We would not be here today without the dedication of our passionate alumni during their time with UGA® Miracle. UGA® Miracle was founded in 1995, and we have grown tremendously since then. Our organization has impacted so many college students’ lives, but your involvement does not have to stop upon graduation! We have many ways for our alumni to stay involved! See below for more details!

alumni association

The inaugural year of UGA® Miracle's Alumni Association showed to be a strong start for our newest venture. The purpose of this association is to connect UGA® Miracle alumni from across the country. Your membership will help raise money for our yearly total and for alumni events throughout the year.

Click below to learn more about the UGA® Miracle Legacy Club or email alumni.ugamiracle@gmail.com

uga® miracle alumni board

The purpose of the Alumni Board is to establish and maintain connections with UGA® Alumni and the Alumni Association. The Alumni Board promotes the advancement and the best interests of UGA® Miracle.  The Alumni Board is an integral part of the Alumni community and UGA® Miracle. Being an integral part, the Board will fully support the mission and goals of UGA® Miracle.

PRESIDENT - JENNA COYNE

The President shall preside at all meetings conducted when the Alumni Board meets. The President will also oversee the Alumni Board and all activities pertaining to the Board. The President shall also have the ultimate say in decisions regarding the Board. The President will be the main point of contact between the Board and the Parent and Alumni Co-Chairs. 

VICE PRESIDENT - ALLISON DOHERTY

The Vice President shall assist the President and other Board members in engaging Alumni and finding new ways to have more alumni involved.  The Vice President shall assist any other Board member when needed. The Vice President is also responsible for helping the Alumni Outreach Assistant Chair in any tasks needed.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION LIAISON - LUCY FISHER

The Alumni Association Liaison shall be the main coordinator between the Alumni Board and the Alumni Association. The Liaison will be in constant contact with Association members when necessary and shall be the main point of contact for any questions or concerns. The Liaison will be fully in charge of membership promotion and overseeing membership growth.

ALUMNI IN-STATE ENGAGEMENT LIAISON - KELLY DWYER

The Alumni Engagement In State Liaison shall be the main point of contact for alumni who live inside the state of Georgia. The Liaison shall also be in constant contact and develop relationships with such alumni. The main purpose of the Liaison is to host engagement activities to establish a greater network connection between alumni to keep them involved. Such activities are at the discrepancy of the Liaison.

ALUMNI OUT-OF-STATE LIAISON - GRACE BEST

The Alumni Engagement Out of State Liaison shall be the main point of contact for alumni outside the state of Georgia. The Liaison shall also be in constant contact and develop relationships with such alumni. The main purpose of the Liaison is to host engagement activities to establish a greater network connection between alumni to keep them involved. Such activities are at the discrepancy of the Liaison.

FUNDRAISING LIAISON - DOMINIQUE PHILIPS

The Fundraising Liaison shall oversee fundraising efforts of the UGA® Miracle alumni network. The Liaison will also work with the Parent and Alumni Co-Chairs on creating ways for alumni to fundraise the most successfully and efficiently. The Liaison is the main point of contact for any questions or concerns regarding fundraising and Donor Drive for the year given. The Liaison will also coordinate with the Fundraising Co-Chairs to develop fundraising strategies. The Liaison shall also establish a goal for the alumni for the year if they wish.

BOARD MEMBERS - JOHN CARAS, SHERIDAN SCHUSTER, ANNA HELEN MCKELVEY, ALLY SMITH, EMILY PEASE, COLE WILLIAMS, KRISTA SMITH, REBECCA SONHLEIN, GABBY HERNANDEZ

General Board Members shall participate in our mentorship program with people currently on leadership to develop close connections and networking. The General Board Members also serve as points of contact for UGA® Miracle alumni who graduated during their time. Their duties also consist of helping the In State and Out of State Liaisons set up activities. The General Board Members also serve as a reasoning voice for decisions made by the Board in the given year.

Ricky’s Story:

On 06/01/05 Rick and Shelli James were blessed with the birth of Richard Allen James III (aka Ricky). A beautiful boy with big blue eyes, a head of curls & a smile that just made you want to hug him. Ricky is the love of our lives & the glue that bonds us. On 04/01/07 Ricky was brought to Childrens' with severe constipation. Within 4 hours we learned that Ricky had a tumor blocking his rectum and we were going to be admitted. The doctors feared a malignancy. 4 days later and several tests, it was confirmed - Ricky has rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of cancer that attaches to the muscles and in Ricky's case, it is believed that the pelvic mass is stemming from his prostate. The tumor is about the size of a tennis ball.

Ricky is the light in a room. He completed 42 weeks of chemo with 28 treatments of radiation (M-F 07/05/07-08/13/07). On 08/08/07 Rick and I were blessed with the birth of our daughter, Erin Michele. Ricky came to the hospital directly from radiation demanding to see "HIS BABY" and she has been his primary source of attention since.

On 1/11/08 Ricky received his last chemo, with Erin by his side. On 02/08/08, his first post-chemo scans showed clear margins & Ricky was declared NED (No Evidence of Disease). It was a wonderful day.

Unfortunately, Ricky's next scans on 5/16/08 showed a mass and on 05/20/08 our worst fears were concerned....Ricky had a 2-3 cm tumor on the posterior of his prostate. On 05/30/08 Ricky had his port re-inserted and began another 42-52 weeks of more advanced chemo. Radiation was not an option this round. On 10/14/08 Ricky had surgery to remove his bladder, his prostate, surrounding lymph nodes and an extended portion of his urethra. His transverse colon was also removed to create a conduit for his urine. Ricky wears a urostomy bag. He will have an additional 8 cycles of chemo before completing the battle this time around. On 02/29/08, the last day of his 22nd month of treatment, Ricky received his last chemo.  In June, after 2 clear scans, Ricky's port was again removed.

On August 12, 2009 Ricky had his routine 6 month scans.  His lungs showed 2 very small lesions (the largest 1 mm) on his right lung.  It was agreed that we would rescan in 6 weeks. On September 16th Ricky was rescanned and on September 17th, we received the devastating news that Ricky now had at least 14 lesions on both lungs with the largest now 1.1 cm.  After much research it was determined that Ricky would receive chemo again.  On October 1st, Ricky had his 3rd port inserted and began chemo, for the 3rd time is his life.  Scans were re-done before the chemo began and the lesions were spreading and multiplying with too many to count.

Ricky lost his battle with cancer and earned his angel wings on May 23, 2010. Despite this, the James family has been essential in UGA Miracle's movement in raising money for our hospital. They are still at almost every event and serve as an inspiration for everyone they meet.

stay involved

Alumni Board Application