University of North Georgia

Twenty students and four faculty members from the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Department of Kinesiology attended the annual meeting of the Southeast Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (SEACSM) from Feb. 20-22 in Greenville, South Carolina. Five of the students presented research posters at the event.

Thirty-two University of North Georgia students held a variety of roles in the Gainesville Theatre Alliance's spring 2025 production of "Macbeth," which ran from Feb. 14-22 in the Hosch Theatre at Brenau University.

Thirteen students from the University of North Georgia (UNG) took part in the Harvard Undergraduate Latina Empowerment & Development (LEAD) Conference, which was held Feb. 7-8 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Fatima Santillan, a senior from Gainesville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in political science with a minor in public administration and public service, attended the LEAD Conference for a second time and served as an ambassador this year.

The University of North Georgia (UNG) women's basketball team earned the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) tournament championship March 9. Later that night, the Nighthawks were announced as the No. 1 seed and host of the eight-team NCAA Division II Southeast Regional from March 14-17 at the Convocation Center in Dahlonega, Georgia.

Visual arts students at the University of North Georgia (UNG) have created art to promote the nonprofit Adult Children of Aging Parents (ACAP) at bus stops in Gainesville, Georgia. UNG's Institute for Healthy Aging and the nonprofit Legacy Link Inc. serve as sponsors for the Hall County chapter of ACAP, and this collaboration allowed the students to learn more about ACAP and figure out how to promote the way it serves caregivers.

The University of North Georgia's Corps of Cadets had 27 cadets graduate from the Army's Air Assault School at the Warrior Training Center at Fort Moore, Georgia, in December.

Students Dawson Yang and Alec Reeb have created an app aimed at helping people find available resources in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Augusta, Georgia.

Eight University of North Georgia (UNG) students in STEM degree programs were selected to attend the National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) conference in Chicago in November. They are part of UNG's STEM Scholars (STEMS) Program funded by a $1.5 million NSF grant. Students included: Rayya Abdullah, Micah Chandler, Jiselle Gonzalez, Hanzhen Guo, Shae Jolivette, Chase Manzanarez, Luke Millaway, and Albany Zavarce.

Sophomore Mauricio Gonzalez became the first UNG student to be selected for the eight-week Douglas-O'Connell Internship in Ireland.

Five UNG students were selected as Gilman scholarship program recipients in December. The scholarships help students study or intern abroad. A total of 1,600 scholarships were awarded from the 7,100 applications.

For the fall 2024 semester, the University of North Georgia (UNG) awarded more than 900 degrees and certificates to graduates. More than 650 of the graduates participated in the fall 2024 commencement ceremonies held Dec. 7 at the Convocation Center at UNG's Dahlonega Campus.

University of North Georgia (UNG) President Michael P. Shannon recognized students who achieved a 4.0 GPA during the fall 2024 semester. Students enrolled in 12 or more credit hours in bachelor's degree programs who achieved a 4.0 grade point average were named to the President's Honor Roll. Students enrolled in associate degree or dual enrollment programs who met the same level of achievement were named to the President's List.

The iDEA (innovateDahlonega Entrepreneurship Accelerator) Community Pitch Challenge was held Nov. 7 at the University of North Georgia (UNG) Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CEI) Launch Pad on the Dahlonega campus, with seven out of the original 13 applicants vying for a prize package of $20,000.

The deans of each of UNG's colleges announced the names of those students who made their respective lists for fall 2024. Dean's List recognition is achieved by having at least a 3.5 grade point average, carrying 12 or more credit hours in one semester and having no grade lower than B.

The University of North Georgia (UNG) poultry team placed sixth in the 58th National Collegiate Poultry Judging contest at the University of Arkansas in November. Team members included Alyssa Foster, Grant Justus, Devin Self, and Conner Watson.

University of North Georgia (UNG) senior Sydney Glouse received the first ever student DAISY Award given by Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS). DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.

A student and a faculty member in the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Department of Visual Arts have partnered with the City of Dahlonega to create a rendering of a pedestrian bridge that will be built soon. The pedestrian bridge will be over Yahoola Creek at the Reservoir.

University of North Georgia (UNG) junior William Edwards is the school's presidential fellow to the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC) for 2024-25. Monthly online seminars will allow Edwards, a cadet who is pursuing a degree in history, to study the public policymaking process and the president's relationship with Congress, allies, the media, and the public. A multiday leadership conference in Washington, D.C., will wrap up the program.

Two University of North Georgia (UNG) students participated in the four-week Pathway to Med School program through the Foothills Area Health Education Center (AHEC) this summer. The program looks to help students get into medical school and get them interested in primary care so that they will consider returning and serving the north Georgia community. This summer, eight students from the region participated.

The Model United Nations clubs on the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Gainesville and Dahlonega Campuses jointly organized the seventh annual Model United Nations Conference at the Gainesville Campus. Held March 29, the event topic was "Addressing the Impacts that Artificial Intelligence has in the Current Digital Age."

University of North Georgia (UNG) senior Autumn Sniffen was awarded the Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grant to study at the National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan. Originally from Catonsville, Maryland, Sniffen is pursuing a degree in modern languages with a concentration in Chinese for global professionals.

University of North Georgia (UNG) students, faculty and alumni had a valuable opportunity to provide feedback to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger at investor roundtables held March 27 at UNG's Dahlonega Campus.

Junior Susana Olivo Sandoval was selected as UNG's Newman Civic Fellow for 2023-24. The opportunity allows students to network and gain access to training and resources that nurture their assets and passions.

Nicole LeBlanc is UNG's 2022-23 UNG Presidential Fellow for the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress.

The University of North Georgia Tri-Alpha honor society spring induction ceremony highlighted the achievements of 42 students, seven faculty and staff, and one alumnus. The event was held on April 25 on UNG's Gainesville Campus.

Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, welcomed 1,971 new initiates from 78 universities during April 2022. Students initiated into the Society must be sophomores, juniors, seniors, or graduate/professional students in the top 35% of their class, demonstrate leadership experience in at least one of the five pillars, and embrace the ODK ideals. Fewer than five percent of students on a campus are invited to join each year.