One of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel songs is Bridge Over Troubled Water. Paul Simon originally wrote the song as a gospel hymn as it emphasizes providing comfort to those in need. I am often reminded of the five-word repetition in the song: “I will lay me down.” One of the greatest actions we can take in life is to lay ourselves down, to make ourselves available and build bridges for the sake of helping others. That is exactly what the team in External Relations does each day for Augusta University, and we’d like you to join us in our efforts.
I have the great honor of leading the Office of External Relations at Augusta University, where we build bridges – with people, organizations, businesses, government entities and others – for mutually beneficial engagements and interactions. The importance of cultivating and stewarding relationships, building partnerships, and helping in times of need, coupled with our desire to keep you informed about how you can help build bridges that advance the mission of Augusta University and AU Health, resulted in the creation of this newsletter. I hope you will find it informative, enlightening, inspiring and, at times, entertaining.
I want to personally welcome you to the inaugural edition of The Bridge, a quarterly newsletter produced by the Office of External Relations at Augusta University, which encompasses:
Government Relations
Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement
Protocol & Special Events
Volunteer Services & Community Engagement.
The Bridge symbolizes connections, partnerships and affiliations. External Relations partners with alumni, donors, communities, businesses and organizations, faculty and staff, legislators, as well as local leaders and state officials to identify, create and manage relationships and opportunities that will enrich and advance Augusta University’s strategic mission. To that end, The Bridge newsletter will showcase projects and strategies that are connecting Augusta University with people, places, ideas and initiatives that improve higher education, patient care and discovery & innovation at our pioneering university.
Bridges can also signify transitions, moving forward from the past to the present, linking our founding and our current work to our future. Through the positive reputation and tradition of our legacy colleges, combined with opportunities created through new schools and career programs as well as cutting-edge academic medicine and health practices training, we truly are building bright, bold new pathways – bridges – into tomorrow.
If you haven’t already, I invite you to link arms with Augusta University and navigate The Bridge to our future with us.
Sincerely,
Russell Keen, EdD
Executive Vice President for Administration and Chief of Staff to the President
(Left to right) Margie Miller, associate vice president of Government Relations, Ruhaan Pannu, a student intern and senior at Augusta University, and Ashton Blackwood, associate director of State Relations, advocate for Augusta University in Atlanta.
The Office of Government Relationsis responsible for advancing the interests and initiatives of Augusta University and AU Health at the state and federal government levels. In short, this team advocates for funding and legislative support for our institution. The Georgia General Assembly is wrapping up the 2022 Legislative Session, and AU has had a team daily in the state capitol tracking and advocating for the university and the health system. Below are two current priorities:
$7 million to support the Medical College of Georgia increases of the USG funding formula
$8.7 bond million for Central Energy Plant upgrades
The team successfully advocated for these items in the FY22 amended budget, which has been signed by Governor Brian Kemp:
$5,000 pay increase for benefits-eligible state employees
$6.3 million in new equipment funding for Augusta University
Legislative session ending
With the final day of the Legislative Session set for April 4, the team is tracking legislation that crossed over, as well as the FY23 state budget, which contains several new funding opportunities for AU and AU Health, including new capital projects, medical fellowship expansion and additional funding for MCG 3+ scholars.
The team arranged for Dr. Doug Miller, vice dean of MCG, and Dr. Tanya Sudia, dean of the College of Nursing, to participate in a panel during the Georgia Chamber’s Future of Georgia Summit on Feb. 22. They presented on state workforce needs and efforts to address them through innovative programs, like MCG 3+. In addition, Government Relations assisted in planning a legislative reception in Atlanta and state capitol visits with representatives from the Augusta University Foundation and Children’s Hospital of Georgia Philanthropy Board. See reception photos here. Read more on the Capitol visits under Foundations News.
$5.6 Million in federal funding appropriated
We are excited to share that Augusta University received two congressionally directed earmarks in the FY22 appropriations process totaling over $5.6 million. We are grateful to Monty Philpot, who advocates for us on the federal level. The two items below were included in the FY22 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that was signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 15, 2022.
$3.5 million for two MRI machines at AU Health, sponsored by U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff
$2.1 million in statewide operational funding for MCG’s 3+ Primary Care Pathway Initiative, sponsored by U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock
AU selected to U.S. Cyber Command network
The Office of Government Relations was instrumental in Augusta University applying for and being chosen to participate in U.S. Cyber Command’s Academic Engagement Network. The AEN is a new one-of-a-kind alliance between public and private academic institutions collaborating to support and enhance four USCYBERCOM lines of effort: future workforce, applied cyber research, applied analytics and strategic issues. Additionally, we were honored to host Lt. Gen. Stephen Fogarty, Commander, Army Cyber Command at Fort Gordon, on campus to discuss academic strengths and progress.
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For more frequent Government Relations updates, please subscribe to the Capitol Connections newsletter bycompleting this form.
Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement team members work diligently to tell the story of Augusta University and to engage donors and alumni in the life of the university and health system. Philanthropy & Alumni Engagement is our largest team in External Relations, with more than 50 professionals who specialize in areas including gift & estate planning, annual giving, major gifts, alumni relations, donor relations, gift processing, information and data systems, foundation professionals and administration.
Inspired giving
Successful fundraising is the result of bridging each donor’s passions with the needs of our organization. For example, when Brittany Kisner worked as a speech pathologist at Children’s Hospital of Georgia 10 years ago, she saw a need for more comprehensive developmental and mental health services for children. After Brittany got married and had kids of her own, she and husband Kevin Kisner, a PGA Tour golfer, created the Kisner Foundation to support Children’s wellness. The Children’s philanthropy team reconnected with Brittany, and, in December 2020, the Kisner Foundation gave $50,000 to Children’s to open a part-time behavioral health clinic. More recently, the Kisners and Children’s Hospital are collaborating to establish the Kisner Foundation Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness Center through a commitment of $5.3 million! Read the Kisner story here.
Thanks to the generosity of these and all our donors, Augusta University is advancing on its FY22 fundraising goal. While every gift is important and we would love to feature all our donors, we have captured a sampling of stories under the Inspiring Stories section of the website. We hope you will read about the significant gifts and the individuals, groups and organizations who are partnering with Augusta University to support education, patient care, innovation, research and more.
Augusta Gives set for April 20
Speaking of gifts, there will be various opportunities for donors to support the programs that resonate most with them during the third annual Augusta Gives on April 20, 2022. This is a vital one-day annual giving campaign aimed at building support for specific initiatives at Augusta University and AU Health System through donations from the community, alumni and beyond. For more information about how you can participate, please call the philanthropy team at 706-721-4001.
Alumni Weekend set for April 22-24
We are happy to report that alumni events are back in full swing, from the Code Blue Homecoming party at Forest Hills to a series of MCG Alumni Association receptions in Macon, Brunswick and Athens, followed by the Hinman reception in Atlanta for Dental College of Georgia alumni. Perhaps the most highly anticipated alumni event, however, is Alumni Weekend, scheduled for Friday through Sunday, April 22-24. Each college will recognize an Outstanding Young Alum and a Distinguished Alum during college-specific events. In addition, all alumni are invited to the President’s Cookout from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday on the Summerville Campus, and for those schools with no planned activities on Saturday evening, AU Alumni Night has been designated at the Augusta GreenJackets game. It will be exciting to be face-to-face again with our alumni, faculty, staff and friends. Visit the Alumni Weekend website for all event information, including a schedule by college.
Goodbye and hello
Our Alumni Engagement team will undergo a major change May 1 with the departure of Scott Henson. Over the course of 20 years at AU, Henson has forged significant relationships with our alumni. He will be sorely missed by our faculty, staff, team members and especially by our alumni. Henson has been working diligently to ensure a smooth transition upon his departure.
To that end, Wes Zamzow was recently named executive director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving. He will lead the team going forward. Zamzow began his career with our institution in 2000 at the AU Literacy Center and has held several positions in Alumni Relations, Special Events, Major Gifts and Special Gifts.
“My career has been dedicated to development and alumni relations at Augusta University. As a two-time alumnus, I’m excited to work with all of our colleges and schools to engage our alumni in meaningful ways,” Zamzow said.
Foundation news
As you read earlier in this newsletter, the AU Foundation Board of Trustees partnered with Government Relations to host a legislative reception in Atlanta to thank our government leaders for their support of Augusta University and AU Health. The Children’s Hospital of Georgia Philanthropy Board joined the trustees for Capitol visits and stops at legislative offices to express gratitude and advocate for Augusta University. Not surprisingly, the most popular member of team in Atlanta was Nugget, the Children’s Hospital facility dog. Representatives of the Medical College of Georgia Foundation also went to Atlanta joining a delegation of visitors to the Governor’s Office in February to promote the MCG 3+ program. See photos from both capitol visits.
Since the merger of the AU Foundation and Georgia Health Sciences Foundation was announced and unanimously approved in late spring 2021, the combined trustees of the two boards have been working behind the scenes to merge the associated assets, which should be completed near the end of the fiscal year. Merging the boards has increased efficiencies in many areas with many more to come. In addition, the unified leadership is creating a more synergistic approach to supporting the mission of Augusta University and AU Health.
Augusta University's Annual Memorial Ceremony will be held on April 21, 2022.
Protocol & Special Events
The Office of Protocol & Special Eventsproduces special events and initiatives for the president as well as high profile and high-impact events for Augusta University such as the President’s Gala, the annual holiday tree lighting and the grand opening of the new Science and Mathematics building.
This team also serves as a valuable resource regarding diplomatic protocol for events and is often sought for consultation or assistance in the coordination and planning of various activities for faculty, staff and student groups. For example, in January and February, this office assisted with campus blood drives, covered in-depth in the section of the newsletter for Volunteer Services & Community Engagement. In March, the team worked alongside Communications & Marketing and the Provost’s Office to produce the Augusta University Tartan Reveal and helped the AU Staff Council with back-to-back employee appreciation events on two campuses.
