Pi Beta Phi - University of Georgia

Memories on Milledge p. 2 PBF A s a transfer student at the University of Georgia, Judy Ellis Hibbs '80 arrived as a junior unaware of what the Greek system was all about. She soon became friends with a classmate, Terri Wall '79, who invited her to spring recruitment and encouraged her to join. "From the first time I walked into the house it felt like home," Judy shared. Known as a triple-dawg, Judy earned her bachelor's degree in family and consumer sciences, as well as her master's and doctorate degrees in adult education from UGA. In a nutshell, tell us a bit about yourself. I recently retired from the University of Georgia with 35 years of service, having spent the majority of my career working for the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Cooperative Extension in a nutrition education program called the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). The program focuses on teaching families with limited resources how to get the best nutrition for limited dollars. My husband, Henry, also retired from Cooperative Extension as the County Extension Coordinator in Watkinsville, Georgia. We have two sons: Robert (29) teaches special education in Athens and Garrett (25) is a graduate student at UGA in the Department of Plant Pathology. What is the best advice you've ever received? Show up on time, do what you say you're going to do and clean up your mess. What impact has Pi Beta Phi had on your life and career? Pi Phi gave a small-town country girl, raised on a dairy farm, a place of community on the huge UGA campus. Having a support group to get me through some tough science courses helped me realize that I could do it. The organized social events, beach night at the Mad Hatter and music beside the river at O'Malley's added fun to an otherwise grueling college schedule. How do you feel after being selected as a Centennial Honoree by the University of Georgia, College of Family and Consumer Sciences? It's a great honor. When UGA announced that there would be 100 honorees selected to mark its 100 years of teaching, research and public service, it never struck me that I would be nominated. After all, there have been a lot of people who walked the same halls as I did over the past 100 years. The college selected these 100 individuals because "they embody conviction and commitment to the ideals of the college, and through vision and hard work have been instrumental in advancing the college's ability to serve students and enrich lives through its mission at the University of Georgia." That's a pretty high measure to live up to. What is one of your favorite memories from living in the Pi Phi house? There was always excitement when the fraternity house next door held their initiation. What's your greatest accomplishment? My most memorable accomplishments came when I was invited as a UGA delegate to provide nutrition consultation and food preservation training during the summers of 2007 and 2008 for the Pro Nino Orphanage System in Honduras, and to teach a food preservation course for Zamni Agrikol Vocational School in Haiti in 2012. Seeing the effects of drugs on street orphans in Honduras and the aftereffects of a hurricane- ravaged country in Haiti made a lasting impression. These experiences helped earn my greatest accomplishment when I was named as a recipient of the University of Georgia's Walter B. Hill Award for Excellence in Public Service given by the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach. Do you stay in touch with your sisters from Georgia Alpha? I stay connected with my roommate and big sister, Donna Avery Andrews '78, as well as Ann Carver Weeks '78, Della Durham Fowler '80 and Fran Vickers Kendrick '80. In the last couple of years, I've made some new Pi Phi friends through a sub-group of the Athens Area Pi Phi Alumnae Chapter, having formed the group "Precious Metals," as we are all 25-plus- year Silver Arrows. I also keep up with Lisa Gipson Jarvis '91, who I've known since she was 10 years old, and who was also selected as a FACS 100 honoree. Last year I joined the Chapter House Corporation and made even more new friends – all because of Pi Beta Phi. You can connect with Judy at jhibbs@uga.edu. From Small-Town Farm to International Public Servant How the Sisterhood Encouraged the Success of Judy Ellis Hibbs '80 of chapter maintains a 4.0 GPA By the Numbers 3. 54 overall GPA 92% Potential New Member return rate of chapter made the Dean's List 78 New Members welcomed One-fourth 5%

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