We did it, team: our best fundraising year EVER! I cannot express the extent of my pride, my gratitude, and my sheer awe at the amazing things we achieve together year after year. The stories you shared throughout the year, but especially as we approached June 30, continue to inspire me. Thanks for gathering in late June to ring the bell in celebration (photos below).
Thanks to the the UGA Foundation team for finalizing transactions and tabulating totals, and congratulations to the schools/colleges/units that set fundraising records. We have achieved our highest three-year rolling average, our second consecutive record-setting year, and the first time in history that we surpassed $300 million! This achievement is thanks to your continued hard work and the hard work of many who came before us. Together, we've built a strong foundation for lasting donor engagement and philanthropic impact, and your contributions continue to move us forward in powerful ways.
I hope everyone finds a way to rest and recharge this summer. Enjoy time with family, friends and pets, away from your computer, engaging in whatever activities bring you joy.
It's no exaggeration when I say that we have the BEST team with the BEST people. The impact you make on UGA's students, research and public service are unparalleled. You DARed to level up this year and the results are astounding. I can't wait to celebrate with you again on July 24 — see you in Sanford Stadium! |
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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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The FY25 books have closed and DAR leadership is working with DARCOMM on a public announcement about fundraising results that is scheduled for tomorrow, July 15. Below, you'll see the growth of our 3-year average since 2021. Please refrain from sharing information publicly until the release is disseminated. Questions? Email Lacey Creech or Danielle Free.
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*Click on the image to view it larger. |
Matching Funds As we kick off FY26, we are excited to share an update on the matching funds available to support fundraising efforts. Below is the list of remaining matching funds: Undergrad. Scholarships (GCS, Experiential Learning, Study Abroad, Rural Scholars, Student Veterans, LATBDE, Sunshine Fund) - 15 commitments
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$1.3M remaining
Grad. & Professional School Scholarships/Fellowships - 29 commitments
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$450K remaining
Payments for Georgia Commitment Scholarships and School of Medicine scholarships may not extend beyond four years. Matching funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis with a signed letter of commitment until funds are exhausted. Please forward a copy of the letter of commitment via email to Megan Jenkins.
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Affinity Councils New Member Orientation July 18 | 2-5PM Tate Student Center |
DAR Years of Service Awards
July 21 | 2:30-3:30PM One Press Place, First Floor Lobby |
DAR End-of-Year Celebration July 24 | 3-5:30PM West End Zone |
Alumni Directors Meeting
July 24 | 8:30-11AM Punaro (Pinnacle) Room, Baldwin Hall |
Latino Alumni Council Meeting August 1 | 11AM-1PM Memorial Hall Ballroom |
DAR Dashboard Deep-Dive
August 7 | 11AM-12:30PM (Drop-In) 1 Press Place + Zoom |
UGAF New Trustee Orientation August 22 |
| Fall Development Meeting
September 8 | 8AM Tate Grand Hall |
UGAF Fall Trustee Meeting October 2-3 Athens, GA |
Fall Alumni Board Exec. Committee Meeting
October 16 | 6-7:30PM Sic 'Em Conference Room, One Press Place |
Fall Alumni Board Meeting October 17 | 8AM-3PM Athens, GA |
Winter Development Meeting
February 9 | 2PM Tate Grand Hall |
Spring Development Meeting May 11 | 9AM Tate Grand Hall |
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Events for Target Audiences |
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Freshman Welcome August 12 Sanford Stadium |
First Day of Classes
August 13 |
PAWS Celebration August 19 | 11AM-2PM Sanford Stadium Locker Room |
40 Under 40 Awards Luncheon
September 5 Tate Grand Hall |
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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 |
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Ringing the Bell in Celebration!
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Thank you for gathering at the Chapel on June 29 to celebrate another record fundraising year at UGA. It was nice to see so many of the faces behind this year's great work and we hope you enjoyed celebrating among colleagues.
🔔📸 View photos from the bell-ringing. |
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The UGAF@Work team is progressing toward an exciting milestone: launching Workday on January 1, 2026. This new system will streamline operations and boost efficiency across the Foundation and its campus partners.
