University of North Georgia

Two UNG students have intertwining internships creating a catalog of information of each piece within the UNG art collection. Students Sara Courtney and Ruth Phillips are researching the University of North Georgia (UNG) art collection as part of individual internships. The pair didn't know one another prior to the research and, ironically, have only once been in the presence of the other while working. Phillips is the photographer, capturing images of each piece for cataloging purposes. Meanwhile, Courtney is researching the pieces.

Four University of North Georgia (UNG) students teamed up to earn first place in the Portfolio Building Competition at the Student Managed Investment Fund Consortium (SMIFC) Conference in the fall. Indiana State University's Scott College of Business hosted the event. The team included Gustav Dickerhofe, chief financial officer of UNG's Student Investment Club; Lucas McDonald, CEO; Campbell Richey, chief operating officer; and Georgia Tucker, chief marketing officer. Dr. Young Ha Ki, an assistant professor in the Mike Cottrell College of Business, serves as the club's faculty adviser.

For the fall 2025 semester, the University of North Georgia (UNG) awarded more than 1,000 degrees and certificates to graduates. Many of the graduates participated in the fall commencement ceremonies held Dec. 9-10 at the Convocation Center at UNG's Dahlonega Campus.

The University of North Georgia (UNG) hosted an undergraduate research conference for its Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholars (STEMS) Program students and some of their collaborators Nov. 14 at UNG's Gainesville Campus. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the STEMS Program provides each scholar up to $10,000 in scholarship funds per academic year and mentoring through a $1.5 million grant.

Dr. Evan Lampert, a University of North Georgia (UNG) professor of biology, and four of his students recently published an article on the different responses of two caterpillar species to plant compounds in their diets. Their publication was in the Environmental Entomology journal.

In a ceremony held Dec. 9 by the University of North Georgia, 36 graduating cadets were awarded commissions as second lieutenants.

University of North Georgia (UNG) President Michael P. Shannon recognized students who achieved a 4.0 GPA during the fall 2025 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 deans of each of UNG's colleges announced the names of those students who made their respective lists for fall 2025. 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.

Among the 218 entries for Bellwethers Annual Juried Exhibition were four pieces from University of North Georgia (UNG) students, including Alexandra McCloy's "Living Patterns," which was awarded the Lane Last Award for Best in Show, the highest award given at the exhibition. Fellow students Rachel Coggins and Maddie Engel also had pieces entered in the exhibition.

University of North Georgia (UNG) graduate student Brooke Parker earned first place in the recent leadership essay contest of Chi Sigma Iota, an international counseling honor society. Parker, a native of Canton, Georgia, wrote about how the Counseling Compact allows licensure portability between states that have joined the agreement.

UNG senior Kira Feeser is the No. 1 cadet to commission into the Army Nurse Corps from the nation's senior and junior military colleges for 2025-26.

The Tomato Sandwich Supper held Nov. 6 at the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Blue Ridge Campus served as a showcase for the transformational power of UNG's work. In addition to honoring 24 scholarship recipients, the event included a chance for five of them to share their stories and thank donors.

The University of North Georgia (UNG) swept top honors from U.S. Army Cadet Command this fall, boasting both the No. 1 overall ROTC cadet out of 5,538 nationally and the No. 1 National Guard commissioning cadet out of 1,491. Benjamin Smith is the top overall graduating Army ROTC cadet for the 2025-26 academic year, and Kyle Sanders achieved the No. 1 Army National Guard ranking and No. 11 overall.

This summer, 105 University of North Georgia (UNG) cadets graduated from Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Nine won PT awards, and UNG cadets also earned six leadership awards.

More than 20 University of North Georgia (UNG) students took part in research that was presented at the inaugural Research in Artificial Intelligence Testing & Evaluation (RAITE) Symposium, which was held Sept. 22 at UNG's Dahlonega Campus. While not all were part of the presentations that day, many of them gained conference experience alongside students from fellow senior military colleges (SMC) The Citadel, Norwich University, Virginia Military Institute, and Virginia Tech. Multiple faculty members from UNG and the other SMCs also presented at the RAITE Symposium.

