Donors support academics and athletics at the highest level

Private funding can help a University of Georgia basketball player sink a three-pointer and a Bulldog gymnast land a perfect score. It can also help students afford college and go on study away trips. And sometimes the funding for all these things comes from the same family.

There is a dedicated group of UGA donors who take the phrase “a powerhouse in academics and athletics” seriously. These donors give to both, aiming to make a transformational impact on students and student-athletes alike. Delores and Mark Jennings are among that group.

“The University of Georgia is about achieving at the highest level: on the field, on the court, in the classroom, in the lab, and out in our communities,” says Mark, a UGA Foundation trustee. “I’m so proud of what this university is doing, and I want to see it — all of it — continue to get better and better.”

The family created multiple need-based scholarships through the Georgia Commitment Scholarship program. They are planned gift donors, and they contributed to the new UGA School of Medicine. They are also dedicated supporters of UGA Athletics, earning distinction as Silver Circle donors through their contributions to gymnastics, men’s and women’s basketball, football, and athletics capital projects.

Thanks in part to the comprehensive support provided by donors like the Jennings family, UGA has ranked in the top 20 of U.S. News & World Report’s public university rankings for nine consecutive years. Additionally, Georgia placed in the top 10 of the NACDA Learfield Directors’ Cup, which names the most successful overall athletic programs in each collegiate sports division, three times in its last six rankings.

“I see it as a way to holistically help our university and our state,” says Delores. “Successful sports programs attract more students. And if UGA academic programs are world class, then UGA graduates are world class. More students entering stronger programs means more leaders leaving campus and improving communities here in Georgia — and wherever else they go, for that matter.”

From baseball and soccer to engineering and fashion design, donors like the Jennings family look to elevate the complete student experience. The family’s commitment and generosity lay the foundation upon which UGA students can excel, whether they are chasing a national title or a degree in medicine.

Looking to elevate your giving to support both academics and athletics at UGA? Donate online at give.uga.edu/commit or email Megan Jenkins and she can direct you to the best staff member to assist you. Go Dawgs!