ATLANTA – The College Football Hall of Fame, located in the home city of approximately one-third of University of Georgia alumni, served as a fitting backdrop for the university’s final stop on the 2015 UGA Day Tour on July 27.
The annual UGA Day Tour takes university administrators, coaches and students on the road to share academic and athletic highlights from campus with alumni, supporters and fans. Other stops on the 2015 tour included in-state events in Savannah, Rome, Albany, Augusta and Macon, and one out-of-state stop in Charlotte. The series of events provides alumni with an opportunity to connect with the university in their own backyards.
UGA President Jere W. Morehead kicked off the evening sharing updates on the incoming freshman class, describing the university’s latest efforts to enhance the learning environment and highlighting the many physical changes taking place on campus.
“When you think about the outstanding quality of our students and faculty, the many exciting construction projects, our research and service initiatives-I hope that all of you see an institution that is becoming a leader among the nation’s best public research universities,” Morehead said. “The University of Georgia was able to reach this point of distinction because of strong support from our loyal and generous alumni and friends.”
The program also included athletic news from UGA baseball coach Scott Stricklin, men’s basketball coach Mark Fox and head football coach Mark Richt. Entertainment was provided by the UGA Alumni Redcoat Pep Band, Hairy Dawg, the UGA Cheerleaders, UGA Flagline, the Georgettes and Majorettes.
Prior to the program, the approximately 500 attendees were able to take a photo with the coaches and have an item autographed. The president was also able to interact with local alumni. That meet-and-greet period is a valued experience for both the special guests and alumni.
“UGA Days are enjoyable for coach Richt and me,” Fox said. “On game days, we don’t have any interaction with our fan base. It’s just impossible. UGA Days give us a setting in which we can actually spend time with the Bulldog Nation. We probably get the most enjoyment out of the ability to interact with our fans.”
“UGA Day was a great event,” said Matt Crowder, a 2004 UGA School of Law graduate and an assistant attorney general in Atlanta. “I enjoyed hearing not only from coach Richt, coach Fox and coach Stricklin about the upcoming seasons, but also from President Morehead about the state of the university. The College Football Hall of Fame was a great choice for the venue as well.”
The UGA Alumni Association
The UGA Alumni Association proudly supports the academic excellence, best interests and traditions of Georgia’s flagship university and its more than 288,000 alumni worldwide. For more information, see www.alumni.uga.edu.