The team is in the Architect and Configure phase. That means they are deep into shaping the system — configuring Workday and aligning DAR's business processes to match its capabilities. They have started connecting with stakeholder groups to spread the word across DAR and campus. Be on the lookout for updates about our Change Network, a group of representatives from DAR and other campus units who will help share information, gather feedback, and review training and reference materials.
DAR is committed to keeping everyone informed and involved throughout this journey. If you have questions or feedback, please email UGAF.atwork@uga.edu. Visit the UGAF@Work project page to track the team's progress and learn more.
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School of Medicine Update |
Fundraising for student scholarships for the School of Medicine continues to be a top priority. An annual giving direct mail solicitation went to alumni with an MD degree in May to solicit for scholarship support and raised $5,575 from 34 donors. Contact Hudson Clare with any School of Medicine fundraising questions.
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.
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40 Under 40 Reveal Scheduled for July 16
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The 40 Under 40 Class of 2025 will be revealed on July 16. School/college/unit development personnel have been given a heads-up about their unit's honorees to allow for engagement and communication planning (the planning team asks that no public announcements be made until after DARCOMM makes the initial reveal). Questions about the announcement plan? Email 40u40@uga.edu. Thank you in advance for helping the event team connect with these outstanding young alumni and elevating their successes in your respective channels.
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UGA Bag Tag Preseason Football Solicitation
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Calling all Dawgs to board the hype plane! Donors of $5 or more to any fund on campus will secure a limited-edition UGA Bag Tag as a thank you during Annual Giving's annual preseason football solicitation campaign. Gifts can be directed to any school, college, department, cause, program or area of greatest need, so please use this giving incentive to encourage donors to support your area's needs. The campaign is live through Monday, Sept. 1 (just after UGA's first game of the season).
A digital toolkit is available for campus personnel and volunteers to use to promote the campaign. It contains social copy/graphics, an email schedule, and more. Questions? Email Clarissa Hobbs. |
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Summer Parent Engagement Opportunities |
The Parent Giving team is engaging parents this summer in Athens and on the road. Check out where the team will host events for new parents in key markets. Each event is hosted by current Parents Leadership Council members. Also, let Courtney Ayers or Eric Schmidt
know if a family needs an additional touchpoint while they attend UGA Orientation.
- Atlanta, GA (Event 1): Monday, July 28 (UGA Contact: Andrea Parris)
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Atlanta, GA (Event 2): Tuesday, July 29 (UGA Contact: Andrea Parris)
- Gainesville, GA: August 4 (UGA Contacts: Courtney Ayers, Vince Thomas)
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Augusta, GA: August 5 (UGA Contact: Meredith Glenn)
- Charlotte, NC: August 25 or 26 (UGA Contacts: Eric Schmidt, Chandler Boyle)
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Alpharetta, GA: Date TBD (UGA Contact: Andrea Parris)
- Nashville, TN: Date TBD (UGA Contacts: Courtney Ayers, Elizabeth Kozak)
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Tampa, FL: Date TBD (UGA Contacts: Eric Schmidt, Katie Adams)
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Time Is Running Out! Bulldog 100 Nominations
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| Career Center Year in Review
Check out the UGA Career Center's impact during the 2024-2025 academic year on students, alumni, mentors, employers, and faculty. Can you guess how many career counseling and drop-in appointments the team hosted for students and alumni this year? Visit the link to find out! Great job to the team!
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Summer is a great time to help recruit new alumni into the UGA Mentor Program to prepare for the new academic year. Thank you for helping to share the program with your alumni contacts and in your communication channels. FAQs can be found here. In addition, the first Mentor Program session will be August 15 at noon on Zoom. If you know someone interested in mentoring, please invite them!
The UMP team is seeking volunteers for an August 27 tabling event. If you are interested, please email Rebecca Hughes. |
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Submit Photos for EOY Celebration |
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Name a Squirrel Campaign Results |
Last month, we shared the outstanding fundraising results from UGA's first Name a Squirrel campaign — now, Clarissa Hobbs and Rachael Andrews are pleased to share the fun side of this solicitation. Curious what the most popular names were? Read on!
