Alumni News

June 2023: Dr. Jennifer Graham ('05), Associate Dean of Students for Student Inclusion and Belonging at GCSU, was selected as the Honor's College's 2023 Alum of the Year. Dr. Dorianna Dobson ('18), who is completing a pediatrics residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Mr. Kevin Morris ('17), Program Associate in the Democracy Program at the Carter Center, were selected as the Honors College's Young Alums of the Year. The Honors Advisory Board chose them from a pool of highly competitive nominees.

May 2023: Hannah Plumb ('19) just graduated from Brandies University with an MA in International and Sustainable Development - Gender Focus. Dorianna Dobson ('18) graduated from the Mercer School of Medicine in Savannah and is pursuing a residency at Vanderbilt University. Kevin Morris (’17) joined the Europe Center at the Atlantic Council as part of the Young Global Professional spring 2023 cohort to facilitate high level policy conversations among senior US and EU officials, including national and European level leaders, to drive progress on key issues and foster stronger transatlantic relations.

February 2023: Courtney Henry ('20), who is pursuing a Masters of Divinity (M. Div) and a Masters of Arts in Practical Theology (MAPT) with concentrations in Worship, Preaching, and the Arts, was recently received by the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta as a candidate for ordination.

January 2023: Mattie Berry (’22) began work as a graduate research assistant at The Ohio State University where they are working on research with plasma catalysis in the Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics Laboratory while pursuing a PhD in Aerospace Engineering.

November 2022: Alaina Totten (’15) began work as a data analytics specialist for Delta Airlines’ Worldport Leadership Team in Atlanta. 

October 2022: Cam Watts (’20) began work as a Programs & Research Associate at Mindful Philanthropy in Pennsylvania.

August 2022: Kendyl Lewis (‘21) started in her position as a research analyst at Partnership Gwinnett.

June 2022: Dr. Lynne Wilcox ('75), retired Director of the CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health, and Dr. Cullen Wallace ('15), Assistant Professor of Economics at Georgia College, were selected as the Honors College's 2022 Alum of the Year and Young Alum of the Year, respectively. The Honors Advisory Board chose them from a pool of highly competitive nominees.

May 2022: Sami Strickland ('18) began working for Georgia Southern's Honors College as the Honors Student Engagement Coordinator.

February 2022: Becca Fallon ('21) began as a Digital Marketing Trainee with the Atlanta Braves.

January 2022: Hannah Hair ('21) officially became a Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP). Emma Parry ('21) started her role as Investor Engagement Coordinator at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

Sam Rauschenberg (’07) has launched Southbound, a series of reflections on underappreciated and often painful episodes in Southern history. Sam wrestles with the legacy of these events, frequently using his own family as a springboard, to deliver thoughtful considerations of the intersection of past and present. To read his articles, click here.

October 2021: Ruby Zimmerman ('20) transitioned from her role as Staff Assistant to Legislative Correspondent for Congressman David Scott; Alexandra Hofstetter ('20) began her position as a law clerk as Gomez Law Group.

September 2021: Maegan Stephens ('20) started working as a Substitute Teacher for Gwinnett County Public Schools. Kendyl Lewis ('21) began her position as Lead for America Fellow for Atlanta Regional Commission.

August 2021: Cassie Gray ('21) started a new position as a Behavior Therapist Intern at Vanderbilt Behavior Analysis Clinic; Becca Fallon ('21) started a new position as Digital Copywriter for Astral Brands; El Johnson ('19) transitioned from her position as Paralegal Clerk to Production Specialist at Lawyer's Aod Service; Lydia Atkinson ('21) started at the University of Georgia School of Law where she is studying to earn her Doctor of Law (J.D.).