Annual Memorial Ceremony
This office is also coordinating Augusta University’s Annual Memorial Ceremony, set for 3 p.m. April 21, 2022, at the Teardrop on the Summerville Campus. This celebration of life was established in 2016 to provide a venue for faculty, staff and students to remember those who have died over the last year and to pay their respects to the families and friends of the deceased. The Memorial Ceremony will include remarks from President Brooks Keel and a reading of the names of those who have died.
A family member, friend or representative from the department where the person worked or attended classes will have the opportunity to place a flower bloom in a bowl of water in remembrance. As the formal ceremony concludes, the bell in the historic bell tower will toll once for each life lost. A time of fellowship will be held immediately following the ceremony on the porch of Bellevue Hall. The rain location for the event is the Jaguar Student Activities Center Ballroom.
New roles and faces
Congratulations to Gia Johnson on being promoted to director of the Office of Protocol and Special Events. In addition, the office has recruited two new event planners. Ashley Thornton hails from Georgia Southern University, where she worked in the president’s office to plan and execute high-level events, tours and visits. Kristen Swindells previously worked in AU’s Graduate School, where she helped plan recruitment events, Graduate Research Day and the Graduate School Hooding ceremonies. We are excited to have these new team members.
Spring Commencement is also upon us. Protocol & Special Events and the Registrar’s Office are working together to plan and execute a commencement experience Like No Other for Augusta University graduates and their families this year. For the first time, there will be a graduate student commencement that includes hooding at 6 p.m. May 12 at the Bell Auditorium. Two undergraduate commencement ceremonies are planned for 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. May 13 at the Augusta Marriott and Convention Center.
Maxwell Alumni House refreshed
A construction refresh of the Maxwell Alumni House on the Summerville Campus is nearly complete and just in time for spring gatherings. Protocol & Special Events is accepting reservations for events and meetings after spring break. Please emailKristen Swindells or go through thewebsite. As most of you know, this is a beautiful, historic space and a gateway to campus that works well for smaller, informal gatherings. We hope you will take advantage of this great space for connecting and building bridges.
Bridging the Gap: Volunteer Services, Communications & Marketing and Protocol & Special Events worked with Shepeard Community Blood Center to organize key blood drives at a critical time.
Effectively engaging our community constituents with the work of our organization through voluntary service-related opportunities.
Developing and offering volunteer programming that will contribute to a more positive patient experience at AU.
Implementing programming that effectively connects and engages Augusta University students with volunteer opportunities within AU as well as the community.
Blood Drive Blitz
When our community began experiencing supercritical blood shortages affecting our patients at AU Medical Center and other local hospitals, Volunteer Services jumped in to help bridge this gap, working with Shepeard Community Blood Center to organize five key blood drives across the Augusta University campus in partnership with the Office of Protocol & Special Events and the university’s Communications & Marketing team. The results were unprecedented.
Our employees donated 347 pints of blood in just four days. According to Shepeard’s “give one to save three” philosophy, those donations can help save the lives of as many as 1,041 people. Here are a few additional noteworthy numbers:
More than 450 potential donors participated
200 first-time donors braved the needle
108 AU donors visited Shepeard to donate during the appeal
Building community connections that LAST
In February, Volunteer Services began monthly Learn About Service Thursday events to raise student awareness about opportunities to volunteer with organizations in the community. Held in partnership with AU Student Life and Engagement, community and campus nonprofits the CSRA Bridge Ministry, The RECing Crew, Georgia Cancer Center, Student Wellness and St. Joseph’s Hospice were invited to set up informational tables in the JSAC.
Representatives from each group shared information with students about their mission and service needs and participation opportunities. The February launch attracted about 50 students with interests in becoming active in the community through service. Safe Homes of Augusta, Ronald McDonald House Charities Augusta and CSRA EOA, Inc. (shown in picture) were on campus to recruit student volunteers at the March 24 LAST event.
Days of Service
ICYMI: The Volunteer Services team coordinated another successful Days of Service event to wrap up 2021. Days of Service allows employees at AU and AU Health to volunteer for charitable organizations throughout the metro Augusta community during a designated window of time. More than 1,300 volunteers registered to assist with about 90 service projects across the metro Augusta region. Read the Days of Service Jagwire story and click on the Days of Service Community Impact Map to see the broad impact our faculty, staff and students made throughout the community.
Dr. Thomas Bradbury, Jr. and his wife Julie recently donated a $50,000 gift to the Medical College of Georgia to establish the Julie & Thomas “Tom” L. Bradbury, Jr., M.D. Endowment for the MCG 3+ Program & Rural Health Initiative.
Starting April 1, in honor of National Volunteer Appreciation Month, the Office of Volunteer Services and Community Engagement will highlight the many contributions that volunteers make across the Augusta University and AU Health campuses.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and the 2021-22 state legislature have approved a $5,000 cost-of-living adjustment for eligible state employees, effective April 1.
New roles and faces 