Two recent University of North Georgia (UNG) alumnae and a student joined Dr. Cathy Whiting, professor of biology, in delivering a recent workshop for Northeast Georgia Medical Center's (NGMC) Graduate Medical Education (GME) resident physicians. This is Whiting's fifth time leading a concept mapping workshop for NGMC GME residents, and she brings along students each time. In fact, this was alumna Josie Ayers' third time assisting the effort.

A team of University of North Georgia (UNG) students, faculty and staff won the college division of the Atlanta Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, held Sept. 6 at Lake Lanier Olympic Park in Gainesville, Georgia. UNG has won the collegiate division all 12 years it has competed. UNG tallied a time of 1:04.17 to beat out second-place Clemson University and third-place Agnes Scott College.

As part of an award from a Halle Foundation grant, four University of North Georgia (UNG) Department of Music students gave individual performances at the Halle Foundation estate in Atlanta after participating in the Saarburg International Music Festival in Germany for two weeks in summer 2025. Tyler Howell, Atira Murawski, Hayden Starr, and Greisi Voja spent the two weeks overseas with lessons, sightseeing and performances.

Twenty-two University of North Georgia (UNG) students took part in the Oct. 3-5 Gainesville Theatre Alliance (GTA) production of 'Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook' at Pearce Auditorium on Brenau University's campus in Gainesville, Georgia. GTA is an inter-collegiate theatre collaboration between UNG and Brenau. Formed in 1979, GTA focuses on producing high-quality, university theatrical productions and provides students access to learning opportunities between both universities.

Students and a recent alumna from the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis (IESA) earned more than half of the Surveying and Mapping Society Education of Georgia Foundation (SAMSEF) scholarships awarded for 2025-26 in Georgia.

Olivia Tinsley transferred to the University of North Georgia (UNG). Her major changed a few times, but she remained steadfast with her art history minor. "I loved my art history minor so much, and it completely changed my career plans. UNG doesn't offer an art history major, so I chose digital marketing because I knew it would be applicable to anything and I do enjoy it," Tinsley said.

A University of North Georgia (UNG) graduate student recently had a scholarly article published in the "Journal of Educational Impact." Dalson Gunter's article, "Integrating Marginalized Voices into History Education," appeared in the Sept. 3 issue of the journal. Gunter is pursuing a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction. The Dawsonville, Georgia, resident earned a bachelor's degree in history with teacher certification in May.

Three University of North Georgia (UNG) students studied in London this summer through the University System of Georgia (USG) Goes Global program. USG Goes Global partners with USG institutions to provide quality, affordable and impactful faculty-led study abroad programs for undergraduate students. Charlotte Carswell, Mallan Gill and T.J. Hageli were grateful for the opportunities the program presented them.

Five University of North Georgia (UNG) cadets completed Army ROTC Basic Camp this summer at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Madison Shook, a senior, pursuing a degree in interdisciplinary studies with concentrations in health science, social science and military science, attended Basic Camp to catch up on training because she is a transfer student. While there, Shook won the Military Order of World Wars Award of Merit.

A pair of University of North Georgia (UNG) seniors took part in the Meridian-Cox Foreign Service Fellowship for Emerging Leaders this summer. Ryan Gentry and Claudia Marban were among the 20 students selected for the fully-funded enrichment and training program designed to increase awareness of Foreign Service careers among students nationwide.

Thirty University of North Georgia (UNG) cadets have earned Distinguished Military Student (DMS) status for the 2025-26 academic year, an increase of 12 DMS honorees from the previous year and the most among senior and junior military colleges nationally. The cadets were formally recognized at the DMS dinner and review the weekend of Sept. 19-21.

UNG alumna Isabella Martino, named Best in Show winner for the Juried Alum Exhibition, graduated in 2019. Her work, "Nonna Maria's Chair," evokes the way that objects can resonate with familial relationships.

The University of North Georgia (UNG) Esports team finished second in the Local Area Network event at the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC) during the spring semester in San Antonio, Texas. That success followed UNG's Halo national title in fall 2024. Team members for the spring national runner-up group from UNG were Nicholas Flynn, Wyatt Gowan, Clayton Poore, Dalton Ragon, and Jay Turner.

Nine students from the University of North Georgia (UNG) participated in National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) or similar programs this summer.

The University of North Georgia (UNG) provided 10 students with innovative experience this summer through a three-week "AI in manufacturing" Maymester course followed by eight-week internships at companies in surrounding counties.