In the last three months, I have attended four funerals. Two of the four were personal friends, individuals with whom I have worked at North Georgia since 2011; the other two were alumni I never had the pleasure of personally knowing. 

Anna Seabolt worked for the University as a housekeeper in Memorial Hall. Famously known for baking pies for the basketball team(s) during Thanksgiving break when they couldn’t go home, there wasn’t a baby born to any coach, student athlete, or staff member housed in Memorial Hall that Anna didn’t hold as her own when she could. Terrence Holman was UNG’s beloved quartermaster, his office in the Campus Connection Bookstore. If you happened by the bookstore and ran into Terrence, who was also a talented musician, you left with an extra spring your step. Time and time again he made you feel like you were the most important person in the room. The youngest of the four, 25 year old Dekalb County Police Officer Edgar Flores graduated magna cum laude from UNG in 2016. An avid outdoorsman, Flores was passionate about fishing and his family, and apparently took special pleasure in being a role model for his little brother. From humble beginnings, Flores excelled at North Georgia as a criminal justice major and then represented UNG well as a student at the Dekalb police academy. And last but certainly not least, COL (Ret.) Billy Shaw, ’84, by all accounts, was one of a kind. He was the epitome of an Army officer and a warrior, serving his country in ways that may never be known by most, bringing an almost piercing level of passion and energy to everyone and everything he encountered.

As I sat through COL Shaw’s funeral last week, one of several hundred in attendance, it hit me that despite their incredible diversity, every one of these individuals walked in love, with self-sacrifice running through their veins. They didn’t hold back. It also hit me that life is short - the oldest of the four was only 56 years old.

In all honesty, no one wants to go to anyone’s funeral, but I am awestruck by the privilege of not only attending their services and celebrating their lives, but in also knowing without a doubt that there are so many more Annas, Terrances, Edgars and Billys among us. North Georgia people are good people. Period.

Friends, don’t wait until it’s too late to let your North Georgia tribe, your people and my people, know how much you love them. In a time when we are constantly surrounded by what feels to be negative energy, as members of the same North Georgia family, let’s reach out to one another in the same spirit that these former friends and alumni would have reached out to us.

Come home to North Georgia for Alumni Weekend (April 26-28). In addition to a golf tournament, an awards ceremony, and a military parade, there will be a special opportunity for all alumni to gather at Pine Valley on Saturday afternoon for Revel on the River. We will have food trucks, games, caricature artists and bouncy houses so that your entire family can come and enjoy food, fellowship, and great live music. Band X, a great cover band from Atlanta, will play from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m., but we will have other music and a DJ up until 6 p.m. Pine Valley will open at 3 p.m. and with limited parking, we will begin shuttling to and from campus at that time. Students are also invited to join us. Thanks to the extreme generosity of the UNGAA, there is no fee to get in.

So mark your calendars now, reach out to your friends and family, dust off your lawn chairs, and wash up those blankets. Let’s have a spread as we remember those who have gone before us and celebrate those who are still among us!

Wendi Huguley, '90
Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Giving
The UNGAA Board of Directors has implemented a new board nomination process that includes self-nominations and online submissions. The UNGAA Board of Directors is calling for nominations for the UNGAA Board with service commencing in July 2019. To self-nominate or to nominate someone else, please go to UNGAA Board Nominations. Nominations will be ACCEPTED through the end of business on March 15, 2019. Please ignore the deadline dates on the form for this year's nomination process.
Annual UNGAA Board Meeting Saturday, April 27
All active members of the UNGAA are invited to attend the annual board meeting the Saturday of Alumni Weekend, April 27. The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will be held at the Convocation Center on the Dahlonega Campus.
Upcoming Alumni Events
LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!
Memorials of World War II with UNG Alumni
Memorials of World War II with University of North Georgia

London & Paris WWII Themed City Tours, Churchill War Rooms, Eurostar Train, Pegasus Bridge, Caen, Arromanche-les-Baines, Juno Beach, Sword Beach, Bayeux Cemetery & Memorial, Caen Memorial Peace Museum, Normandy American Cemetery, Omaha Beach,...

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gateway.gocollette.com
Smith House in Dahlonega Expanding
The Smith House is expanding its current structure to add on 23 more hotel rooms. The accommodation space is much needed for Dahlonega visitors. The rooms will be done in the Fall of 2019!
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA SINGERS AND LE BELLE VOCI
2019 SPRING TOUR ITINERARY
Dr. John M. Broman, Director 

Friday, March 8:  St. Teresa Catholic Church (7:00 p.m. concert)
417 Edgewood Lane
Albany, GA 31707

Saturday, March 9:  Trinity Episcopal Church (7:00 p.m. concert)
215 St. George Street
St. Augustine, FL 32084

Sunday, March 10:  St. John Vianney Catholic Church (3:00 p.m. concert)
6200 S. Orange Blossom Trail
Orlando, FL 32809

Monday. March 11:  Eckerd College (7:30 p.m. concert, Wireman Chapel)
4200 54 th  Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33711

Tuesday, March 12:  St. Timothy Catholic Church (4:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. concerts)
1351 Paige Place
Lady Lake, FL 32159

Friday, March 15:  St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (8:00 p.m. concert)
830 Poplar Street
Macon, GA 31201
Have you joined the UNGAA?
The University of North Georgia Alumni Association, Inc. (UNGAA) is a membership based association. Membership is offered to all alumni who have who have been enrolled in a degree-granting program at the University of North Georgia for two semesters (quarters) or more.

Annual Membership: $25 individual / $35 joint
Lifetime Membership: $400 individual / $550 joint

Benefits of Membership:
  • Quarterly printed issue of the UNG Alumni Bulletin
  • 50% discount for UNG Recreation Center membership in Dahlonega
  • 20% off Gainesville Theatre Alliance tickets (Call our office for promo code if ordering online or in person: 706-864-1547)
  • 10% discount at the UNG Campus Connection Bookstore in Dahlonega
  • Invitations to member-only events including the Alumni Reception at Gold Rush
  • UNG Libraries Privileges (all campuses): Borrow up to 3 books for 28 days and guest access to computers in libraries
Your Membership:
  • Supports events sponsored by the Alumni Association
  • Supports Shared Interest Groups
  • Supports Student Scholarships
  • Supports the Alumni Awards Banquet honoring alumni, faculty and students
  • Supports the advocacy and partnership with UNG on behalf of UNG alumni
  • Supports ower registration prices for class reunions
  • Supports access to our alumni database through UNGConnect
New Auto-Renewal Feature:
Starting this year, the UNGAA is offering the option to renew your membership automatically each year. Make sure to check the AUTO-RENEW checkbox when activating your membership online!
UNG Athletics