°®Å¾Íø

A Generation of Impact

For a quarter of a century, the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) at the °®Å¾Íø has been at the forefront of shaping future leaders, advancing scholarship, and driving meaningful change in communities near and far. Since its founding, °®Å¾Íøhas remained committed to excellence in teaching, research, and public service, empowering students to engage with the most pressing challenges of our time. As we mark this milestone anniversary, we reflect on our rich history, honor the faculty, alumni, and supporters who have contributed to our success, and look ahead to the next era of impact. Join us in Athens on Saturday, April 25, 2026 as we celebrate 25 years of SPIA—our legacy, our progress, and our future.

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Register to attend the °®Å¾Íø25th Anniversary Celebration

Sponsorship levels and benefits

Read about SPIA’s history

°®Å¾Íø25th Anniversary Kickoff Gallery. Picture of signage.

°®Å¾Íø25th Anniversary Celebration

This special one-day event, held on campus in Athens, Georgia, will feature a lunch and awards ceremony honoring the achievements of our faculty, alumni, and key supporters. As we reflect on the School’s remarkable journey, we also look forward to an even brighter future—one that we can build together. Your presence and support will help us continue our mission and ensure SPIA’s legacy for generations to come. We hope to see you there!

When:
Saturday, April 25, 2026
11:00-11:30 AM  |  Check In & Pre-Reception
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM | Lunch & Awards

Where:
Georgia Center for Continuing Education
Athens, GA

View FAQs

Individual Ticket: $25 • Business attire

Registration is now closed. Please contact us at [email protected] with any questions.

°®Å¾Íø25th Anniversary Celebration

This special one-day event, held on campus in Athens, Georgia, will feature a lunch and awards ceremony honoring the achievements of our faculty, alumni, and key supporters. As we reflect on the School’s remarkable journey, we also look forward to an even brighter future—one that we can build together. Your presence and support will help us continue our mission and ensure SPIA’s legacy for generations to come. We hope to see you there!

When:
Saturday, April 25, 2026
11:00-11:30 AM  |  Check In & Pre-Reception
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM | Lunch & Awards

Where:
Georgia Center for Continuing Education
Athens, GA

View FAQs

Individual Ticket: $25 • Business attire

Registration is now closed. Please contact us at [email protected] with any questions.

°®Å¾Íø25th Anniversary Kickoff Gallery. Picture of signage.
Bench in Sanford Stadium with Uga's red dog house.

Auction Item: Sanford Hedge Legacy Bench

Handcrafted by Ronny Just, an avid Bulldogs fan and an Emeritus Member of the °®Å¾ÍøBoard of Visitors, this character-filled slab of black walnut has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind legacy bench, stabilized with handcrafted butterfly bowtie inlays made from the storied hedges of Sanford Stadium.

Originally planted in 1929 and reinstalled after the 1996 Olympic Games, these historic privet hedges framed the field of play for 27 seasons as Georgia Bulldogs football compiled a remarkable 280-90 record. Their wood now lives on in this piece, preserving a small part of Georgia football history.

All proceeds will support the initiatives of the School, which include need-based study abroad scholarships, internship stipends, support for graduate students, and top funding priorities as determined by the dean.

Bids will be accepted through April 25 at 12:00 PM. You do not have to be present to win.

Auction Item: Sanford Hedge Legacy Bench

Handcrafted by Ronny Just, an avid Bulldogs fan and an Emeritus Member of the °®Å¾ÍøBoard of Visitors, this character-filled slab of black walnut has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind legacy bench, stabilized with handcrafted butterfly bowtie inlays made from the storied hedges of Sanford Stadium.

Originally planted in 1929 and reinstalled after the 1996 Olympic Games, these historic privet hedges framed the field of play for 27 seasons as Georgia Bulldogs football compiled a remarkable 280-90 record. Their wood now lives on in this piece, preserving a small part of Georgia football history.

All proceeds will support the initiatives of the School, which include need-based study abroad scholarships, internship stipends, support for graduate students, and top funding priorities as determined by the dean.

Bids will be accepted through April 25 at 12:00 PM. You do not have to be present to win.

Bench in Sanford Stadium with Uga's red dog house.

Sponsor the °®Å¾Íø25th Anniversary

The School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) at the °®Å¾Íø invites you and/or your company to be a sponsor of the °®Å¾Íø25th Anniversary event and awards ceremony. Proceeds from this event support the initiatives of the School, which include need-based study abroad scholarships, internship stipends, support for graduate students, and top funding priorities as determined by the dean.

Please note: Because this event includes a meal, the tax-deductible portion of your sponsorship is the total amount contributed minus $55 per person.

Sponsor Levels

Gold Sponsor - $10,000 −+

• Invitation to a pre-event reception with VIPs
• Name announced at event
• Logo on e-marketing (e-invitations and e-messages)
• Logo on all print materials (event program, signage, flyer)
• Logo on social media and °®Å¾Íøwebsite with company link
• 2 tables with 8 reserved event seats each in front of the ballroom
• Logo prominently featured on table
• Logo in event slideshow

Silver Sponsor - $5,000 −+

• Name announced at event
• Logo on e-marketing (e-invitations and e-messages)
• Logo on all print materials (event program, signage, flyer)
• Logo on social media and °®Å¾Íøwebsite with company link
• 8 reserved event seats at a table in the middle of the ballroom
• Logo prominently featured on table
• Logo in event slideshow

Bronze Sponsor - $2,500 −+

• Name announced at event
• Logo on e-marketing (e-invitations and e-messages)
• Logo on all print materials (event program, signage, flyer)
• Logo on social media and °®Å¾Íøwebsite with company link
• 4 reserved event seats at a table in preferred area of the ballroom
• Name prominently featured on table
• Name in event slideshow

Patron Sponsor - $1,000 −+

• Name announced at event
• Name on all print materials (event program, signage, flyer)
• 2 reserved event seats

°®Å¾Íø25th Anniversary Sponsors

• GOLD SPONSORS • 

women's public leadership network logo

Eleni Pryles Kalisch

Major General Arnold and Jan Punaro

• SILVER SPONSORS • 

walmart logo

Gary and Joan Bertsch

• BRONZE SPONSORS • 

Council for Quality Growth logo

Troutman Pepper Locke logo

Logo: °®Å¾Íø Gwinnett Campus

Clay Anthony

Missy and Jay Ferguson

Reta Jo Lewis

Sherry Moreland

°®Å¾Íø25th Anniversary Award Winners

°®Å¾ÍøDistinguished Public Service Award

The °®Å¾ÍøDistinguished Public Service Award is a prestigious honor awarded to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to public service, governance, policy, or civic leadership.

Governor Brian Kemp & First Lady Marty Kemp

°®Å¾ÍøLifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an exceptional individual whose sustained commitment and transformative contributions have shaped the field of public and international affairs over the course of their career.

Reta Jo Lewis

Reta Jo Lewis

°®Å¾ÍøAlumni Impact Awards

°®Å¾ÍøAlumni Impact Awards recognize outstanding graduates from each of SPIA’s degree areas—international affairs, political science, public administration & policy, and criminal justice—who have made significant contributions in their fields and exemplify leadership, innovation, and service. These awards are open to all graduates with a degree from a department housed in SPIA, regardless of whether they earned their degree before or after SPIA’s founding in 2001.

Matt Fuhrmann

International Affairs — Matt Fuhrmann

Larissa Martinez

Political Science — Larissa Martinez

Ted Pestorius

Public Administration & Policy — Ted Pestorius

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