35th Annual Public Service and Outreach Awards Luncheon
Highlights of Look Ahead Georgia
Look Ahead Georgia is a collaborative initiative of the University of Georgia’s Archway Partnership designed to strengthen rural communities by connecting UGA students with internship opportunities in their hometowns. The program integrates leadership development, community engagement, and workforce capacity-building to create reciprocal benefits for both students and the communities they serve. This session will highlight the program’s structure, partnerships, and impact across Georgia.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe how Look Ahead Georgia leverages community-university partnerships to support rural workforce development, civic engagement, and leadership growth
- Identify strategies for designing and implementing collaborative PSO partnerships — such as those between Archway and Fanning — to maximize program delivery and community impact
- Develop or adapt a framework for integrating student experiential learning with community-driven development priorities in their own outreach or engagement efforts
Presenters:
Jeffrey Burke, Public Service Associate, Archway Partnership
Jeffrey Burke serves as the Newton County Archway Professional and coordinates the Look Ahead Georgia rural internship initiative. As Newton County’s Archway Professional, Burke connects UGA’s resources and expertise to address community-identified needs and challenges. In overseeing the Look Ahead Georgia program, Burke helps the Archway Partnership enhance workforce development in rural Georgia. The program is designed to encourage UGA students to return to their rural hometowns by offering internships in local businesses, governments and nonprofits. Prior to his current role, Burke spent 12 years with UGA Extension and Georgia 4-H. Burke holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration from Valdosta State University and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in public administration there.
Jason Edwards, Public Service Assistant, J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development
Jason Edwards is a public service faculty member at the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, where he helps develop leadership curriculum and community and youth leadership programs. He graduated with a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from UGA and holds a master’s and bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from UGA. Prior to his current role, he worked as an instructor for the Department of Kinesiology, where he taught education courses to aspiring teachers and began new educational partnerships with nearby K-12 public school districts. Edwards was named a recipient of the UGA President’s Fulfilling the Dream award in January 2023.
Sharon Liggett, Senior Public Service Associate, Archway Partnership
Sharon Liggett has worked in Public Service and Outreach since 2012 and currently serves as Senior Public Service Associate with the Archway Partnership. She oversees an extensive engagement and outreach portfolio in education, housing, health, law, arts and sciences, social work and more. Liggett joined Archway with a well-established career in the public sector, with experience including rural tourism consulting and community redevelopment. Prior to her consulting experience, Liggett was president and CEO of the Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Additionally, she brings years of experience in the government sector, working at local, state, regional and federal governments. Liggett earned her bachelor’s degree in international relations from Eckerd College, and her Master of Public Administration from Florida State University.
Cassidy Head, Elizabeth V. Wight Southwest Georgia Intern, Archway Partnership
Cassidy Head has served as an undergraduate assistant at the Archway Partnership since 2023. She also was the inaugural recipient of the Elizabeth V. Wight Southwest Georgia Internship facilitated through Archway. As part of her internship, Head worked with communities in rural Georgia to address pressing concerns such as health care and wellness, downtown development and other quality of life concerns. She also organized last summer’s Pre-Med Rural Georgia Hospital Tour, where UGA students learned about living and working in rural health care settings. A biological sciences major, Head wants to become a doctor upon graduation. Outside of UGA, she has experience volunteering at Piedmont in Athens as well as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
View session options
Morning
- PSO: Where Action Meets Impact 1 (Room L)
- Developing Grant Proposals: Tools and Techniques to Help You Secure Funding for Your Programs (Room R)
- An Inside Look at the PSO Scholarship Academy (Room T/U)
- Mentoring for Professional Growth: Building Strong Connections in PSO (Room K)
- Highlights of Look Ahead Georgia (Room Q)
- Cultivating Meaningful Student Engagement in PSO (Room V/W)
- The Lowdown on Dossiers – Tips and Hints for Faculty Promotion (Room F/G)
Afternoon
- PSO: Where Action Meets Impact 2 (Room V/W)
- Teaming Up for Success: How to Effectively Collaborate with Academic Faculty to Secure Large Scale Federal Grants (Room R)
- Public Speaking & Impactful Presentations (Room Q)
- PSO: Integrating AI & GenAI into Work Routines (Room K)
- Managing Your Own Professional Development (Room F/G)
- Using Data Storytelling to Communicate Impact (Room L)
- Showcase Roundtables of PSO Programs for Faculty and Staff (Room Y/Z)