Georgia Women Give, a nationwide community of donors to the University of Georgia, hosted its fourth annual spring luncheon on March 19-20 in Athens. 

The two-day event took place at the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries on UGA’s Athens campus and included a private, behind-the-scenes tour of the library’s vault, along with a panel discussion and Q&A session with alumna, donor and renowned fashion designer Anne Barge Clegg (BSED ’69). Clegg’s bridal designs are featured in the exhibit “Fashioning the Classic Bride,” which includes 33 dresses from the College of Family and Consumer Sciences’ Anne Barge Historic Clothing and Textile Collection. The collection was donated in 2024 and will remain preserved at the Russell Special Collections Building after the exhibit closes in July. 

“Not only were members of our group able to see this remarkable exhibit on campus, but we were also able to hear directly from Anne and from the exhibit’s curator, Noel Corbin, and then enjoy a Q&A session moderated by an amazing student, Grace Burnett” said Kim Stamper (BBA ’89), chair of the Georgia Women Give Executive Committee and a University of Georgia Foundation Trustee. “Experiences like this highlight the breadth of programs and opportunities UGA offers to students and the broader community.” 

The event culminated in a luncheon the following day, featuring remarks from UGA President Jere W. Morehead (JD ’80); Howard Young (BBA ’82), chair of the UGA Foundation Board of Trustees; Jill S. Walton (BSA ’99, MPA ’03), vice president for development and alumni relations; and Andy Borst, vice provost for enrollment management. 

Borst shared insights on how scholarships at UGA are structured, how they support students from a wide range of backgrounds and how increased scholarship support will help the university remain a top institution for years to come. 

The university’s “For Georgia. For Generations.” scholarship initiative was featured prominently in discussions about the impact scholarships have on students, the university and the state. 

“At the heart of Georgia Women Give’s involvement with UGA is a belief in students and what’s possible for them,” Walton said. “Scholarships are a powerful way this community invests in that promise and in the university’s continued progress toward a better tomorrow.” 

The inaugural recipient of Georgia Women Give’s endowed academic scholarship, Artemis Misewicz, also attended Friday’s luncheon and shared how the scholarship has shaped her academic journey. 

“Receiving this scholarship made it possible for me to pursue study abroad, hands-on journalism experience and community service,” Misewicz said. “These experiences have brought me one step closer to my goal of becoming a thoughtful, informed reporter with the power to connect communities and help people better understand one another. 

“Being able to meet the donors behind that scholarship and see firsthand the community and connection they share was such an honor,” she added. “It gave me even more confidence as I continue my Bulldog journey.” 

Launched in 2023 and grown through events like the annual luncheon, Georgia Women Give now includes nearly 200 donors who have collectively committed over $4.8 million to the group’s three funds: an academic scholarship endowment, a study away endowment and a campus priorities fund. Membership in the group is open to any donor who pledges $25,000 or more over the course of five years to one or more of these funds. 

Projects supported through the campus priorities fund are selected by the group’s executive committee and range from new programming to student-alumni engagement initiatives. This year, Georgia Women Give directed funds to the Connect Abroad program, the integration of AI across the curriculum through Active Learning at UGA and the UGA Student Affairs Food Pantry.  

“Groups like Georgia Women Give work together to create opportunities for students that may not have existed otherwise,” said President Morehead in his remarks. “I deeply appreciate everything the women in this room are doing to enrich our university, and I look forward to the many ways in which this organization will continue to expand its tremendous impact in the years to come.” 

To learn more about Georgia Women Give, visit give.uga.edu/georgiawomengive.