January 2024 Newsletter
Executive Director's Update
I had the honor this past weekend of attending a memorial service on campus for Dr. Mac Callaham Sr. Dr. Callaham came to North Georgia College in 1963 and rose in rank over the years, eventually becoming a full professor and head of the biology department. He was also the Alumni Association’s very first Distinguished Professor in 1971, and was recognized again in 1982.
I only had Dr. Callaham for Biology 106. I was never invited back to Rogers Hall after I fulfilled my science requirements. (To this day I don’t understand why my advisor never mentioned astronomy as an option, but I digress.) I can say, without a doubt I had one of the “giants” of my time at North Georgia. There were other “giants” from my era at Dr. Callaham’s service as well - Dorothy Brock, Alice Reynolds, Larry Dennis and of course Mike Hyams to name a few.
If I’ve said it once to my faculty friends, I’ve said it a dozen times over the years – while it is true that the college experience is about so much more than the classroom, faculty are a huge part of the experience regardless. Instructors and professors who are both talented and caring are never forgotten by their former students. At some point in time, memories of the faculty who changed the trajectory of people’s lives, are translated into stories. This is a huge part of the alumni experience. Believe me when I say I’ve heard many such stories over the years.
May Dr. Callaham rest in peace and his family have peace knowing what a tremendous impact he had on the hundreds and hundreds of students he taught over the years at North Georgia. Job well done, good and faithful servant. Job very well done.
Wendi Huguley, ‘90
Executive Director
Alumni Relations & Annual Giving
Nighthawks Basketball
The UNG men’s and women’s basketball teams are off to a great start. The men are 11-1 and the women are 9-3. Check out their schedules below and make plans to attend today!
National Leadership Challenge Weekend
The Corps of Cadets will host National Leadership Challenge (NLC) Weekend on 22-24 March 2024 for high school students who are considering a military program in college. See a short video here.
Participants will rappel down a sheer rock cliff at the Army’s Mountain Ranger Training Camp in Dahlonega, construct a rope bridge across a mountain stream, negotiate obstacle and leadership reaction course elements, observe demonstrations by UNG cadet organizations, and meet some of our cadets. They will be assigned to small teams and a current UNG cadets mentor who will guide them through the weekend.
Participants sleep in rustic, 16-person cabins on bunk beds at Camp Wahsega, a 4-H Camp owned by the University System of Georgia, approximately one mile from the Mountain Ranger Camp, and about ten miles from campus. Young men and women will occupy separate cabins.
NLC Weekend is offered twice per year (fall and spring), and space is limited to 200 students. Please see the website for details and registration: ung.edu/cadet/nlc. Cost is $115/participant.
National Intelligence Summer Academy
Do you know a rising high school sophomore, junior, or senior who is fascinated or thrilled by the field of intelligence – spying and counter-spying?
Please let them (or their parents) know about the second annual University of North Georgia (UNG) - National Intelligence Summer Academy (NISA). It is a five-day daytime program for high school students on the Cumming campus, July 15-19, 2024.
Clicking here takes you directly to the NISA webpage. Also, attached is the NISA 2024 Brochure.
Why We Give
In the spring of 1973, a group of cadets were initiated into the National Society of Scabbard and Blade. Forty-six years later a group of these cadets came together and made a monetary commitment for the construction of the new Military Science Building. The group was formed under the guidance of Dickie Decker. The five people of the group are Joe Booth, Don Durant, Dickie Decker, Billy Robinson, and Chip Woods.
Why this group gave to the advance of the Boar’s Head Brigade is best said by Don Durant and Dickie Decker. Don Durant, now retired from the Army and living in Oklahoma, states, “My brothers and I wanted to leave a legacy of excellence. This new facility will enable UNG cadets to develop the leadership abilities required in the complex world of the 21st century.”
Decker's words express the feelings of the entire group, “I’m a patriot; and I know of no other college/university that builds patriots and leaders the way UNG and the Corps of Cadets does. So, we got five Class of '74 Scabbard and Blade Brothers together; there was no hesitation in contributing to our new Military Leadership Center.”
We are proud to be a small part of the development Military Leadership Building and the Boar’s Head Brigade.
Billy Robinson, '74
Nighthawks Nikes
Nighthawk fans can now wear what the ‘Hawks wear! UNG Athletics has dropped a branded version of the Nighthawks' 2023-24 official Nike team travel shoe.
"We are excited to offer the Nighthawk Nation the exclusive sideline shoe of North Georgia Athletics," stated director of athletics Mary Rob Plunkett. "Get yours today and wear the same branded shoe that the Nighthawks are wearing!"
Fans can purchase one of unisex Nike Zoom Pegasus 40 sneakers online through Striker Marketing, where they retail for $139 and are available in most sizes. All purchase proceeds benefit UNG athletics scholarships! Click here to shop now!
Want to mentor a student or young alumnus?
The UNG Office of Alumni Relations & Annual Giving and the UNG Office of Career Services are proud to offer UNGUnite! This cloud-based platform provides UNG students, alumni, and friends the chance to connect with each other, expand professional networks, as well as set up structured mentoring relationships with one another!
If you are a student or young alumni who needs career advice from more experienced alumni, UNGUnite can provide that to you! If you want the chance to mentor and give career advice to those who are seeking it, UNGUnite can provide that as well. To get started, follow these steps:
Visit www.ungunite.com and click on the “Get Started” button.
Once you have created a profile, click on the drop-down menu beside your profile picture in the upper right.
Click on “Edit Profile” to update your education, contact information and willingness to help settings. This allows other users the ability to see whether you seek or are offering assistance to other users on the platform.
Clicking “Directory” on the left-hand menu allows users to search for someone specific. If you don’t see someone on the directory and think they would like to take part in this networking platform, feel free to invite them to the site.
Our email is always open to questions you may have: alumni@ung.edu. Feel free to explore UNGUnite to become familiar with the user interface. We cannot thank you enough for your participation in helping our offices launch UNGUnite!
Send Us Your Notes!
Help UNG and your classmates keep up with what is happening in your life—both personally and professionally—by sending Class Notes items to one of the addresses listed below. Military Alumni, feel free to send any and all PCS information to share with your classmates. Class Notes will be published in the Alumni Bulletin, a benefit of UNGAA membership. Please include your current address to help us keep our alumni database up-to-date. If you send a photo, please make sure it is a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.
Class Notes is the first section we work on, so keep these deadlines in mind; for the Spring (February) issue, submit by January 15; for summer (May), submit by April 15; for fall (August), submit by July 15; for winter (November), submit by October 15.
Email: alumni@ung.edu
Mail: University of North Georgia
Office of Alumni Relations & Annual Giving
P.O. Box 1599
Dahlonega, GA 30533
Take advantage of your Alumni Benefits! The UNG Alumni Association sponsors an Alumni Benefits Program as a service to alumni. The program offers a variety of attractively-priced insurance products including life, long term care, long term disability, travel, pet, auto, home, and identity protection. Join thousands of others who have secured the financial protection they need.
Contact an Advisor to learn more.
Discounts available to UNG Alumni through Liberty Mutual Insurance on behalf of Meyer & Associates on policies such as life, home and auto. For more information, click here.
(Sponsoring Association Pin: 047839)