Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia announced that E. Betsy McGriff will be the new Archway Professional in Candler County effective Aug. 13.
In her position, McGriff will serve as liaison between Candler County and the university, according to Mel Garber, UGA Archway Partnership director. McGriff will work to connect the community with higher education resources that address locally identified needs and goals. She will be located at City Hall in Metter, Ga.
Prior to joining Archway, McGriff served as a community relations specialist with SouthernCare Hospice and as a key account support representative with Georgia Power. McGriff also previously served as mayor of the town of Registrar in Bulloch County. McGriff brings to this new position a combination of skills in community and economic development and public administration. McGriff earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry and her master’s degree in business administration from Georgia Southern University.
The Archway Partnership, a public service and outreach unit of UGA, connects Georgia communities to a full range of university resources. It is a partnership between communities and UGA where university faculty and students help address local community needs. The community drives the process through executive and steering committees of local citizens and community leaders. Partner counties have access to the knowledge, research and other resources produced by the university.
Candler County Board of Commissioners, the City of Metter, Candler County Board of Education, Candler County Industrial Authority and the Metter-Candler Chamber of Commerce have committed to partnering with UGA’s Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach and Cooperative Extension to make Candler County an Archway community.
The pilot Archway project began in 2005, and now includes eight communities across Georgia: Washington, Hart, Sumter, Pulaski, Whitfield, Grady, Habersham and Candler Counties.
About the Archway Partnership
A Public Service and Outreach unit of the University of Georgia, the Archway Partnership is an initiative that connects communities in Georgia with university resources to address the state’s most critical community economic development needs. For more information, see http://www.archwaypartnership.uga.edu/.
