Commit to your passion
Sumita Dalmia
Sumita Dalmia (BSFCS ’10) has a passion for helping others realize their dreams.
Sumita Dalmia’s passion for helping others drives her everyday life. As an attorney and property manager for McDonald’s Corporation, she puts her passion to work by advising franchise owners who are determined to run successful businesses.
Sumita attributes her success to the guidance she received at the University of Georgia. She feels a strong conviction to give back to UGA and wants current and future Bulldogs to enjoy the same opportunities that transformed her into the person she is today. Sumita makes unrestricted gifts to the Georgia Fund, allowing the university to support its most pressing needs. Currently, 100 percent of undesignated gifts to the Georgia Fund support scholarships, which lessen students’ financial stress and allow them to take full advantage of their UGA experiences.
In addition to giving back financially, Sumita is a member of UGA’s Metro Atlanta Young Alumni Leadership Council (YALC). She’s dedicated to keeping her fellow alumni connected with their alma mater and mentoring current and prospective students.
“Mentors were a huge part of my success as both a student and as an attorney,” Sumita said.
Since her first year at UGA, Sumita knew she wanted to attend law school and become a corporate attorney. She graduated in 2010 with a consumer economics degree from the College of Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS). In 2013, she earned her Juris Doctor degree from Mercer University.
At McDonald’s, Sumita’s responsibilities range from drafting contracts to writing legal notices. She also visits restaurants and helps individual owners keep their businesses above the competition – one of her favorite aspects of her job.
“Lawyers are often described as counselors, and it’s true,” Sumita said. “You’re not only advising on the legality of something, you’re sometimes helping someone get through one of the toughest – or best – moments of their life.”
Sumita works as an attorney and property manager for McDonald’s, where every day she helps others achieve their goals.
Sumita met her husband, Anuj, on Twitter. The two decided to have a Twitter-themed ceremony during three days of wedding festivities.
Sumita’s experiences both in and outside the classroom at UGA laid a firm foundation for her career. While on campus, she was a member of various organizations that helped her sharpen her leadership skills.
As president of the Indian Cultural Exchange, Sumita headed the largest minority student organization on campus. She also served as vice president of the Minority Student Business Association and was a member of Gamma Sigma Sigma, a sorority dedicated to community service.
“Through the many opportunities that UGA provided, I learned to be a leader and to also lead by example,” Sumita said. “I entered as a student, but UGA laid the foundation for me to leave as a professional.”
Sumita always looks for ways to use her talents and leadership skills to help others. In addition to her work with McDonald’s, Sumita and her father soon will open Painting with a Twist, a studio, in Alpharetta, Georgia, where groups can learn to paint in a fun, relaxing environment.
A social media guru, Sumita also spends her free time assisting small businesses in need with their social media presence. Ultimately, she aspires to combine her love for entertainment, her skills as an attorney, and her social media savvy by becoming a talent manager and helping aspiring young artists find audiences.
“A lot of people have helped me realize my dreams, and I’d love to be a part of that too,” Sumita said. “People need someone to lean on, and I want to be that person.”
– Written by Josh Mixon ’19
What’s your cause? 100 percent of undesignated gifts to the Georgia Fund go to scholarships, allowing talented students in your field to pursue their education and discover how they can make an impact on the world.
Sumita and Anuj with UGA cheerleaders and Hairy Dawg at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sumita hopes to one day become a talent manager and help young aspiring artists find their audiences.
