UNG to recognize past and future female leaders

Twenty female University of North Georgia (UNG) students from all five campuses will have a moment in the spotlight when the Women of UNG recognizes them at the second annual Women's Leadership Luncheon next month.

The female UNG students to be recognized are Addyson Albershardt, Chandler Alligood, Kaitlyn Bowling, Callie Brock, Jemmy Case, Renee Clement, Abby Hood, Molly Martin, Kendall Maze, Julie McKie, Nataly Morales Villa, Sarah-Anne Payne, Lily Rainwater, Martie Rogers, Sarah Rogers, Jenna Sanborn, Kristen Shadrix, Kathryn Shafer, Sydney Sprague, Michelle Vatral, Ella Wasiluk, Ansley Watson, Rachael Williams, and Andrea Zarate.

Members of the shared interest group under the UNG Alumni Association also want to show female UNG students where their leadership skills can take them beyond UNG. To that end, Women of UNG will honor five alumnae during the luncheon from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, March 4, at UNG Dahlonega Campus' dining hall banquet room.

"We are going to recognize them and tell a little about their stories," said Dr. Karen Frost, chairwoman of Women of UNG and a 1974 UNG alumna. "We will put their names on a plaque in the alumni office. We hope to add to that from year to year, so others who come into that office will see those names."

The inaugural alumnae honorees will be:

• Sue Haynes Malone ('74) — the first woman to receive an athletic scholarship in Georgia; she played basketball at UNG and was inducted into the UNG Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.
• Betty Chapman ('58) — one of the few female microbiologists in her field during her tenure at SmithKline and Quest lab; she received advanced training in malaria and parasitology from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Ann Alexander ('64) — an artist in Gainesville, Georgia, has received numerous local, regional, state, and national art awards, including the Best of Show and second place awards at the National League of American Pen Women, Members Invitational Art Show in Atlanta.
• Emily Dunn ('83) — manager of Tom's Amusement Co., and the first woman to chair the Georgia State Transportation Board.
• Ann Hammel ('89) — senior director of human resources with Carter’s Inc., various human resources positions with Macy’s and a former first lieutenant, platoon leader in the U.S. Army Signal Corps.

"We hope to pique students' interest in different careers that they can go into and see that there are strong women who have left the university and done incredible things," Frost said, adding she was unaware of some of the successes of the alumnae recognized. "I think if I had known about them when I was a student, it would have been inspiring to me."

Wendi Huguley, executive director of the UNG alumni association and a 1990 UNG alumna, said each of the alumnae have accomplished wonderful things in their careers.

Betty Chapman ('58) was one of the few female microbiologists in her field during her tenure at SmithKline and Quest lab. She received advanced training in malaria and parasitology from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"In 1958, you found very few science majors who were women, but Betty Chapman was inspired by a biology professor," Huguley said, noting Chapman retired in February 2017 at age 80. "She is one of the few people remaining who could identify malaria through a microscope without a computer's assistance."

Ann Hammel, who was in the Corps of Cadets at UNG and commissioned as a second lieutenant, has had an extensive career in human resources. She will speak to the UNG students about the luncheon's theme: "The Confident Leader: Be Bold. Be Powerful. Be You."

"She is going to talk to young women about being confident, taking risks and speaking up," Frost said.