Jasper Native Kelsey Matthews Is Honored by UWG Alumni Board
The University of West Georgia Alumni Association will host a virtual “Thriving Under 30” ceremony this Saturday, Jan. 30 to recognize young alumni who have made a significant impact in their career industry while exhibiting dedication to UWG and representing the university well.
One of the stellar honorees is one of Jasper County’s very own – Kelsey Matthews who grew up in Mansfield and currently lives in Atlanta. She is the daughter of Gwen Matthews of Mansfield.
“It is important to recognize and showcase the contributions of our young alumni,” said Allyson Bretch, interim executive director of alumni relations. “It is inspiring for current students as well as our broader alumni community of nearly 70,000 across the world.”
According to the official press release, “Built on solid foundations gained at UWG, this year’s honorees are doing amazing things for the betterment of their communities and the world. From the founder of a non-profit organization to educators, marketing professionals and business leaders, UWG is honored and proud to recognize these phenomenal Wolves.”
Since 2013, hundreds of outstanding graduates have been nominated by their peers for this honor. This year, the awards committee of the UWG Alumni Association Board of Directors selected 17 honorees from a pool of incredible alumni. Members of the UWG Blue Coats – a select group of student leaders from across campus who serve as ambassadors for the university – will introduce the honorees at the virtual ceremony to be hosted on the UWG Alumni Association Facebook page on this Saturday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. There is no fee to watch the virtual broadcast, which can also be found by searching for the “Thriving Under 30 Awards Ceremony” event on Facebook.
Kelsey graduated from Jasper County High School in 2009. While at JCHS, she was extremely involved in several clubs and extracurricular activities including Jasper County 4-H, FBLA, chorus, drama, and the Marching Hurricane Band where she served as the head drum major during her senior year.
According to Kelsey, “My journey began when I left my small town the day after my high school graduation to become a 4-H summer camp counselor at the Rock Eagle 4-H Center. Throughout my years at the University of West Georgia, I worked two to three jobs to be able to provide myself with everything I needed to succeed including working as a marketing assistant and a leasing consultant and later landing internships in radio and advertising.”
After graduating from UWG with a degree in Mass Communications in 2013, Kelsey has held positions in advertising, as an on-air radio host, and as a specialist where she focused on project management and marketing. She is currently working on her second degree from the Miami Ad School while she is employed by The Resource Guild as a brand strategist in Atlanta.
Kelsey offers this encouragement to recent graduates and those trying to navigate their careers during these times of uncertainty, “Be relentless! You CAN do it! If you feel like you can do more, do it. If you have spare time, make it count! You will be told ‘no’ often. Use it as fuel to get you to the places you want to go. As the old cliché goes ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way,’ it all starts with you! Every now and then along the way someone will recognize your efforts and willingly give you a hand, but it all starts and ends with YOU.”
In closing, Kelsey wanted to say “Thank you to the mentors, encouragers, and employers who have taken a chance on me throughout my entire journey or have inspired me to work even harder when I thought I had already given it my all. I will continue to pass it along. I am extremely grateful and honored to be recognized by the University of West Georgia at this point in my career.”
