© 2024 WUGA | University of Georgia
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Embark Georgia Leadership Conference

Shannah Cahoe Montgomery
/
Fanning Institute

 

 

Day one has wrapped up for the inaugural Embark Georgia Leadership Conference. The University of Georgia's Fanning Institute hosted the event on college access and resources for students facing homelessness or foster care.

Each student has a unique situation and UGA football player and finance major Steven Van Tiflin is no different, he unexpectedly found himself at risk of homelessness.

“I was declared an independent student and with playing football, that takes up a lot of my time and I had no income,” Van Tiflin said. “So my income was zero and I was open for a full Pell Grant and that helped me pay for my tuition, as well as some other Provost scholarships and book scholarships.”

He says those scholarships means less debt when he leaves college

“That really cut my costs significantly so I didn’t have to take out as many loans.”

Has advice for others facing similar challenges.

“You’re not alone…God has blessed me with a lot of people that I have in my network now and I will definitely pour it back into someone else’s life.”

Credit Shannah Cahoe Montgomery / Fanning Institute
/
Fanning Institute
Suzanne Yoculan-Leebern Embark Georgia Leadership Conference

Hope for one hundred and nearly double that with 180 attending. Lori Tiller is a Public Service Faculty member. She says organizers hoped for one hundred attendees to take part, but nearly doubled that with 180 attending.

“We’ve got folks from South Carolina, we’ve got folks from all over Georgia, we’ve got folks from the technical college system, the university system,” according to Tiller. “It, by far and away, exceeded our expectations for the ability to network.”

The conference is open to higher education professionals, high school professionals, case managers, homeless liaisons, private foster care professionals, and any other interested community partners.
On Friday, May 19, attendees will hear from keynote speaker Sara Goldrick-Rab, a professor of higher education policy and sociology at Temple University.

Credit Shannah Cahoe Montgomery / Fanning Institute
/
Fanning Institute
Embark Georgia Leadership Conference