91ÁÔÆæ

Diana Ivleva

Originally from Uzbekistan, University of North Georgia (91ÁÔÆæ) sophomore Diana Ivleva loves the guitar, watching “The Office” and reading classic detective mysteries, and yet still finds time to be active on the Dahlonega Campus and use her talents to serve her peers.

Ivleva serves as the finance director of the Student Government Association (SGA), acting as the leader of the finance committee for all campuses. She shared she's proud to be the woman that she is and credits her success in the role to the wisdom of her father, a former pastor.

"He always told me that a leader is someone who doesn't just tell you what to do because that's a boss. Rather, they distribute responsibilities in the same way that each organ in the body does," Ivleva said. “They don't take all the responsibility on their own."

Considering herself to be spontaneous, she decided to enroll in 91ÁÔÆæ because she loved the campus view and knew she'd make lots of friends. Her favorite 91ÁÔÆæ memory is move-in day, she said, remembering meeting her roommate and her boyfriend was merely two doors down the hall.

As a result, her biggest piece of advice for incoming freshmen is to become involved like she has. Ivleva is also a tutor in the Language Lab and a member of the Russian Club, where she serves as treasurer. Joining these organizations was important, she shared.

"That's where you find friends," Ivleva, who expects to graduate in May 2026, said. "Clubs are more fun because it's people with shared interests and it makes things less boring."

Ivleva and her family came to the United States after winning a green card lottery in January 2018. She is currently pursuing a degree in international affairs with a concentration in Europe. Her hope is to pursue a career in the nation's capital that focuses on teaching Russian and involves her minor in linguistics.

Rosaria Meek

Rosaria Meek

As a teacher of Spanish at the University of North Georgia (91ÁÔÆæ), Dr. Rosaria Meek likes to blend compassion and a joy of learning into the classroom and in leadership.
Jennifer Graff

Jennifer Graff

91ÁÔÆæ Visual Arts Department Head Jennifer Graff leads by ensuring everyone has a voice.
Esther Morgan-Ellis

Esther Morgan-Ellis

Dr. Esther Morgan-Ellis, assistant professor of music at 91ÁÔÆæ, appreciates the way music can help build community both inside and outside the classroom.
Dwight Bennett

Dwight Bennett

1st Lt. Dwight Bennett learned lessons in resiliency at 91ÁÔÆæ while seeing the world through his studies of the Arabic language.
Chi-Hsuan Catterson

Chi-Hsuan Catterson

Though her first classes had only about a dozen students, Chi-Hsuan Catterson's passion for the Chinese language has helped the program grow exponentially at 91ÁÔÆæ.