May ’24 DAR Star: Drew Flaherty

by Rachael Andrews

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 Drew Flaherty …

Name: Drew Flaherty

Title: Associate Director of Alumni Student Engagement

  • As Associate Director of Alumni Student Engagement, I lead several areas of student programming. I oversee the Student Alumni Council (SAC), a group of student volunteers that represent DAR on campus. Through events like Beat Week and Founders Day, SAC is able to educate students on the impact of giving and the importance of university traditions. Our team, in coordination with many of our DAR partners, also connects students to alumni, helping to foster those mentoring relationships. In this role, I also support the incredible work of the rest of the Alumni Relations team and their respective alumni councils and chapters.

Where can we find you?

  • Online: ude.agu@ytrehalf.werdna
  • On Campus: 1 Press Place
  • At Home: Athens, Georgia

Time in DAR: 5 years (Two as a graduate assistant, one as a program coordinator, and entering two as AD)

Where did you grow up? York, Pennsylvania

What is your favorite reason for working for UGA/DAR? I love my work because of the impact – working with student volunteers and connecting with current UGA students is a constant reminder of the potential everyone has to reach new heights.

Tell us about your family: I’m very blessed to be part of a family of four – my mom, dad, and my sister, Ali. Ali is heading into her junior year at the University of Delaware. We have two miniature schnauzers, Bentley and Milo.

Outside of work, I’m passionate about… Running takes up a lot of my time – but it’s not just about the miles. Exercise and being mindful of physical health has always been a passion of mine. I serve on the Board of Directors for the Athens Road Runners to help promote healthy living through an active lifestyle.

What are 3 things you wish others in DAR knew about your job? Three things that I wish others in DAR knew about my job include: 1) SAC is always willing to help share stories from across DAR, 2) We plan early! Since our work operates on the student organization cycle, we spend the summer lining up *most* of our academic year, 3) We oversee the UGA Ring tradition, and would love to connect your audiences with information on how to order their own UGA tradition!

A song that really pumps me up is… Sweetness by Jimmy Eat World

Favorite book or podcast: My all-time favorite podcast is probably Stuff You Should Know. I love learning about why things are the way that they are.

My dream vacation would be to visit… Kyoto, Japan

We hope you learned something new about Drew. We are lucky to have him on our DAR team! Feel free to reach out to him if you would like to further engage with the UGA Ring tradition or go for a quick jog around town.

/by