December 10, 2019
by Jere W. Morehead, President
On behalf of the University, I want to congratulate all of our fall graduates and extend season’s greetings to the campus community.
We have much to celebrate this December. Together, the faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of the University of Georgia are helping the institution build on our momentum as a leading public research university.
Here are just a few highlights from the fall semester:
- Receiving the largest research award in our history—a contract with the National Institutes of Health for up to $130 million—to develop a universal flu vaccine;
- Ranking in the top 20 on U.S. News & World Report’s list of top public universities for the fourth consecutive year;
- Launching a number of programs related to the Innovation District, such as Dawg Camp Innovate, Innovation Fellows, Startup Mentor in Residence, and Innovation Bootcamp;
- Setting new records for degree completion and matching our all-time-high first-year retention rate;
- Earning the INSIGHT Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award for the sixth consecutive year;
- Being honored with the William M. Burke Presidential Award for Excellence in Experiential Education;
- Dedicating the Ocean Sciences Instructional Center on Skidaway Island and the final phase of the Business Learning Community in Athens;
- Establishing 850 mentoring relationships between students and alumni through the UGA Mentor Program; and
- Creating 490 Georgia Commitment Scholarships to date.
Thank you for helping the University of Georgia reach new heights of excellence across every facet of our mission. I wish you a joyous holiday season, and I look forward to all that we will accomplish together in the coming year.