FOUNDER’S AWARD
The Founder’s Award was established in 2005 and given at the first Lavender Graduation, sponsored by the Pride Center, Lambda Alliance, and GLOBES. This award honors an individual who has made a significant and lasting contribution to the University of Georgia LGBTQ community. The winner of this award is recognized each year at our annual Lavender Graduation.
The award was established in honor of its first recipient, Asa Green whose story and contribution to the community inspired the creation of the award. Asa Green co-founded the first LGBT student organization at UGA, the Committee on Gay Education (CGE), in 1971. This group held several events on campus, including a dance in the Memorial Hall Ballroom. CGE took the University to court for the right to use the ballroom for the dance. This dance, in 1972, was the first gay dance at a university in the Southeast.
Any staff, faculty, or community member who has made a substantial and long-lasting contribution to the LGBTQ community at the University of Georgia is eligible for nomination.
The criteria upon which the nominees are evaluated are:
• Connection to the LGBTQ community
• Significant contribution(s) to the LGBTQ community at UGA
• Lasting impact of contribution(s)
• Leadership in the LGBTQ community
Past Founder’s Award Recipients
2022: Kim Ellis and Carla Dennis
2021: Jeremy Gibbs and Joselyn Limbach
2019: The Career Center of the University of Georgia
2018: The College of Education Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
2017: Disability Resource Center of University of Georgia
2016: Deidre Kane, Director of Admissions, Terry College of Business
2015: Katy Janousek, Sexual Health Coordinator at The University of Georgia’s Health Center
2014: Ms. Ricky Roberts, Board Member of Athens Pride and Georgia Equality
2013: Olivia Long, Executive Director of AIDS Athens
2012: Dr. Needham Yancey Gulley, Chairperson for Boybutante AIDS Foundation, community activist
2011: Dr. Corey Johnson, Co-Founder of Georgia Safe Schools Coalition
2009: Reverend Dr. Renee DuBose, Past of Our Hope Metropolitan community Church
2008: Dr. Michael Shutt, First Director of The University of Georgia Pride Center
2007: Dr. Rodney Bennett, Vice President of Student Affairs at The University of Georgia
2006: Annette Hatton, Founder of GLOBES, the queer faculty/staff organization at The University of Georgia
2005: Asa Green, Co-Founder of the Committee on Gay Education at The University of Georgia in 1971
For additional information, please contact: Deirdre Kane at dkane@uga.edu.
Founder’s Award Nomination FormThe Founder’s Award is presented to a faculty, staff, or community member who has made a significant and lasting contributions to the LGBT community at The University of Georgia.
Closes April 20th.