Issue 35 • November 21, 2025 • Athens, GA
Director's Letter
Last night, my family and I stuffed ourselves at an early Thanksgiving dinner (because why wait for the actual day when you can loosen your belt a full week early?). My pastor hit us with a challenge that was so good, naturally, I must share this with GC now. Challenge: New Year’s Resolutions—FORGET January 1st. That day is just another day where gyms smell like desperation and new workout wear, and every treadmill is occupied by someone who’s singing ’80s big hair lyrics at the top of their lungs. Start your resolutions RIGHT NOW. Want to work out? The gym is currently empty because everyone else is saving their willpower for post-turkey coma. Want to read more? You’ve got holiday downtime, which creates a path of least resistance. Start that advanced degree for that next life chapter, want to stop Instagram or TikTok scrolling at midnight? Perfect—your phone battery is already crying from family group chats. Starting today turns January 1st from “Oh good grief, here we go again” into “Look at me, I’m basically a finisher already.” You’ll roll into the new year like a smug ninja warrior while everyone else is still trying to figure out how the Peloton works or dealing with new running shoe blisters. Additionally, a huge shoutout as we cheer on the Dawgs this Saturday for their final home game of the regular 2025 season. Thank you all for your unwavering work ethic, the heroic service levels, and the teamwork that somehow keeps us functioning after those seemingly eternal 14-hour days. Happy Thanksgiving, y’all eat the extra slice of pie. Your future December self, who’s already crushing their resolutions, gives you permission.
Practice What You Preach: Learning Never Stops In CE
Drew attended the Online Learning Consortium's Accelerate 2025 conference in Orlando this week, joining nearly 2,000 education professionals from across the country. The conference focused on emerging research and best practices in online and digital learning for higher education, continuing education and corporate training. Sessions covered course design, student engagement strategies, and innovative approaches to flexible learning pathways, all directly applicable to our division's continuing education programs. Drew is bringing back thoughts and ideas on best practices for continuing education to enhance the learner experience across our diverse offerings, from professional development courses to our specialized programming throughout Georgia.
Hema Trivedi, Customer Service Associate
Despite her daily hour-long commute from Elberton to the Georgia Center, Hema offers each guest she encounters a warm and kind smile that sets her apart. As she proudly stands over the Bulldog Bistro hotline, her realm for these past four years, she takes every opportunity to brighten the mood, uplift guests, and share her culture in ways that bring people together. Earlier this year, Hema's excellence in customer service was rightfully recognized at the Georgia Center Employee Awards Luncheon. And, if that wasn't enough, she also recently won another award at the Halloween Hunger Bowl fundraiser for her poha, an Indian breakfast delicacy.
Text and Photos: Mahek Charania, Ezequiel Korin
The GC Welcomes the 2025 Workforce Conference
Associate Vice President Dr. Stacy Jones helped kick off the 2025 Workforce Development Conference, which brings together industry leaders, K–12 educators, community partners, and higher education to explore emerging trends and strengthen professional networks.
A Note of Gratitude
Congratulations to all operations teams for a regular football season well done! We saw 4 back-to-back SEC games, two evening kick-offs, and 7 home games. This is no small feat, and it takes our entire village to execute with excellence. Thank you to all our operations rockstars. Go Dawgs!
Welcome to the Team, Philip Bishop!
We’re thrilled to introduce Philip Bishop as the newest member of our Instructional Design team! A proud Albany, GA native, Philip brings 15 years of expertise in online education and learning technology to WebID. Philip enjoys the great outdoors, cheering on UGA sports, and spending quality time with his family—and his lively crew of pets: Penny the dog, Kiwi the cat, and seven adventurous chickens!
Health Inspection? Check!
On Monday, Nov. 17, we welcomed health inspectors to our facilities. The result? Another perfect score on our latest health inspection! These semiannual inspections cover a broad range of issues, such as ensuring that all products in house are in date, properly stored, labeled and dated, and kept at the correct temperature. They check the dishwasher to ensure that it is washing at the correct temperature and that the chemicals are at the proper levels and ph. Kudos to the team on this back-to-back perfect score.
2025 PSO Week Of Service
Out and about, making an impact through service. This week, staff across PSO had the opportunity to engage in a community service project as part of PSO’s annual week of service. From the ACC animal shelter to Books for Keeps, to the UGArden for an annual tradition of picking collards, the GC really made an impact on our community.
Flawless Catering at the Mason Public Leadership Lecture
A huge shout-out to our F&B team for their outstanding service in catering the recent Mason Public Leadership Lecture. The lecture featured Allison Ausband, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer for Delta Air Lines, who is also the Chair of the University of Georgia Foundation Board of Trustees. While the main event took place at the UGA Chapel, our team was responsible for providing a sophisticated seated meal service for VIPs and guests.
Thank you, F&B, for consistently representing the Georgia Center with excellence!
Wellness Corner
Author: Melissa Hull/ChatGPT
As the Thanksgiving season approaches, take a moment each day to think about one thing you’re grateful for—a person, a small joy, or a simple moment that made an impact. This quick habit can really improve your well-being by encouraging positive feelings, reducing stress, strengthening relationships, and building resilience during this busy time. Whether you write it down, share it with someone, or simply have a quiet moment to acknowledge it, a daily gratitude practice can bring a sense of calm and balance to your season.
After 30 years of dedicated service, Cheryl Beasley is retiring from the Georgia Center
Since joining us in 1995, Cheryl has been a cornerstone of the Human Resources team. She has ensured thousands of payrolls were processed accurately, making certain that countless employees received their proper pay. Her commitment to excellence and attention to detail have truly been the backbone of our operations.
Beyond payroll, Cheryl has guided hundreds of employees through HR challenges and benefit options with patience and care. Her expertise, reliability, and unwavering professionalism have left an indelible mark on our organization.
As Cheryl begins this well-deserved next chapter, we celebrate her incredible contributions and the legacy she leaves behind. She looks forward to relaxing with her family and spending time with her beloved dog, Kevin. Please join us in wishing Cheryl all the best in her retirement!
Dates to remember
- Thursday & Friday 11/27 & 11/28 – Thanksgiving Holidays
- December 11, 8:30 am-10:00 am, Georgia Center End of Year Meeting
Credits:
Images by Adobe Stock, PSO MarCom, GC Marcom, and individual GC contributing employees.