact with the University of Georgia, which will allow the UGA App to emphasize the modules and information that will be the most useful to them. Students will be able to access the Dawg Source website through their experience category.

The UGA App is the official mobile app for the University of Georgia, where students, staff, faculty and visitors can engage with campus resources and learn more about the university. The app also allows users to track buses on and off campus, learn about the dining facilities, log in to various academic resources, check parking deck occupancy and access the UGA Involvement Network.

This mobile app update will also include a link to the UGA Libraries’ new Study Room Locator to help student study groups locate available group study rooms at the Miller Learning Center and Main Library.

This update will be available on Aug. 14 in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

Efforts to improve campus parking experience continue

Transportation & Parking Services continuously strives to improve the parking experience at the university for faculty, staff, students and visitors.

To accomplish this goal and address limited parking availability on campus, Transportation & Parking Services (TPS) is focused on maximizing the utilization of current assets, identifying and supporting additional resources and ensuring that spaces reserved for those with a permit are protected from violators. Currently, several strategies are underway to support these parking efforts.

Nine hundred parking spaces were added in 2022, and additional parking options are available for the 2023-24 academic year:

• Two unused tennis courts at University Housing facilities have been converted for parking, adding 200 spaces.

• An additional 86 spaces were added over the summer to the Veterinary Medical Learning Center (Vet Med) on College Station.

• The university has extended the lease of the former Holiday Inn space near the corner of Lumpkin Street and Broad Street throughout this academic year, offering 270 spaces.

• The addition of a new bus stop will make 120 spaces available for Park & Ride use at the Recreational Sports Complex.

• Finally, the Hull Street Parking Deck expansion will be completed this fall, adding nearly 400 additional spaces.

New parking options are also being planned for future years, including a parking deck near the West Campus Parking Deck, Phase V of the existing College Station Park & Ride lot and additional Park & Ride locations on College Station Road near Vet Med and on South Milledge Avenue across from the Soccer/Softball Complex.

For several years, TPS has managed lots through industrybest practices, including License Plate Recognition Technology, resulting in parking rates that have not increased since 2008. Recognizing a recent increase in violations in a number of lots on the Athens campus, TPS has initiated a phased project to install parking gates in areas most impacted by non-compliance. The North Deck will pilot this new gate technology, and TPS will continue to expand this to other areas of campus where gates can help protect permit holders

Work on the Holmes-Hunter Academic Building continues

Progress continues on the $30 million renovation of the Holmes-Hunter Academic Building.

The goal of the project is to enhance functionality while also restoring historic features of the building and honoring the building’s namesakes.

Improvements include new student meeting spaces, at least six conference rooms of varying sizes, and a secondfloor classroom on the south wing that was actually part of the building’s original design.

“When completed, the Holmes-Hunter Academic Building will provide additional spaces for students to meet and study, as well as enhanced offices for them to access key services like the registrar and financial aid,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “These spaces demonstrate our ongoing commitment to our student life experience while honoring the contributions of trailblazing alumni.”

Another significant improvement will be the reopening of a courtyard that will pay tribute to Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter-Gault, the first African American students to enroll at UGA, and offer additional space for events hosted by student organizations and units throughout campus. The building was named for Holmes and Hunter-Gault in 2001.

“The fact that this iconic campus building pays tribute to the first Black students at UGA, Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter-Gault, signals to all students that we embrace and support the diversity that they bring to our campus,” said Senior Vice Provost Michelle Cook. “This building reminds our campus community of our shared responsibility to make the University of Georgia a welcoming and inclusive place for all.”

Holmes and Hunter-Gault first entered the Academic Building to register for undergraduate classes in 1961. Today, the building still houses the Office of the Registrar, the Office of Student Financial Aid and the Office of Institutional Diversity, as well as the Institute of African American Studies and the African Studies Institute.

The Holmes-Hunter Academic Building began as two separate buildings: Ivy Hall, built in 1831, and the Library Building, built in 1860. The two buildings were joined in 1905 and connected with a three-story addition that added a courtyard. Since that time, there have been 50-60 small renovations, one of which filled in the courtyard now being restored, but this will be the first full renovation of the facility.

In addition to the courtyard, the renovation will feature the

Natalie Navarrete was named a 2023 Rhodes Scholar. Peter Frey

4 Aug. 14, 2023 columns.uga.edu

FUNDRAISING

from page 1

Over the course of the year, donors endowed 16 faculty positions, bringing UGA’s total to 356, and created 158 scholarship funds. In total, private giving established 301 endowed funds, which will provide reliable, long-term funding to a multitude of areas at the university.

