News from the Chronicles - November 2025

photo of woman at lectern, with audience
Creative Writing Program reading casts Spotlight on lyricism

 As a part of the month-long Spotlight on the Arts event, Karla Kelsey, the Diann Blakely Visiting Poet spent the last week participating in events, visiting classes and finally a reading of her most recent work, Transcendental Factory: For Mina Loy (2024).  Kelsey was introduced by Nik Moore, graduate student in the Creative Writing Program and began her reading, not with her own work but an excerpt from Mina Loy, giving the…

photo of sea, clouds, sky and marsh, with boat day
Georgia Coastal Ecosystems research program renewed for fourth cycle

A long-term ecological research project run by the University of Georgia Marine Institute on Sapelo Island, the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems research program has been renewed by a $7.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant supports research on how ecological disturbances affect marsh health and resilience, comprehensive efforts dedicated to understanding a diversity of habitats and how they respond to changing conditions:…

Students in attendance at the CJ Studies event
Criminal Justice alumni return to guide students in annual “speed mentoring”

Each year, the University of Georgia Criminal Justice Studies Program hosts a speed mentoring event that connects students with alumni and professionals across the criminal justice field. More than a networking opportunity, the event bridges classroom learning with real-world career paths.   “This annual event is always exciting for our students.” said Sarah Shannon, director of the Criminal Justice Studies Program. “They get to…

photo of man at lectern, screen with text in background
English and German double major explores summer in Berlin

For one UGA Franklin student, the summer of 2025 was more than an experiential learning opportunity – it was an awakening of perspective, creativity, and cultural understanding. As a double major in German and English, Cooper Sunderland spent a six-week study abroad immersed in Berlin, exploring not only a new city but new ways of seeing the world and himself as a writer – all through the funding made possible by the SPARK Fellowship. …

Pictured: Nancy Wells with Bria Smith at AwA
The Advice with Alumni - Franklin Edition provides speed mentoring at its best

The most recent Advice with Alumni (AwA) – Franklin Edition provided students with more than just a chance to network. It created a space where meaningful conversations and shared experiences sparked confidence and motivation for life post-graduation.  Held during Franklin’s semiannual Board of Advisors meeting in Athens, the event brought together students and distinguished alumni for an afternoon of speed mentoring. The format of…

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The collaborative power of poetry and photography in Andrew Zawacki’s Endscape

UGA professor explores a distressed landscape in new interdisciplinary collection This November Andrew Zawacki, Distinguished Research Professor in the department of English, published Endscape, a collection of his poetry and photography. The work appears in the inaugural edition of the P5 Photo Poetry Pamphlet series, directed by Photoworks.    Endscape began around 2019, born out of an interest in the landscape surrounding…

Pictured: Mahadkar in Redcoat uniform, photo credit: Andy Tucker
Yash Mahadkar finds harmony in leadership and education

Yash Mahadkar, a second-year music education major at the UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, keeps the heart of the Bulldog spirit – the Redcoat Marching Band – beating on through his dedication and leadership. Mahadkar grew up surrounded by music, rooted in the Indian classical music that his family played in prayer and religious ceremonies. With his mother playing the harmonium and his father teaching him the tabla, his history and family…

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Top rankings affirm UGA as a leader for international education

With more than 50 study abroad programs across five continents and 57 countries, the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences is no stranger to the power of the international student experience. With the University of Georgia ranked No. 1 in the nation for short-term study abroad participation and No. 5 overall, the reach of that power for all UGA students is assured – and growing: A total of 3,322 UGA degree-seeking students studied abroad for…