To senior Jennie Parham, helping others comes as naturally as breathing. Last semester she organized the Home and Garden Art Auction as part of an Agricultural Communications internship class and wound up raising $7,900 for the Madison County Habitat for Humanity. She collected work from artists from across the state including well-known folk artists such as R.A. Miller and the late Reverend Howard Finster. The art pieces varied from homemade quilts to pine needle baskets to ceramic bulldogs, and all were made from recyclable material. In the end, more than 200 items were donated, and all were sold by the end of the night. Jennie also works part-time as a caregiver for Katie, a child with special needs, whom she helps with therapy and everyday tasks.
Hometown:
Ringgold, Georgia
High School:
Ringgold High School
Degree objective:
B.A. in Agricultural Communications
Other degrees:
A.A. (Psychology), Dalton State College
Expected graduation:
May 2005
University highlights, achievements, awards and scholarships:
I have enjoyed attending the University of Georgia since January of 2002. I am pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Communications. My favorite classes are Graphic Communications and the Ag Communications Directed Project class where I worked with Madison County Habitat for Humanity. I am a member of Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow and won 4th place in the 2002 national critique contest for my magazine advertisement design.
Current Employment:
I currently work part-time as a private caregiver for a child named Katie. Katie is not able to walk or talk. I pick her up from school, prepare her meals, help her with personal hygiene, and chart her daily progress. Katie and I also work daily on speech, physical, and occupational therapies. Katie and I are constantly looking for new activities so she can strengthen her abilities. She is a real blessing in my life.
Family Ties to UGA:
I have a wonderful family that supports and loves me. My parents still live in Ringgold, Georgia. I have a sister who is four years older than I am. She graduated from UGA in Public Relations and now works for Southern Company. My grandmother is my best friend in the world, and she lives in Summerville, Georgia. I am lucky enough to have an aunt, uncle and cousin that live here in Athens. My aunt and uncle own the two Curves of Athens, and my cousin attends UGA pursuing a degree in Telecommunications.
I chose to attend UGA because…
…my family and I have been Bulldog fans forever. Growing up, my sister and I always talked about attending UGA. When Georgia got the lottery and began offering the HOPE scholarship, UGA began to grow and become a university with tons to offer. Being able to attend UGA has been a dream come true.
My favorite things to do on campus are…
…to walk and enjoy the beautiful landscaping. After visiting other colleges, I realize what a beautiful campus we have. I also like to people-watch and try to figure out people’s majors based on their appearance. Some are easy and some surprise me!
When I have free time, I like…
…to spend time with my boxer dog who goes most places I go. I enjoy dabbling in art and making gifts for friends. My friends and I go down to the Broad River quite a bit, and Caliente Cab is one of my favorite places to go.
My favorite place to study is…
…out on my front porch. If I am inside, I get distracted by lots of things. On my porch I have some noise, but it’s just enough to give me a quick distraction every so often.
My favorite professor is…
…Christine Langone. Dr. Langone is very open and understanding with me. She also has classes that are geared in different directions than most.
If I could share an afternoon with anyone, I would love to share it with…
…my granddaddy. He passed away October of 2001 and we were always very close. I always felt so safe and confident in his presence. I would love to be able to listen to him tell stories of his youth again.
The one UGA experience I will always remember will be…
…I will always remember going to my first football game as an official UGA student. When we stood and the band played Glory, I was so proud that I cried.