But these numbers tell just a small part of the story. Donor support for UGA took many forms during the 2023 fiscal year. Among them:

• The UGA College of Engineering is significantly expanding its work in electric mobility thanks to a $5 million investment from Georgia Power Company—the largest single gift ever made to the college. This funding will create scholarships for students pursuing an e-mobility certificate, support e-mobility research and facilitate a statewide e-mobility network and community partnerships.

• A new, women-directed fundraising group, Georgia Women Give, launched in March to invite more women to become philanthropists and deepen their engagement with UGA. Since then, the group of 75 founding donors has raised over $1.8 million, all directed to three funds supporting scholarships, study away and UGA priority areas.

• The UGA Poultry Science Building continued to receive significant support, including the largest single gift toward the building to date: a $3 million pledge from the Luther and Susie Harrison Foundation. The building—a 70,000+ square foot, state-of-the-art facility on D.W. Brooks Drive—will help make UGA the global epicenter of poultry science. Its doors will open this fall, with classes beginning in spring 2024.

• A gift of $1.5 million that, along with a previous commitment, established the

RESIDENCE

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UGA’s first-year class, which increased from fewer than 5,500 students in fall 2019 to more than 6,250 students in fall 2022. All first-year students at the University of Georgia are required to live on campus.

The dining, learning and wellness center will provide approximately 68,000 square feet dedicated to academic and student-focused services. Voluntary meal plans reached an alltime high of more than 13,000 in fall 2023, and this facility will help offset strain placed on other dining locations.

The first two floors of the facility will consist of a dining commons with approximately 800 seats. The facility’s third floor will contain six to eight active learning classrooms, a University Health Center ancillary clinic for medical and mental health services and a space for nutrition counseling. The proposed classrooms also will provide evening-hours meeting space for student organizations.

The current plan is for design of the

RHODES

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The Russian Flagship Program, supported by both the Mary Frances Early College of Education and the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, also connected her to other students passionate about immersing themselves in a language. Daily language classes and intensive study provided their challenges, but on-campus resources offered encouragement.

All flagship students receive a one-on-one tutor and participate in intensive summer programs that help develop fluency. In September 2022, Navarrete had her capstone year at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Kazakhstan, a program that included eighthour days of Russian language and studies, but also opportunities to explore her interests on a new level.

“I took a course on the history of Central Asian Identity and Kazakh identity, and then I was able to apply that during a spring internship,” Navarrete said. “I worked with Altair Academy, a children’s literature group that promotes children’s literacy and reading in Kazakhstan. It was interesting to see

John and Alice Sands Offensive Coordinator position on the football team.

• Chick-fil-A pledged $1.5 million to develop a new statewide youth leadership program and annual summit through the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development. The Youth LEAD Georgia program will provide college- and career-readiness through leadership development for 30 to 40 rising Georgia high school sophomores and juniors each year, and the summit will take place at UGA, bringing together high school students from each of Georgia’s 159 counties.

The University of Georgia’s annual Dawg Day of Giving provided perhaps the best example of how widespread support for UGA has become. On March 30, donors contributed 11,091 gifts to UGA in 24 hours, setting a single-day giving record at the university for the second year in a row. Donors hailed from all 50 states, and their gifts totaled $5.6 million.

The annual Senior Signature student giving campaign also set a record this year, with 3,377 members of the Class of 2023 donating to the class gift program, which has been in place since 1991. Parents of UGA students set high watermarks as well when the Parents Leadership Council both raised and awarded over $1 million to benefit campus organizations.

“UGA’s status as a powerhouse of academics and athletics relies so much on donor support. We just can’t thank our generous supporters enough,” said Jill S. Walton, interim vice president for development and alumni relations. “Our successes are in large part thanks to them, so watching that support grow is exciting—just imagine where our students, our university and our state will go next.”

residence hall to begin this summer so that construction may begin in summer 2024. The residence hall and the dining, learning and wellness center will be open to students in fall 2026 under the proposal.

“The University of Georgia has always been committed to providing the best learning experience, and our high rankings in student and campus life illustrate that we’re fulfilling that commitment,” said Victor K. Wilson, UGA’s vice president for student affairs. “Our residence halls are a key part of the student experience and making UGA a home for our students.”

The new parking deck adjacent to the West Campus Parking Deck will add approximately 1,100 parking spaces, which will more than offset lots used for other construction projects while providing additional parking capacity to meet current and future demands. Plans call for the parking deck to open in fall 2025.

how the Kazakh identity was manifested in children’s fairy tales.”

