April was another extremely busy month for our division, a sign of great work happening across every team as we strive to finish the fourth quarter strong and continue to push toward our $300 million goal. I'd like to give a big thank you to everyone who planned and led our first Advancing the Arch Volunteer Leadership Conference as well as those who collaborated on the reception with President Morehead and Coach Smart in Charlotte. And kudos to the Senior Signature campaign on setting a new student donor record!
I'm looking forward to Commencement this week and the opportunity to welcome our newest graduates into the alumni family. My gratitude to everyone who signed up to volunteer during the ceremonies and who helped to pack commencement bags.
We're in our last two months of the fiscal year, and I encourage us to continue to lead, collaborate and find ways to make an impact as we approach June 30. As always, let me know if I can be of any help to your team. |
|
|
Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations and Executive Director of the UGA Foundation |
| |
|
What You'll Find in This Month's Pulse |
- Fundraising Update 📈
-
Upcoming DAR Meetings 📆
- Events for Target Audiences 🎉
- School of Medicine Update 🥼
- UGA Mentor Program Update 🤝
- Staff Appreciation Celebration 🖤♥️
- Women's Staff Leadership Institute 💼
- 2025 DAR Development Interns 💫
- 2025 Senior Signature Update 🎓
- Advancing the Arch 🐾
- UGA Travel Training ✈️
- New Donor Groups Tile in GAIL 💻
- Bulldog 100 Nominations 💯
-
Name a Squirrel Campaign 🌰
- EOY Celebration Photos 🤳
- Vet Med Swag 🎁
- News You Can Use 📰
- DAR Headshot Schedule 📸
- Ring the Bell: DAR Success Stories 🔔
-
DAR Staff Travel ✈️
- Open DAR Positions 🎉
- Staff Announcements 👨💼
- Pets of DAR 🐕 🐈🐖 🐍 🦜
- Just for Fun 🥳
|
|
|
Here is where we stand in fundraising as of May 7. Questions? Email Danielle Free. |
|
|
Emeritus Trustee Quarterly Event May 7 Athens, GA |
Black Alumni Leadership Council Meeting
May 8 Athens, GA |
Spring Development Meeting May 12 | 9AM Tate Grand Hall Please RSVP by May 7
RPM Portfolio Planning Workshop following the meeting at 11AM |
Young Alumni Leadership Council Spring Meeting May 16 Athens, GA |
| Discover DAR July 11 CED Crits Room |
DAR Years of Service Awards July 21 | 2-3:30PM One Press Place |
DAR End-of-Year Celebration
July 24 | 3-5:30PM West End Zone |
Fall Development Meeting September 8 | 8AM Tate Grand Hall |
Winter Development Meeting
February 9 | 2PM Tate Grand Hall |
|
|
Events for Target Audiences |
|
|
Nashville Chapter Event Featuring the SVRC
June 5 Nashville, TN |
UGA Young Alumni Night at the Painted Pickle June 12 Painted Pickle (Atlanta) |
1961 Club Donor Celebration June 13 | 6:30-9PM Georgia Museum of Art |
| PAWS Celebration August 19 | 11AM-2PM Sanford Stadium Locker Room |
40 Under 40 Awards Luncheon
September 5 Tate Grand Hall |
Fall PLC Weekend
September 5-6 Athens, GA |
Presidents Club Reception October 17 Tate Grand Hall |
Georgia Women Give Fall Lunch & Learn October 17 Athens, GA |
|
|
School of Medicine Update |
Fundraising for the School of Medicine continues to be a priority with the focus shifting to student financial aid to alleviate the monetary burden that comes with a medical education. An annual giving direct mail solicitation will go to UGA alumni with an MD degree in May to solicit for scholarship support.
Contact Matt Mize with any School of Medicine fundraising questions. |
|
|
UGA Mentor Program Update |
As of April 18, we are pleased to report: -
# of Mentors - 5,991 (659 new registrations since July 1)
- # of Mentees - 6,091 (2,099 new registrations since July 1)
-
Current Matches - 959 (includes 16 week/quick chats/circles)
New UMPA Alert!
We are thrilled to announce our 2025-2026 UGA Mentor Program Ambassadors, who start in August. We can’t wait to see what this next group of outstanding student leaders brings to our program!
Questions? Email Bethany Bagwell. |
|
|
Staff Appreciation Celebration: May 12 |
Please remember to RSVP if you are able to attend the Spring 2025 Staff Appreciation Celebration, a dedicated time to recognize and thank YOU, the staff who contribute significantly to UGA's success. A complimentary lunch will be provided and attendees will receive a special keepsake as a token of appreciation. Free parking will be available in the Carlton Street Deck, with overflow in the South Deck; carpooling is encouraged and additional campus buses will run from 10:30-3:30.
|
|
|
DAR Colleagues + Women’s Staff Leadership Institute |
|
|
2025 DAR Development Interns |
A partnership between DAR and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the UGA Development Internship is an opportunity for undergraduates to work with fundraisers and development support teams in a hands-on learning experience to explore how donor gifts transform into life-changing research, scholarships, and other higher education advancements. During the 8-week summer internship (June 2 to July 25), interns will work full-time at 1 Press Place and attend a CASE Internship Conference in Washington, D.C.
