August ’23 DAR Star: Umesh Patel
We work with absolutely incredible people—and we all have varied interests and experiences, which adds to the unique makeup of the University of Georgia. We’ll be regularly spotlighting a few rock stars from around the division so that even if you don’t cross paths with them in the break room or Zoom with them on a weekly basis, you can get to know colleagues who can enhance your work life and productivity.
Without further ado, please enjoy our Q&A with Umesh Patel …
Name: Umesh Patel
Title: Associate Director of Alumni Career Services
- I serve as the career coach for UGA Alumni, helping folks find opportunities that meet their needs in their current season of life. We connect through one-on-one coaching, a monthly webinar series, newsletters and much more!
- What might people not know about your job? The UGA Career Center serves alumni for life! We serve nearly 1000 alumni each semester across all of our engagement methods (appointments, webinars, etc). I work with the best team of student services professionals this campus has to offer!
Where can we find you?
- Online: ude.agu@01letapu
- On Campus: Clark Howell Hall
- At Home: Watkinsville, Georgia
Time in DAR: 1 year at the career center, 10 years overall
Where did you grow up: Athens, Georgia
What work project are you most proud of participating in? As a project in accountability, I challenged myself to connecting with (and sharing information about) 52 employers across 52 weeks. This has given me the chance to learn more about a wide range of industries and to grow my network significantly. These interviews are featured on the Career Center blog so that our team and university community can also continue to learn and grow!
What is your favorite reason for working for UGA/DAR? The Career Center team, in particular, is the most supportive group I have ever had the privilege to work with. There is always something to learn and eager voices ready to innovate.
What is your favorite spot in Athens to grab lunch? Taqueria Tsunami
Tell us about your family … My wife, Shaina, works as an optician at the vision clinic on campus! We have two boys, Arjun (3) and Ayaan (2), who are one year and one day apart in age.
On a typical Saturday evening, you can find me … At home watching a movie or reading after the kids are in bed.
No. 1 tip for someone just joining DAR: Say “hello”! There are so many great people in our division and it’s a great group to get to know.
Outside of work, I’m passionate about … Fitness
Favorite book or podcast: Harry Potter series (Jim Dale audiobooks are the very best)
Lately, I’ve been watching … The Great British Bake Off
A song that really pumps me up is … N.O. Bounce by Big Freedia
Something you might not know about me is … I’ve been a personal trainer and fitness coach for as long as I’ve been in higher education! In fact, most of the people in know in DAR (aside from my own team) are connections I made while coaching at Orangetheory Fitness.
My dream vacation (cost and time aside) is to visit …Aside from global adventures, I’d love to spend a summer visiting (ideally driving through) all 50 states.
We hope you learned something new about Umesh. We are lucky to have him on our DAR team! Feel free to reach out to him if you have questions about the Career Center, or if you’d like to talk about fitness.
