Keep Moving Forward
While we are still basking in the glow of a successful campaign, now’s the time to focus on how our hard work sets us up for the future.
We are at a critical time in history. Now, more than ever, our constituents need to hear from us and understand the important role that the University of Georgia plays in shaping our future. Now, more than ever, we need our alumni and donors to help us create solutions for our world. How do we do that?
Be persistent. Things may not happen as fast as we’d like, but if we stay the course and keep moving forward, we’ll get there.
Be consistent. UGA is more relevant than ever. Our people are taking on the challenges of the world and providing students with positive outcomes and bright futures. Focus on what’s important.
Be patient. Be patient with the process, with each other, and with yourselves. One step forward every day will get us to the other side of this wearisome juncture.
These challenging times have taught us to innovate, collaborate, and be creative. Now, more than ever, we are prepared to face the future. Where we are going promises to be better than where we are today. All we have to do is keep moving forward.
I am grateful for all that you do!
SIC ‘EM,
Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations and Executive Director of the UGA Foundation
Learn from Experts Down the Hall
Continue sending your DAR site blog posts to any DARCOMM communications team member!
It's Great to be a Georgia Bulldog
The scoreboard says it all. Congrats to everyone for their hard work in pulling off this victory! The excitement of Beat Week inspired over 3,200 gifts from nearly 3,600 recognized donors. That includes over 2,000 alumni donors and over 500 student donors! The Bulldog faithful combined to give $3.4 million during the week leading up to our big victory over Auburn between the hedges!
College of Engineering Innovates
Instead of hosting its regular Fall Scholarship Luncheon, during which donors and students get to know each other, the College of Engineering is hosting a series of individual virtual meet and greets between donors and students. The fall scholarship luncheon has tentatively been rescheduled for spring. Qs? Contact Kim Brown.
Parker Family Impact and Reid Parker Office Suite Dedication
The Parker family was integral to the success of the Commit to Georgia campaign by supporting units across campus. Warnell School of Forestry and Donor Relations collaborated to combine the special dedication ceremony of the Reid Parker Office Suite and the presentation of the family’s lifetime giving impact report. Bridget Harden, Katie Snipes, April McDaniel, and Jordan Dotson coordinated the Zoom event for the dedication. Dean Greene presented a video explaining the difference that Reid Parker made at the Warnell School. Melissa Lee and Kate Lovin coordinated and compiled the content for the Parkers’ lifetime giving impact report book that included over 30 messages and countless photos from all units the family has supported. They delivered the book to the Parkers’ front porch during the Zoom as a surprise.
First-ever Joint Corporate Alumni Chapter Virtual Event
Corporate Relations hosted an event with Chick-fil-A and The Home Depot on Oct. 13. The guest speaker was Amanda Sale, interim executive director of Undergraduate Admissions. There were gifts for most spirited attire or UGA Zoom background, and a prize drawing for scholarship donations (Chick-fil-A Let All the Big Dawgs Eat and The Home Depot Alumni Chapter Scholarship Fund). The Parents team helped promote the event, and the Engagement Center is handling strategic follow up.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Work Group Established
Representatives for DAR’s first ever Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Work Group have been selected. The Work Group will review DAR’s Diversity & Inclusion Survey data, examine current D&I efforts and make recommendations to leadership with the goal of establishing a culture of inclusivity and belonging within the division.
Breaking Barriers: Being Black in the Entertainment & Media Industry
Although intended for students, faculty and staff also joined the event on Sept. 22. Both the young alumni panelists and attendees appreciated an honest conversation around being Black in the entertainment and media industry. This program was a collaborative effort between the UGA Mentor Program; student organization, The Industry; Grady College; and the UGA alumni who initiated the effort.
UGA Mentor Program Mentee Experience Panel
Over 130 students attended the Sept. 9 event where they heard from peers involved in the UGA Mentor Program, learned what it means to be a mentee and gained an understanding of the value of mentorship.
UGA Brand Training
This training is invaluable for those of us who communicate on behalf of the university. If you missed MARCOMM’s brand training in September, fear not: It is available to watch here with passcode DW$R*Y?8
An Evening with Jeff Dantzler (AB ’07)
The Milledgeville Alumni Chapter hosted its annual football season kickoff event featuring Jeff Dantzler—virtually! Jeff shared insight on players, the schedule, opponents, depth chart, and overall outlook for the team. The more than 100 participants also enjoyed a Q&A with Jeff.
College of Pharmacy Giving Day Kickoff
The College of Pharmacy held a virtual town hall on Sept. 24 to kick off its Giving Day on Sept. 25. A panel of faculty, staff and alumni, moderated by Dean Smith, delved into topics like the importance of mental health awareness, returning to campus during a pandemic, personnel on the frontlines, and removing the stigma of mental illness.
2020 Class of 40 Under 40 Celebrated
On Friday, Sept. 25, the Alumni Association hosted a remote celebration. The celebration video launched at noon and honorees around the country tuned in with family and friends to watch it live. The honorees shared pictures on social of their at-home parties while they chatted in the 2020 class GroupMe. It was a great event!
