Tags: Society

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Service builds a vision for driving change

UGA Trustee Becky Winkler believes everyone has a narrative. You just need to keep it pointed in the right direction. "My dad was a Jamaican immigrant and he taught me the secret to the meaning of life is it's all made up," Winkler said. "Raised by an immigrant, I was taught to question things that other people consider normal." The cogent advice has led Winkler (AB '98) to chart her own circuitous path that, in retrospect, appears rather direct…

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Juneteenth, 2024

On “Freedom’s Eve,” or the eve of January 1, 1863, the first Watch Night services took place. On that night, enslaved and free African Americans gathered in churches and private homes all across the country awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. At the stroke of midnight, prayers were answered as all enslaved people in Confederate States were declared legally free. Union soldiers, many of whom were black, marched onto…

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Jordyn Faucette named Beinecke Scholar

University of Georgia senior Jordyn Faucette was one of 19 students across the nation to be awarded the Beinecke Scholarship this spring, UGA's third winner of the scholarship and its first since 2019. A first-generation college student and a McNair Scholar, Faucette is majoring in philosophy and English in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and political science in the School of Public and International Affairs. She is also working…

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Discrimination may increase rates of depression and anxiety in Black youth

In a new study, UGA researchers analyzed survey responses and brain imaging data to assess how the part of the brain that detects threats and regulates emotions, known as the amygdala, reacts under conditions simulating the experience of racial discrimination. Results suggest some Black youth are internalizing racial discrimination, which may increase their rates of depression and anxiety: The analysis is part of a national study that followed…

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PhD student investigates ancient languages, with a side of roller derby

Nashville native Nakita Barakadyn's journey into the world of linguistics began with her curiosity about the origins of Japanese. “I became a linguist in the first place because I heard the tantalizing statement ‘Nobody knows where Japanese came from,’” she says. “I was a kid at the time, but now I understand they just meant that Japanese is a language isolate—it has no known relatives.” Encountering this linguistic mystery imbued with her a…

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National Academy convenes 'State of the Science' panel

How U.S. science and innovation are positioned to respond to rising global competition and shifting priorities for the nation’s economy, security, public health and well-being will be discussed at the first State of the Science address on June 26 in Washington, D.C. The State of the Science address will be followed by a panel discussion of seven eminent leaders from across academia, including J. Marshall Shepherd, associate dean for…

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A long goodbye to the Southern accent

When we initially shared this new linguistics research late last year, it was tailor-made for media across the region, the nation and beyond. Since then UGA researchers Margaret Renwick and Jon Forrest have become a familiar presence in numerous reports of the demise of the Southern drawl. Georgia Magazine revisits the story in its new issue: Sometimes, linguistic studies start with a hunch. A good example is when a non-researcher notices that a…

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Alumni feature: Steve Fleming

After completing both his Master’s Degree (’95) and PhD (’04) in geography(focusing on geospatial techniques) in the department of geography, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences alumnus and retired U.S Army colonel, Steve Fleming did not have initial intentions to pursue a career in higher education. However, his experiences in the military, combined with the knowledge acquired from his degrees, led him to a career path focused on educating…

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Parasuraman, Park recognized as faculty 'best mentors'

The Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities recognized two faculty members who enhance the learning experience of undergraduate researchers at the University of Georgia, at the spring 2024 CURO Symposium. This year’s recipients of the CURO Research Mentoring Award are Ramviyas Parasuraman, assistant professor in the School of Computing, and Hea Jin Park, associate professor in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. Parasuraman is…

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Williams guides students through recruitment and beyond

Terrific profile on Franklin staff member Marshall Williams, director of admissions for the Hugh Hodgson School of Music who not only recruits students, but also helps guide them through their time at the University of Georgia. Columns shares the story: “I really value students’ mental health and well-being,” he said. “I want students to feel supported and know that they’re not alone in the experiences they’re dealing with in this environment…

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Intern Appreciation: Jason Hawkins

The Franklin College office of communications was very fortunate to have two terrific interns during the 2023-24 academic year. We had the chance to speak with each of them about their UGA experience – and their experience working with us. Our communications writer intern Jason Hawkins (AB '24) shares some thoughts and his future plans in this video.  Thank you, Jason! We enjoyed working with you.

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Spring commencement 2024

Today's THE day! 6,627 undergraduates have met requirements to participate in the university’s spring Commencement ceremonies tonight. This wonderful achievement by these soon-to-be UGA alumni marks an important moment on their journeys and the Franklin College takes great pride in celebrating each and every member of the Class of 2024. Welcome parents, friends, family, and loved ones to celebrate your graduate and all UGA graduates. Your love…

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Spring 2024 Graduate Commencement

Congratulations to all of our master's and doctoral students on this momentous day! Welcome to campus, parents, friends and loved ones. Live stream of today's event. Ceremony Location:Stegeman Coliseum Stegeman Coliseum Map Master's/Specialists Ceremony:Start Time: 10:00 a.m.Doors Open: 8:00 a.m. Doctoral Ceremony:Start Time: 2:00 p.m.Doors Open: 1:00 p.m.  

