UGA’s New Faculty Tour deepens statewide impact

As the tour bus rolled through the south Georgia countryside, Joshua Caballero and Caroline Gomez-Di Cesare found themselves deep in conversation. What started as a research discussion between the two new University of Georgia faculty members turned into something more: the beginning of a partnership aimed at improving public health outcomes in rural Georgia.

The New Faculty Tour gave professors Caroline Gomez-Di Cesare and Joshua Caballero the opportunity to connect through their shared passion for health care and public service. They’re now building a collaborative relationship aimed at improving public health outcomes in rural Georgia.

The New Faculty Tour gave professors Caroline Gomez-Di Cesare and Joshua Caballero the opportunity to connect through their shared passion for health care and public service. They’re now building a collaborative relationship aimed at improving public health outcomes in rural Georgia.

Caballero, an associate professor in the College of Pharmacy, and Gomez-Di Cesare, an associate professor in the School of Medicine, were among the 28 faculty members on the 2025 New Faculty Tour. The immersive five-day trip introduces new faculty to UGA’s statewide mission and helps them connect their academic expertise to the real-world needs of Georgia communities.

“We as faculty really gained a sense of the profound effect of UGA’s public service and outreach impact on the state,” Caballero said. “It made us think about how we might contribute to that — not just through research, but also through student engagement and community collaboration.”

The tour provided a thorough introduction to UGA’s vital role in the state as participants traveled through 45 counties and 15 cities.

“I feel like this tour was custom made for me, with my research focus on AI in agriculture,” said Xin Zhang, assistant professor in the College of Engineering. “From oysters on the coast to the onion farming in Vidalia to harvesting grapes in north Georgia, all along I was making new connections, finding partners and realizing how much impact my work could have in Georgia.”

Mapping UGA’s impact

Tour stops included the UGA Archway Partnership community of Dublin-Laurens County, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant at Skidaway Island in Savannah, the Georgia Ports Authority in Garden City, Bland Farms in Glennville, UGA’s Tifton campus, the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, the Kia Georgia plant in West Point, Kaya Vineyards in Dahlonega and the city of Gainesville. These visits reinforced the scope of UGA’s impact and showed how faculty across disciplines can support Georgia’s growth and resilience.

Ignazio Graziosi from the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources shares with the group during a leadership exercise with the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development.

Ignazio Graziosi from the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources shares with the group during a leadership exercise with the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development.

“The New Faculty Tour offers our newest faculty members a meaningful introduction to the University of Georgia’s far-reaching impact,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “As Georgia’s flagship institution, UGA is defined by its presence and service in communities throughout the state, and I am proud that this tour allows our new faculty to gain a deeper understanding of our vital land-grant and sea-grant mission.”

UGA Extension is a vital part of UGA's outreach efforts. Here, Nathan Eason, county Extension coordinator for White County, educates tour participants about the Georgia grape industry.

UGA Extension is a vital part of UGA's outreach efforts. Here, Nathan Eason, county Extension coordinator for White County, educates tour participants about the Georgia grape industry.

For Taylore Woodhouse, assistant professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ department of English, the experience was eye-opening. Inspired by arts and humanities initiatives at Marine Extension, Woodhouse began thinking about how to involve her students and research to help expand UGA’s impact and make it more accessible.

“Seeing UGA’s impact makes me really grateful to be at a land-grant institution like this one where I’m a small part of something bigger that’s truly serving the Georgia community,” she said.

Faculty takeaways

Joshua Cloudy, assistant professor of advertising, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication

Rex Facer, public service assistant, Carl Vinson Institute of Government

Brian Steele, assistant dean of admissions, School of Medicine

Taylore Woodhouse, assistant professor of English, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences

Partnerships in motion

As Caballero and Gomez-Di Cesare continue their collaboration, they’re thinking ahead — not just to their next research project, but also to the students they’ll conduct research with, the rural health care programs they might support and the lives they hope to improve.

“We can collaborate to improve diabetes, coronary disease and vascular conditions,” Gomez-Di Cesare said. “But more than that, we want to help students understand the needs of rural Georgians and be service-oriented in health care delivery, education and support.”

“We want to empower students to make a difference,” Caballero adds.

During the tour, faculty visited the UGA Aquarium and learned about the research of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant.

During the tour, faculty visited the UGA Aquarium and learned about the research of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant.

The New Faculty Tour is coordinated by the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach and the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development. It’s made possible by support from the Office of the President, the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost and the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach. Additional sponsors include the UGA Foundation, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and other UGA units and supporters of the university.

This year’s cohort represented 17 schools and colleges, as well as three PSO units.

Now in its 39th year, the tour has introduced nearly 1,650 faculty to UGA’s statewide impact and led to research and partnerships that continue to benefit Georgia.

We know Georgia. We are Georgia.

Story by: Roy Parry; Photos by: Beth Anne DeKeizer and Shannah Montgomery

Learn more about Public Service and Outreach

Public Service and Outreach Student Scholars bridge knowledge and practice at UGA

Kenzie Locke didn’t expect to fall in love with ecology, but during her internship as a PSO Scholar, the days spent walking beautiful trails, tracking blooming species, and working alongside staff in the greenhouse made the work unexpectedly engaging.

From veterinary practices to telehealth clinics, new funding for UGA faculty to address rural issues

The University of Georgia’s Rural Engagement Workshop for Academic Faculty has awarded a series of seed grants to help faculty address challenges in rural Georgia ranging from veterinary practices to telehealth clinics and early childhood care.

UGA-Community Partnership Recognized by International Town and Gown Association

The Athens Community Council on Aging was honored with the 2025 Presidential Excellence Award, highlighting the organization’s multifaceted collaboration with UGA and dedication to supporting thousands of seniors in Athens and beyond.