Thriving Under 30
About the Program
Thriving Under 30 (previously known as 30 Under 30) is an annual recognition program sponsored by the UWG Alumni Association.
The program recognizes young alumni who are under the age of 30 and have made a significant impact in their career industry while demonstrating dedication to UWG and representing the university well.
2024 THRIVING UNDER 30 Honorees
The selected honorees will be recognized at the 47th Annual Alumni Awards Celebration as part of Alumni Weekend on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
2020 Virtual Thriving Under 30 Ceremony
On Saturday, January 30, 2021, we aired a virtual awards ceremony video to showcase this year's honorees on the UWG Alumni Association Facebook page.
While we wish we could have celebrated these graduates in person, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to share their incredible success stories with our entire alumni community.
Meet the 2023 Honorees
MK Anderson ’14
Shavonn Bennette ’14
Anisa Brenee' ’17
Jaylin Evans ’19
Sydney Francis ‘21
Jon Goodfriend ’17 ’20
Peter-John Goulbourne ’16
Jordan Head ’16
Mitchell Henderson ’18 ’21
Raequon Jones ’17
Dylan Matthews ’18
Lauren Peet ’16 '18
Neil Phillips ’17
Alexandra Robinson ’16
Ryan Sammon ’19
Taylor Smith ’18 ’21
Samuel Sykes ’16 ’18
Olubanke Taiwo ’19 ’22
Reginald Terrill White Jr. ’19
Kendalyn Watkins ’19 ’21
India Westbrook ’16 ’20
Requirements
- Must have earned a degree from the University of West Georgia.
- Must be under the age of 30 as of August 31 of the year being considered.
- Must be willing to be included, with photograph, in various publications for the UWG Alumni Association and University Communications & Marketing.
- Cannot be a member of a previous Thriving Under 30/30 Under 30 class. Previous honorees are listed below.
CRITERIA FOR HONOREES
- Must have made a documentable impact in business, education, leadership, government, research, service, or other area.
- Should demonstrate dedication to the University of West Georgia and its mission of teaching, research, and service.
- Must represent the very best of UWG graduates.
PREVIOUS HONOREES
- Nadia Aghaie ‘17
- Katahj Copely ‘21
- Troy Crittendon ‘16
- Kristen Denney ‘16
- Stephanie Hernandez ‘17
- John Hurst ‘19
- Jamaree’ James ‘15 ‘16
- Shinice Monique Johnson ‘14
- Brionna Lannom ‘16
- Antonishia McRay ‘15
- Colette Morton ‘17
- Somto Okeke ‘15
- Jessica Pope ‘16 ‘17
- Khaleel Rogers ‘19
- Solomon Seaborn ‘15 ‘16
- Randall Snell ‘15 ‘18
- Paige Williams ‘17
- Leri Argueta '14 '17
- McKenzie Benefield '17
- Gabrielle Beteag '16
- Julian Brown '15
- Emani Collins '17 '19
- Brady Cook '15 '17
- Keith T. Crawford '17
- Christopher M. Crittenden '12
- Donte' Gilbert '13 '15
- Kristin Hall '13 '14
- Andrew Johnson '14 '18
- Brooke E. Lane '13 '15
- Kelsey Matthews '13
- Michael Joel McDowell, MPA '14 '17
- Sarah Sulski '16
- DeAna Tyler '13
- Dana Tzegaegbe '15
- Elias Eli Argueta '17
- Logan Arrington '12 '14
- Dylan Beauchamp '15 '17
- Ashley Bennett '14
- Michael Browning '13
- Abbey Callahan '14 '16
- Raequon D. Jones '17
- Taylor Jordan '18
- Chelsea Morgan '14
- Phillip Emmanuel '14
- Patrick Snipes '14
- Devonte Steward '16
- Ethan Stiles '17
- Adam Tucker '15
Congratulations to the 2018 class of honorees!
- Erin Acree '17
- Daltavion Almond '16 '17
- Victoria Bambo '13
- Kyle M. Broome '15 '16
- John Crossley '15
- Amber Dees '15
- Adrienne Duke '16
- Gabrielle Elisabeth '14
- Danielle Fluck '15 '17
- Eric Graise '15
- Monica E. Grimaldo '12
- Anthony J. Harden '15
- William Connor Hooper '16
- Drew Hopson '17
- Andrew S. Jordan '13
- Byron Khalil '14
- Moran McCall '14
- Calvin D. Moore '14
- Sarah Negris-Mamani '12
- Olatunde Oshikoya '13
- Adam Pullen '15
- Hannah Roberts '15
- Jake Spain '15
- Kathleen Sturgeon '14
- Matthew Thomas '11
Congratulations to the 2017 class of honorees!
