University of Georgia

CPH Graduation Celebration

The College of Public Health’s 2024 Spring Graduation Celebration will take place Friday, May 10, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. in the Athena Ballroom of The Classic Center in downtown Athens.

For information on University-wide Spring Commencement activities, visit https://commencement.uga.edu/.

Speakers
Laura Colbert, Executive Director, Georgians for a Healthy Future

Laura Colbert has worked at Georgians for a Healthy Future since 2014, and stepped into the Executive Director role in 2017. She previously worked at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; HSTAT, a student-run health policy and advocacy organization; and the CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention.

Laura sits on advisory committees for Georgia Departments of Community Health and Public Health, New Disabled South, and the Georgia State University’s Center for Leadership in Disability. She has served as a Consumer Liaison Representative to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (2018-2020), and as a board member to the Georgia Society for Public Health Education. Laura is also an alum of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Child Health Leadership Network (2019).

Laura earned her Master of Public Health degree from Emory University, where she focused on health literacy and the social determinants of health. Previously Laura attended the University of Georgia where she studied biomechanics and earned her B.S.Ed. She is also a Master Certified Health Education Specialist.

Chase Reece, Bachelor of Health Promotion and Behavior, Class of 2024

Chase Reece came to UGA from the small town of Hiawassee, GA as an aspiring healthcare professional, but quickly discovered that many of his passions lie within the field of public health. Growing up in a rural area, he witnessed firsthand the unique challenges rural populations experience that negatively impact their health. These experiences, along with his time in the College of Public Health, have instilled a drive within him to improve the health of rural and underserved populations both as a future medical professional and public health professional.

Chase is graduating with a BS in Health Promotion, a Minor in Biomedical Physiology, and is a Double Dawgs dual-degree student. His journey at the University of Georgia has led him to explore the relationship between community and economic development and the overall health status of the population. As a PROPEL Rural Scholar with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government and an undergraduate assistant with the Archway Partnership, he has had the opportunity to collaborate with rural Georgia communities to address some of their most critical health issues. Serving as a Rural Student Ambassador, Chase fostered meaningful social and academic connections among rural students here at UGA. Within the College of Public Health, he has had the opportunity to represent and advocate for his classmates through the Health Promotion Student Engagement Committee and the Dean’s Advisory Council. Currently, he works with Dr. Christina Proctor as an undergraduate research assistant studying the mental health of farmers and barriers to care.

After graduation, Chase will be completing his Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management at UGA before going on to attend medical school to become a physician.

Registration

The ceremony will honor CPH students who graduated in Fall 2023 or plan to graduate Spring or Summer 2024. **The event is free, but students must RSVP at the link below to participate.**

RSVP here

Please note: Undergraduate and MPH students finishing their degrees in Summer 2024 may participate in the celebration. However, all PhD or DrPH students must have completed their degree requirements by the end of Spring 2024 to participate.

Academic Attire

Appropriate academic regalia must be worn to participate in the UGA Commencement or CPH Graduation Celebration. Caps, gowns and hoods may be purchased at the UGA Bookstore and other off-campus bookstores. Contact the University of Georgia Bookstore at 706-542-3171 or via email for purchasing information. Candidates should wear their tassels over the right eye until the degree is awarded and over the left eye afterwards.

Undergraduates Tassels:
BS Environmental Health tassels are mint green.
BS Health Promotion tassels are salmon.

Arrival Instructions

The CPH Graduation Celebration is expected to last approximately one-and-a-half hours. Please arrive at the Classic Center at 1:45 p.m. to check in. At this time, you will obtain an introduction card and line-up with the other graduation candidates behind the easel for your department. Group photos, including those for specific degree programs, will follow promptly at 2:00 p.m. ***Doors will open to the Athena Ballroom for guests around 1:30. Ambassadors will be available to direct everyone to correct places from there.***

Parking

Parking for the CPH Graduation Celebration is available at the Classic Center or surrounding parking decks. Parking on the UGA Campus will also be free to students and visitors attending UGA’s graduate or undergraduate ceremonies. (More information can be found at https://commencement.uga.edu/.)

Diplomas

Diplomas will be mailed from the UGA Registrar’s Office approximately 6 weeks after commencement.

Questions?

Please email [email protected].

Undergraduates: Looking for information on how to apply for Graduation? Please check out the FAQs on the CPH Undergraduate Advising Office webpage.

Help us Celebrate!

Step in front of one of our UGA CPH logo Step & Repeat backdrops and grab a photo of yourself in your cap and gown or Georgia Red & Black.

Now, add some fun #UGAGrad GIFs and share it with us on social media at Facebook, X, or Instagram.  Don’t forget to use the hashtags #UGAPublicHealth, #UGA24, or #UGAGrad.  You might see your post on commencement.uga.edu.

Keep in Touch

We want to stay in touch! Join our the UGA College of Public Health Group on LinkedIn or take a moment to share your current address so we can include you in future mailings.

Current Students