Luncheon shines light on scholarship recipients

Six nontraditional female students at the University of North Georgia (UNG) each earned a $2,000 scholarship from the Women of UNG and other supporters, including alumni and supportive women from the community. UNG honored the recipients Dec. 4 at the Women's Holiday Scholarship Luncheon. The Women of UNG is a shared interest group of the UNG Alumni Association.

"Never Forget the Impact You Make" was the theme for the event, and while this was the 16th year scholarships were provided, the luncheon celebrated 22 years of its existence. It initially started to show appreciation to the women of the Gainesville community who had donated or been strong advocates for female students at what was then Gainesville State College.

This year's scholarship recipients included Cristin Gibson, Bianca Hurt, Dykejiah Jones, Madison Lussier, Shannon Rapier, and Melody Rodriguez.

Jennifer Herring, UNG associate director of Student Impact Initiatives and leader of UNG's First-Generation student initiatives, served as keynote speaker and spoke about her own journey as a First-Generation college student. She started and left nursing school in the 1990s before returning to school and earning a bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies earlier in 2025 from UNG.

One of the constants for Herring was her grandmother, who helped raise Herring and her sister after their parents were divorced when Herring was 8. Her grandmother worked at the Georgia Poultry Laboratory, made the girls' clothes and encouraged them every step of the way.

"She was my biggest fan and my greatest example of grit and grace," Herring said. "She probably never realized the difference she made. Her belief in my potential planted seeds that grew decades later."

Jones, a junior from Macon, Georgia, pursuing a degree in East Asian studies with a concentration in Chinese, is a member of UNG's Chinese Language Flagship. She will study abroad in Taiwan in spring 2026. That opportunity to learn overseas is a goal first hatched a decade ago for Jones, who previously attended multiple other universities and had to take two classes at a time until she became a full-time student at UNG in spring 2024.

"Studying in Taiwan is something I've been working on for about 10 years," Jones said. "I feel so happy. I started this at 20, and I finally get to see it at 30. The time doesn't even bother me."

Being honored at the luncheon was another surreal moment for Jones.

"Getting here and being in this room is phenomenal for me," Jones said. "I'm so happy to be here."

Gibson, a junior from Gainesville, Georgia, is pursuing a degree in strategic and security studies with an intelligence concentration and a minor in Russian. She applied for the scholarship because at age 26 her financial aid and Hope Scholarship options were no longer available. Being awarded the scholarship "was like a weight lifted off my chest."

Being in the presence of so many other strong women at the luncheon further cemented Gibson's determination.

"We all have something to overcome, but we all have something to give. I don't feel like I have to hide," Gibson said. "A lot of people say you can overcome hardships. But UNG makes that a reality. They don't just say that. It's not some empty compliment. It is a promise that you can see through action, and that means something to me."

The Women's Educational Scholarship Fund is accepting monetary gifts for the upcoming academic year, and donations can be made online or by emailing the scholarship luncheon coordinator, Kimberly Miller, at kimberly.miller@ung.edu.