Twenty-five proposals have been funded through the second round of the New Approaches to Promote Diversity and Inclusion grants program, which was announced in January 2019 by UGA President Jere W. Morehead.
“This program was first introduced to encourage new initiatives that promote the recruitment, retention and success of underserved students,” said Morehead. “The response to the first round of the program was overwhelmingly positive, and I look forward to the additional gains we will make in this important area from the second round of funding.”
Some of the $10,000 to $25,000 grants will go toward the development and adoption of new projects, while others will support the continuation of projects from the first round that have demonstrated the greatest promise for impact and a sustainable funding model.
All of the selected programs are dedicated to serving underrepresented, underserved and first-generation students at UGA.
“The New Approaches to Diversity and Inclusion proposal process has once again delivered a group of exciting and innovative projects that will continue to move us forward in promoting these values across our institution,” said Michelle Cook, vice provost for diversity and inclusion and strategic university initiatives. “The success of this second round of proposals is a clear demonstration of our community commitment to making the University of Georgia an inclusive place for everyone. We are not only living this commitment for ourselves but also serving as a leader in higher education.”
The program received 30 proposals for new projects from units across campus. In addition, 12 proposals were submitted to continue projects funded through the initial round of New Approaches grants. The proposals were reviewed by a five-member committee led by Cook.
The 14 new projects that have received funding include:
• CAES Emerging Scholars Program—Victoria David and James Anderson, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
• CED Pre-Collegiate Summer Design Camp—Brad Davis and Rose Tahash, College of Environment and Design.
• Cultivating Community—Kecia Thomas, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.
• Directions to the Graduate School—Lisa Sperling and Geovani Ayala, Graduate School.
• Enhancing Diversity in Fashion—Katalin Medvedev and Sha’Mira Covington, College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
• Georgia Undergraduate Veterinary School Scholars Program—Jennifer Smith-Garvin and Susan Williams, College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Increasing UGA’s Exposure to Professional Scientists from Diverse Backgrounds—Andrea Sweigart, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.
• Peers and Professionals—Anne Marcotte and Sandie Bass-Ringdahl, College of Education.
• Ready Vet Go—Veronica Pennington and Kaori Sakamoto, College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Residential Faculty Mentors for First-Generation Students—Beate Brunow and Linda Kasper, Division of Student Affairs.
• The Robinson Scholars Program—Jenna Jackson, School of Law.
• Training Diverse Natural Resource Professionals for the Future—Robert Bringolf, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.
• TRIO Expansion—Chase Hagood and Sherontae Maxwell, Division of Academic Enhancement.
The 12 projects that have received renewed funding include:
• Advising and Mentoring of Minority Students for Success (AMMSS) Program—Velma Zahirovic-Herbert and Sophia Anong, College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
• CPH Pre-Collegiate Summer Institute—Brittani Harmon, College of Public Health.
• DawgTrails—Danielle Vitale, College of Pharmacy, and Veronica Pennington, College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Developing Diverse Talent for the Global Workplace—Marisa Pagnattaro, Terry College of Business.
• Early Start|Early Success—Chase Hagood and Lindsay Coco, Division of Academic Enhancement.
• Emerging Leaders Internship Program II—Matthew Auer and Paul Welch, School of Public and International Affairs.
• Gear Up 4 High School Program—Rosa Driggers and Jonathan Brunson, Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
• Navigating Graduate School Coaching Retreats—Kecia Thomas, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences; Anneliese Singh,
College of Education.
• Opportunities to Explore Veterinary Career Options with Special Emphasis on Veterinary Laboratory Diagnostics—Hemant Nikare and Pedro Melendez, College of Veterinary Medicine (Tifton).
• The Pioneer Project: Outreach to Underrepresented and First-Generation Students—Judy Iakovou and Naomi Norman, Office of Instruction.
• RISE Scholars Program—Gabriel Jimenez-Fuentes, Office of Institutional Diversity.
• UGA-Grady High School Sports Broadcast Program—Vicki Machaelis and Carlo Finlay, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