We're pleased to introduce this year's interns: Nathan Duke Hometown: Americus, GA Majors: Marketing, Terry College of Business; Sport Management, Mary Frances Early College of Education
Expected Graduation: December 2025 Helen Arline Hometown: St. Simons Island, GA Major: Agricultural Communications, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Expected Graduation: May 2026
If you have questions about partnering with interns, please contact Kathy Bangle and Christy Dasher. |
| |
Senior Signature Surpasses Goal |
Ring the Bell! Another Senior Signature campaign has wrapped up and we are excited to announce that a new record has been set! This year’s campaign recognizes 3,427 graduates from the Class of 2025, and it raised $115,243. In addition, 544 funds from across campus were supported, and Spike Squad was chosen as the Class Gift recipient. Results will be shared publicly and with student donors in the coming weeks. Special congratulations to Terrance Smith, Drew Flaherty, Haley Arner
, Allie White, Rachael Andrews and Amy Gunby for planning and executing a successful campaign this year! And, of course, thanks to the Student Alumni Council for its commitment to engaging their peers in this important initiative.
Speaking of Class Gift recipients - learn more about last year's Class Gift recipient, XChanged Life. |
|
|
DAR hosted a wonderful weekend of connection and collaboration during the first Advancing the Arch Volunteer Leadership Training. With 100+ attendees, there were 32 chapters represented, 9 school/college boards, affinity councils, and various student ambassador groups who engaged with volunteers and shared stories of today’s student experience. Alumni volunteers enjoyed updates from President Morehead, Provost Hu, and VP for Student Affairs Dr. Michelle Cook. Other highlights included a lunch panel highlighting the transition from student to young alumni, and a series of breakout sessions featuring our own subject matter experts highlighting a "Grow, Give, Guide" mentality.
Thank you to Kate Lantz and the Alumni Relations team, staff members across DAR, SAC students, Alumni Association board members and numerous campus partners who helped make this event possible:
- Advancement IT
- Alumni Relations
- Career Center
- College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences
-
College of Family and Consumer Sciences
- College of Veterinary Medicine
- Donor Relations & Stewardship
- DAR Communications
-
Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication
- Odum School of Ecology
- Office of Annual Giving
- Office of Business Engagement
- Public Service and Outreach
- Regional Development Office
- School of Public and International Affairs
- Student Affairs
- Student Alumni Council
- Terry College of Business
-
Warnell School of Forestry
|
|
|
UGA Travel Training Series |
|
|
New Donor Groups Tile in GAIL |
Customize your constituent profiles in GAIL with the new Donor Groups tile! This feature lets you quickly see if someone is part of key donor groups, including: - Georgia Women Give
-
Powerhouse Donors (Lifetime giving of $1M+ to Athletics AND $1M+ to Academics)
- Parents Leadership Council
- Magill Society
- Silver Circle ($1M+ lifetime giving to Athletics)
To add this tile, follow these customization instructions and look for the "Donor Groups" option. |
|
|
Bulldog 100 Nominations Are Open
|
|
|
Name A Squirrel Campaign Surpasses 1,000
|
Did DAR go nuts post Dawg Day of Giving? Possibly, but our first Name a Squirrel campaign has been a resounding success! We've named 1,033+ squirrels and raised more than $54,000 for scholarships, excellence funds, emergency funds, and more! Thanks to our campus partners who helped spread the word (and kudos to Justin Patton for his design work in bringing the squirrel campaign to life)!
|
|
|
Submit Photos for EOY Celebration |
On July 24, DAR will gather to celebrate the great work we've accomplished together during FY25 (details to come!). Please upload team photos from the year to be featured in a slideshow during the event!
|
|
|
Vet Med Swag Stewards and Excites |
The College of Veterinary Medicine DAR team enjoys expanding its creativity through branded swag for both humans and animals! Pictured here are some of the pet-focused items CVM offers its supporters: Good Dawg bandanas, treats, travel bowls, bag dispensers, tennis balls, and lint rollers. Sharing in case these items can inspire others! |
|
|
Some updates from across campus and the division |
|
|
📸 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. |
|
|
Congrats to first cohort of leadership program participants
Approximately 30 members of the division are participating in the first DARing to Level Up leadership program offered by DAR in partnership with Shore Consulting. They participated in 6 day-long leadership workshops and recently presented their learnings. They will continue to meet with Shore coaches for the next nine months in smaller groups in order to bring their takeaways to their day-to-day work. |
|
|
|
Congrats to Nic Laconico, associate director for business engagement, on delivering a talk during TEDxUGA.
