Commencement roster: UGA athletes who will graduate Friday
Thirty-nine University of Georgia athletes will be among the approximately 1,700 undergraduate students receiving their degrees at fall-semester commencement ceremonies Friday morning in Stegeman Coliseum.
Sixteen current football players will graduate, including tight end Aron White and offensive lineman Tanner Strickland, both of whom are redshirt juniors with one season of eligibility remaining.
White, who is graduating with a degree in management and a minor in African-American studies, will be the student speaker at the commencement ceremony, according to UGA.
In addition to the current athletes graduating, Fred Gibson, who played football and basketball for the Bulldogs from 2001-04, and Corey Butler, who played basketball from 2007-09, will receive their degrees in housing and microbiology, respectively.
Here is the roster of current athletes graduating Friday (with their hometowns and majors):
Baseball: Alex McRee, Gainesville, Ga., Biology; Nathan Moreau, Lilburn, Ga., Risk Management/Insurance.
Equestrian: Kate Stewart, Dawson, Ga., Health Promotion.
Football: Quintin Banks, Warner Robins, Ga., Art; Brian Brewer, Lilburn, Ga., Psychology; Chris Davis, Jefferson, Ga., Child and Family Development; Josh Davis, Jayess, Miss., Speech Communication; Akeem Dent, Atlanta, Ga., Housing; DeMarcus Dobbs, Savannah, Ga., Consumer Economics; Darryl Gamble, Bainbridge, Ga., Housing; Akeem Hebron, Gaithersburg, Md., Consumer Economics; Andrew Johnson, Athens, Ga., Biological Engineering; Fred Munzenmaier, Norcross, Ga., Finance; Derek Rich, Gainesville, Ga., Finance; Tanner Strickland, Nashville, Ga., Speech Communication; Kiante Tripp, Atlanta, Ga., Risk Management/Insurance; Aron White, Columbia, Mo., Management; Charles White, Columbia, S.C., Management and Brandon Wood, Buchanan, Ga., Housing.
Gymnastics: Lauren Sessler, Snellville, Ga., Advertising.
Soccer: Michelle Betos, Flushing, N.Y., Psychology; Natalie Farley, Carlton, Texas, Sport Studies and Carrie Patterson, Atlanta, Ga., Marketing.
Swimming and diving: Ann-Marie Botek, Elicott City, Md., Marketing; Annie Broome, Knoxville, Tenn., Marketing; Lisa Caprioglio, Highlands Ranch, Colo., Marketing; Kelsey Scott, Duluth, Ga., Early Childhood Education; Chris Thompson, Kennesaw, Ga., Consumer Economics and Neil Versfeld, Umhlanga, S. Africa, Housing.
Men’s tennis: Luis Flores, Xalapa, Mexico, Psychology; Jamie Hunt, San Antonio, Texas, Management.
Women’s tennis: Yvette Hyndman, Bradenton, Fla., Consumer Journalism.
Track and field: Brano Danis, Bratislava, Slovakia, Family Financial Planning; Katie Weiss, Cedar Park, Texas, Magazines; Whitney Williams, College Park, Ga., International Affairs; and Shaquita Young of Bishop, Ga., Consumer Economics.
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149 comments Add your comment
Einsteindawg
December 14th, 2010
3:57 pm
Ya’ll give “still@thebar” a break. He’s just trying to do his job washing glasses and making sure there is plenty of ice for the bartender. Bet he wishes he could have gone to UGA and might have been able to own that bar.
Dawg H8R
December 14th, 2010
4:08 pm
Hey Fred Gibson and the lot of dawgnation, do you think that “degree” will make the ole boys in dawgnation vote for you one day? Don’t think so. Not to single out this guy(sorry), but didn’t housing used to be called hotel management? Never figured out why American Universities were giving away these degrees, but people from other countries could do the same things with no degree. A jawja degree to make up the bed? A jawja degree to work at Coca-Cola? Former jawja football players working at the Athens Pepsi plant? You guys are the ones that LAME Kiffin should’ve poor-mouthed during the recruiting process.
How dare you guys assume that you’re superior to Tech because of a sports victory. When NASA uses your specially engineered vehicles to roam around Mars or one of Saturn’s moons, I’ll listen to guys. Until then, shut up and find a real football coach.
timthebrave
December 14th, 2010
4:12 pm
Dawg H8R, A degree might have helped you out.
