Generations of Impact - President’s Annual Report 2018

“Ernie” R. Perez (BBA ’89) and his wife, Jamie, pictured here with their children, were among the first to establish an endowed scholarship through the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program.

Scholarships can…

… transform the lives of students—and their families—for generations to come. It was this powerful idea that launched the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program in January 2017, with a focus on removing financial barriers for students from low-income backgrounds.

Through the program, the University of Georgia Foundation matches—dollar for dollar—gifts to establish endowed need-based scholarships to double their impact. In FY18, donors established 145 scholarships, bringing the total to 260. Because these scholarships are endowed, they will provide grants every year, in perpetuity, to academically qualified students with unmet financial need. Countless lives and futures will be changed forever by these scholarships.

During the 2017–18 academic year, there were 92 Georgia Commitment Scholarship recipients on campus, including Mitzi Samano Leano, Savonte Wilson, and Cameron Falk, whose stories are featured here. This cohort of students is the first of many that will be impacted by this incredible program.

Georgia Commitment Scholarship

Mitzi Samano Leano

As a senior in high school, Mitzi Samano Leano had almost everything figured out. With a commitment to service, she knew she wanted a career in dietetics—one in which she could help expectant mothers find evidence-based nutritional advice. She also knew UGA was the best place for her to pursue her professional aspirations. The obstacle to Mitzi fulfilling her dream—and becoming a first-generation college student along the way—was fitting college into her family’s budget.

The Ernesto and Jamie Perez Scholarship removed that roadblock. For Ernie Perez, a 1989 Terry College graduate, attending UGA was a transformational experience that resulted in much more than a degree: He left the University with a never-give-up mentality and a strong desire to help others. These characteristics have shaped his life and career, and through the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program, he has found a way to give Mitzi and future scholars like her the same opportunity he had for a life-changing experience at the University of Georgia.

Savonte Wilson

When Savonte Wilson learned he was accepted to his dream college, the University of Georgia, he wanted to celebrate—but then reality dampened his spirits. Even with a handful of scholarships, he could not find a way to bridge the financial gap to attend UGA without taking out considerable loans, and his family was hesitant about him assuming debt.

Eventually, Savonte learned he would be the first recipient of the Beth and Barry Storey Family Scholarship. Needless to say, this scholarship was a life-changer. Barry Storey, a proud graduate of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has lived a life guided by two important principles: working hard and giving back to the places that matter. It is only fitting that he chose to establish a Georgia Commitment Scholarship at his alma mater to help ensure that hardworking and talented students like Savonte can receive a world-class education at one of the nation’s top public research universities.

Cameron Falk

Cameron Falk always aspired to be a Georgia Bulldog, but finances stood in his way. A world of opportunities opened up to Cameron when he received the Childs Family Scholarship. Now he is determined to seize every opportunity available to him at the University. His academic pursuits in finance, international business, and Spanish have only been part of his UGA experience. Since arriving on campus in August 2017, Cameron has networked with alumni, completed internship opportunities, and studied abroad in Argentina. The Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program has helped Cameron meet like-minded students and grow quickly accustomed to college life. This fall, he is a resident assistant at Russell Hall.

As the inaugural recipient of the Childs Family Scholarship, which was established by Jim Childs (BBA ’90) and Natalie Childs (BBA ’90), Cameron had the memorable opportunity to meet one of his donors. Jim Childs is a UGA Foundation Trustee and a longtime supporter of the University of Georgia. He and Natalie established this scholarship to pave the way for students who aspire to be the business leaders of the future.