We Know Georgia

We Know Georgia: Growing UGA program motivates, prepares students for cybersecurity workforce

When Monroe native Hannah Brown came to the University of Georgia, she was interested in technology and was drawn to cybersecurity, but was unsure of how her interests in people would align with the strong emphasis on technical knowledge.

We Know Georgia: UGA Institute of Government experts engage community to envision future for Ocoee Whitewater Center 

When fire destroyed the iconic Ocoee Whitewater Center in April 2022, it also took a piece of the community’s soul. Built for the 1996 Summer Olympics, the site was a popular hub for recreation and special events for residents and visitors to the mountains shared by Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina.

‘Life-changing’ UGA program provides rural leaders with support, guidance

PROPEL communities share successes and gain insights from USDA Undersecretary for Rural Development

Altogether Original: Carrollton RSVP envisions downtown’s bright future

When the city of Carrollton needed a master plan to guide the future of its downtown, local leaders turned to the University of Georgia for help.

UGA supports $2M increase in downtown’s value

Twenty years ago, Homerville lost an entire row of historic buildings to the widening of U.S. 441. In the ensuing years, businesses closed, buildings were abandoned, and heartbroken residents wondered what the future would hold for their small but close-knit community in southeastern Georgia.

UGA partnership with Department of Defense gets $5 million boost

The University of Georgia has received $5 million in federal funding for its work with the state’s defense installations and nearby communities. The funding will benefit the Defense Community Resilience Program (DCRP).

UGA PROPEL Rural Scholars program provides experiential learning for UGA students

UGA undergraduate students have the opportunity to engage in work through PROPEL through the two-semester PROPEL Rural Scholars program, an experiential learning opportunity that equips future leaders with knowledge and experience that will empower them to take roles in economic development, community development and civic leadership.

Rural communities mark progress through PROPEL

The University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government celebrated the successes of communities participating in its PROPEL (Planning Rural Opportunities for Prosperity and Economic Leadership) program at a recent workshop in Athens.

Members from Appling and Pulaski counties and the Lower Chattahoochee Council of Governments (Clay, Quitman, Randolph, and Stewart counties) gathered at the UGA Special Collections Libraries to share updates.

UGA student leaves lasting impact on communities

When Garrison Taylor graduated with a master’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Georgia, she left with an amazing portfolio and the knowledge that her vision has made a positive economic impact on communities across Georgia. As a graduate assistant with the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, Taylor helped create designs for projects that have received more than $3 million in grants to improve small towns and rural communities. In April, she was named the inaugural UGA Graduate Student Employee of the Year, an award determined by a 10-member committee of faculty, staff and students from across campus.

UGA PROPEL program expands to three new rural Georgia counties

The University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government has expanded its award-winning rural development program to three additional Georgia counties. Crisp, Emanuel, and Marion counties are the newest PROPEL communities.