Happy Fall, team!
As we enter this season of gratitude, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation for each of you and the meaningful impact you’re making at the University of Georgia. Your dedication and enthusiasm continue to elevate our mission, and I’m especially thankful for your contributions that have helped us start the first half of our fiscal year on a strong note.
As shared during last week’s Town Hall, one of President Morehead’s FY26 goals is to continue growing support for need-based and merit-based scholarships through a new scholarship campaign. The first phase of this initiative aims to raise $75 million to continue attracting top-tier students to UGA and to ease loan burdens for low and middle-income families. We’re excited to publicly launch this campaign early next month and will continue to equip the division with training and materials to support your vital role in this effort. Thanks to everyone for the important role you play in this campaign!
As the calendar year draws to a close, I’d like to challenge everyone to continue to do the things that make DAR successful: pay attention to detail, be problem solvers, focus on investing in your colleagues, celebrate success, and continue to share these success stories with one another! When done regularly, these small acts can make a significant difference on our division and our great university. Let’s keep the positive momentum going and DAR to Level Up—together! |
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Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations and Executive Director of the UGA Foundation |
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What You'll Find in This Month's Pulse |
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Here is where we stand as of November 5. Questions? Please email Danielle Free. |
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Team Stewardship Meeting November 18 | 11AM-2PM MLC Reading Room |
Discover DAR
December 5 | 8:30-9:30AM SPIA/Education |
Spring Career & Internship Fair February 4 | 12-5PM Classic Center |
Alumni Board Winter Executive Committee Meeting
February 5 | 6-7:30PM One Press Place |
| Winter Alumni Board Meeting
February 6 | 8:30AM-3PM Special Collections Library |
Winter Development Team Meeting February 9 | 2PM Tate Student Center, Grand Hall |
Spring Development Team Meeting
May 11 | 9AM Tate Student Center, Grand Hall |
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Events for Target Audiences |
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Georgia Women Give Atlanta Event
November 13 ASW Distillery (Atlanta, GA) |
RSM Classic November 20-23 St. Simons Island, GA |
Alumni Night at the UGA Bookstore
November 21 |
Ugly Sweater Holiday Meetup
Hosted by Latino Alumni Council December 12 | 6:30-8:30PM Wild Leap Atlanta |
Bulldog 100 Past Honoree Event January 15, 2026 ASW Distillery (Atlanta, GA) |
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Spring PLC Weekend February 6-7, 2026 Athens, GA |
2026 Bulldog 100 Celebration February 7, 2026 West End Zone, Sanford Stadium |
Young Philanthropists Event February 25, 2026 Atlanta, GA |
Dawg Day of Giving
March 26, 2026 |
Class of 2026 Senior Signature Deadline March 31, 2026 |
Advancing the Arch Volunteer Leadership Training Conference July 17-18, 2026 Athens, GA |
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School of Medicine Update
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Check out the latest edition of The Scope, the School of Medicine’s quarterly e-newsletter. This is emailed to all School of Medicine donors as well as current and emeritus UGAF trustees. If you have a prospective donor who you would like to receive these updates, please email Daynes Parker to have them added to the mailing list.
Please continue to reach out to Hudson Clare early in your donor conversations, especially around scholarships. His involvement is essential as the School of Medicine finalizes the structure of scholarships for students. |
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Career Center: Intern for a Day
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The Career Center's Intern For A Day program matched 160+ students with 44 employers on October 1, 2025. Matches have doubled since fall 2024 with the roll out of the new online matching platform. The Career Center will host five students through the program this semester. If your department or partners are interested in future participation spring 2026 registration will open in January. Any questions contact Lexie Walker.
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Since July 1:
# of mentors – 6,456 (430 new registrations) # of mentees – 6,303 (1,245 new registrations) # of connections – 1,436 (includes 16-week, quick chats, and circles) Kudos!
