Parents Leadership Council raises over $1.5M for student programs
The University of Georgia Parents Leadership Council raised a record-breaking amount of $1.5M to support student programs during the 2025-26 academic year. This service-oriented group of highly engaged UGA parents gives an annual gift of $5,000 or more per individual family, which is directed to different campus organizations and initiatives that enhance student life. Among the initiatives that benefited from the PLC’s fundraising efforts are the new UGA School of Medicine, the Sunshine Fund, the Let All the Big Dawgs Eat Food Scholarship Initiative, and Freshman Welcome.
The PLC Grants Program started in 2012 with roughly 150 families who awarded nearly $145,000 to 22 organizations. Today, the council has grown to more than 375 families, supporting 142 organizations. Over the last 13 years, the council has awarded nearly $8.5 million to undergraduate student programs, scholarship funds, and various resources across campus.
The council also chose to contribute $100,000 to the President’s Venture Fund, which supports students with funding in amounts typically ranging from $500 to $5,000 for small programs and projects that take place on campus. This year, the PLC’s commitment to improving the college experience for students was clearly reflected in the programs supported.
School of Medicine
While construction on the University of Georgia’s Medical Education and Research Building is well underway, focus turns now to supporting financial aid for future medical students. PLC grants contributed $100,000 to UGA School of Medicine to help fund scholarships for students in its inaugural class, anticipated to begin in fall 2026.
Medical students graduate with an average of more than $200,000 in student debt, a significant hurdle for future physicians in the state of Georgia. The PLC grant funding to SOM is a step toward alleviating this financial burden and remains a top priority for the next academic year.
“Having strong student financial aid to offer will significantly enhance our efforts to bring an exceptional first class to Athens,” said Dr. Shelley Nuss, founding dean for the UGA School of Medicine. “By helping to offset the costs of a medical degree, we can incentivize the best medical students to become Bulldogs.”
Sunshine Fund
In 2020, the Sunshine Fund was created by PLC members, Christie and Scott Krase, to support the mental well-being of UGA students. This year, the fund received $100,000 from the PLC. Students can apply for funding to help assist them in paying for mental health services, and/or mitigate circumstances that may be negatively impacting their well-being.
Several fraternities and sororities have established their own named Sunshine Funds and work closely with UGA’s Office of Student Care and Outreach, which administers the Sunshine Fund and supports students facing complex, challenging or unforeseen circumstances, to do so. Sean Glennon ’25, a member of the Chi Phi fraternity, recognized a need for mental health support within his chapter and turned to the Sunshine Fund for support.
“To me, the Sunshine Fund is material proof of our shift toward wellness and caring for one another,” said Glennon. “The reputation and momentum built is firsthand proof of that. Anytime I think of the Sunshine Fund, I’m reminded that we have a community that truly values supporting each other and is willing to give to make that happen.”
Let All the Big Dawgs Eat Food Scholarship Initiative
Let All the Big Dawgs Eat Food Scholarship Initiative is a need-based scholarship that awards meal plans to UGA students each fall, spring, and summer semester. Funding for this scholarship comes from private donors, including the PLC who gave $54,000 toward the initiative. 100% of the donations go to students’ meal plan scholarships.
Let All the Big Dawgs Eat Food Scholarship was founded in 2014 to help address food insecurity at UGA. The scholarship allows students to concentrate on academic success without the worry of securing their next meal.
“As a result of the scholarship, having access to the dining hall allows me to maintain a nutritious diet that feeds my stomach and brain,” said Daniel Zavala-Palafox ’25. “After a long study session, I am able to maintain my energy and motivation by eating foods that help my mind recover. Now, I am able to allocate more time to study and focus on my academic work. As a result, I’ve been able to maintain my 3.92 GPA. This wouldn’t have been possible without the Let All The Big Dawgs Eat scholarship.”
Freshman Welcome
Freshman Welcome is an annual event held the day before the first day of fall classes for incoming freshmen at UGA. Hosted by UGA Development and Alumni Relations, students will gather in Sanford Stadium to kick off their official journey as Bulldogs. Freshman Welcome received $18,000 from PLC.
During Freshman Welcome, students meet one another on Reed Plaza before heading into Sanford Stadium for a pep rally, where they learn game day traditions and cheers. Afterward, they hear messages from speakers such as UGA President Jere W. Morehead, the Student Government Association president, the Student Alumni Council president, and head football coach Kirby Smart. The event concludes with a class photo on the field, taken Between the Hedges.
“For me, there was this immediate feeling of identity as a Bulldog,” said Isabelle Stephens ’27. “Coming into college, you can feel a little isolated but forming that Power G during the class photo really makes you feel like you’re a part of something bigger.”
