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Sculpture from ancient Gandhara now on display at Georgia Museum of Art
April 23, 2018
Vol. 45, No. 33
www.columns.uga.edu
UGA GUIDE
4&5
Denise Spangler named dean of UGA College of Education
By Sam Fahmy
sfahmy@uga.edu
Takeyah Duhart, a psychology major, is going to work at Apple after graduation.
Hire power
Photo courtesy of the UGA Career Center
Job prospects bright for UGA Class of 2018 By Sara Freeland freeland@uga.edu
After Taylor Smith graduates from the University of Georgia, he’s headed to the Major Leagues. He’s not an athlete; he’s going to be a research and development analyst for the Tampa Bay Rays. He will run statistics and use data science to help pick the best amateur draftees for the team. It’s a dream come true for a lifelong baseball fan and a perfect fit for the skills he learned at UGA, where in May he will receive joint bachelor’s and master’s degrees in statistics, a bachelor’s in mathematics and a certificate in data science. Smith, from Canton, is just one of an estimated 55 percent of UGA students who already have jobs lined up after they graduate in May. According to the UGA Career Outcomes survey, 96 percent
of 2017 UGA graduates had a job or were enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation. In terms of landing a job, the timing is nearly perfect for Class of 2018 graduates, according to Jeffrey Humphreys, director of the Selig Center for Economic Growth in UGA’s Terry College of Business. “The economy is very strong. The unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in over 10 years. It’s definitely both a good time and a good place to graduate.” The economy is so good that many graduates are receiving multiple job offers. “My advice is to grab a job while they are still plentiful,” Humphreys said. “And, if you have multiple opportunities, I recommend considering how that job will fare should the economy hit a soft patch.” Employers are seeking out UGA students and graduates in
record numbers. Last academic year, 14,605 jobs and internships were posted on the Career Center’s jobs website, and more than 1,000 companies recruited at UGA either at the career fairs or in on-campus interviews, said Scott Williams, director of the UGA Career Center. This is about twice as many as at the low point in the recession in 2009. “UGA students are personable, articulate and get things done,” said Amy Evans, a recruiter and university relations leader at NCR, a hardware, software and electronics Fortune 500 company based in Atlanta. UGA is one of the top schools targeted by NCR. “They also bring a different type of thinking and approach to NCR,” Evans said. Last summer, there was a team of eight interns (including four from See JOBS on page 8
GRADY COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION
Nine documentaries to receive Peabody Award By Margaret Blanchard mblanch@uga.edu
The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors selected nine winners in the documentary category for programs released in 2017. The Peabody Awards are based at UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Documentary winners, part of the annual Peabody 30, are: • America ReFramed: Deej American Documentary Inc; WORLD Channel; Rooy Media LLC; Independent Television Service (ITVS) (WORLD Channel). A bold step forward in inclusive filmmaking that allows David James (Deej) Savares, a nonspeaking
young man with autism, to tell his own story, focusing on accomplishment and possibility, not limits and barriers. • Chasing Coral An Exposure Labs Production in partnership with The Ocean Agency & View Into the Blue in association with Argent Pictures and The Kendeda Fund (Netflix). This surprisingly emotional film expertly documents, through timelapse underwater photographs, the effects of climate change on the rapid decimation of the world’s coral reefs, events known as coral bleaching that affected 29 percent of the shallow-water coral in the Great Barrier Reef in 2016 alone. • Indivisible Fuse Media (Fuse/ Linear Broadcast).
A n u rgent, intimate portrait of heartbreak and determination, disappointment and victory as three young Dreamers navigate confusing immigration policy, bad faith on the part of politicians and the emotional trauma of family separation. • Last Men in Aleppo Larm Film, Aleppo Media Center/AMC, American Documentary | POV (PBS). Masterful storytelling by civilian filmmakers at the heart of the Syrian See PEABODY on page 8
Denise A. Spangler, a faculty member and administrator with an exemplary record of collaboration both on campus and off, has been named dean of the University of Georgia College of Education. Spangler, the Bebe Aderhold Professor in Early Childhood Education, has served as interim dean since March. Her appointment as dean is effective May 1. “Dr. Spangler has shown an unwavering commitment to excellence in instruction, research and outreach,” said Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pamela Whitten. “Under her
extraordinary leadership, the UGA College of Education is poised for even higher levels of excellence.” Spangler joined the Denise Spangler UGA faculty in 1995 and has held a series of leadership positions, from head of the mathematics and science education department to senior associate dean and, most recently, interim dean. “Throughout her career, Dr. Spangler’s contributions to her
See DEAN on page 8
TERRY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Economic report: Asian-Americans see biggest gains in buying power
By Matt Weeks
mweeks@uga.edu
While every demographic in the U.S. economy is making gains, Asian-Americans are leading the charge, according to the latest Multicultural Economy report from the University of Georgia. The annual report calculates the consumer buying power—or total income after taxes—for several racial and ethnic groups in the U.S.: African-Americans, AsianAmericans, Hispanics, Native Americans and whites. Published by the Selig Center for Economic Growth, a unit of UGA’s Terry
ollege of Business, the MulticulC tural Economy report is available for purchase. The Selig Center estimates U.S. consumer buying power totaled $14.6 trillion in 2017, an increase of 97 percent since 2000 and 30 percent since 2010, with the biggest gains among minority markets. The combined buying power of blacks, Asian-Americans and Native Americans is estimated to be $2.4 trillion, while the nation’s Hispanics command $1.5 trillion in spending power—larger than the GDP of Australia. All minority consumer markets
See REPORT on page 8
HONORS PROGRAM
UGA undergraduate Laurel Hiatt named 2018 Truman Scholar By Stephanie Schupska schupska@uga.edu
The University of Georgia’s Laurel Hiatt was one of 59 undergraduates from across the nation to be named a 2018 Truman Scholar, a highly competitive graduate scholarship program for aspiring public service leaders in the U.S. Truman Scholarship recipients receive $30,000 toward graduate school and have the opportunity to participate in professional development to help prepare them for careers in public service leadership. “Laurel becomes the 21st Truman Scholar from the University of Georgia,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “The university’s success in national and international scholarship competitions is a testament to the quality and
dedication of our students and the faculty who create their rich academic experiences.” Hiatt, a third-year Honors stuLaurel Hiatt dent from Dahlonega majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology and Spanish, plans to obtain an M.D./ Ph.D. in medical genetics and biochemistry and pursue a career at the forefront of clinical research, with a focus on transgender health care. Hiatt’s public service and civic activities include training a service dog through the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind; creating See TRUMAN on page 8