July 2021: Katelyn Neeley ('21) began a new position as Graduate Assistant for Student Leadership at Appalachian State University; Carrie Cooper ('18) completed the first year of a 3-year architectural interior design program at the University of Texas, Austin; Cameron Watts ('20) transitioned from his position as Recruitment and Selection Manager to Sr. Selection Manager at Lead For America; Ava Leone ('21) began her position as Mission Advancement Coordinator at AmeriCorps Vista; LeAnn Whitley ('20) started a position as Performance Audit Intern for the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts. Claire Korzekwa ('20) started her position as Product Manager for Delasoft Inc.

June 2021: Dr. Ashlyn Burch, a postdoctoral researcher working on the QSCOUT project at Sandia National Laboratories, and Dr. Roger Best, the president of the University of Central Missouri, have been selected as the Honors Young Alum of the Year and the Honors Alum of the Year, respectively. The Honors Advisory Board chose them from a pool of highly competitive nominees; Rachael Cundey ('21), the recipient of the 2021 John E. Sallstrom Award, was accepted to medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

May 2021: Julian Lopez-Hanson ('20) began his position as a Strategist for BCG BrightHouse.

April 2021: Georgia College awarded Sam Rauschenberg ('21) the Max Crook Volunteer Service Award, which recognized noteworthy volunteer service to the institution.

November 2020: Maria Acosta ('11) began her position as Senior Attorney at Kids in Need of Defense.

October 2020: Gabby Banzon ('14) launched a collaborative technology resource website for music therapy. Her team created PDF guides and video tutorials, and offer lessons on different clinical approaches using technology; Bobby Jones ('09) was recently awarded 2 USDA grants - a Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program grant to create an urban farmer incubator program for people who have experienced homelessness, and a Farmers Market Promotion Program grant to expand a mobile farmers market that his organization runs; Hannah Jane ('19) now manages a free COVID testing site that helps getting testing to communities in Atlanta.

August 2020: Noah MacDonald ('20) started a PhD program in Economics at Emory University; Shelby Bennett ('20) moved to Pittsburgh, PA to start law school at the University of Pittsburgh.

July 2020: Elizabeth Pirrello ('20) moved to Flagstaff, AZ as part of the FOCUS missionary organization at Northern Arizona University.

June 2020: Becca Dinoff ('11) transitioned to a full-time freelance artist and launched her first kickstarter with $185k in funding!

May 2020: Amy Lynn McDonald ('20) accepted a full-time position with the National Day of Prayer after interning with them last summer.

March 2020: Kimberly (Marsh) Wisnewski ('10) signed with a literary agent and is hoping to publish her first novel soon. She is also teaching 9th Grade Literature at a STEM Magnet School.

February 2020: Meredith (Carpenter) Mayberry ('11) got married and now lives on a farm in Artesia, NM with her husband, Jeff.

January 2020: Gabby Banzon ('14) was accepted with some colleagues to present at the World Music Therapy Congress in South Africa this July. She also launched Tech Nook, a collaborative technology resource for music therapy; Jennifer Davis ('17) will be starting in the MBA program at Georgia College in August; Ashlyn Burch ('15) will graduate this year from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a PhD in physics and continue on working at the Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico as a post-doc; Amielle Burch ('17) will be graduating with a Masters in Physician Assistant studies this August and will take the national certification exam shortly after; Ashlee Dixon ('20) will enter Mercer University School of Medicine in fall 2021; McKenzie Julian ('19) started her role as Wedding and Event Coordinator at Four Oaks Manor.

December 2019: Lauren Sasine ('15) completed her RN certification from Kennesaw State University; Happy to see the number of successful alumni celebrating the holidays with their growing families!

October 2019: A successful alumni social event at Skyline Park with about 30 alumni and their families in attendance!; Gabby Banzon ('14) was a guest lecturer at Montclair State University

September 2019: Mikaela LaFave ('18) presented at the Shakespeare on Screen Congress in Montpellier, France; Gabby Banzon ('14) published a book for music therapy students on songwriting called “Space: A Journal for (Future) Music Therapists to Explore and Express Through Songwriting”; Anne Olivia ('14) received her PhD in Plant and Microbial Biosciences from Washington University and now works at a startup company working on beneficial plant microbes.

