For Marianna Baccus, music has always been a tradition. From choir practice to guitar jam sessions with her family, the art form has been a routine, grounding force in her life.
As the spring 2026 Commencement “Georgia on My Mind” singer, Baccus has now become part of a University of Georgia musical tradition spanning six years. Each spring, dozens of students audition for the opportunity, but only one principal and one alternate are selected to sing that old sweet song.
“It’s crazy because I have spent my whole life singing. I don’t remember a time where I haven’t enjoyed music. I feel like it’s my identity, and it means everything to share that with UGA,” she said. “I’d never sung for that many people before, so it was such a special way to close this chapter.”
While Baccus brought the house down in Sanford Stadium on May 8 for the thousands of graduates and families swaying and shining lights to the tune, she’s normally impacting others with music on a much smaller scale.
Through her studies in music therapy in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ Hugh Hodgson School of Music, the Tennessee native has learned how to use songs, lyrics and melodies as one-on-one interventions in healthcare settings. Making and listening to music in various forms can aid those receiving care for conditions such as autism or dementia and can improve mental and physical health, Baccus said. She has seen this in action through her clinical work, which she’ll continue at Arkansas Children’s Hospital this fall.
“I’m so glad that the profession that I’m going into uses music as a tool to help people. That’s the coolest thing ever — using what you love to help people get closer to their goals,” she said.
In addition to building those connections with patients, Baccus formed unbreakable bonds on campus through groups including Alpha Gamma Delta and the Music Therapy Student Association.
Baccus said she wouldn’t have had that extra push to audition without this support system. Her belting rendition of “Georgia on My Mind” was a tribute to all those special people, especially her Hodgson School cohort.
“You realize how important community is when you have to build it from scratch,” she said. “And I knew that no matter how nervous I was, my friends would be at graduation screaming for me. The support of my peers has made this, and all of my time at UGA, so much easier.”
After months of sipping tea to soothe her vocal cords through extensive practice sessions, Baccus still can’t believe she got the chance to be part of such a spectacular night. The spotlight between the hedges might have appeared daunting, but Baccus knew at the end of the day she was a singer and a Bulldog.
“I want to remember it forever. This is going to be the best story I could ever tell my grandchildren,” she said.