In The Halls
UGA Cooperative Extension program gets Georgia moving
More than 4,500 Georgians are walking their way across Georgia this fall, and getting healthier in the process.
Walk Georgia was designed by Family and Consumer Sciences Cooperative Extension specialists as a way to encourage whole communities to increase physical activity, according to Connie Crawley, Cooperative Extension nutrition and health specialist.
Participants form teams with friends, families and co-workers and challenge each other to get fit. Charting a virtual course through the Georgia mountains or down to the coast, participants travel across Georgia by logging their activity online at www.walkgeorgia.org. As they move across the state, fun facts about each county and health tips are available for viewing. Walkers can also compare their miles with those of other participants.
During the first eight-week Walk Georgia session in spring 2008, the 3,046 participants logged 550,803 miles.
In addition to walking, activities such as aerobics, biking and gardening can be logged as well. The time spent exercising is translated into miles online as members moved around the state virtually.
Another session of Walk Georgia will begin in the spring. To learn about Walk Georgia in your community, contact your Cooperative Extension office by calling 1-800-ASK-UGA1.
Faculty & Staff
Don Bower (Professor Emeritus, Human Development and Family Science) delivered the 4-H Family Strengthening Distinguished Lecture at the national Children, Youth and Families At Risk Conference.
The Child Development Lab at the McPhaul Center has been named a Center of Distinction by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning’s Bright from the Start.
Joseph Goetz (Assistant Professor, Housing and Consumer Economics) has been selected as a Lilly Teaching Fellow for 2008-2009. The Lilly Teaching Fellows Program provides those selected the opportunity to develop their teaching skills and to learn to balance their teaching demands with those of research and service.
Gail Hanula (Public Service Associate and Extension Nutrition-EFNEP Specialist) and Judy Harrison (Professor and Extension Food Specialist) each received 2008 Walter Barnard Hill Fellow Awards from the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach.
Ian Hardin (Professor, Textiles, Merchandising, and Interiors) has been presented the Love of Learning Award from the University of Georgia’s chapter of the National Honor Society.
Laura Dunn Jolly (Dean, College of Family and Consumer Sciences) presented the 2008 Kansas State University ADVANCE Distinguished Lecture in September. Her lecture, “Exploring the Boundaries: Scholarship, Leadership and Learning,” is part of a $3.5 million grant Kansas State has received from the National Science Foundation to increase the participation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers.
Emma Monkhouse Laing (Research Scientist, Foods and Nutrition; MS ’00, Foods and Nutrition; PhD ’03, Foods and Nutrition) and her husband, Albert, are the parents of Mary Emma Elizabeth Laing, born Nov. 15, 2007, and Charley, age 3. The Laings live in Bishop.
Julia Marlowe (Associate Professor Emerita Retired, Housing and Consumer Economics) testified this fall before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce regarding research she conducted that pointed out problems with pre-paid phone cards. The committee is considering legislation requiring the cards to provide more accurate information regarding fees.
Pamela Turner (Assistant Professor and Extension Housing Specialist, Housing and Consumer Economics) has been awarded the Dwight Douglas Award for Service to the Division of Student Affairs for her work with the university housing department’s sustainability efforts.
Nikki Williams (Graduate Coordinator Assistant and Administrative Associate, Housing and Consumer Economics) was selected as the 2008 recipient of the Nettie Marie Nickols Outstanding Staff Award. This is her second time to receive the award.
Velma Zahirovic-Herbert (Assistant Professor, Housing and Consumer Economics) won the prize for best paper in the real estate valuation category from the Appraisal Institute. Her paper is titled, “Why do Vacant Houses Sell for Less: Holding Costs, Bargaining Power or Stigma?”
