From dancing with dislocated toes, to sharing research at the CURO Symposium and serving as a Dawg Camp Counselor, Corbin Busby has taken full advantage of all the opportunities that first drew him to a large university like UGA. Corbin has enjoyed soaking up UGA and Athens culture by wandering through the Lamar Dodd School of Art, North Campus and by reading and people watching at coffee houses around town. He mentors students in the Athens-Clarke County School District through the Forever Young Campaign and will put that experience to work after graduation as an elementary school teacher in San Antonio, Texas.
Hometown:
Woodstock, Ga.
High School:
Woodstock High School
Degree objective:
B.A. in English, art history, and a minor in Spanish.
Expected graduation:
Spring 2010
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
From the moment that I stepped on campus, the University of Georgia has provided me with amazing opportunities to serve, to learn and to grow. I am president of the English Student Advisory Council and the Art History Society. Both are student organizations that allow me to work with the faculty and serve the needs of my peers. I am also the co-president of the Forever Young Campaign, and I have been able to see this young organization recruit countless students to mentor in the Athens-Clarke County School District. I have been able to spread my passion and love for UGA with incoming freshman as a Dawg Camp Counselor and as a Peer Advisor in the Creswell learning community. Completing undergraduate research and presenting at the CURO Symposium also have challenged me and expanded the boundaries of my mind. In addition, I have had the incredible opportunity to immerse myself in an in-depth research experience through the support of the CURO Summer Fellowship.
Current Employment:
I am currently employed by the YWCO. I work as a lifeguard. I have actually been a certified lifeguard for six years, and I just extended my certification for three more years.
I chose to attend UGA because…
…it was a big university. I knew that UGA would be a diverse community, and I would have the opportunity to encounter many different perspectives. I knew that there would always be someone new for me to meet. I knew that I would be able to explore new academic interests. The most influential factor for me was the knowledge that I would have to dream big, work hard, and persevere if I wanted to leave a lasting and unique impression at UGA. It has provided me with challenges both inside and outside of the classrooms, and the challenges really lit a fire inside of me.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
…spending as much time as possible in the Lamar Dodd School of Art. I love seeing the studio art majors’ exit shows at the end of each semester, attending the lectures of visiting artists, and reading the newspaper in all of the common areas. I love to wander through the library and just look at all of the books just as much as I enjoy sitting on a bench in North Campus watching the squirrels. Finally, I love to get a coffee from Jittery Joes and to talk to a friend or even a stranger.
When I have free time, I like…
…sitting downtown with a cup of coffee and a book. I love doing this because I am able to see Athens’ eclectic personality, and it really revitalizes me to see the community and the university existing together in harmony. I also love going to see local bands play at 40 Watt and some of the other smaller venues.
The craziest thing I’ve done is…
…doing an entire ten minute dance routine with dislocated toes at the UGA Dance Marathon. I think that the craziest thing that I have ever done is take seventeen hours in one semester because I wanted to take as many classes with my friends as possible. I knew that by enrolling in a class even if I did not necessarily need it to graduate would allow me to have a routine appointment with a close friend.
My favorite professor is…
I admire and respect all of my professors for their dedication to the students. To choose a favorite is incredibly difficult, but there are a few professors who have had a profound impact on my life. Isabelle Wallace of the art history department challenged me to reconsider social standards and to establish my own opinions. While challenging me, she provided me with a forum to articulate my thoughts and concerns. Adam Parkes always provided a friendly smile and a funny joke as we encountered James Joyce’s colossal Ulysses. It reminded me that kindness makes everything easier for everyone. Finally, Sujata Iyengar always provides endless encouragement even when I am feeling exhausted or downtrodden.
If I knew I could not fail, I would…
…write my mum’s biography. My mum grew up in England, and before moving to the United States and starting a family, she traveled the globe. She worked on a Kibbutz in Israel for a year. She spent time in India, Hong Kong and Russia. My mum has encountered so many different perspectives in her life, and she has seen how so many different people live. I think that if I could capture her voice and share her story, it would be an inspiration to people. It would teach people to always persevere, to step out of their comfort zone, to live life to the fullest, and to love continuously. The most important lesson that I think her story could convey is that the whole world is a community, and we are all dependent upon each other.
After graduation, I plan to…
teach elementary school in San Antonio, Texas for two years through Teach for America. After this experience, I am unsure of my plans, but I want to continue to learn from the people around me and to help people to the best of my abilities.
