UGA Alumni Association: Executive Director's Blog

LinkedIN Lunch Highlights Alumni Association’s Useful Social Networking Tools

You know it, and so do I: social networking sites have survived the fad stage and are seeminlgy here to stay. Your Alumni Association is proud to offer a comprehensive menu of social networking tools for you to utilize to engage with fellow alumni and friends. I invite you to join our main page on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and join our group on LinkedIN. Many of our chapters also maintain a presence on each of these sites, so make sure to follow what's going on with your local Bulldogs.

This week, we invite you to join fellow Women of UGA at the Atlanta Alumni Center for a LinkedIN lunch hosted by Director of Alumni Career Services Nicole Lechene '12. On Wednesday, June 27, at the Atlanta Alumni Center, Dr. Lechene will share her expertise in utilizing LinkedIN for establishing your professional network and finding the right career for you. There are a limited amount of seats left, so register now and don't miss out on this extremely valuable information! CLICK HERE to register for the lunch.

We wish for you to continue your relationship with the university by connecting back any way you can, whether that be through participating in a local chapter event, retweeting the Alumni Association, posting a neat message on our Facebook page, networking with fellow alumni on LinkedIN, or simply supporting the efforts of the Alumni Association with your annual gifts to the Georgia Fund. It's a real "tweet" to have such excellent alumni to connect with on a daily basis! Go Dawgs!

Recent Entries

06.19.2013

The Twelve Oaks named top luxury inn

Nicole Bagley Greer (AB ’97) is the owner of The Twelve Oaks in Covington, Ga. The inn opened just about a year ago and has already been recognized as a “Top 10 Luxury Inn in the World” by BedandBreakfast.com!

According to BedandBreakfast.com:

“Even when wearing clothes sewn from curtains, Scarlett O'Hara demanded the best in luxury. Channel her at Twelve Oaks, an Antebellum mansion that inspired the film Gone With The Wind. Lovingly redone, now reopened as an intimate hotel, the eight-guestroom, National Register-awarded, structure continues to enliven guests who stop and stay awhile. Located just 30 miles from Atlanta in a town rich with historic structures and oft used to film movies and television series, Twelve Oaks stands alone.”

As you can imagine, a mansion that inspired the home in a classic like “Gone With the Wind” is bound to attract additional interest from filmmakers. Actor Billy Bob Thornton has shown an interest in filming a movie there, Cindy Crawford starred in a commercial on the property, and a recent episode of “Vampire Diaries” was filmed on site. Elsewhere in Covington, scenes were filmed for “Dukes of Hazzard,” “In the Heat of the Night,” “My Cousin Vinny,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” and “Remember the Titans.”

The Twelve Oaks is located just off the Covington town square. Guests are treated to breakfast each morning, a wine and cheese happy hour each evening, and can stay in suites such as the “Frankly Scarlett Suite” or “Suite Home Alabama.”

Congratulations on this recognition, Nicole! The Twelve Oaks sounds absolutely stunning. We wish you the very best as it continues to grow and flourish as a Georgia travel destination.

To view the complete list of Top Ten Luxury Inns from BedandBreakfast.com, click here.

06.18.2013

UGA alumnus receives 2013 Honorary State Degree from Florida FFA

Despite UGA’s longstanding rivalry with the University of Florida, UGA graduates are living south of the Georgia border and making great contributions to the Sunshine State.

This month, Ralph Garrison (BBA ‘75) was honored with the 2013 Honorary State Degree by Florida’s Future Farmers of America.

Deb Barry, a high school agriculture teacher in Florida, nominated Garrison because of his commitment to educating students in Florida’s Manatee County about agriculture.

According to the Bradenton Herald, the Honorary State Degree is the highest honorary award presented by the Florida FFA. It recognizes individuals who contribute to the advancement of agricultural education and provide outstanding service to the FFA program.

Garrison is a member of the Manatee County Farm Bureau board, where he has served as president for 12 years. He and his wife, Sandy, own and operate Suncoast Nursery in Bradenton, Fla., and take great pride in working with plants.

Congratulations on behalf of the UGA Alumni Association, Ralph. Best of luck in your future endeavors!

This blog post was sourced from the Bradenton Herald.

06.17.2013

Forrest Griffin (AB ’03) retires from UFC

Forrest Griffin (AB ‘03) is hanging up his gloves as an Ultimate Fighting Challenge competitor. The alumnus has been a UFC fighter for eight years and played a major role in the company’s success.

Griffin was cast in the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, which he won after the live finale that has since been deemed one of UFC’s hallmark fights. During his career, Griffin went 19-7 in MMA fights and 10-5 in UFC fights. Adam (BSBE ’98, MS ’07) and Rory (BSBE ’99) Singer, owners of Bulldog 100 business Athens Fitness & MMA, played an integral role in launching Griffin’s career.

Griffin cites his health as the main reason for going into retirement. Despite his great MMA and UFC success, he has suffered a number of injuries during fights. He is expected to take on a position with UFC in the near future.

Congratulations on a successful career, Forrest – you are one tough Bulldog! I look forward to seeing what this next step on your UFC journey has in store for you.

This article was sourced from USA Today.