After her year abroad, Navarrete will enjoy a few weeks back in the United States before traveling to South Korea for a fiveweek conference. There, she will continue her research in nuclear nonproliferation before beginning her master’s program at the University of Oxford.

But first, she made a quick return to campus. Navarrete lived in a residence hall for three of her four years as a student, even though she spent a large amount of time away from Athens. But any return to campus, she said, serves as a reminder of the university’s dedication to its students.

“You can tell in the way that campus is laid out and the programs that are available that UGA is here to support your everyday life. It really cares about its students,” she said. “And then it goes even further when you see the effort that professors put in to get students interested in different opportunities, to explore their interests and to make the most of their time here.”

WELL-BEING

from page 1 very proud.”

leaders to coordinate support for students.

If students are unsure of where to start, they should contact Student Care and Outreach, the university’s “hub of care and support.” Student Care and Outreach assists students by advising them on resources, creating networks of support, and tailoring solutions matched to a student’s specific needs.

Carrie Smith, director of Student Care and Outreach, said that each student faces their own unique set of challenges, and though the university offers several resources to help them, they are most likely unaware. Smith and her staff connect these students with a “Community of Care,” a team of campus resources working in concert to support the individual student.

“We learn about the students’ challenges, connect the resources to each other to support that student’s specific needs, and then guide that student through those resources,” Smith said. “This individualized assistance and tailored care provides UGA students with the best support possible.”

As part of the university’s holistic approach to student support, Well-being Resources provides a robust menu of programs and services dedicated to student mental health. Many of those resources can be found on Counseling and Psychiatric Services’ Community Resources listing.

Dr. Martha Dannenbaum, executive director of the University Health Center, explained that while CAPS continues to enhance clinical mental health services and

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in a fiscally responsible manner. To further address issues of non-permitted parking on campus that have become prevalent in recent months, TPS has made several enhancements, including a new citation escalation plan that went into effect Aug. 1. Part of this strategy consists of booting vehicles on third and fourth citations, doubling the cost of citations after booting, and towing when a parking violator receives an eighth citation. Additional staff and vehicles have been deployed to support compliance with these policies as well as to ensure appropriate use of Departmental Permits.

Finally, a concerted awareness campaign is underway to educate incoming students and their supporters about campus alternatives to parking, such as walking, riding the bus, biking and carpooling. These efforts include an emphasis on leaving cars at home. TPS will continue offering its response team to monitor specific trouble areas should the need arise. This team can be contacted at 706-542-PARK or 706-542-7275.

programs for students, the university and the university community offer an integrated network of campus-wide support for students’ mental health and holistic well-being needs.

“CAPS is an important clinical resource, and I’m thrilled students know it well,” Dannenbaum said. “We also want students to know that mental health care is part of primary care, meaning the physicians and other clinical providers at University Health Center are here to support both physical and mental health. Physical and mental health are not separate—they are components of an individual’s holistic well-being.”

In addition to the physical locations on campus focused on mental health, the University System of Georgia provides access to many free online resources. These are centered on self-care and help students engage in consistent self-care throughout their time on campus, as opposed to waiting until crisis.

For its part, CAPS continues to increase efficiency, improve access, and remove barriers. Starting in fall 2023, students no longer need to call to make an appointment for a screening. Students can walk in at any time on Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and ask to speak to a clinician. CAPS will have at least two clinicians available during business hours dedicated to meeting with walk-in students.

“We take the health and well-being our students very seriously,” said Seagraves. “It takes a community of support, and that’s exactly what UGA is working to provide.”

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existing cast iron columns, which had previously been hidden behind interior walls. Having them exposed and open highlights the scale of the building, according to Scott Simpson, senior campus planner in the Office of University Architects and senior project manager on this renovation project.

As part of the project, crews will work on infrastructure improvements, including new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. They also will install new stairs and an elevator to make the building more accessible.

Work on the project is scheduled to continue through summer 2024 so that the building is fully open and operational for the beginning of the fall 2024 semester.

The $30 million project is supported by a $15 million gift from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation to be matched with a combination of institutional funds and private contributions. Fundraising is currently underway.

“I am extremely grateful to the Woodruff Foundation for their leading gift in support of this important project,” said Morehead. “I will continue to advocate for our alumni and friends to contribute to this transformative initiative for the institution.”

The

Editor Krista Richmond

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2023 LEARFIELD DIRECTORS’ CUP NATIONAL ALL-SPORTS STANDINGS