Category: Alumni News

Live Entertainment, Food, Vendors: Piedmont University’s First LionFest Will Take Place April 23

Piedmont University’s first LionFest, a daylong event involving live music, arts and crafts, and food and drink vendors will take place April 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Demorest campus. “LionFest is a celebration both of Piedmont University and the Habersham and Northeast Georgia community,” said Craig Rogers, vice president of university…

Piedmont MBA Grad Opens Salon to Fulfill Dream She Shared with Deceased Sister

Just as she always planned, Pamela Johnson-Upson is using her Master of Business Administration degree to manage the hair salon she dreamed of opening with her sister. What wasn’t in Johnson-Upson’s plan: losing her sister and instead opening the salon in her memory. “I think she would be very happy; I hope she is when…

Piedmont Athletic Training Grad Finds Work-Life Balance, Satisfaction in Her Job

When she decided to major in athletic training, Logan Ruck Johnson envisioned herself working on the sidelines, helping players recover from injuries and perform to their peak ability. Instead, her career led her to a factory, to a position that fits her life perfectly, and to work that carries deeper meaning than she could have…

Piedmont University Alumna Returning to Campus to Premier Exhibit Focused on College Mental Health Issues

Piedmont University alumna Karen Shayne will return to campus to premier UNTOLD: The Campus Diaries, a storytelling exhibit dedicated to raising awareness of mental health issues among college students. There could be no better location for the event, Shayne said, “because it all started at Piedmont.” A Demorest native who graduated from Habersham Central High…

Two-Time Piedmont Alumna Is One of 10 Finalists for Georgia Teacher of the Year

Chelsea Leming

Two-time Piedmont University alumna Chelsea Leming is a finalist for Georgia Teacher of the Year. Leming, a fifth-grade teacher at Indian Knoll Elementary School in Canton, is one of 10 educators vying for the statewide title. Earlier this school year, she was named Teacher of the Year for the Cherokee County School District. She earned…

A Piedmont University Degree Is One of the State’s Best Returns on Investment, New Study Finds

Piedmont University provides graduates with one of the best returns on investment among all the state’s private, nonprofit educational institutions, according to a new study by Georgetown University. “Piedmont University prides itself on offering an exceptional educational experience designed to prepare students for success in their intended careers,” said Piedmont President James F. Mellichamp. “The…

Piedmont Business Alumna Now Regional VP of Global Financial Firm, Helps Clients’ ‘Dreams Come True’

As the regional vice president of a global investment firm, Maryrose Burns strives to build relationships with her clients, to know the people behind the portfolios, and to help them make their financial dreams come true. To accomplish her goal, she draws on her experiences at Piedmont University, where she thrived in small classes that…