Robert T. Sumichrast
Dean and Simon S. Selig, Jr. Chair for Economic Growth

Published: May 29, 2009 | Vol. 2, Issue 2

The end of May is a time of transition on campus, as we wrap up the academic year, bid farewell to another class of spring graduates and prepare to welcome a new class of freshmen, transfers and graduate students. But the familiarity of that routine was thrown off kilter by the tragedy that preceded the end of spring semester. Everyone in the Terry College community was stunned by the news that a member of our faculty, George M. Zinkhan, had shot and killed three people attending a reunion at the Athens Community Theater, later killing himself.

I, along with those who knew the victims, deeply regret the loss of life and the suffering and distress that followed. With the semester's end, we can begin to put some distance between ourselves and the memory of that tragic event. I hope you will take a few moments to read in this issue about the encouraging developments at Terry that are helping us move forward.

At spring commencement, it was my privilege to take part in the presentation of an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree to our benefactor, Mary Virginia Terry, at the undergraduate ceremony on May 9. Mrs. Terry's support of the college that bears her name along with that of her late husband, Herman Terry, is well documented, and I can tell you that she genuinely appreciated this rare honor. Mrs. Terry's remarks at commencement are now part of the archive of videos on UGA's YouTube channel.

I've heard from many alumni and friends in the weeks since this year's sold-out Alumni Awards and Gala was held at the InterContinental Hotel in Buckhead, and it is clear the evening was a great success and enjoyed by everyone who attended. Gala co-chairs Robert Dumas (BBA 1984, MAcc 1985) and Abram Serotta (BBA 1968, MAcc 1969) and the rest of the Terry Alumni Board have much to be proud of, as the 2009 gala generated net proceeds of $215,000 that will benefit the Terry College. You can find more about Alumni Award winners Kessel Stelling Jr., John McMullan and Davis Knox, who were honored with video tributes at the gala, on our Web site. If you haven't been to the Gala before, I would encourage you to make plans to attend next spring. It's a great time.

Robert T. Sumichrast, Dean
Terry College of Business

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