Thank you to the following collaborators for helping us celebrate I'm a UGA Mentee Day in January: College of Engineering, College of Environment + Design, College of Veterinary Medicine, Franklin College of Arts & Sciences, Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication, Mary Frances Early College of Education, SPIA and Terry College of Business! Thank you to those who helped promote our webinar, Mentor Skills: Navigating Intergenerational Differences through Mentorship, led by Alejandra Ferguson from the Office of Academic and Community Engagement! |
UGA Mentor Program leads to discovery and growth
Aries Aviles (BS ’21) and Lily Valdes (BS ’25) completed their 16-week mentorship commitment with the UGA Mentor Program and have since become peers and friends. Read more about their combined journeys from uncertainty to empowerment. |
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The UGAF@Work project is wrapping up its Test stage on November 7 and moving into the Deploy stage starting November 10 and lasting through December 31. During this phase, the team will focus on: -
Final data loads into UGAF@Work
- Completing final transactions in FAME
- Preparing for go-live on January 1, 2026
- Supporting user training and cutover activities
User training will run November 11 through January 29. Individuals identified for in-class training have already been contacted directly. In addition, self-paced online training will be available to everyone beginning November 11.
If you anticipate receiving expense reimbursements through the Foundation, we strongly encourage you to complete the online training for expense submissions prior to the expense submission.
Visit the UGAF@Work project site for additional training information.
We’re also sharing key dates and deadlines to help you prepare for the transition. Keep an eye out for upcoming communications about:
- Expense submission and approval timelines
- System freeze periods
- Go-live readiness
If you have questions or need support, reach out to the UGAF@Work team or connect with your UGAF@Work Change Network representative—trusted colleagues across UGA who are here to help guide you through this transition.
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Get into the spirit with the Holiday Book Swap on Wednesday, December 3, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Milledge Conference Room at One Press Place! Bring a book you’ve enjoyed and trade it for a new read to cozy up with this season. It’s a festive way to share your favorite stories, discover something new, and connect with colleagues who love to read. Don’t miss this cheerful mid-day break filled with books, conversation, and a touch of holiday fun! For more information, contact Ashley Crain at ashleycrain@uga.edu.
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DAR 101 is a part of the Division of Development and Alumni Relations’ onboarding program and aims to help staff members transition smoothly into their new roles. DAR 101 is held each fall and spring semesters for staff members who have joined DAR and/or have started a new role within the last 6 months. On October 16, participants spent the day engaging with leaders and colleagues from across the division via panel discussions, engaging presentations, fun games, and good food. |
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Young Philanthropists Event |
DAR will host a Young Philanthropists event in Atlanta on February 25, 2026. This gathering will bring together UGA’s most promising Young Philanthropists (YPs) in the Atlanta area to foster community, deepen their connection to the university, and expand their understanding of philanthropy at UGA. President Morehead will join us to share inspiring University updates and personally encourage engagement among this influential group.
The invitation list will include alumni 40 years old and younger who have high-net worth and/or long-term high-net worth potential, including individuals with close ties to UGA and major gift donors in this age group. Our goal is for YP attendees to leave with clear, actionable next steps for connecting with UGA as donors and volunteers to advance their charitable giving journey with the University.
We are developing a tiered invitation list and welcome your recommendations by November 26. If you have suggestions or would like more information, please email Michelle Versfeld at mversfeld@uga.edu. The Young Philanthropist naming is for internal reference only. |
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Gator Hater Breakfast 2025 |
A big thank you to the Employee Experience Committee for organizing the spirited Gator Hater Breakfast in anticipation of the Georgia vs. Florida football game! DAR staff had a fantastic time enjoying delicious food and lively tailgate games. Check out photos from the event!
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Some updates from across campus and the division: |
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📸 DAR Headshot Schedule 📸 |
Have you scheduled a headshot with Edwin Hammond? Fill out a scheduling form below; headshots are taken in front of One Press Place. |
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Congratulations to Alysse Capitanelli and Mary Ann Parsons for closing a $1 million gift to establish the Joh Family Foundation Chair in Food Systems Innovation, a joint professorship between the Departments of Food Science and Poultry Science at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Thanks to Provost Ben Ayers, Dean Nick Place and Associate Dean Manpreet Singh for their support in creating this new joint position.