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Rachael Andrews has worked with colleagues in Donor Relations, MARCOMM and Legal to gather best practices for gathering student release forms to remain in line with FERPA regulations. Check it out.
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Whether you started working at UGA this month or 30+ years ago, it is never too early to prepare for retirement. Colleagues from University Human Resources, Joanna Manzi, Kandace Faulkner, and Anige Delligner, provided insightful information on retirement planning during our July Discover DAR. Below are a few of the resources they shared:
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DAR Staff & Interns Share Expertise |
We know our division is filled with experts in everything from fundraising to alumni engagement and everything in between. This summer, we'll see a handful of our colleagues presenting and attending conferences across the country. Some of those include: -
Jasmin Moore, Terrance Smith and Amanda Wilson will attend the CASE Summer Institute where Terrance is on faculty!
- Meredith Metcalf is presenting at a CASE online conference
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The Vet med team is heading to AVAP, the organization for development, PR and alumni relations professionals that promotes veterinary medical education. Abby Bryant and Lane McCarthy are presenting on donor relations; Mallory Moye will moderate an annual giving campfire session, and Michelle Jones is presenting on advancement leadership.
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Sherry Abrams presented at the SEC/ACC confernece in January about a centralized annual giving model. She and Kenny Marchyshyn presented with a colleague from Georgia Southern at GEAC last November about leadership annual giving.
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Pictured above: DAR interns Helen Arline and Nathan Duke attended the CASE Intern Conference in Washington, D.C. The pair gained insights into alumni relations, annual giving, donor stewardship and the power of storytelling in advancement from professionals across higher ed.
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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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Thanks to strong collaboration by Franklin (Abby Fuller), Student Affairs (William Draper) and GEP (Patrick Knowles
), a retired faculty member and proud military veteran has left a lasting legacy on campus in areas that are deeply meaningful to him. His major giving began in 2023 when he established a professorship in hydrology. Thanks to the Franklin team's great work, he was well-versed in the giving process in 2024 when William spoke with him about establishing an SVRC scholarship. Then, this past March, the trio connected to work with the donor on a planned gift – a process that the donor raved about when he was on campus in May to present his scholarship at the SVRC Honor Cord Ceremony.
This is a great example of how multi-unit collaboration can deepen a donor’s connection to UGA, maintain a donor-centric process on the donor’s preferred timeline, and ultimately lead to a more meaningful gift. Great job, team! |
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Courtney Ayers led a UGA New Parent & Student Welcome Event in Dallas, Texas, hosted by two new PLC Members, The Allens and The Ogles. More than 40 current and new parents along with their students attended, the largest gathering in Dallas to date. Everyone was able to visit with and hear from Jill Walton, Courtney Ayers, Kyle Bryson, and Mason Black
on ways their students can get connected at UGA and were encouraged to join the Parent Leadership Council. Good luck to the Parent Giving team on their summer event lineup!
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Chris Jefts Dalton/Rome, GA (July 15-16) Albany, GA (July 29-30)
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Vince Thomas Gainesville, GA (July 23 + 25)
Augusta, GA (July 29-31) |
Rob Carrico Greenville, SC (July 15-17)
Charleston, SC (July 29-August 1) |
Christina Varnedoe St. Simons/Sea Island, GA (July 17-18) |
Katie Adams Tampa, FL (July 16-18) |
Ali Elyaman
San Diego, CA (July 13-17) |
Chandler Boyle Raleigh, NC (July 15-17) Athens, GA (July 21-24)
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| Kyle Bryson Houston, TX (July 14-16) |
Courtney Hart Athens, GA (July 24) |
Michelle Rotondo
Athens, GA (July 24) |
Weldon Kolker Atlanta, GA (July 15) Charlotte, NC (July 16-17)
Gainesville, GA (July 22 + 23) *daytrips |
Elizabeth Kozak Athens, GA (July 20-21) |
Matt Brown Athens, GA (July 24) |
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Parent Giving Team Travel