December 2018: Kevin Morris ('17) received the extremely competitive Marshall Scholarship and is planning to pursue a master's degree at the School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies at the University College London.

September 2018: Haley Fusia ('18) moves to the UK to pursue a masters degree in film making program at Kingston University.

August 2018: Judge Peggy Walker ('74) received the "Amicus Curiae" award for her exceptional service and leadership to Georgia's judiciary; Stephany Kuzminksi ('17) completed her Master of Science in occupational therapy; Amielle Burch ('17) starts her first year of PA school; Melissa Williams ('15) started her new job as a physical therapist at Augusta University; Emilee Hart ('15) and Melissa Williams ('15) both passed their board exams and are officially licensed DPTs; Lisa (Baer) Noelle ('11) completed all requirements for her PhD in Clinical Psychology with a sub-specialization in Disaster Mental Health and is an officer in the USAF; Mikaela LaFave ('18) started a PhD program in English with a focus on Early Modern drama at UGA.

April 2018: Maria Bermudez ('17) is one of 10 students admitted to Penn State's fully funded doctorate program for philosophy, and Katelyn Benson ('15) has been admitted to Georgia Tech’s Ivan Allen College's masters of public policy program.

November 2017: Symphony Orchestra Augusta performed a commissioned piece entitled, "Symphony for the Garden City" by John Hennecken ('10).

October 2017: Inaugural meeting of the Honors Advisory Board whose members include Peggy Walker ('74), Lynne Wilcox ('75), Devlin Cooper ('02), Sam Rauschenberger ('07), and former honors director Doris Moody.

September 2017: Fulbright Scholar Kevin Morris ('17) begins teaching English in Macedonia; see May 2012 re Lisa Baer; Peace Corps volunteer Will Anda ('17) begins his two-year service stint in Cambodia.

May 2017: Aniska Rimal ('14) is working at the Malaysian Embassy in Nepal; Lisa (Baer) Noelle ('11) is completing her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of South Dakota. Post-graduation, Lisa will be a captain in the USAF; Katie Fox ('11) is working as a special needs coordinator at a children's home in Uganda; Laura Pappas ('18) is off to Tulane to pursue a master's in public health and tropical medicine; John Hennecken ('10) has accepted a full-time tenure track assistant professor position at St. Norbert College in Green Bay, Wisconsin teaching music theory and composition.

March 2017: Anna Fontaine ('13) has been accepted into the MFA--Acting Program at the University of Essex in the U.K.

January 2017: Anna Fontaine ('13) is a semi-finalist for the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship. Anna graduated from Georgia College with a BA in Theatre. She has applied for the United Kingdom Partnership grant to the University of Essex. If selected, she will complete the MFA in Acting (International) at the University of Essex. Anna is currently performing in the Shakespeare Tavern's production of Marlow's Doctor Faustus. Two current students, Samantha Clapp and Kevin Morris are also semi-finalists.

January 2017: Congratulations to Sara Etelalahti ('16) who is now working as a tax associate with Habif, Arogeti & Wynne in Atlanta, GA.

October 2016: Congratulations to Gabby Banzon ('14) on the release of her new EP, "Life."

August 2016: Congratulations to Judge Peggy Harris Walker ('74) on her Big Voices for Children Award; Dr. Ray J. Cornay ('11) has set up his first dentistry practice in Mountain Park/Lilburn, and is accepting new patients!; Julia Fox ('15) starting as an Associate Brand Planner at Moxie, an advertising firm in Atlanta; Nathan Anisko ('15) studying to become a D.O. at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Atlanta.

April 2016: Lauren Sasine ('15) has just landed a job as a Certified Allergy Technician at United Allergy Services in Roswell, GA.