In_the_cellar
December 14th, 2010
4:15 pm
What athelets? I thought they went into the draft in their junior year. Oh you mean the non-atheletic players!
Willl
December 14th, 2010
4:17 pm
UGA athletes who stay and graduate are my favorite athletes.
I care much more about my fellow alumni than any star athlete who never graduates.
Positive representation of OUR University on and off the playing field, graduation and lastly – wins – are my priority for UGA athletes.
Dawg H8R
December 14th, 2010
4:19 pm
timthebrave. I didn’t “play” for jawja, so my degree actually matters.
If you can read this article, then you didn’t start at jawja.
SISSY DAWG
December 14th, 2010
4:22 pm
One of the grads is a nephew. He’s a great kid. He’s got a worthless degree and will never find a job related to it. But, he had a great time at Georgia. McDonalds will welcome the influx of new people soon.
George Stein
December 14th, 2010
4:28 pm
Good lord, Tech fans (of which I am one). For once it would be nice if we’d just cool it with the nonsense. Congratulations to the kids who graduated.
Hat tip, Fred Gibson, for going back to UGA for your degree.
Sanford Drive, you are and always will be a clown.
dawgfan
December 14th, 2010
4:39 pm
Dawg H8R certainly has a lot of time on his hands for someone designing rovers and robots to go around Mars and Saturn. Reggie Ball and Joe Hamilton must be assisting him with this project. I hear Nesbitt will be joining in once the bowl game is over.
Dawglasville
December 14th, 2010
4:48 pm
Dawg H8R – I’m not sure why you would poke fun at kids for getting their degrees. My dad went to Tech as well as a few of my friends. None of them work for NASA. You riding the coat tails of the fine students at Tech who have contributed to our space program is as silly as Georgia fans riding the coat tails of the football players who beat Tech. It takes a special hate to be ugly about this story. We all have fans who spew this stuff. Maybe if we all make an effort we can be a little more respectful in 2011. Of course, if your a rocket scientist I sincerely apologize. Merry Christmas.
Tech Fan Since 1950
December 14th, 2010
4:50 pm
Congratulations to all the Georgia athletes getting their degrees. It is tough playing sports and being students, but these kids deserve a lot of credit for staying focused. They had their priorities straight. It is not really a “family secret,” but my son got his Ph.D. at Georgia and I am very proud of him and all the grads.
Mark (another one)
December 14th, 2010
4:52 pm
These young people have demonstrated that they know how to manage their time and focus on priorities. Being able to attend college on an athletic scholarship is a privilege but also a time commitment. Balancing academics, athletics and life in general is a challenge, and these people have demonstrated that they were up to it.
A college education doesn’t guarantee anyone anything but it is an indicator of the right path. Some of these young people will be more successful than others but all deserve congratulations for this achievement.
Also, lord knows that none of these people are leaving UGA with a menial job as their goal. However, I don’t make fun or demean the people performing honest work, regardless of its level. If their lot in life finds them working as a janitor or in fast foods, I hope they hold their heads high and do the best job they can. All honest work is honorable.
Old Dawg
December 14th, 2010
4:53 pm
I imagine that Housing degrees are at least as challenging as “Industrial Management” degrees.
Dawglasville
December 14th, 2010
4:57 pm
George and Tech fan As always, thanks for keeping it classy and happy holidays to you and yours.
Chuck Allison
December 14th, 2010
4:57 pm
Degrees in insurance, housing, equestrian, sports management and food preservation amaze me. It would be interesting to talk to these kids 10 years from now and see if any of them are working in their education field. In any case, I do hope that their education is useful to them in some way. Sometimes I think that they would be better off with four years of work experience than with degrees that are so hard to match up with real world jobs.
Game Time
December 14th, 2010
5:03 pm
Guess this is first page news on AJC on-line because it’s news when a UGA athlete graduates. Can’t think of any other reason this would be such a big deal.
Snoop Dawg
December 14th, 2010
5:24 pm
I applaud the Dawgs who juggled sports and acedemics and will depart Athens with a real degree.
I’m also thinking that da Preacha Man Mark Wrecked and his lame coaching staff should strongly consider going back to school to get a degree also. Perhaps in Physical Education with a concentration in football. This should give them a basic foundation so that they might sometimes be able to recruit, coach, and strategize before and during games.
