Briefs

International grants Double-digit year for Fulbright offers

The University of Georgia once again hit double digits in the number of international travel-study grants offered to its students and recent alumni through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. With 12 students selected, this marks the sixth straight year— and 10th time in the past 11 years—that UGA has received 10 or more offers. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers research, study and teaching opportunities in more than 140 countries to recent college graduates and graduate students. Of the 12, nine were able to take advantage of the opportunity for 2019- 2020. Six were Honors Program alumni, and they are listed below. • Magali Lapu of Atlanta graduated in May with bachelor’s degrees in French and international affairs. She will teach at Lycée Robert Doisneau in Grand Lyon, France, and hopes to include conversations about race and social justice in her curriculum. • Kavi Pandian of Tucker graduated in May with bachelor’s degrees in economics and sociology. The recipient of a Diversity Program placement in Germany, he will be assigned to a school with a significant number of minority or refugee students. • Vineet Raman of Marietta graduated in May with bachelor’s degrees in biology, Spanish, and Latin American and Caribbean studies. He will be heading to India to research health inequities among tribal populations in southern Karnataka. • Dorothy Rau of Atlanta graduated in May with bachelor’s degrees in international affairs and Arabic. She hopes to get involved with the artistic community in Turkey and use her theater background to engage her students. • Hannah Sharpe of Marietta graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in history and a combined bachelor’s/master’s degree in social studies education. She will spend her Fulbright year teaching at an all-boys high school in Mokpo, South Korea. • Amanda Tysor of Douglasville graduated in May with bachelor’s degrees in international affairs and Chinese and a combined bachelor’s/master’s degree in public administration. She is teaching English in Taiwan.

Taking count

A quick overview of this edition of the Honors magazine

Honors alumni participating in Fulbright for 2019-2020

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Travel-study experiences funded through the Honors International Scholars Program

300 + Student volunteers who tutor each semester through the Thomas Lay After-School Program

40 + Student volunteers who teach music each semester through Muse UGA

Sweet, sweet stress relief The Honors Program Student Council continued its annual tradition of a donut and coffee break during midterms when its members carried boxes and boxes of donuts, bagels, coffee, and hot chocolate into the Moore College lobby on Oct. 16.

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Honors alumni named 2019 40 Under 40 recipients

4Families who share why they give through the Honors Program Parent Society

Sharing our amazing: Six UGA Amazing Students—all in the Honors Program, majoring in a wide array of topics and experiencing a variety of opportunities—discuss their experiences, growth, and the value of an education at the University of Georgia.

“If you asked high school me to come up with the dream college experience, my time at UGA would far surpass that experience in every possible way. I cannot thank my family, friends, classmates, mentors, professors, and everyone in between enough for making my experience at UGA and in Athens everything it has been.”

Sydney Erickson Major: Biology and Psychology Year: Senior Hometown: Alpharetta

“I decided to attend UGA after being awarded the Foundation Fellowship. It was during the interview weekend for this scholarship that I realized how committed UGA is to the excellence of its students. I owe a great deal to the Foundation Fellows/ Honors Program community, not least for the daily inspiration that I find in talking to peers who are so devoted to bringing about good in the world.”

Monte Fischer Major: Physics and Astronomy Year: Senior Hometown: Woodstock

“I am grateful for Elizabeth Hughes. She has served as an invaluable resource to me for countless occasions during my time at UGA (story on page 28). From critiquing my resume to practicing medical school interview questions with me, it is evident that she deeply cares about preparing students well for their future endeavors. ”

Madison Read Major: Biology and Psychology Year: Senior Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee “Being named an Honors International Scholar in 2018 was an incredible recognition because I have a passion for service on a local and global level. Through this scholarship, the UGA Honors Program gave me the opportunity to intern abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as an English teacher of elementary and high school students while studying at the Universidad de Palermo for a summer semester.”

Joi Walker Majors: World Language Education and Spanish Year: Senior Hometown: Monroe, Connecticut

“When I came to UGA, I quickly learned how available research opportunities are to students. At the end of my first semester, I applied for and was offered a spot in the lab of Steven Stice in UGA’s Regenerative Bioscience Center. Generous financial support from CURO in the form of multiple research assistantships helped fund my research.”

Michael Bowler Majors: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Psychology Year: Senior Hometown: Snellville

“My passion is definitely conducting chemistry research. I will always remember watching the 2018 Rose Bowl Game on New Years’ Day and the moment during halftime when I saw I was in a UGA commercial! I was so grateful to represent my school (while wearing my lab coat). Nothing will compare to the excitement and surprise I felt seeing the commercial for the first time.”