The Art of Managing it All with Sarah Howell (MS ’10)
The Atlanta Alumni Chapter hosted its first speaker event for the fall featuring Sarah Howell (MS ’10), CEO and co-founder of Helmsie Baby. Sarah shared how she made the leap into entrepreneurship.
Dawgs in Space!
A student-led effort to launch UGA’s first satellite into space is finally a success. After a few delays, SPOC (short for Spectral Ocean Color) lifted off aboard an Antares rocket from the Wallops Facility in Virginia on Oct. 2. The small satellite was designed and built by the UGA Small Satellite Research Lab, a collaboration between students and faculty across disciplines. Franklin College, the College of Engineering and the Alumni Association hosted a virtual watch event that attracted more than 400 viewers over the span of the 2-day launch.
Upcoming Development and Division Meetings
Collaboration Station
Twice a month, colleagues will present 90-second “commercials” to share fundraising priorities and opportunities for collaboration. Watch the CAES presentation with passcode Ppn9s3$C
Coming Up …
Friday Mornings | 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Zoom Meeting ID: 979 2321 3764 | Passcode: 929938
- Oct. 23 – Terry College of Business
- Nov. 6 (90 mins) – Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources and 4-H
- Nov. 20 (90 mins) – PSO and State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Registration is not required. The same Zoom Link is used for each meeting. All sessions are recorded for playback.
October 16 Commencement
May graduates are invited to an Oct. 16 ticketed commencement ceremony in Sanford Stadium. VP Wilson will deliver this year's address. Details at commencement.uga.edu. There will be increased traffic on campus that day. Questions? Contact Email Lindsey Copus.
Virtual Family Day: Home Movie Day 2020
Oct. 17 | 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Part of the 25th Anniversary celebrations of the Walter J. Brown Media Archive and Peabody Awards Collection, and hosted annually by The Center for Home Movies, Home Movie Day is a celebration of amateur films and filmmaking. This event will be livestreamed on the archives’ Facebook page, Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection.
Fourth Annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest at the Georgia Center
Oct. 19 | 3:00-6:00 p.m.
It’s time for the Georgia Center’s 4th annual pumpkin decorating contest. Each UGA department or unit will need to provide the perfect pumpkin canvas for their creative endeavors. Mystery celebrity judges will select winners in several categories and the public will vote for the People’s Choice Award winner. Check out the rules and how to enter here!
(Virtual) Parents Leadership Council Night
Oct. 20 | 5:30-6:45 p.m.
President Morehead, Victor Wilson, Kelly Kerner, and others will speak about the importance of staying connected during this difficult season. Parents will hear updates from campus, learn about the impact they are making on campus and mingle with new and old friends in breakout rooms. DAR staff are invited to attend. Check out the invitation for more information or register at give.uga.edu/plcnight!
An Indigo Experience at the Garden (Online, Interactive Workshop)
Oct. 24 | 7 p.m.
Learn More & Register - $90 General Admission
Team Stewardship
Oct 27 | 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
RSVP to Melissa Lee by October 20
Geopolitics and Leadership in the Time of Coronavirus
Oct. 27 | 5:30 p.m.
Register
This virtual program features Admiral Stavridis, a highly experienced, retired four-star naval officer. Contact Laura Bayne for info.
General Counsel’s Roundtable
Oct. 28 | Noon-1:30 p.m.
Register
A virtual roundtable for School of Law alumni leaders to discuss business and legal challenges facing companies today. Moderated by G. Sanders Griffith (JD ’77).
SPIA Alumni Board Virtual Speaker Series with AJC Political Insiders
Nov. 18 | Noon
Register
A post-election panel with AJC Political Insiders Jim Galloway (ABJ '77), Tia Mitchell, and Greg Bluestein (ABJ '04, AB '04), moderated by Audrey Haynes (ABJ '87, MA '91), Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor and Associate Professor of Political Science. Contact Laura Bayne for info.
2020 Homecoming Week
UGA's Homecoming game will be against Miss. State on 11/21. The School of Law is hosting "Homecoming at Home" and the Black Alumni Leadership Council is taking its annual tailgate virtual as well. Questions? Contact Alex Perry or Realenn Watters.
President’s Annual Report
The 2020 President’s Annual Report is hitting mailboxes of faculty, high-level donors and friends of the university. An online version will be emailed to faculty, staff and students on Oct. 14. Also on that day, a similar email will be shared with alumni and donors. DARCOMM received limited copies of the report. Contact Loran Posey to request copies.
Football Season Activities
DAR continues to creatively tap into the Bulldog spirit during football season: Bulldog Boxes, Jerry Tanner videos, virtual events, Wallpaper Wednesdays, and more. Direct alumni/donors to alumni.uga.edu/football for details.
New Zoom Requirements
Starting Nov. 1, Zoom will require meetings to have at least one of the following applied: a) Passcode, b) Waiting Room, or c) ‘Only authenticated users can join’. More information available here.
