The University of Georgia has named Dublin-Laurens County as the newest Archway Partnership community. The Archway Partnership, a unit of UGA Public Service and Outreach, connects university faculty and students with partner communities to address locally identified issues through the presence of a community-based faculty member.

UGA Public Service and Outreach Vice President Jennifer Frum made the announcement in Dublin at the McGrath Keen Sr. Conference Center. State Rep. Matt Hatchett (District 155), business leader Jimmy Allgood and other dignitaries also were in attendance.

“We are pleased to add Dublin-Laurens County as an Archway Partnership community,” said Frum. “This development allows the University of Georgia to strengthen our commitment to this vital part of the state.”

Allgood expressed the community’s excitement about the announcement. 

“It is truly an honor for Dublin-Laurens County to be selected as an Archway Partnership community,” said Allgood. “I, along with the members of the Dublin-Laurens County Development Authority, are excited about the opportunities for enhancement that participating in the Archway Partnership will bring to all of Laurens County. A special thanks to all the people who made this happen, especially Rep. Matt Hatchett, UGA President Jere Morehead and UGA Vice President for Public Service and Outreach Jennifer Frum.”

Dublin-Laurens County has previously connected with UGA Public Service and Outreach units — including Archway, the Carl Vinson Institute of Government and the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development — on workforce development projects. The community will continue to lead the priority setting for future projects, which may expand on prior work as well as address other issues such as heath care and quality of life. 

“We are excited to join the Archway Partnership and utilize the tremendous resources of the University of Georgia in Laurens County,” said Bryan Rogers, county administrator for Laurens County. “The students and faculty at UGA have shown their talents on several projects in our community already, and I look forward to having their assistance on a permanent basis. There is so much happening in Laurens County, and joining the Archway Partnership will help us as we navigate the growth and economic development in our area.”

As part of the Archway Partnership process, community members from across Dublin-Laurens County will have numerous opportunities to provide input on the direction of Archway through the selection of priorities and projects. Upcoming listening session dates and community surveys will be released soon, launching the first phase of community input. 

“We are excited to partner with the University of Georgia and Laurens County as an Archway community. I’m looking forward to the resources we will be able to utilize through UGA’s faculty and student body and the real-world experience that students will gain. It is great to be able to provide a benefit to the university while also addressing areas of need for our community,” said Josh Powell, Dublin city manager.  

The Archway Partnership is an award-winning community-engagement program. In 2022, it earned the C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship Award from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the organization’s highest national award for public service. Since the program began in 2005, more than 2,000 students and 300 faculty members at UGA have contributed to projects in communities across the state.

“The University of Georgia is extremely proud of the strong relationship we are building with Laurens County and the city of Dublin,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Together, we will work to ensure this community will continue to thrive for generations to come.”

For more information about the Archway Partnership, please visit archwaypartnership.uga.edu or contact Michelle Elliott ([email protected]).