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Made possible by donor support, the University of North Georgia (Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û) Foundation provided a record-breaking $3.7M in scholarship funds to 1,400 students during the 2023-24 academic year, supporting their futures.

Scholarship recipients and philanthropy were celebrated at the 11th annual Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û Gala on Oct. 4 in the Convocation Center at Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û's Dahlonega Campus.

About 93% of Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û students seek financial assistance each year.

Student-athlete Hughes Threlkeld hails from Savannah, Georgia. He was a 2023-24 PBC Presidential Honor Roll Presidential Scholar and 2024 Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) PING Honorable Mention All-American, among other accolades. He was one of the eight members of Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û's national runner-up men's golf team. He shared that Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û is "family," something he realized during his initial campus visit.

"I felt 'it.' This is where I was supposed to be. From my freshman year until now, I have always felt that I am a part of something bigger than myself or my team. It is the feel or vibe that this campus and town exude," he said. "The one thing that comes to mind that makes Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û stand out from other universities and athletic programs is 'family.' Everybody pushes each other to be better and to try harder. This comes from a place of love from professors, coaches, administration, and fellow students. I also don't know of many other places where every sports team — men's and women's — are as close as they are here."

Threlkeld is pursuing a degree in management.

Tyson Rumley, brigade commander of the Corps of Cadets, spoke on behalf of the 700 members of the Corps.

"Because of people like you, almost 400 cadets received scholarships to attend and enroll here at Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û," Rumley said. "By relieving some of the financial burden of college, you have allowed them to throw their efforts into academics, into their responsibilities in the Corps, and to take advantage of the many extracurricular and co-curricular opportunities available on campus and in Dahlonega."

Through the generosity of donors, 54 cadets were able to travel internationally to participate in exchanges, internships, world-class training experiences, and conferences in 15 countries in Asia, Europe and South America, something Rumley described as "life-changing." Cadets are also able to train and compete at the highest level in small-unit tactics, mountaineering, marksmanship, music, and precision drill.

"Because of you, we are breaking ground on a brand-new military science facility, which will provide unparalleled opportunities for collaboration, education, mentorship, and fellowship," the Monroe, Georgia, native said.

Rumley is pursuing a degree in criminal justice with a concentration in forensics.

Scholarship recipient Molly Evans of LaGrange, Georgia, is pursuing a degree in psychology with a minor in neuroscience. Evans shared her appreciation for the financial support. Since her career aspirations would require a master's degree, Evans quickly realized that her degrees required significant funds.

"My parents really wanted to help me, but if I didn't get scholarships as an undergrad, I would go through what they had saved up for me as an undergrad and have to come up with how to pay for grad school on my own," she said. "When I finally heard back from Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û that I had gotten a scholarship, I was very excited. It's helped out tremendously actually this year."

Evans is a resident assistant, which helps fund her education as she endeavors to become a genetic counselor, inspired by children with diagnoses including Down syndrome, Crohn's disease and neurodiversity.

"I found all that interesting, and I wanted to be able to help people adapt to those life changes, so I chose a psychology major, and then my minor in neuroscience is helping me meet all my prerequisites for genetic counseling school," Evans said.