- Tyrell Adams '14
- Jessie Belcher '13 '16
- Brandi J. Blake '14
- Calvin Dennis '12
- Kayce Denson '14
- Katy Eason '10
- Danielle Gage '13 '15
- Michael Haigwood Goodroe '11
- Thomas L. Grote '11
- Jared Holley '10
- Lisa Irvin, BSN, RN '15
- Emily M. James, Au.D. '11
- Tyler Kilian '14
- Gregory Oliver Lewis '13
- Suzanne Mathew '12
- Christina McDermott '12 '15
- Kat Middleton '10
- Chelsea Mobley '16
- Brad Mock '12 '15
- Justin Monsewicz '13
- Luke Paul '16
- Ashlee Pollard '12 '13
- Whitney Johnson Presnal '12
- Justen Ransom '15
- Jeremy Sheffield '12
- Robert "Rob" Sparks '13
- Cole Stratton '13 '15
- Ashley E. Teague, RN, BSN '15
- Kinsey Hicks Terry '12
- Stephanie West '12 '14
Congratulations to the 2016 class of honorees!
- Chris Aquino '10
- Dr. Phoebe J. Balentyne '16
- Sarah Burek '14
- Ashley K. Bush '11
- Joshua Collie '13
- Heather Ford Collings '09 '10
- Brittany Cook '14
- Taylor Enfinger '12 '14
- Darryl Forges '14
- Christina Humphrey '11
- Jonathan James '15
- Brittany Janowski '09 '11
- Anna E. Killmeier '13
- Candace S. Koon '09
- Tyler Lanier '14
- Roger Lascorz '14
- Amanda Mallory '09
- April R. McKown '13
- Jerry Houston Shannon '09
- Dr. Jerikka Smith '11
- Abigail Stone '12
- Matthew Charles Terry '10
- Catalina Trivino '12
- Amy Wade '11
- Courtney Walker '12
- Rachael Whitley '11
- Rebecca Whitley '13 '15
- Ashley Wilkes '10 '11 '13
- Cory Lee Woodard '14
- Jared Yamamoto '12
- Chris Adamson '13
- Ali Aust '14
- Clint Backstrom '09 '13
- Megan Bell '13
- Ashton Blackwood '13
- Dr. Kristin R. Brown '10
- Taylor D. Brown '15
- Kayla Bruno '13
- Dr. Zachary D. Bush '07
- Brittany Campbell '10
- Stuart Campbell '11 '15
- David Carpio '08
- Jessica Hodge '11
- Benjamin Jenkins '10
- Ameen Mehdi Kazerouni '12
- Ashley Harvard Kovac '11 '13
- Jamie L. Kramer '10
- Jared LeClaire '13
- Leslie Lewis '09
- Kyle Marshall '08 '09
- John Morgan '12
- Stephanie G. Parker '09 '12 '15
- Meitra Lak Perry '09 '12
- Lindsey Robinson '09 '11
- Terence Rushin '10
- Jacob Skelton '10
- Kristen Hope Thompson '09
- Thomas A. Vance, Jr. '11
- Katie Watkins '10
- Amanda Lynn Wright '11
- Ms. Maria Alvarez '09
- Mr. Kyle Church '11
- Mr. Jason Clark '07
- Ms. Pam Cooper '08 '11 '13
- Mr. Stephen Delaney '09
- Mrs. Emily Brown Dial '08 '11
- Mr. Adam Elrod '11
- Ms. Erin Farr '08 '10
- Ms. Adrienne Fischer '10 '12 '14
- Mrs. Cara Welch Herzog '08
- Mr. Shawn Isaacs '10
- Dr. Olanrewaju Jimoh '06
- Ms. Ashley Jones '07
- Ms. Tangela Large '10
- Mr. Will Mallory '08
- Mrs. Hannah Robinson Milligan '08
- Ms. Lindsay Murray '09
- Ms. Rachel Nobles '11
- Dr. Ajay Pillai '08
- Mr. Allen Pullen '08 '09
- Mr. Josh Rachel '08
- Mr. Trent Ross '08 '09
- Ms. Mariana Sanchez '10 '12
- Mr. Ryan Shostak '10
- Mr. Jerome Singleton '13
- Mr. Jason Soucy '09
- Mr. Casey Tate '08
- Mr. Jason Thogmartin '06 '07
- Dr. Chloe Turnipseed '09
- Mr. Jon Wood '10
- Jose Avila Kelly '05
- Lauren Daigle Camp '06
- Jenni Caruso '07
- David Collings '09
- Craig Coogler '07
- Emma Dobbs '09
- Carla Maner Duncan '09
- Rich Eells, II '10
- Blair Hooper Elrod '11
- Nichole Dyer Fannin '05
- Colleen Farley '06
- Christina Figueroa '05
- LaToya Goulbourne '11
- Jacob Hawkins '06
- Kyler Gamble Hembree '11
- Melinda Bellemare Hofius '07 '13
- Matthew Holton '06
- Brittany Jorge '10
- Wes Kirkbride '07
- Chris LaMance '10
- Matias Marabotto '09
- Robert Millican '06
- Kyle Newton '11
- Casey Nichols '06
- Amberly Coley Odom '09
- Jessica Reynolds-Wiggins '07
- Chris Sink '08
- Josh Stewart '06
- Beth Walsh '11
- Lacey Smith Wilson '06