Snoop Dawg
December 14th, 2010
5:28 pm
PS Richt and his wife the Water Girrrrl are already experts at bookkeeping, accounting, and finance as they have a lot of OJT accounting for all that $3M per year of unearned income the UGA provides them.
Zach
December 14th, 2010
5:45 pm
But how many of these rocket scientists can say the ABCs and count backward from 100?
SE GA Resident
December 14th, 2010
5:55 pm
And I wonder about the behavior of my students I tutor in an after school program. They are better than some of you “know-it-alls.” At least they do have good hearts. As we always heard, don’t say anything at all, if you can’t say something nice!!
Congrats to all, especially Fred Gibson. My daughter was at UGA when a student when he was there. She had some classes with his roommate, I remember. I don’t care what he majored in; he’ll be successful.
SE GA Resident
December 14th, 2010
5:56 pm
Messed up on that sentence…My daughter was at UGA when he (Fred) was there. Can’t think and type!
Hector
December 14th, 2010
6:03 pm
How many tokk Ebonics???
dawgfan
December 14th, 2010
6:14 pm
Since some Techies seem to be so interested in UGA’s course offerings, what would you think about a degree in owning Tech for football players? You’d have to agree they’ve earned it. Hell, UGA football players have earned a freaking Phd. in owning that Techie arse.
Florida Dawg
December 14th, 2010
6:21 pm
Proud of Fred Gibson…great job. Wishing you the best!
Congrats to all student/athletics…important for you and your family to get that degree.
R$
December 14th, 2010
6:32 pm
What’s hilarious to me is the amount of Football players who chose “Housing,” “Speech Communication,” or “Consumer Economics” as their degrees. Those must be special majors for dumb athletes who wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend UGA, much less Kennesaw State, Georgia Southern, or Valdosta State (not to knock any of these schools at all; they are respectable institutions). I wish there was more focus on truly preparing these young men for the real world, as the vast majority of them will NOT play football professionally.
Congrats on these 3 fellas who actually chose a challenging major. They’ll have rewarding careers, regardless of whether or not they take football to the next level:
Andrew Johnson, Athens, Ga., Biological Engineering
Fred Munzenmaier, Norcross, Ga., Finance
Derek Rich, Gainesville, Ga., Finance
Bremen Dawg
December 14th, 2010
6:44 pm
Way to go Brandon Wood, glad you got your degree.
T'VILLE DAWG
December 14th, 2010
6:44 pm
WOW! College degree for playing a sport, not a bad deal. Have you looked at the price of 4 years room and board. WELL DONE.
Waterdawg
December 14th, 2010
7:12 pm
From uga.edu site. This is what the “Housing Major” is all about.
“The Housing major gives students expertise in various aspects of housing including needs assessment; financing; federal, state, and local housing programs; housing policy; housing theory; household technology; property management; and real estate. The major helps students gain a comprehensive understanding of housing as a product, an environment, a service, and a process for sheltering a diverse and changing population adequately, accessibly, and affordably. Students may choose an emphasis in Residential Property Management, which prepares students to work with diverse groups as they manage real estate. Coursework delves into such topics as mortgages, financing, governmental policies dealing with housing, and social issues related to the field, and also includes sales (leasing), accounting, development, human resources, technology services, training, and management.”
Probably just as involved as the “Industrial Management Major” @ North Avenue
heeldawg
December 14th, 2010
7:21 pm
To all of the venom-spewing Tech fans, blatant sociopaths and other ingrates who bolster their own paper-thin egos by bashing a bunch of kids on the most important date of their young lives:
GET A LIFE.
The key thing about getting a college diploma is getting a college diploma. It’s setting a goal and completing it, and expanding the capabilities of one’s mind in the process. I know that many Tech fans, with their trade school mentality, don’t grasp the importance of the broad exposure to ideas that the college experience grants these young people, but I am quite certain that the kids themselves do. How many folks really work in the exact field that their undergraduate degree is in? And how important is that anyway? The important thing is that they did it, that they got that diploma, a piece of paper that will open doors for them the rest of their lives. It’s a means to an end, people–not an end in itself. And for you lowlife Tech fans to demean the accomplishments of these young men and women because of your petty jealousy over football just demonstrates how emotionally stunted the lot of you are.
