Oconeefest raises $15K for scholarships

The University of North Georgia's (UNG) 10th annual Oconeefest, held this fall at the Oconee Campus, raised $15,035 for scholarships supporting students from Oconee and surrounding counties. Scholarships supported by Oconeefest are:

• Oconee County Resident Scholarship: $1,000 renewable annual scholarship awarded to Oconee County residents who are incoming freshmen on the Oconee Campus. UNG awarded four this year.
• Oconee Annual Scholarship: $1,000 renewable scholarship awarded to students from Oconee, Walton, Oglethorpe, Barrow, Clarke, Greene, Oconee, Morgan, and Madison counties who enroll on any UNG campus. UNG awarded two this year.

This year's theme was "Lights, Camera, Auction," with a Hollywood Walk of Fame feel. A silent auction was part of the Oconeefest festivities. Peach State Federal Credit Union served as the presenting sponsor, with Oconee State Bank, Haynes Enterprises Inc., Athens Piedmont Regional Hospital, BankSouth, Allied Paving, Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, and Jarvis Estate Winery also serving as sponsors for Oconeefest.

"I love coming here and watching our students engage with their education," Russell Willis, executive director of UNG's Oconee Campus, said. "I'm so honored to have this occasion to help our students pay for their college."

Develon Davis, regional business executive for Peach State Federal Credit Union, expressed gratitude to the attendees for their generosity.

"The kids are our future," Davis said. "We are here to support these students."

About 82% of UNG students seek financial assistance each year, and since 2017, the UNG Foundation has awarded more than $17.5 million to students in the form of scholarships. Last year, the Foundation awarded just over $3.6 million.

"It was such a joy to see our students, faculty, staff, and community members come together and enjoy this event. This was an amazing way to celebrate the 10th year of Oconeefest," Savannah Plumly-Novak, administrative assistant and special events coordinator at the Oconee Campus, said. "And we hope to continue to have events that highlight how amazing our campus is."