Staff at 1 Press Place - Remember to Update Materials with New Address
For Postal Mail:
Development & Alumni Relations (or University of Georgia Foundation, etc.)
University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602
For Overnight Carriers (UPS or FedEx):
University of Georgia
1 Press Place
Athens, GA 30601
Campus Wide Network Maintenance
UGA will conduct campus-wide network maintenance on Saturday, Oct. 24. Expect network interruptions between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. This will affect the availability of all DAR computing services.
Complete Mandatory USG Cybersecurity Awareness Training by October 30
In September, 428 viruses/malware were prevented from executing on DAR devices. Cybersecurity threats are real. Please remain vigilant, complete your cybersecurity training, be suspicious of email attachments, be aware of common phishing identifiers like a) generic greetings, b) bad grammar/spelling, or c) required urgent response, and don’t click links in untrusted emails. Contact the IT team for anything you are unsure about.
UGA Mentor Program Continues Success
As of Oct. 1, the UGA Mentor Program had 516 current mentorships under way. One mentor describes her experience in the program, “The program deepened my relationship with UGA because it helped show me how important it is to give back. I would not have thought before this that I would be an influential mentor or be able to add to the amazing experience UGA offers. I gained confidence in my ability to help students and am excited to continue mentoring.”
Approved Methods for Sharing GAIL Data
If you need to share GAIL data with someone who does not have GAIL access, remember that they must be on our approved vendor list, or you must obtain a Non-Disclosure Agreement from them to be filed with Client Services. In all cases, you are required to use UGA’s secure SendFiles email client (which is not limited to only UGA employees).
Non-Primary Education Records in GAIL
Non-primary degree information is now available in GAIL before a student graduates. To avoid duplication, minors will only be listed on the primary degree. Questions about the change? Email askit@uga.edu.
Annual Giving Fall Solicitation
Our annual fall print solicitation will hit mailboxes of lapsed alumni donors in a few weeks. Personalized for each household, it consists of a primary message from Student Alumni Council President Autumn Pressley and features student inserts from affiliated schools and colleges. It will be followed by a short video from each student via email.
Research and Prospect Management
RPM Refreshers – Every Wednesday at 10 a.m.
Please join us using Zoom. We discuss topics like the new RPM Snapshot, FY21 Metrics, quarterly agenda items, contact reports, virtual meetings and more. Questions? Contact Dajana Guerrero.
The Student Alumni Council is growing
The Student Alumni Council’s new member recruitment started October 1 and ends October 31. SAC hosted a week of student events to promote Beat Week against Auburn's Student Alumni Association. Their efforts helped the Dawgs come out on top with 507 UGA student donors versus 153 student donors for the AU losers.
Bulldog 100
Thank you to everyone who nominated Bulldog businesses for the 2021 recognition. Look for the announcement of the top 100 businesses later this year. If you have someone to nominate for next year, nominations are open year-round.
Donor Relations and Stewardship
Presidents Club Welcome Packets and Third Pillar Magnets
Presidents Club welcome packets and Third Pillar magnets for qualifying gifts in July and August were mailed the week of September 14th. Moving forward in FY21, mailings will occur monthly reflecting the previous month’s gifts. Contact Calli Choe (Presidents Club) and/or Jordan Dotson (Third Pillar) with questions.
Spring 2020 Gratitude Reports
Thank you messages to scholarship donors will be mailed in October from recipients who received awards in Spring 2020! Contact Lauren Schlesinger for more info.
Presidents Club and Campaign Stewardship Mailing
In place of the Presidents Club Reception, President Morehead set all invitees a thank you letter and Commit to Georgia pennant. This mailing also included donors who gave $25K or more during the campaign. Questions? Contact Jordan Dotson.
FY20 Financial Endowment Reports
Over 3,800 individual financial reports illustrating the income, spending, and investment return for endowments will be mailed to donor representatives in November. Contact Teale Moran for more information.
Coming Soon!
Gift and Estate Planning has been busy; we have a new style guide, our fall solicitation drops soon, and we are in the midst of updating our presence on give.uga.edu. And there is more coming. Stay tuned …
PLC Grant Applications Open
The Parents Leadership Council is seeking campus organizations with a clear commitment to enhancing the undergraduate student experience to apply for grant funding for the 2021-22 academic year. Applications close on Nov. 13 at 5 p.m. Encourage students or campus organizations to apply here.
Open Positions
This is to make you aware of current position postings in the Development & Alumni Relations division. We encourage anyone interested in applying to do so. All UGA HR policies and procedures will apply. If you know of any potential candidates who may be a good fit for an opportunity, please contact Michelle Carter.
DAR - Development
Working Title: Senior Director of Development, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
Posting: S05152P
- Gordon Thomas is now the Major Gifts Officer for the College of Pharmacy (transfer)
Do you have information that you'd like included in the November or December edition of the Pulse? Send it to Emily Munnell.
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