Oh, and by the way, Georgia graduates more of its athletes and more of its football players than Tech does. Look it up on the APR report from the NCAA.
Again, you guys should be ashamed. Grow up, children. Your inferiority complex is showing.
Bama Dawg
December 14th, 2010
7:40 pm
At least these GA athelets managed their time and committment to earn a degree, which I’m sure is a lot more than the classless Tech fans that troll the Georgia blogs. Let’s see the list of the outstanding Tech athelets that represent your school (i.e., Joe Hamilton, Reggie Ball, etc.). Jealousy is a sad way to lead you life. Playing any sport in college is in its self a full time job, and to earn a degree on top of that is quite an accomplishment – I even sulute the Techies who have the drive and determination to do it.
Have fun in Shreveport loosers.
TampaGator
December 14th, 2010
7:42 pm
Congrats to all the players who earned their degrees at Georgia. One thing I loved about Will Muschamp’s press conference this afternoon was when he talked about the importance of the players he recruits coming to Florida with the goal of earning a degree….and that he and his staff will set up programs to make sure his players are working towards getting a degree all the time. He also said he expects his players to live right and play right…and he and his staff are going to follow all the NCAA rules…and he expects his players to do the same if they want to play at the University of Florida. Man…is he ever a man of energy and drive. Very impressive guy….as are all the Georgia players who are graduating this year.
TampaGator
December 14th, 2010
7:44 pm
P.S……also….Muschamp stated flatly that he has not offered Kirby Smart a job at Florida….nor Applewhite at Texas. He has done nothing but recruit since he was offered the job.
Congrats Dawgs!
December 14th, 2010
7:47 pm
I personally am a Consumer Econ grad and my diploma has been more than rewarding to my career. I can tell you the faculty and staff that worked with me, to get that degree, was spectacular. The major is not only relative it is supported by the best professors the State of Georgia has to offer. You may want to consider not only the students of said majors but the people who pour their heart and souls to improving the lives of others before you go trashing something you clearly do not know about. Congrats to the Dawgs for their hard earned Degrees!
icedawg
December 14th, 2010
7:49 pm
Super! This young adults achieved what they set out to do. Bravo! Job well done.
BobbyDodd21/20
December 14th, 2010
8:07 pm
Great job all you young people and those whom came back and finished..even tho I’m a white & gold guy til death, I’ll always have a good feeling for UGA folks…best wishes….as well as to other colleges about GA….even the old Gordon Military in Barnesville, years ago…
Dawg89
December 14th, 2010
8:40 pm
Congrats to all the graduates. For my own edification, what is a degree in “Magazines” (listed under track and field)?
RaleighDawg
December 14th, 2010
8:49 pm
I’m a Georgia grad, but Housing ? Really ? What does one do with a Housing degree ?
nub
December 14th, 2010
9:00 pm
Fred is man enough!!!!….. never forget seeing his catch LIVE in TuscaLuSA…… Go DAWGS!
Timmy Dog
December 14th, 2010
9:34 pm
Most of those degrees are a joke. Consumer Economics = how to balance a check book. Housing? Really? Pathetic. We hide so many athletes that don’t belong in college it’s scary.
lisa
December 14th, 2010
9:35 pm
you left out softball
John Madewell
December 14th, 2010
9:45 pm
Congrats to all of the athletes who receive their degrees. Kudos to Fred Gibson, admirable to come back and finish what you started. To those who post their criticisms of these student/athletes, you have no standing…unless you graduated, went through two-a-days, woke up at 6 am to practice, then go to class. And “Lynda,” have some context before posting. For the third year in a row, the University of Georgia finished in US News and World Report’s top 20 public schools in the nation. Also, the football team’s graduation rate of 77% is second in the SEC, second only to Vanderbilt. I don’t discount the “party school” tag, but the facts show classwork is happening as well. Go Dawgs!
John ‘90
It had to be yew...
December 14th, 2010
9:47 pm
Criminality and useful idiocy, neither require a college diploma.
But send in ten Wheaties box tops and $1.00 shipping, and we’ll send you a UGA diploma if you insist on having one.
KimZ'spackage
December 14th, 2010
9:49 pm
Hi
Red and Black Magazines?