Nic's talk challenges listeners to separate their self-worth from their careers by encouraging them to redefine success by focusing on dream experiences, relationship skill sets and more. View Nic's talk. |
|
|
Cox Identifies Successful Lead
An accomplished general surgeon in South Carolina reconnected with UGA in December during a meeting with Madi Cox. He reflected on his time on campus and how much he missed the excitement of Sanford Stadium. The donor was put in touch with Shaun Chapas in Athletics to learn more about the Magill Society. By March, the donor pledged $100K to Athletics, officially joining the Magill Society. Congrats to Madi and Shaun on this successful collaboration!
|
| |
Advancement IT + CVM Complete Data Project
In collaboration with the College of Veterinary Medicine development team and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital team, Advancement IT has successfully completed the initial load of Veterinary Hospital visitor data from February to November 2024 into GAIL. These records are now available and accessible for standard development use. Ongoing efforts will continue to expand this dataset and incorporate additional client records into GAIL moving forward.
Special thanks to all members of Advancement IT involved with this initiative, with particular recognition to the Application Development and Integration team as well as the Alumni Records team for their significant contributions. Level Up!! |
|
|
Chris Jefts Thomasville, GA (May 21-22) Dalton, GA (May 27-28)
|
Vince Thomas Jacksonville, FL (May 14-16)
Highlands/Asheville, NC (May 28-30) |
Ellie Engquist Athens, GA (April 13-14) |
Christina Varnedoe Savannah, GA (Month of May) |
Katie Adams Santa Rosa Bch/Seaside, FL (May 6-8) Huntsville, AL or Chatt, TN (May 28-30) |
Chandler Boyle Charlotte, NC (May 14 + 15) |
Ali Elyaman San Francisco, CA (May 19-23) Los Angeles, CA (May 31-June 5) |
| Kyle Bryson Dallas, TX (May 13-14) Houston, TX (May 28-29) |
Courtney Hart Athens, GA (May 7) |
Alysse Capitanelli NYC (Week of May 12) |
Michelle Rotondo Athens, GA (May 9 + 12) |
Weldon Kolker
Savannah, GA (May 13-15) Atlanta, GA (May 27-29) |
Madi Cox Columbus, GA (May 13-15)
Spartanburg/G'ville, SC (May 28-29) |
Matt Brown Athens, GA (May 12) |
|
|
Parent Giving Team Travel
|
|
|
Courtney Ayers Various ATL Trips |
Meredith Glenn Augusta, GA (May 14-15) Various ATL Trips |
| Eric Schmidt Macon, GA (May 8-9) Various ATL Trips |
Andrea Parris St. Simons, GA (May 14-16) Various ATL Trips |
|
|
Kaylin Jones Greenville, SC (June 17-18) |
|
Mason Black Boston, MA (May 31-June 2) Dallas, TX (June 10-11) Nashville, TN (June 12-13) |
|
|
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.
|
|
|
-
Welcome to Elyse Snover, Alumni Relations Officer, Terry College
- Welcome to Clarissa Hobbs, Annual Giving Coordinator, Annual Giving
- Welcome to Cameron Coleman, Data Collection Specialist, Advancement IT
-
Congratulations to April Buckley, named Gift Accounting Specialist, Gift Accounting
- Congratulations to Ali Elyaman, named Regional Director of Development, Regional Development Team
- Best wishes to Clarke Schwabe, leaving DAR Communications
-
Best wishes to Ryan Rasmussen, leaving Gift & Estate Planning
|
| |
Names: Homer (Homie) + Olivia (Livvy)
Owner: Andrew Hibbs (Research & Prospect Management)
Fun Facts: Andrew adopted siblings Homie and Livvy in December. Livvy enjoys sleeping on laptop bags, staring out windows, and getting scalp messages. Homie enjoys eating his food, stealing Livvy's food, begging Andrew for bites of his food, and scratches. The pair can't stand vacuum cleaners and garbage bags! |
|
|
It was a wonderful day hosting new DAR hires last month for this spring's DAR 101. These day-long workshops are great ways for recent hires to meet other new employees while learning about the different DAR teams so they're ready to collaborate in their new roles! |
| |
Thanks to the Employee Experience Committee for planning a great DAR outing to The Classic Center, where staff sampled Flavor of Georgia food products, and were able to purchase these small businesses' items. Congratulations to the CAES team for coordinating the event. Thanks to DAR for providing staff with tickets to attend! |
|
|
Do you have information or a suggestion for an upcoming edition of the Pulse? |
|
|
|
