University of North Georgia

The University of North Georgia's (UNG) inaugural cohort of University Innovation Fellows (UIF) traveled recently to the annual UIF meetup at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. The three students also participated in professional development while on campus, as the UIF cohort is housed in the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Mike Cottrell College of Business. Evan Cantrell, UNG program coordinator for UIF, also traveled to the Netherlands with the group.

The University of North Georgia finished third in the Cyber Combat Exercise portion of the National Cyber Exercise (NCX) in Baltimore, Maryland, which features teams from some of the service academies and senior military colleges. That made UNG the top senior military college in the Cyber Combat Exercise. UNG finished seventh overall at NCX.

University of North Georgia (UNG) student Erika Delgado and May graduate Hasten Veal were part of this summer's eight-member cohort for Pathway to Med School, which was hosted by Foothills Area Health Education Center (AHEC). The five-week residential program encourages students to enroll in medical school and develop an interest in primary care in hopes they serve the north Georgia community.

Teams of University of North Georgia students took first and second place in the 60-team SummitCTF, the annual Capture the Flag event hosted by the Cybersecurity Club at Virginia Tech.

Eight engineering students at the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Gainesville Campus conducted research and innovation on an unmanned ground vehicle this spring. Mariam Rezai, a junior from Hoschton, Georgia, pursuing degrees in physics and engineering through the Regents Engineering Transfer Program (RETP), served as project leader. Isaac Erausquin, a sophomore from Oakwood, Georgia, pursuing an associate degree in engineering, was the project co-leader.

The University of North Georgia (UNG) Department of Music awarded student Eli McAdams the Stravinsky Composition award in April for his composition "Three Conversations for Clarinet and Piano." "Eli is an awesome student and a great addition to our UNG family. He has sought out diligently to develop his talents into skills that lead as a musician and composer. This award only reflects Eli's commitment to innovation and creativity. I am looking forward to seeing Eli continue to grow and develop," David Peoples, part-time faculty, said.

UNG student Lainey May created a five-color design of an electric guitar that has now been placed as a crosswalk near downtown Gainesville, Georgia.

Four University of North Georgia (UNG) cadets took part in the Joint Service Academy Cybersecurity (JSAC) Conference in April at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point thanks to funding from UNG's Institute for Cyber Operations. JSAC is a leadership development event for cyber junior and senior officers and academy cadets and midshipmen, co-sponsored by the Army Cyber Institute and Palo Alto Networks.

Seven University of North Georgia students and five alumni presented at the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society's convention this spring in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and two of them won awards. UNG's presenters are part of the Alpha Upsilon Phi chapter of Sigma Tau Delta at UNG's Gainesville Campus.

Six of the 10 University North Georgia (UNG) students who competed won awards in the Georgia Japanese Speech Contest at Alpharetta City Library during the spring semester.

Three University of North Georgia (UNG) students teamed up to place second out of nine schools in the portfolio-building competition at the Student Management Investment Fund Consortium-South held recently in Orlando, Florida. Casey Ammon, Raul Bolanos and Davis Zeigler are members of UNG's Student-Managed Investment Fund club. They earned a $500 check for their efforts in UNG's first appearance in the competition.

Twenty-two University of North Georgia students held a variety of roles in the Gainesville Theatre Alliance's spring 2025 production of "Young Frankenstein," which ran from April 11-19 in the Ed Cabell Theatre at UNG's Gainesville Campus.

Nine University of North Georgia visual arts students have created a mural at UNG's Dahlonega Campus that brings the university's tagline - "What Comes Next" - to life in full color. The mural overlooks the Promenade and volleyball courts and is close to the Library Technology Center

Three alumnae from the University of North Georgia (UNG) were designated Fulbright finalists for 2025-26. They include students from the College of Arts & Letters, College of Science & Mathematics, and Mike Cottrell College of Business. Four additional students were named alternates.

