A place doesn’t make a home, the people do … that’s why the University of Georgia is such a special place to all who proudly wear the Red and Black.
It’s the giving season as Christmas is just around the corner and Thanksgiving this week. Those special people that make UGA the joyous campus and institution that it is today have been giving in many ways, shapes and forms for many years. For that, this University is thankful.
Jill Walton and Will Willimon are at the forefront of those giving efforts as their positions: vice president of Development and Alumni Relations and executive director of Development, respectively, have them directly dealing with UGA alumnus willing to give back to the place that once gave so much to them.
“I can’t say it enough,” said Will. “The ability to make an impact at the University of Georgia with any size gift is unbelievable.”
From need-based scholarships, to meal plan scholarships, to the Sunshine Fund for student mental health, and everything in between, we, Georgia alumni, no matter how big or how small, can help these Bulldog students, “For Georgia. For Generations.”
That slogan carries the weight of all that both Jill and Will are trying to accomplish.
For over 25 years, Jill has been involved as a professional with UGA. After attending Georgia, she began her career in 1999. Holding many positions, Jill has dealt with students, alumni, faculty and staff. Now in the alumni relations and development office, Jill sees the far-reaching impact of these gifts to this school.
Alongside “For Georgia. For Generations,” the giving to Georgia campaign is rooted in three other pillars: “For People, For Potential, For Promise.”
“I think need-based scholarships are an example of how that campaign hits all of those things,” said Jill. “We’re supporting students who are the promise and potential of our future. We are supporting communities in the state of Georgia that greatly impact our economy. You think about the research enterprise. That’s the potential for curing diseases, solving grand challenges that we face today. We are Georgia; we’ve been here for generations, and we want to be Georgia for generations to come.”
A few recent initiatives are Georgia Women Give and Beat Week. Both are unique, yet both have the same goal, impacting the lives of Georgia students and giving them the tools to succeed both in school and beyond.
Georgia Women Give recently hosted a luncheon (pictures from the event on pages 31 and 32). It is group of female Georgia grads that have been willing to give their support to the University in order to further benefit current students. In the liking of many facets of student-life, these women have given; furthermore, they specifically honed in on the study abroad programs that students can partake in while on campus.
“Connect Abroad,” said Jill. “It’s a freshman spring break week study abroad program. The initiative helps students get to Cuba, Morocco, the United Kingdom and Italy. We were able to hear those students at the luncheon give testimonials of those trips that were so impactful. Things like that this University does and people like those women change lives.”
When the Dawgs teed it off on the gridiron of Bryant-Denny Stadium (earlier this season), Georgia and Alabama took part in a friendly competition off the field. The two schools challenged one another to a contest of who can raise the most money for the respective school’s initiatives. Despite the loss, Georgia raised more money than they ever had… the stats were unbelievable: 130 scholarship funds, 11 of which were alumni chapter scholarship funds. 17 student support funds. 11 student emergency funds. 11 study abroad/study away funds. 7 experiential learning funds. 31,000 (provided by http://give.uga.edu ).
“It is a super special thing we do,” said Will. “It doesn’t matter how small the gifts were, they all made an impact. There are some $10 gifts and some much larger, but any amount gives students opportunities they might not have dreamt of.”
For Georgia. For Generations. For People. For Potential. For Promise. The development and alumni relations offices are good with alliteration, but these catchy phrases are not just a pile of letters with no meaning behind them. These phrases stand for the greater good that all Bulldogs can take part in to help this new breed of Bulldogs.
Jill added another alliterative saying she uses: “Grow, give, guide.”
“Whether it’s joining the mentorship program and taking a student under your wing,” said Jill. “Or giving money to a specific school, athletic department and so on, there is something for everyone. Each alum was given something from this University, and there is always something we can give back to it.”
Just like Horton from Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who said, “A person is a person, no matter how small.” The same goes for gifts to this place we all call home. A penny or a fortune can change a life, no matter how small. Happy Thanksgiving! Give back, Dawg Nation!