This gift utilized UGA Foundation matching funds, furthering UGA’s goal of expanding named faculty positions. Huge thanks to the UGAF Trustees for approving the matching funds that help expand UGA’s named faculty positions, and shout-out to Lindsey Copus, the UGAF team, and Megan Jenkins for their support in managing the matching process.
The donor, a 1975 CAES alumnus and longtime supporter, made his first major gift in 2022 to establish an endowment for the FABricate Entrepreneurial Initiative, a unique partnership with CAES and the UGA Entrepreneurship Program, and he has made recent trips to campus to see his support in action and meet the students benefiting from it. |
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In 2023, Chandler Boyle reconnected with a long-time donor in Virginia Beach who had previously worked with Will Willimon and made a $25,000 gift to the Real Estate Excellence Fund back in 2016. Through campus visits and thoughtful introductions, the donor once again selected Real Estate as a top area of interest. Bennie Cohen
helped the donor explore the evolving goals and priorities of the Real Estate program which led to a $250,000 commitment to the Real Estate Excellence Fund. This success reflects the strength of the team’s communication and individual contributions: Chandler’s strategic re-engagement, Will’s longstanding relationship with the donor, and Bennie’s programmatic expertise and vision
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If you would like to schedule a visit with Jill, please contact Carol Barach to avoid double-booking. Thank you! |
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Chris Jefts Dalton/Rome, GA (Nov. 18-19) |
Vince Thomas Columbus, GA (Nov. 11-13) Charleston, SC (Nov. 18-20) |
Christina Varnedoe St. Simons Island/Sea Island, GA
(Nov. 19-21) |
Chandler Boyle Charlotte, NC (Nov. 20) |
Kyle Bryson Dallas, TX (Nov. 11-14) |
Courtney Hart
Athens, GA (Nov. 12) |
| Alysse Capitanelli Dallas, TX (Nov. 11-13) |
Kate O'Reilly Greenville, SC/Asheville, NC (Nov. 18-20) |
Michelle Rotondo Athens, GA (Nov. 13) |
Weldon Kolker
Atlanta, GA (Nov. 11-12) Charlotte, NC (Nov. 18-19 tentative) |
Madi Cox
Columbus, GA (Nov. 11-13) Greenville, SC/Atlanta, GA (Nov. 18-20) |
Matt Brown
Chattanooga, TN (Nov. 18-20) |
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Parent Giving Team Travel
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Courtney Ayers Dallas, TX (Nov. 23-25) Atlanta, GA (Various trips) |
Meredith Glenn Augusta, GA (Nov. 12) Atlanta, GA (Nov. TBD) Washington, D.C. (Dec. 2-4) Atlanta, GA (Dec. 12) |
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Andrea Parris St. Simons Island, GA (Nov. 20-22)
Atlanta, GA (Various trips) |
Eric Schmidt Tampa, FL (Dec. 2-4) Various ATL Trips |
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Mason Black St. Simons Island, GA (Nov. 19-25) |
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Kaylin Jones St. Simons Island, GA (Nov. 19-25)
Charlotte, NC (Dec. 2-4) Charleston, SC (Mid. Dec.) |
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Open Position Postings in DAR
We encourage anyone interested in applying to do so. All UGA HR policies and procedures apply. If you know of a potential candidate who may be a good fit for an opportunity, contact Christy Dasher.
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Welcome to Cameron Oglesby, Asst. Director of Gift and Estate Planning, Gift and Estate Planning
Welcome to Liz Newlin, College Engagement Coordinator, Pharmacy Welcome to Jack Loonam, Associate Director of Development, Franklin -
Welcome to Cheyenne Vessels, Administrative Specialist, VP Office
- Congrats to Gordon Thomas, named Senior Director of Development, Pharmacy
- Congrats to Stacy Stanford, named Senior Director of Development, Engineering
Congrats to Shirley Allen, named Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, Franklin - Best wishes to Erin Whittington, leaving Gift Accounting
Best wishes to Heather Pearson, leaving Business Engagement
Best wishes to Lindsay Carter, leaving Principal Gifts
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Do you have information or a suggestion for an upcoming edition of the Pulse? |
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