DAHLONEGA – When Dr. Katie (Williamson) Metrock first heard about "DAWG week" as a freshman at then North Georgia College & State University in 2002, she felt prepared for a physically and mentally taxing challenge. The week-long training and conditioning regimen instituted by head women's basketball coach Buffie Burson would be one of the toughest challenges a young Metrock ever faced. 

Little did she know, it would be the catalyst for her extraordinary work ethic and drive that has helped her become an outstanding doctor and one of the most distinguished alumni in UNG athletics history. 

"Those grueling nights in residency where you're up for 24, 36 hours sometimes… I would sit there and have those moments of complete fatigue and all of the sudden I would be hit with images from DAWG week and think: 'if I can get through that, I can do this,' I can do what I need to do in this moment and move on and get the job done," said Metrock. "It taught me how to push farther and push harder than I really believed I could do." 

Today, Metrock is the director of the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders Pediatric Neurofibromatosis Brain Tumor Clinic. She's also the director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Fellowship Program. She serves as the principal investigator and protocol committee member of several national and international clinical trials for children with brain, spine and nerve tumors.

On Friday, Metrock returned to Dahlonega to give the commencement address to graduates of UNG's College of Health Science & Professions and College of Education. 

In a captivating address, Metrock focused on two elements that shaped her life and will shape the lives of others forever; time and purpose. 

She spoke about her patients who have influenced her outlook on these two building blocks of life. Jack, a young boy diagnosed with a tumor as a toddler, taught Metrock to stop and smell the roses. 

"If we take the time to look at something differently like Jack, we might discover something completely unexpected and amazing," said Metrock during her speech.

She also spoke of Joe Thompson, a 22-year-old of Summerville, Ala. diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a deadly brain tumor. Despite Thompson's diagnosis, he became a spokesperson for the Nikolas Ritschel Foundation and raised $30,000 for Nik's Wish, a cause that grants wishes to young adults ages 18 to 24 years old. On clinic visits, he would pass around hats that read "Bring Joy" on the front. Metrock used one of those hats as a symbol of purpose during her speech. 

Thompson, who passed away in December of 2023, is remembered by Metrock who said, "he knew he didn't have a lot of time, but he absolutely used it with purpose." 

Metrock's emotional and inspiring address was another gift to the University of North Georgia from someone who has already given so much. 

As a student athlete, Metrock was a trailblazer for what is today one of the most distinguished and accomplished NCAA Division II women's basketball program's ever. Her playing days from 2002-2006 coincided with the university's transition from an NAIA competitor to an NCAA member at the Division II level. 

Scoring over 1,000 points in her career, Metrock helped the program to four straight championships including a Peach Belt Conference Regular Season Championship in 2006, the program's first ever year as an NCAA member. 

In 2005, she garnered All-America distinction as an NAIA Second Team selection. In 2006, she also landed a spot on the NAIA Scholar-Athlete team and was also an NCAA Third Team All-American. To this day, Metrock's season and career free-throw percentage records still rank among the best in the UNG record book.

In 2014, Metrock was inducted into the UNG Athletics Hall of Fame for her outstanding individual achievements. In 2023, she was inducted again as a member and captain of the historic 2005-06 women's basketball team that went 23-4 en route to the PBC title. 

"That was just a special group of women. I love that team and that was just a special group to be a part of," said Metrock. 

As a student, Metrock earned a bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in Spanish from UNG in 2006. She was awarded the University System of Georgia Outstanding Scholar Award in 2005, selected as a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society from 2004-2006 and selected as a member of Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society from 2004-2006.

After graduating summa cum laude as valedictorian from UNG, Metrock completed medical school at the Medical College of Georgia. She then completed a residency in pediatrics at Emory University, followed by fellowships in pediatric hematology-oncology (2016) and pediatric neuro-oncology (2017) at Emory. 

During her fellowship, she conducted research on the molecular drivers of medulloblastoma, aiming to target the most critical molecular changes within the tumor without negatively affecting normal brain tissue.

Gratitude towards Coach Burson and the academic faculty members that helped her get to where she is today is not lost on Metrock. She remembers the occasions when her professors took time out of their schedule to set aside opportunities for Metrock, who was often busy traveling and competing with the women's basketball team, to put in the necessary lab and experimental hours to become the outstanding doctor that she is today.

"To ask them to set up the same experiment again and again just for me is actually asking a lot of them, and they were so supportive of that," said Metrock. "I just can't say enough how much I appreciated the investment that the faculty had." 

Metrock was drawn towards biology, and eventually neuro-oncology, as a child after her aunt was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She declared at a young age, admittedly too young to know what she was really getting into, that the medical field was where she belonged. 

Today, as a pediatric neuro-oncologist, she treats infants and young adults who have brain, spine and other nerve related tumors and cancer. After a visit to Dahlonega and UNG's campus while still in high school, Metrock knew UNG would be the place to help her get to where she is today. 

"I did come and visit North Georgia and that's actually when I fell in love with it," said Metrock, a Suwanee, Ga. native. "It was right around the corner but I hadn't ever visited or been there, but I really liked Coach and I really liked her style."  

"They also took me around to see some of the professors… I felt like the school could really help me from an education standpoint get to where I wanted to go," said Metrock. 

As someone who devoted extensive time to UNG, Metrock symbolizes the university's foundations of leadership and wisdom. As someone who's spent even more time helping others, her purpose goes beyond that. 

In welcoming Metrock to the podium, UNG President Dr. Michael Shannon said, "She walks into rooms and gives people hope. She walks into rooms and helps people through the toughest times of their life."

Metrock's parting words on Friday to the newly minted alumni of UNG will not soon be forgotten. 

"As you leave this wonderful university, take with you that life is short, your time here is limited and precious. Use your time wisely. Both on a daily basis, but also on a larger, lifetime scale. This will help you prioritize what is truly important to you and help you serve your purpose," said Metrock. "Enjoy your journey and bring joy."