Team, With the books officially closed on FY26, I want to once again congratulate everyone on a truly outstanding, record-breaking year! It was so much fun to be together last week at our End of Year Celebration, and congratulations to everyone who won a door prize! A special thank you once again to all who served on the planning committee and made the event so special.
Raising $324.4 million in private support and achieving a three-year rolling average of $300 million are incredible achievements and ones that I hope all of you are proud of. Together with our dedicated campus partners, volunteers and donors, we have grown and sustained a culture of philanthropy that is changing lives every day. The support we’ve raised is establishing student scholarships, fueling innovative research, supporting graduate students, allowing us to recruit and retain world-class faculty, strengthening communities across Georgia, and so much more. Plus, we’re connecting students with more employers, mentors, and alumni who are shaping their UGA student experience and life after graduation. Talk about impact!
I can’t believe how quickly the summer passed by, and campus is already buzzing again with the excitement of a new academic year and football season right around the corner. Let’s keep our strong momentum going as we head into FY27 refreshed, recharged, and ready to take on the year ahead. I look forward to sharing our FY27 division goals with you later this month, in addition to sharing more on UGA’s 2031 Strategic Plan: Forward Together. The plan sets forth a series of institutional goals in response to three strategic imperatives, and we’ll discuss these in more detail in the year ahead as we shape DAR’s response to the UGA Strategic Plan. This will be a collaborative initiative involving everyone in the division, so thank you in advance for your dedication and commitment to this plan.
I am deeply proud of this team and excited for all we will accomplish together in FY27. Thank you for the leadership, collaboration and impact you bring to your work each and every day. It is an honor and a privilege to do this important work alongside all of you. |
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Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations and Executive Director of the UGA Foundation |
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We’ve already raised $29.6 million to date in FY27. Stay tuned for DAR’s Priorities and fundraising total in next month’s report. |
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| 40 Under 40 Past Honoree Tailgate
September 12 | Athens, GA UGA in Charlotte
September 15 | 5:30 - 7 p.m. Truist | Charlotte, NC
Fall PLC Weekend September 25 - 26 Athens, GA Black Alumni Homecoming Tailgate
October 3 Myers Quad | Athens, GA
Alumni Board Past Presidents Dinner October 15 | Athens, GA Fall Alumni Board Meeting October 16 | 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Wright Hall, Health Sciences Campus |
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What You'll Find in the Pulse Blog |
Read the monthly Pulse blog
To learn more about each of these topics head over to the Pulse blog post!
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- Upcoming Alumni Chapter Events
- Football Pre-Season Solicitation
- 40 Under 40 Announcement
- Tasty Tailgate Recipe Submissions
- Intern For A Day Toolkit
- Mentor Program Update
- Make PDF's Accessible
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Atlanta, GA August 19 & 26 September 1 & 9 |
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| Charlotte, NC September 14-16 |
Washington D.C. November 7 |
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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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Katie Adams Tampa, FL (Aug. 17-19) Southwest ATL (Aug. 24-26) |
Ali Elyaman
San Francisco, CA (Aug. 10-13) Los Angeles, CA (Aug. 27-30) |
Courtney Hart Athens, GA (Aug. 20) |
Chris Jefts Dalton/Cartersville/Rome (Aug. 10-11) Albany/Tifton, GA (Aug. 26-28) |
Weldon Kolker Athens, GA (Aug. 10) |
Michelle Rotondo Athens, GA (Aug. 7, 14 & 28) |
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| Elizabeth Kozak Athens, GA (Aug. 27-28) |
Joey Lynn Denver, CO (Aug. 24-28) |
Vince Thomas Columbus, GA (Aug. 5-6) Gainesville, GA (Aug. 19-20) West Palm Beach, FL (Aug. 26-28) |
Kate O'Reilly Virginia Beach, VA (Aug. 12-14) |
Christina Varnedoe Savannah, GA Area (Month of August) |
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Leadership Giving Team Travel
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Zack Robbins South Georgia (Aug. 11-13) Macon, GA (Aug. 25-27) |
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| Julia Straka Northwest Georgia (Aug. 11-13)
Jacksonville, FL (Aug. 25-27) |
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Parent Giving Team Travel
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Jamison Wood Marietta, GA (Aug. 19-21) |
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| Meredith Glenn Augusta, GA (Aug. 14) Greenville, SC (Aug. 19) Atlanta, GA (Aug. 27-28) |
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Mason Black Atlanta, GA (Aug. 29) Northwest Arkansas (Sept. 18-20) |
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| Lee Zell Charlotte, NC (Sept. 14-16) Washington D.C. (Nov. 7)
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Check out upcoming Fall Career Fairs and Arch Ready Programs. |
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A remarkable cross‑campus collaboration has resulted in a transformational commitment from a UGAF trustee and proud Franklin College alum whose generosity is now touching multiple corners of the University of Georgia and three vital UGA priorities: Graduate School scholarships supporting PhD students, the College of Public Health’s CARE Center, and key initiatives in the Franklin College of Arts & Sciences, including Jewish Studies and Industrial‑Organizational Psychology. The commitment also leverages UGAF matching funds, amplifying the long‑term reach of her investment.
This success reflects extraordinary teamwork. Regional Development’s Chandler Boyle served as the ultimate quarterback, guiding the process with clarity and care. Partners across campus—including Siara Abdulla in the Graduate School, Faith Perry in Public Health, Jack Hill and Lynh Tran at Franklin, and Will Willimon in Principal Gifts—worked seamlessly to shape a proposal that honored the donor’s vision, “I want to give where it is going to help the CARE Center the most.”
This is what happens when Bulldogs unite around purpose. High praise to Chandler and the entire team for bringing this extraordinary gift to life. Go Dawgs! |
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📸 DAR Headshot Schedule 📸
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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 Mike Hillman, Director of Development, Victoria Kay Ivester School of Nursing (Office located in 1PP) - Welcome Naomi Shneibaum, Administrative Assistant, DAR Regional Development (Located in Atlanta)
Welcome Steven Clay, Training & Communications Coordinator, Client Services - Congrats to Adam Hammond, named Senior Director of Development, Public Service and Outreach
Congrats to Allie White, named Senior Digital Strategist, DAR Communications
Congrats to Kenneth Marchyshyn, named Senior Annual Giving Coordinator, Annual Giving Congrats to Michael Pannell, named Senior Annual Giving Coordinator, Annual Giving Congrats to Drew Sanford, named Senior Mentor Program Coordinator, Career Center
Congrats to Kate Lantz, named Director of Development, College of Environment & Design Best wishes to Maura Springstead, leaving DARCOMM Best wishes to Janieria Dupree, leaving Career Center
Best wishes to MinhChau Bui, leaving Advancement IT Best wishes to Lauren Cook, leaving Strategic Programs
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Do you have information or a suggestion for an upcoming edition of the Pulse? |
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