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Courtney Ayers Atlanta, GA (July 28-30) Gainesville (August 4) Nashville (August 6-8) Various ATL and Gainesville, GA, trips |
Meredith Glenn Washington, DC (July 14-16) Atlanta, GA (July 28-30) Augusta (August 4-8) Thomasville (August 25-27) ATL day trip in August |
| Eric Schmidt
Tampa, FL (July 16-18) Atlanta, GA (July 28-30) Charlotte (August 25-27) Various ATL trips |
Andrea Parris Atlanta, GA (July 28-30) Various ATL trips |
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Kaylin Jones Raleigh, NC (July 15-17) |
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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 Erin Whittington, Gift Receiving Specialist, UGAF Gift Accounting
- Welcome to Mary Beth Mallard, Assoc. Director of Alumni Relations, Alumni Relations
- Congrats to Angela Izzo, named Gift Account Specialist, UGAF Gift Accounting
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Congrats to Haley Robison, named Assoc. General Counsel and Counsel to the UGA Foundation
- Congrats to Jan Blaine, named Sr. Director of Constituent Programs, Constituent Programs
- Congrats to Mary Koon, named Associate Director of Foundation Relations, Foundation Relations
- Congrats to Haley Arner, named Scholarship Stewardship Coordinator, Donor Relations
- Best wishes to Cameron Coleman, leaving UGA Records
- Best wishes to Jacob Bratcher, leaving UGA Career Center
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Best wishes to Abbie Blackstock, leaving Vet Med
After 25 years at UGA, Scott Williams, executive director of the Career Center, has announced his retirement, effective Dec. 1. On Aug. 1, however, Scott will transition into a role focusing on strategic initiatives for DAR and will relocate to 1 Press Place. To express our deep appreciation for Scott's outstanding service, please stop by the 2nd floor of 1 Press Place from through July 14 to write a note in a keepsake book. Your messages will help commemorate his remarkable career and legacy, and they will provide a tangible reminder of the many relationships he has formed during his time at UGA.
After 33 years of service to UGA, Kathy Bangle, senior director of development for constituent programs, has announced her retirement. Please stop by the 2nd floor of 1 Press Place (Carrie Bero’s desk) before July 31 to write a note in a keepsake book that will be presented to her. Please also save the date for a Retirement Celebration & Drop-In honoring Kathy on Thursday, July 31 from 3-4:30 p.m. at 1 Press Place (First Floor Lobby).
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Ten Years for Walking Trio
A few weeks after Katherine Norman joined DAR in July 2015, a tradition began. If you have worked in One Press Place or Milledge Center, you may have noticed Katherine, Stephanie Harrison and Denise Baughman heading out for walks together. What began as a way for Katherine to learn from her peers has transformed into a routine source of stress relief, bonding, and learning. The threesome usually travels the Firefly Trail via Dudley Park or a Lumpkin-Baxter-Milledge-Broad route, but you never know when they venture elsewhere!
They note that this healthy habit has made their jobs easier and more enjoyable. And since they are at the same stage of life (raising and "launching" kids), they exchange advice about school, sports, (lots of!) driving, graduations, college life and weddings. As they approach the "empty nest" stage, these colleagues don't see their routine slowing down. In Katherine's words "They continue to motivate and inspire me, both professionally and personally. I truly value my walking work buddies."
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Happy (fiscal) New Year!
The DARCOMM's "Morale Squad" surprised the team with Happy New Year hats on July 7 to wear during their first staff meeting of the fiscal year. Congrats to everyone on a successful FY25! |
Kona Ice Social hosted by Employee Experience Committee It was a hot, sunny Friday with temperatures in the low 90s, an ideal setting for the Kona Ice Social. Staff members gathered in the visitor parking lot off Thomas Street to grab a sweet, refreshing icy treat and chat with colleagues — a huge thank you to the Employee Experience Committee for the fantastic idea. |
Kelly Chasteen (BSED '00) Shares Passion for Supporting UGA
DARCOMM traveled to ASW Distillery to record Kelly Chasteen's story of giving to UGA. As a Bulldog 100 business, Georgia Women Give donor, Parents Leadership Council member and new member of the UGA Board of Visitors, her story has many angles to help share ways to support UGA. Feel free to use/share in your channels!
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Do you have information or a suggestion for an upcoming edition of the Pulse? |
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