The Nighthawk Innovators Challenge winners received over $4,500 in prize money, with $1,000 going to the Ruben Boling Community Innovation Award winner. Four University of North Georgia students received over $4,500 in prize money during the Nighthawk Innovators Challenge, held April 21. First place was awarded to William "Billy" Brown, a junior pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration in digital marketing. Brown's concept was TapX, a digital matchmaker between employers and students, with instant feedback provided to students. He received $2,000 for his idea.

Four University of North Georgia (UNG) students, along with Dr. Esther Morgan-Ellis, professor of music history, attended the fourth annual String Band Summit at the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) Center for Popular Music. Morgan-Ellis said students Caroline Barron, Moriah Miller, Sawyer Shepherd, and Cooper Sandefur "had their eyes opened to all sorts of new possibilities and came away really excited about making music. I can't wait to take another group next year."

University of North Georgia (UNG) senior Greisi Voja is the recipient of a New York Classical Debut award in the soloist category. As a result, she will perform at the gala concert July 20 at Carnegie Hall, in New York City.

Albany Zavarce is the first UNG student chosen as a STEMNetX Fellowship recipient and was awarded a one-week paid fellowship in Pennsylvania. She encourages women to explore opportunities in STEM.

University of North Georgia (UNG) junior Claudia Marban took part in the Public Policy & International Affairs (PPIA) Program Public Service Weekend from Feb. 21-23 in Arlington, Virginia. The weekend is a means for students to explore careers in public service, network with professionals and understand policy issues.

Four students represented the University of North Georgia (UNG) at the Latin American & Latinx Studies Symposium, held April 4 at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Presenters Georgia Deitz, Aidan Pavlich, Jorge Romero, and Fatima Santillan shared a panel with peers from other institutions, engaging in dialogue with fellow presenters and an engaged audience who asked thoughtful questions following their presentations.

Two University of North Georgia (UNG) students were named National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship selections. Both women are First-Generation college students. They will head to the NIST headquarters in Gaithersburg, Maryland, at the end of spring semester. Katia Gonzalez-Adame, a senior pursuing degrees in mathematics and chemistry, will work in the Materials Measurement Laboratory. Brittney Meza, a junior pursuing a degree in computer science, will work in the Information Technology Laboratory.

Three students in the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis recently published an article along with faculty member Dr. Amber Ignatius. Their article, "Spatiotemporal Vegetation Dynamics, Forest Loss, and Recovery: Multidecadal Analysis of the U.S. Triple Crown National Scenic Trail Network," was published in March in the journal Remote Sensing.

University of North Georgia junior Sydney Griffith has earned the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, the preeminent undergraduate award of its type in these fields. The award provides a total of up to $15,000 per student over two years.

Members of the University of North Georgia (UNG) chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA) participated in the Kennesaw Marketing Association (KMA) Invitational at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia, in March. UNG students Preston Reid and Abbie Tanner placed third in the marketing case and pitch competition. They received $500 for their presentation.

UNG junior Rylee Chafin has been selected for the prestigious NASA Student Airborne Research Program. The eight-week internship will be held in Richmond, Virginia, this summer.

More than 100 military awards and scholarships were presented to University of North Georgia cadets at the March Military Awards Ceremony and a pair of April events during Alumni Weekend.

In a ceremony held May 13 by the University of North Georgia, about 50 graduating cadets were awarded commissions as second lieutenants.

The University of North Georgia (UNG) inducted about 40 nursing students into the Sigma Theta Tau international nursing honor society during the spring 2025 semester.

UNG students who showed promise, demonstrated creativity, displayed excellence, served others and exceeded all expectations had their moment in the spotlight during the annual Student Awards events held in April.

For the spring 2025 semester, the University of North Georgia (UNG) awarded almost 1,700 degrees and certificates to graduates. More than half of the graduates participated in the spring commencement ceremonies held May 14-15 at the Convocation Center at UNG's Dahlonega Campus.