Winter 2018

Brenau Scholar Nicole Miller

Nicole Miller, Brenau Scholar

Nicole Miller’s favorite words of wisdom come from acclaimed author Kurt Vonnegut Jr.: “Be soft, do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.” This reflects much of […]

Brenau Scholar Nichole Hart

Nichole Hart, Brenau Scholar

Nichole Hart’s life was changed by a bright orange flier. “My parents didn’t want to push anything on me, and they encouraged me to tell them what I wanted to do,” says Hart, a theater acting major at Brenau. “I saw an orange flier at school that said ‘Drama Kids.’ I said, ‘I’m gonna do […]

Brenau Scholar Mirella Reily

Mirella Reily, Brenau Scholar

The seed for Mirella “Mel” Reily’s passion for theater was first planted while in middle school, homeschooled in Marietta, Georgia. Her parents, wanting her to have a social outlet, encouraged her to take theater classes at Marble House Arts Center. It presented her new opportunities to make friends and express herself – the first step […]

Brenau Scholar Maggie Davis

Maggie Davis Brenau Scholar

Venturing outside a small hometown to a whole new city, one can feel like a little fish suddenly dropped into a big pond. That is how Maggie Davis first felt leaving Thomasville, Georgia, the only town she’s ever known, to come to Brenau to major in early childhood education and minor in psychology. The metaphor […]

Brenau Scholar Madison Kaufman

Madison Kaufman, Brenau Scholar

Whoever says monsters aren’t real hasn’t met Madison “Maddie” Kaufman – or Mad Dog, as she is affectionately called by her theater friends. She brings monsters from the deepest fantasies of the mind to life, such as the large, wearable dragon creation she made for the Game of Thrones season premiere at the Fox Theatre […]

Brenau Scholar Christina Hogg

Christina Hogg, Brenau Scholar

Christina Hogg has been caring for children since she was a child herself, so she knew that whatever she chose to do with her life, child care must be a part of it. “I always knew I wanted to work with kids, and I am also good at science – I took anatomy and physiology […]

Brenau Scholar Bailey Merritt

Bailey Merritt, Brenau Scholar

Public speaking is listed as Americans’ No. 1 fear, which gives Bailey Merritt a level of courage most don’t have. She discovered her passion for public speaking while attending Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, where she was an honors student. Her newfound hobby led her to compete in the marketing competition hosted by DECA […]

Brenau Scholar Paige Silvey

Paige Silvey, Brenau Scholar

Born and raised in Washington, Georgia, Alyssa Paige Silvey lived in a small community where she didn’t really fit in. Her mother worked as a bank teller, her father at an auto parts store, her brother treated patients as an eye doctor, and her sister worked in air conditioning repair. Silvey, meanwhile, was having trouble […]

Brenau’s Health Care Footprint in Gainesville

Map of Gainesville, Georgia highlighting Brenau's health care-related facilities.
BRENAU’S HEALTH CARE FOOTPRINT IN GAINESVILLE Brenau University health science students are well positioned geographically with Northeast Georgia Medical Center right next door. The institution’s five departments in the College of Health Sciences reach into the community through more than a dozen local partnerships, as well as partnerships near its north Atlanta campus in Norcross. Here are [...]

Ivester scholarship aids health science students

Martis Ferguson laughs while speaking with Kimberly and David Barnett during an event announcing the naming of the Brenau University Ivester College of Health Sciences. (AJ Reynolds/Brenau University)

Martis Ferguson was doing everything he could to pay for his education, but the money was still running out. It’s only because of the Kay and Douglas Ivester Scholarship that the 24-year-old Gainesville native is completing his nursing degree. The scholarships, awarded annually, go to deserving students attending Brenau and majoring in health sciences. Ferguson […]