March 06, 2018
by Jere W. Morehead, President
Since its beginnings as the birthplace of public higher education, UGA has been dedicated to improving the quality of life in every part of our great state—from the Coast, to the Plains, to the Blue Ridge, and all points in between. Today, through our eight Public Service and Outreach units, UGA Extension, and outreach programs in every school and college across campus, the University of Georgia continues to help individuals, businesses, and communities across Georgia thrive. In this post, I would like to highlight recent initiatives to expand support for rural areas of our state.
Health care is one need that UGA faculty and students are helping rural Georgians address. For example, the University worked with citizens of Pulaski County through the Archway Partnership program to expand health care options, a critical need identified by the community. UGA faculty and students facilitated the completion of a Community Health Needs Assessment, which paved the way for opening an urgent care clinic, increasing access to care and reducing costly emergency room visits.
Economic development is another area in which UGA supports rural Georgia. With help from the Small Business Development Center, businesses in rural areas are expanding their reach to international customers through the ExportGA program. ExportGA teaches business owners the fundamentals of exporting and pairs them with a student from the Terry College to assist with market research.
As the state’s land-grant and sea-grant university, with a foothold in all 159 counties, UGA is uniquely positioned to improve lives and communities in all parts of our state. From economic development and health care to emerging needs such as cybersecurity, the University of Georgia is deeply committed to helping rural Georgians address challenges and create new opportunities for growth.