December 14th, 2010
9:53 pm
From a Neal Boortz column, this will give you an idea of some of the dummies enrolled at UGA, in this case majoring in “Magazines.”
Well, I don’t want to embarrass the subject of our little story by using her real name. We’ll call her Prunella. Our heroine is a senior at the University of Georgia and a columnist for the Red and Black, the independent UGA student newspaper.
At the end of her most recent column, “Think before you shop at Walmart,” you will see this tag: “[Prunella] is a senior from Lawrenceville majoring in magazines and women’s studies.”
With such a double major I’m sure the recruiters are knocking down her door.
“Think before you shop at Walmart?” As a matter of fact I do! My thought process is usually something like, “I think I’ll go shopping at Walmart.”
Prunella disapproves. She says that when she walks into a Walmart she sees “concentrated evil.” Not just evil, mind you — concentrated evil!
Our magazine major’s problems with Walmart seem to stem from the fact that many local retailers find it difficult to compete when Walmart moves into town.
That’s the nature of the free market.
Prunella doesn’t explain how she would remedy the situation. Consumers exercising their free choices apparently don’t sit well with this young lady. She is also upset with Walmart because it is a “large unfeeling corporation with (a) major impact on what we buy, where it’s produced and how much we pay.” Please. Whoever it is out there forcing Prunella to shop at Walmart, knock it off.
Somehow, in her column about the “concentrated evil” that is Walmart, Prunella didn’t address the fact that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. donates just shy of $300 million a year to charities around the country. The company also reportedly pledged $2 billion for a five-year campaign to fight hunger. The evil must be concentrated somewhere other than in charitable giving.
Perhaps, then, this is Prunella’s real problem with Walmart. In her column she expresses displeasure that profit-driven corporations “are firing American workers to cut production costs. They then charge American consumers more money than what it took to produce their products.”
Let’s address both of her points. First: How dare any evil “profit-driven” corporation fire workers to cut production costs! Cutting production costs is nothing less than a blatant attempt to improve the bottom line. Don’t these dastardly businessmen realize that they’re in business to hire people, not to make money? After all, potential investors look to the number of unnecessary employees as a surer sign of corporate health than profit and loss figures. Any good woman’s studies major surely knows that!
Second: Let’s erect some gallows at Sanford Stadium so, at the next Georgia home game, we can hang the next evil businessmen we catch selling a product for more than it cost to produce. Prunella must have sneaked into the back of a UGA business class to learn that her next pair of shoes should be sold for exactly what it cost to make them and place them on the shelves of her favorite store (not Walmart) — and not one penny more.
Seriously, folks. Is this what we get after tens of thousands of dollars are spent to produce a college graduate these days? Did her magazine professor see this column before she submitted it to the Red and Black? Didn’t someone warn her that such public displays of economic brilliance can end up being embarrassing?
And the most troubling question of all: Is she registered to vote?
KimZ'spackage
December 14th, 2010
9:56 pm
Do Equestrians get scholarships? Is it part of the Title IX? What is Health Promotion? Housing is helping find Section 8 housing and the such. Sports Studies? Isn’t that what we do blogging about Sports? Consumer Journalism? Writing about Shoping maybe? With degrees like these I don’t doubt UGA could graduate Athletes, but 2nd to Vandy? HAHAH Check what the Vandy players are taking in comparison.
KimZ'spackage
December 14th, 2010
10:09 pm
Lets play ball.
Mark Bradley
December 14th, 2010
10:39 pm
I don,t care how many ahletes graduate ……. the football team BETTER win the SEC East or Mark Richt can get he!! out of town! LOSER!!!!
KimZ'spackage
December 14th, 2010
10:44 pm
Can we get some GPAs with those degrees the players are receiving? I really want to be blown away and impressed that UGA is 2nd only to VANDY in graduating players.
where's herschel??
December 14th, 2010
10:48 pm
What’s hilarious is that UGA Players graduating is actually newsworthy. That says a lot about your program
SE GA Resident
December 14th, 2010
11:06 pm
@R$ You don’t consider Corey Butler’s degree in microbiology an “outstanding program degree?” Do you have any degree equal to that??? Your attitude will not allow you to keep an outstanding job, no matter what your degree. Grow up and get nice, if that’s possible. Very doubtful…