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Mentorship Matters—UGA Mentor Program Inspires Students

English major Mann Sy Tha credits his time in the UGA Mentor Program to his newfound knowledge of writing and publishing speculative fiction—specifically, short stories. “I have always been passionate about creative writing and eventually publishing,” Sy Tha says in a reflection of the program for his English 4001: Careers for English Majors course taught by Christine Lasek-White. “I now have a view into what being a professional author looks…

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Spring 2024 End of Semester video

Highlights and thanks for a great 2024 academic year from Anna Stenport, Dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences

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Language flagship programs catapult 2024 Boren Scholars

A record number of 11 UGA undergraduates were selected for Boren Scholarships this spring. The award is designed to add important international and language components to students’ educations by giving them the opportunity to study overseas in world regions critical to U.S. interests. Boren Award recipients commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation in exchange for up to $25,000 in funding. The national…

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Kudos, April 2024

From competitions and professional society inductions to the most prestigious fellowships and scholarships, our colleagues – and students – continued to shine brightly, lighting up Honors season at UGA and beyond. A roundup of just a few of the many awards and accolades: Bob Schmitz, UGA Foundation Professorship in Plant Sciences and Lars G. Ljungdahl Distinguished Investigator in the department of genetics, was honored with the 2024 Charles…

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Noted and Quoted, April 2024

Franklin faculty expertise and research findings – from a new COVID test to the rise of hybrid species and the dangers of bounce houses – appeared in a variety of media around the world during April. A sample of the breath of subject matter and the reach of public scholarship, plus coverage of a theatre alumnus: Black-owned autonomous grocer goes where other stores aren’t – Jerry Shannon, associate professor of geography, quoted by…

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Generative AI student competition

The 2024 Generative AI Competition for UGA students took place this spring and the winners were announced this week. In the competition, UGA students and student teams were invited to use AI to create something meaningful to enrich the UGA community/experience.  Eight projects were submitted, ranging in topic from threatened species to schedules. Earlier this month, the top three projects were determined by a panel of faculty judges:…

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Study Away experiences shape success on campus and beyond

Study Abroad can introduce life-changing experiences for students – whether visiting foreign countries for the first time or opening new connections to people, places, and potential careers. Franklin College units have historically offered robust Study Away opportunities – the Cortona program and the Classics Study in Rome were both initiated in the 1970s. Integrating travel and study opportunities with on-camous degree programs can be…

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UGA doctoral student wins multiple accolades during 2023-24

Saurabh Anand, a multilingual rhetorician, and an ESL writing pedagogue originally from India, has enjoyed a tremendous academic year with state and international awards for his scholarship. In 2023 he was awarded the John R. Stowe Cultural Immersion Grant by The Georgia TESOL Association and a Future Leader Award from the International Writing Center Association.  2024 brought a Short-term Research Grant from the German…

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Sonia Kovalevsky Day at UGA

The department of mathematics held its first-ever Sonia Kovalevsky Day on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at the UGA Boyd Research and Education Center. Named for the first major Russian female mathematician and the first woman appointed to full professorship in Northern Europe, the event celebrates Sonia Kovalevsky (b. 1850). Kovalevsky displayed an aptitude for mathematics from a very young age; but her father discouraged her because he believed…

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Brickman, Thompson elected to AAAS

Three University of Georgia faculty members – two from the Franklin College – have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the organization announced this week, bringing the university to 45 total members of the exclusive group. Fellows are elected each year by the AAAS Council to recognize achievements that lead to scientific progress. This year, UGA’s new Fellows are Victor Thompson and Marguerite…

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UGA's Warnock wins Inaugural Regents Cup Debate

Franklin College undergraduate student Ansley Warnock ('25) was the individual debate champion at the the University System of Georgia’s (USG) Regents Cup Debate Series. The Valdosta State University (VSU) debate team won the tournament over competitors from Georgia Tech, Georgia College, UGA and the University of North Georgia. In all, nine students from six USG institutions participated in the event, hosted on Middle Georgia State University’s…

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Bousseau awarded 2024 Dubrovin Medal

The Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) announced UGA faculty member Pierrick Bousseau as one of two the winners of the Dubrovin Medal 2024, a special prize that recognizes exceptionally promising young researchers who have made outstanding contributions to the fields of Mathematical physics and Geometry.  Bousseau, an assistant professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences department of mathematics, was…
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