Thanks to a fund established by a University of Georgia alumna and supported by President Jere W. Morehead, units at UGA will be able to apply for funding to support collaborative ventures with the local community.
The Bobbi Meeler Sahm Service and Outreach Fund was established by Athens native and strong UGA supporter Bobbi Meeler Sahm. Sahm made a significant contribution to UGA Public Service and Outreach that will allow the university to provide financial support for collaborations between university entities and the Athens community. Inspired by the gift and the impact it will have on the local community, Morehead made a $100,000 contribution to the Sahm fund using discretionary funds provided to him by the UGA Athletic Association.
“Having called Athens home for over 30 years, I was happy to see Ms. Sahm’s commitment to supporting outreach in Athens,” Morehead said. “I know that these funds will have a very visible impact on the future of UGA and the local community.”
Faculty from the Fanning Institute for Leadership Development and from the UGA School of Law teach middle and high school students about the judicial system through Athens Peer Court. The court, in which the judge, attorneys, clerk and jurors are teenage students, adjudicates real cases that involve youth who have been charged with a nonviolent first offense.
The funds will be awarded to UGA units and departments that provide outreach in the Athens community. The application process will begin this month. A committee comprising representatives from UGA and the Athens community will review proposals and select the programs to receive funding. The first awards will be distributed later this year.
“This work will allow faculty and students from across the university to continue programs that benefit the Athens community and develop new strategies to address local challenges,” said Jennifer Frum, vice president for UGA Public Service and Outreach. “We are grateful to Bobbi Sahm and President Morehead for their help in creating a lasting change for the local community.”
A national leader in university outreach, the UGA Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach supports a number of key initiatives between UGA and communities across the state. The eight PSO units work in communities throughout the state, including Athens-Clarke County.
To learn more information and apply, please visit the Bobbi Meeler Sahm Award for Service and Outreach.