UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences

The story of the first Anne Barge bride begins in a tiny office space in downtown Atlanta 26 years ago.

That's where the paths of Anne Barge Clegg, Stella Williams Bailey and Margaret Mathews converged one spring day, and where a lifelong friendship was born.

The three South Georgia natives and UGA grads now share a unique piece of bridal fashion history in addition to a storybook friendship. Read more about their enduring bond here:

https://facsoftoday.uga.edu/story/from-a-walmart-mirror-to-a-cinderella-story

Congratulations to our DeRetta Cole Rhodes (BSFCS ’92, Ph.D. ’10) on receiving the UGA Footsteps Award in honor of her impact on the community.

The award is named in honor of the three students who helped to integrate the university in the 1960s — Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Hamilton Holmes and Mary Frances Early — and honors alumni who follow in the footsteps of these trailblazers.

Rhodes serves as executive vice president and chief people, culture and strategy officer for the Atlanta Braves, where she leads human resources, culture and engagement strategy efforts across the organization. A nationally recognized leader in organizational development, she has built a career focused on strengthening workplace culture, advancing leadership development and driving meaningful community impact.

A past president of the FACS Alumni Board, Distinguished Alumni Award recipient and faithful supporter of the college, she also is the author of "Courage Of Voice: Empowering Women To Open Professional Doors," available on Amazon.

She makes us proud!

https://news.uga.edu/deretta-rhodes-receives-2026-uga-footsteps-award/

To learn a little more about DeRetta's story, see our profile of her from the 2019 FACS Magazine: https://facsoftoday.uga.edu/story/bold-and-brave

DeRetta Rhodes receives 2026 UGA Footsteps Award - UGA Today The University of Georgia honors Atlanta Braves executive and two-time UGA graduate for leadership and community impact.

Farm to lab: Austin Mills' curiosity led him from an Iowa farm to our Nutritional Neuroscience Lab, where his research focuses on the long-term effects of weight loss drugs on adolescents.

The Ph.D. student has presented his findings on GLP-1s all over the country, and along the way has developed a tight bond with his lab mates and a renewed fascination with research.

“One of the things that has changed a lot for me from, say, five years ago, is I’ve learned that research is a bunch of pivoting as you hit roadblocks,” he said. "Nothing in science is ever settled because we should always be questioning and thinking.”

Read more about Austin's winding path to Athens here: https://facsoftoday.uga.edu/story/farm-to-lab



UGA Department of Nutritional Sciences

Unwavering loyalty: Before the international acclaim, Anne Barge Clegg was a girl from Cordele with a dream and a sketchbook - and a faithful friend named Stella. Read about their special bond in the FACS of Today newsletter:

https://facsoftoday.uga.edu/story/from-the-playhouse-to-the-runway



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University of Georgia

Extension agents from three states visited our lab last week for a home food preservation workshop on canning blueberry jam and jelly led by Carla Schwan, UGA Extension Food Safety Specialist. The results were ... sweet.

Youth in military families need support from parents and peers to maintain a healthy mental well-being, according to a new study from the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Researchers found these relationships are connected to adolescents’ abilities to utilize adaptive coping skills, such as problem-solving and self-reliance, which in turn promote their well-being. The potential to have a parent deployed overseas, regular moves and other obstacles make adolescence a particularly challenging time for young people in military families. By fostering connections both in and out of the home, military youth can have the stable support they need to better focus on their own self-efficacy and long-term mental health.

Learn more at the link below! 🔗

FACS grad Kaitlyn Foley is living her dream as the director of ecommerce and retail for U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Properties. Read more about her story in the latest issue of Georgia Magazine:

https://news.uga.edu/georgia-magazine-articles/kaitlyn-foley-red-white-and-blue/