Jacobs: Success has been 'a team effort'

In University of North Georgia (UNG) President Bonita Jacobs' State of the University speech on Aug. 16, she pointed to Olympic competitors in Tokyo helping each other as inspirational reminders of how serving each other is important, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"As we gear up for fall, know that we have persevered and succeeded as Nighthawks Together. Our success on all fronts has been a team effort," Jacobs said. "As we navigate this semester and the coming weeks, we continue to monitor the virus impact and to be in regular communication with state and local public health officials."

For the fiscal year that just ended, UNG awarded 3,200 degrees — an increase of 37% over 2013. Plus, the University System of Georgia's (USG) enrollment projections indicate 6.5% growth for UNG through 2030. Only half of the USG institutions are projected to grow in that time. 

In addition to the graduates UNG has produced, Jacobs highlighted the blended advising model in UNG's Quality Enhancement Plan that has helped these students seek advising earlier and graduate with fewer excess credit hours.

"Our students remain the core of our mission. It is a special responsibility and calling to support our students' journey — both in and out of the classroom — to realize their potential and prepare them for career success or continued education," Jacobs said. "I am deeply grateful to each of you for your compassion, your teamwork, your tenacity, and your dedication to our mission."

John Cheatham, senior information technology audio-visual systems design engineer and Staff Council chair, echoed that enthusiasm.

Our students remain the core of our mission. It is a special responsibility and calling to support our students' journey — both in and out of the classroom — to realize their potential and prepare them for career success or continued education.

Dr. Bonita Jacobs

UNG President

In addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, Jacobs reiterated USG guidance that masks are strongly encouraged indoors for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, and she encouraged those who are a part of UNG to be vaccinated.

"I consulted with health care professionals and chose to be vaccinated because I believe it is a vital measure for our safety and because is the most important step we can take to protect the UNG community," Jacobs said.

Looking beyond the fall, UNG is resuming its strategic planning process with plans to complete the effort in the spring and begin implementation next year. The university is also preparing for its sesquicentennial — its 150th anniversary. The celebration will begin in fall 2022 and continue through summer 2023.

"It will be a wonderful time to reflect on our heritage and our impact on this region, while also setting the stage for decades to come," Jacobs said.

The full text of Jacobs' 2021 State of the University speech can be read online.

Jacobs also noted some of UNG's recent accomplishments:

• Seven students won Fulbright Awards and 11 others were semifinalists. UNG was named a national Top Producer of Fulbrights for the fourth consecutive year.
• Last year, UNG students earned more than $535,000 in awards for nationally competitive scholarships and paid summer research internships.
• The UNG Foundation awarded $3.2 million in scholarships to more than 4,000 students last year, including more than $450,000 in emergency student COVID-19 relief.
• UNG commissioned more than 100 officers for the sixth year in a row, and the corps' Ranger Challenge Team won a third-straight ROTC title in the Sandhurst Military Skills Competition at West Point.
• Athletics heralded a national pole-vaulting championship, a trip to the softball NCAA Division II championships, and a record 155 athletes on the Peach Belt Conference Presidential Honor Roll.
• UNG received a $1.45 million grant for workforce development from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Appalachian Regional Commission.
• The Criminal Justice Department is launching UNG's first Ph.D. program this fall. The first cohort has 15 registered students, 50% more than originally planned.
• Through UNG's designation as a senior military college and in cooperation with the Department of Defense, UNG received approximately $1.5 million in federal funds last year to establish the Institute for Cyber Operations, and it will receive approximately $2.5 million in additional funding over the initial three-year period.