Uriyah Davis
University of North Georgia (UNG) alumna Uriyah Davis can barely believe her success.
In late 2019, Davis made history with two fellow students, earned a highly competitive national scholarship and gained entry into a research and scholarly based program at UNG.
Davis' historic event happened when she, Imani Arnold and Angel Rosemond established the first black sorority presence at UNG. The trio were introduced as new members of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. during a ceremony on UNG's Gainesville Campus.
"It still hasn't fully clicked in my mind that this happened," Davis said at the time. "I called my dad in tears and told him, 'This is real. This is really going to happen.'"
The second success occurred nearly a week later. Davis was one of 11 UNG students to receive an Early Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. The graduate pursued a kinesiology degree and planned to study in Spain for several weeks in summer 2020, but the opportunity was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The third and final accomplishment came near the end of the fall 2019 semester. The 20-year-old from Bainbridge, Georgia, was accepted into the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program. She joined the program in fall 2020. The McNair program is designed to prepare first-generation sophomores, juniors and seniors from all UNG campuses for post-graduate studies.
Clay Rowell
Dr. Clay Rowell is humbled by clients when they allow him to help them navigate through some of life's most difficult situations. As a counselor educator, he also loves preparing people to make huge impacts on society starting with one person at a time.
Ben Jarrard
Ben Jarrard always dreamed of following his father and grandfather into the military. A medical condition changed his career path, and Jarrard is grateful to be able to represent his alma mater as a liaison at the state Capitol.
Sheri Hardee
Dr. Sheri Hardee knows the challenges first-generation college students and low-income students face. The dean of UNG's College of Education aims to help others in the same way she received aid.
Daniel Shearer
Daniel Shearer's "gap year" after high school graduation turned into three, but backpacking across the world solidified his goal to serve his country and steered the UNG alumnus to his major in East Asian studies.