April 2015: Nicole Slicak ('11) has been accepted into GSU's Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling Graduate Program.

March 2015: We now have 119 members in our Facebook group and 44 in our LinkedIn group.

January 2014: Caroline Daigle ('12) is working as a volunteer programs coordinator at the Latin American Association in Atlanta.

August 2013: We now have 102 members in our Facebook group and 33 in our LinkedIn group. From small acorns...

August 2013: Justin Reeves ('09), another former president of Eta Sigma Alpha, is Deputy Section Chief for the Commander's Action Group (CAG) in the 402nd Maintenance Wing's Human Resources Flight, U.S. Department of Defense.

July 2013: Olivia Ollinger ('12), former president of Eta Sigma Alpha, has been accepted to Emory's MPH Program in Applied Epidemiology.

July 2013: Peggy Harris Walker ('74) was sworn in as president-elect of National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.

June 2013: Caroline Rentz ('10) is graduating from UGA with an MA in political science and moving to Columbus to become an international technical trainer with Total System Services (TSYS); Christin Sams ('12) has recently moved to Fort Lauderdale, FL to pursue a Masters in Medical Science/Physicians Assistant Studies; Lisa Baer ('11) will be starting a PhD in clinical psychology at the University of South Dakota this fall; Lori Berry ('13) is putting her environmental science degree to work as a research and technology technician for Macon-based KaMin LLC, and loving it!; Kirsten Rice ('12) is working as a campaign manager for the Roswell-based marketing firm, One Element. She will soon be relocating to Nashville to help set up a new office there; Meredith Carpenter ('11) is graduating this month with a masters degree in Intercultural Studies/International Development from Fuller Theological Seminary in California, and is going to work as a missionary with the Apache Youth Ministries on the White Mountain Apache Reservation in Arizona. This will be hard, but rewarding work. We wish Meredith well.

May 2013: Brandon Williams ('11) recently accepted a position as an analyst with Mather Economics in Roswell, GA. Crunch those numbers, Brandon!

January 2013: Stacy Troutt ('10) graduated from North Georgia College with a masters degree in community counseling, and is now working at an in-patient psychiatric crisis stabilization hospital. Stacy says that she's excited to be using her psychology and counseling degrees.

January 2013: Lauren Paveo ('12), a political science major, parlayed an internship in the Governor's Office into a full-time position as Assistant Scheduler.

May 2012: Lisa Baer ('11) has won a Fulbright Scholarship to teach English in Mongolia, 2012-13.

May 2012: Former Honors Program director, Dr. Doris Moody, won the Hemphill-Sallstrom Faculty Honors Award for her 38 years of service to Georgia College.

January 2012: Brendan Kelly ('11) is studying human-computer interaction and, specifically, natural language selection at the University of Colorado; Stacey Scott is working as a compensation analyst and recently celebrated her first wedding anniversary; John Hubert ('10) is in his second year of law school at UGA, is engaged, and plans to join the Air Force as a JAG; Patty Maguire ('10) is working on Long Island in a retirement plan firm, and is going to lots of art museums, plays, and parks; Lauren Lundin ('09) is in her third year of teaching at an international elementary school in Wroclow, Poland; Matt Smith has just opened a bar in Daegu, South Korea; we also heard, indirectly, that Cody Coleman is somewhere in South Korea; Caroline Rentz ('10) is finishing her MA in political science at UGA; Carter Gillespie ('09) and Gary Smith ('10) got married in November; Meredith Carpenter ('11) is working on an MA in intercultural studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA after spending a month in India last fall; Lisa Baer ('11) is teaching English in China and hoping to do the same in Mongolia next year; Peggy Harris Walker ('74) is a judge and is continuing her volunteer work on behavioral health services for children with the Carter Center; and, phew!, Chelsea Thomas ('11) is working for the Dawson Community News, after a summer internship with the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in Beckett, MA, and is engaged. As Chelsea put it, "Whoot-whoot"!