Katie Luedecke Major: Chemistry Year: Senior Hometown: Peachtree City

International competition Silver medal

When Honors student Nick Yanek got the chance to travel to San Jose, Costa Rica, after qualifying for the Pan American U20 Championships, he had no idea he would be coming home with a silver medal in the 10K competition for the Bulldogs. “Having the opportunity to run for Team USA in Costa Rica was amazing!” Nick said. “This was my first time representing Team USA, and it was an incredible experience. I met a ton of phenomenal athletes.”

Nick is a second-year studying exercise and sport science with a pre-med focus. He is involved on campus with organizations including the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, Tate Honor Society, and Athletic Association’s Leadership Academy, in addition to running for UGA’s Cross Country and Track and Field men’s teams. The race in Costa Rica felt different than his past races, Nick said.

“I really focused on taking in the moment and feeling honored to have the chance to compete there. In the race itself, I ran a fairly consistent pace, and my plan was to stay even. Luckily, I was able to kick into the finish just enough for second. I’m so thankful to Coach Cunniff for getting me to be in a position for this opportunity. I appreciate all that he and the athletic department gives.”

Representing UGA and Team USA in Costa Rica informed Nick’s athletic and academic aspirations. Racing forward, he keeps his goals high—hoping to become an NCAA All-American and pursue the national title, individually and with his team.

“Professionally, I want to attend medical school after my time at UGA to become an orthopedic surgeon or cardiologist,” he said. “However, if the Olympic marathon becomes a possibility, I would gladly pursue that first.”

National honor 2019 NOAA Hollings Scholar

Angela Tsao was one of 130 students accepted into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 2019 Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program, which awards academic assistance for two years of full-time study and a 10-week, full-time paid internship at a NOAA facility during the summer. A Foundation Fellow, she is studying computer science and cognitive science and conducting graduate coursework in artificial intelligence. Angela spent the summer in Inner Mongolia in China, conducting research on soil-water-vegetation interrelationships for sustainable agriculture in the Eurasian steppes. She recently completed an internship with UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, using geospatial techniques to examine data on resilience and flooding risk.

Well argued Second at Moot Court regionals

Honors students Gigi Scerbo, left, and Rosa Brown of the UGA Undergraduate Moot Court Team placed second out of 50 teams at the AMCA Mid-Atlantic Regional hosted by the Regent University Law School. They will be competing in the national tournament in Baton Rouge in January. Rosa, a sophomore Ramsey Honors Scholar majoring in international affairs and economics, was ranked as the sixth best individual orator at the competition. Gigi, a junior, is studying philosophy.

Insta-summer All the likes and follows

This past summer, the Honors Program featured several students on our Instagram and Facebook accounts who tagged us in their study abroad posts. The response was outstanding, and we plan to increase the number of images from students in their study abroad and internship locales this upcoming summer. Highest honors Sphinx Society inductees

Honors alumna Charlotte Norsworthy (AB ’19) was inducted into the Sphinx Society along with Honors student and Foundation Fellow Avni Ahuja (read more about her on page 20). They were honored at the UGA homecoming game on Oct. 19. Founded in 1897, Sphinx is the oldest and most respected non-academic honorary society at the University of Georgia. Membership in the Sphinx Society is considered the highest honor a student can achieve at UGA. Charlotte, a master’s degree student in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, is in her first semester of graduate education. She is the lead editor of a forthcoming digital and audio book on news media leadership and was the co-author of an innovative practice paper presented at the Association for Leadership Educators. “It is such an honor to have been inducted into Sphinx Society alongside some incredible peers,” Charlotte said. “I am so grateful and humbled to continue this esteemed UGA tradition.”

- Sarah Freeman

Moore burritos Self-control for lunch

Giant burritos and lectures are a typical lunch combination in the Honors Program through Lunchbox Lectures. During these lunchtime talks, students receive a brief overview of a faculty member’s research as well as a free burrito (gifts through the Honors Program Annual Fund and Parent Society Fund pay for the lunches). One such talk on Oct. 16 covered self-control. Michelle vanDellen, an associate professor of behavioral and brain sciences, talked about her research and how it goes beyond traditional delayed gratification studies. She seeks to understand how people can be successful at self-regulation and self-control. For her work with undergraduates, vanDellen received the 2019 CURO Research Mentoring award in April.