The ninth annual Women's Leadership Recognition Luncheon honored 10 student leaders and three alumnae March 2 at the UNG Dining Hall Banquet Room at the Dahlonega Campus. Its theme was "Leading Boldly."

"Every year the Women of UNG have succeeded in making a great event even better. By bringing students and alumni together, the students have an opportunity to dream of who they could be, and the alumni have a chance to see the quality students who increase the value of their degree every day," Wendi Huguley '90, executive director of UNG alumni relations and annual giving, said.

The students recognized were Tracy Amaya, cadet Jaelyn Baker, Livia Blackstock, Jessica Case, Sara Gonzalez, Melissa Lopez, Emma Mitchell, 2nd Lt. Faith Okanlawon '24, Alyssa Pold, and Fatima Santillan.

A Nigerian native currently living in Atlanta, Georgia, Okanlawon was "very excited and honored" by her selection.

"I honestly was not expecting it at the time I was informed as I had just recently graduated and was mainly focused on taking the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) as I prepare to become a nurse. It was a great and exciting distraction from my hectic exam prep. I felt very honored and grateful to have this wonderful legacy at such a great university,” Okanlawon said.

She commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Georgia Army National Guard as a company medic. During her time in the Corps, she worked as a company medic, battalion medical officer, brigade profile physical training medical officer, Leadership Development Program medical tactical officer, and platoon leader. Outside of the Corps, she was the treasurer for the UNG Association of Nursing Students (UNGANS). She has also been a multi-semester mentor in both organizations.

Blackstock is a senior from Jefferson, Georgia, pursuing a degree in elementary and special education and is a guard for the Nighthawks women's basketball team. She was nominated by UNG women's basketball head coach Buffie Burson and education faculty members Dr. Danielle Sachdeva and Dr. Amy Williams.

"When my nominators informed me that I was selected, I was honored. There are thousands of other women at UNG, and my professors chose me. It is always nice to be seen," Blackstock said. "When I was nominated, I was in a season of my life when I was in a rut. I felt like I was doing everything right and nothing was going the right way. Then I got the news and realized that even if I do not see it at the time, there is always someone watching.”

Notification of the honor took a family dinner to another level for Sara Gonzalez, Student Government Association vice president at the Dahlonega Campus and a presidential ambassador.

"I was with my parents when I got the notification of the email, and I was completely surprised. We were having dinner, so once I told them, it became a celebratory dinner," she said. "I'm so honored to have been by nominated by Dr. Jennifer Herazy and to have been selected for this recognition."

Lopez, an East Ellijay, Georgia, resident, is a senior pursuing a degree in information systems with a minor in cybersecurity. She began her academic career at UNG's Blue Ridge Campus and was part of UNG's Upward Bound program in high school. Lopez is now finishing her senior year.

"Being selected for this leadership award is truly such an honor. When I found out I was selected, I was genuinely surprised and profoundly grateful. It not only made me reflect on the opportunities I've had at UNG to develop my leadership skills, but also the challenges that have shaped my growth as a leader and an individual," she said. "This is a meaningful recognition of the hard work and dedication I have invested over the years. More importantly, it's a testament to the support and encouragement of those around me who have contributed to my journey."

Inductees into the Lewis Society for 2025 include Sandra Pryor Clarkson '65, Victoria Gentry Ridgeway Gillis '68 and Elizabeth Lord Rhodes '66.

The Lewis Society was created to recognize women of significance within the history of UNG since its inception in 1873, including its first female graduate, Willie Lewis, and her sister, Mary.

"Being inducted into the Lewis Society is a way to celebrate women who have had or lead exemplary lives, such as Betty Rucker Chapman, a brilliant biology major at a time when most women were not in STEM fields. She was the one of the last people in the state of Georgia who could identify malaria under a telescope without computer assistance," Huguley said. “"The Lewis Society gives women a point of pride."

The keynote speaker for the luncheon was the Honorable Angela Duncan '91, a Superior Court judge in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Duncan earned bachelor's degree in criminal justice from UNG and a law degree from John Marshall Law School, then began practicing law. She served as a Gwinnett County Magistrate Court judge and in the U.S. Army Reserve.