University of North Georgia

Eight University of North Georgia (UNG) transfer coaches serve as students who can help their fellow students who have transferred into UNG adjust to a new university.

University of North Georgia (UNG) student John "Johnny" Phillips' film "The King" was deemed a short film to watch in a review in the Newnan Times-Herald.

University of North Georgia (UNG) students Emily Pridgen and Samantha Velasquez and faculty member Dr. J. Michael Rifenburg's research assessment of the redesign of an English composition class recently gained recognition from the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U).

University of North Georgia students Ashley Allred, Joseph S. Holland and Avery G. Shupert collaborated with faculty members Dr. Eric Huddleston and Dr. Jim Konzelman to pen a paper about the lab experiment, which published in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Chemical Education in July 2020.

Flowery Branch resident Magan Free was one of three UNG students to present at the seventh North American Ornithological Conference, which was held virtually in August. Free, along with fellow students Sawda Islam and Vivica Pressley and faculty members Dawn Drumtra and Dr. Linda Purvis, is studying an avian infectious disease, which is caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Free focused on using a disease detection technique that is more cost-efficient and convenient than traditional methods.

Lawrenceville resident Sawda Islam was one of three UNG students to present at the seventh North American Ornithological Conference, which was held virtually in August. Islam, along with fellow students Magan Free and Vivica Pressley and faculty members Dawn Drumtra and Dr. Linda Purvis, is studying an avian infectious disease, which is caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum.

Steven Bower is one of four University of North Georgia (UNG) student-athletes who will use their extended eligibility to pursue additional degrees at the university. The opportunity arose when the NCAA offered seniors in spring sports a chance to extend their careers after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down their seasons in March 2020.

Ringgold, Georgia, native Shelby Hammontree is one of four University of North Georgia (UNG) student-athletes who will use their extended eligibility to pursue additional degrees at the university. The opportunity arose when the NCAA offered seniors in spring sports a chance to extend their careers after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down their seasons in March 2020.

Gainesville resident Vivica Pressley was one of three UNG students to present at the seventh North American Ornithological Conference, which was held virtually in August. Pressley, along with fellow students Magan Free and Sawda Islam and faculty members Dawn Drumtra and Dr. Linda Purvis, is studying an avian infectious disease, which is caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Pressley also documented disease infections, but included the impact of diet on infection rates.

Suwanee native Kylee Smith is one of four University of North Georgia (UNG) student-athletes who will use their extended eligibility to pursue additional degrees at the university. The opportunity arose when the NCAA offered seniors in spring sports a chance to extend their careers after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down their seasons in March 2020.

Martinez, Georgia, native Megan Sabol is one of four University of North Georgia (UNG) student-athletes who will use their extended eligibility to pursue additional degrees at the university. The opportunity arose when the NCAA offered seniors in spring sports a chance to extend their careers after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down their seasons in March 2020.

The University of North Georgia (UNG) welcomed new cadets this fall after successful completion of Freshman Recruit Orientation Group (FROG) Week at UNG. FROG Week, led by cadets with supervision from the commandant staff, helps transition the incoming cadets to the military lifestyle of the Corps.

Sixteen UNG students recently earned the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad and gain skills critical to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness.

For the summer 2020 semester, the University of North Georgia awarded some 500 degrees and certificates. Ceremonies were canceled due to COVID-19, but UNG hosted a virtual celebration on the UNG commencement website.

The deans of each of UNG's five colleges - the College of Arts & Letters, the College of Education, the College of Health Sciences & Professions, the Mike Cottrell College of Business, and the College of Science & Mathematics - announced the names of those students who made their respective lists for summer 2020. 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.

University of North Georgia (UNG) President Bonita C. Jacobs recognized students who achieved a 4.0 GPA during the summer 2020 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 programs who met the same level of achievement were named to the President's List.

Phi Kappa Phi recently named the recipients of its 2020 Marcus L. Urann Fellowships. The prestigious $20,000 fellowships were awarded to six students nationwide.

Twelve UNG students were awarded internships or Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds a large number of opportunities for undergraduates to work in the research programs of higher education institutions while science-based centers fund internships.

Nearly 20 students participated in UNG's inaugural online exhibition "Student Voices from the Quarantine." The display featured works created during isolation that represent students' reactions to the health crisis. It ran from May 26 to June 30 on the UNG art galleries online exhibition webpage.

University of North Georgia students Zoe Rumbaugh and Phillip Ly were awarded the Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA), which provide scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. Rumbaugh will use the scholarship to fund a study abroad to Taiwan. Ly will use the money for study abroad trips to Japan.

Susan Harkins, a Master of Accountancy student at the University of North Georgia (UNG), has received a John L. Carey Scholarship from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Up to five Carey scholarships are awarded each year. The $5,000 award aims "to encourage students with little or no previous accounting education" to pursue such careers. Harkins, who previously worked as an educator, began taking undergraduate accounting classes at UNG in fall 2018 to meet prerequisites for the accounting master's program.

For the first time in her collegiate career, University of North Georgia (UNG) rising senior Elizabeth Noble wrote a research paper not for class but for publication. It was published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews.

More than a dozen recent University of North Georgia (UNG) graduates who were newly commissioned second lieutenants took their military oath in front of a national audience in June. U.S. Army Cadet Command (USACC) streamed the national commissioning ceremony June 12 on Facebook Live and YouTube Live on all USACC-owned social media platforms.

The University of North Georgia's (UNG) Model United Nations (UN) team that earned an Outstanding Position Paper award from the Southern Regional Model UN spring event. Set for Charlotte, North Carolina, the in-person event was canceled, but papers were still reviewed for awards.

The University of North Georgia's (UNG) Enactus team earned third place in the Unilever Bright Futures Project Accelerator competition at the national Enactus conference, which was held virtually. Enactus is an entrepreneurial and service club for college students.

University of North Georgia (UNG) President Bonita C. Jacobs recognized students who achieved a 4.0 GPA during the spring 2020 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 programs who met the same level of achievement were named to the President's List.

The deans of each of UNG's five colleges - the College of Arts & Letters, the College of Education, the College of Health Sciences & Professions, the Mike Cottrell College of Business, and the College of Science & Mathematics - announced the names of those students who made their respective lists for spring 2020. 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.

For the spring 2020 semester, the University of North Georgia awarded more than 1,600 degrees and certificates. Ceremonies were canceled due to COVID-19, but UNG hosted a virtual celebration on the UNG commencement website starting May 8, which would have been the first of back-to-back days of commencement ceremonies.

In ceremonies held May 7-8 by the University of North Georgia, graduating cadets were awarded commissions as second lieutenants. Eight of those individual ceremonies took place virtually. The in-person ceremonies were spaced out and the number of visitors was limited to adhere to social distancing practices due to COVID-19.

Each spring, the University of North Georgia (UNG) honors students who have excelled in the Corps of Cadets. This year, UNG is still recognizing these students' outstanding performance even as the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the final two months of the semester online.