Spring 2008 issue of Terry Magazine - (Page 43)

alleviate the problem. “By no stretch of the imagination would I say that there weren’t other organizations working on poverty before this movement began,” says Jones. “But PPA/OneAthens has created a community-wide discussion that I feel will make a Athens Project real difference. At a February 2007 retreat, I stood up in front of 2400 What: Making sa the steering committee and representatives of the co-conveners t preparation co urses affordable Who: Leonard Le and said, ‘What we need is One Athens,’ and that was the birth adership scholar s rhett Bentley, elizabeth Kirby, Barrett Biringer, of the new name.” Mandy reimann, ashay shah. Clarke County’s In discussions of what it will take to reduce poverty in average sat sc ore fell an alarm from 2006 to ing 40 points 2007, and it lag Athens-Clarke County, one of the key words is jobs. And in diss significantly be and national av hind the state cussions about jobs, says Jones, there are three watch words: erages. pattern ed after the Co 2400 — which bb County proje saw 74 percent Retention. Expansion. Attraction. ct of the 205 parti score higher on cipating studen “From 2000-2007, three major companies closed their the sat than on ts their diagnostic project 2400 aim test — athens doors in Athens — Westinghouse, General Time, and Big s to increase sa t scores by offe test preparation ring professiona Ace — and no one came in to replace them,” says Jones. “It’s courses to local l high school stud cally reduced ra ents at drastites. “terry team no secret that Athens is mainly a service industry town. The members talked review people to the princeton and got them University of Georgia is by far the county’s biggest employer to agree to redu their sat prepar ce the price of and we have a little bit of light industry — but not much. ation course fro m $1200 to $3 economics prof 25,” says terry essor David Mus That’s the situation we find ourselves in, and we’ve got to do tard. “the first 34 students to phase calls for take part in the something about it!” program. the ne fundraising to pr xt step is private ovide scholarsh If you want to go to lunch with Steve Jones to discuss ips for students $325 for a test who can’t afford preparation cour ideas for reducing poverty in Athens-Clarke County, Terry se.” economics professor David Mustard suggests that you allow Classic City Per a couple hours because the sidewalks of Athens are crowded formance Lea rning Center What: optimizing with people who want a piece of Jones’ time. mentoring oppo rtunities Who: Leonard Le “We walked from the courthouse to The Basil Press and adership scholar s Br yan Miller, La curti, Kramer jo uren Berardihnson, amanda back for lunch, and it seemed like 50 people stopped him powell, sabrina the Classic City altenbach. along the way,” says Mustard, who has been working with pLC is designed to re-engage dis dents; its primar engaged stuy goal is to serv Jones on drafting federal grant proposals for a new Athens e high school st dropped out of udents who have school but who Charter School. “These were people from all racial, class, are willing to fu tional education rther their voca in a non-tradition and income levels — and the way he responds to each peral school setting scheduling optio with flexible ns. (previously, son is incredible. Some people can’t disengage from their the Leonard Lead helped Classic ership scholars City students se notepad or their iPod — if they do, they lose their train t up and run a fee shop on-site jittery joe’s cof.) patterning th of thought. Steve’s not like that. He’s so knowledgeable eir program afte implemented in r one recently the east Lake about the issues. He brings both data analysis and consection of atlan Leadership scho ta, five Leonard lars are working cern for people to every discussion.” to streamline pL programs by desig C’s mentoring ning more effect The ultimate goal for the OneAthens Community ive protocols an orientation mater d more focused ials, and by crea Foundation is to become the point organization — or ting a permanen gram with a resu t internship prolts-oriented curri “big tent,” as Delene Porter calls it — where individual culum for the int Classic City has ern. “working at led me to realize donors, philanthropic organizations, businesses, and that you don’t ha far to help out ve to go very in your commun government agencies can link with service providers and ity,” says Lauren finance/Mis majo Berardicurti, a r. “By pairing ug community leaders to sustain the anti-poverty initiative. a undergraduates City students, we with Classic can encourage If the foundation achieves that status, Steve Jones will them to aspire fullest potential to reach their .” deserve a lion’s share of the credit. “He is the perfect person for this assignment because East Athens D he is a judge,” says Porter. “He’s used to listening to evelopment C enter What: Feasibilit y study for busin every argument, to every side of every situation, and ess developmen Who: Leonard t Leadership scho then turning to the jury to make the final decision — lars Kim thom spain, Brooke Bu pson, Boomer rlingame, Br yan only in this case, it’s the community that we’ve turned Davis, Meghan Cl ostensen. aiborne, james to at a series of public forums, asking them for help in eaDC creates op portunities for bu determining solutions and making final decisions. siness and hous ment on athens ing develop’ east side. as a “Someone with a different skill set might have senior-year caps Leonard Leader tone project, six ship scholars ar tried to control the situation, but Steve has allowed it e assessing the an open lot behin marketability of d the so-called to breathe and evolve. And because he sees people in “iron triangle,” with a history of a notorious area crime and drug his courtroom every day who have slipped through usage. the stud history of the ar y will include a ea, current dem the cracks, he is particularly sensitive to the plight of ographics, real plus a discussion estate potential of the types of the poor and to gaps in the system. , businesses that their home ther could make e. says Kim th “However many worlds there are in Athens . . . ompson: “we ha what the comm ve to consider unity wants, what Steve Jones seems to walk in all of them.” ■ the co Terry College of BuSineSS mmunity needs, training program and what s might be nece ssar y to equip th Spring 2008 • 43 2008 • to work in a new e local workforc east athens busin e ess venture.” ■

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Terry School of Business - Spring 2008

Terry School of Business - Spring 2008 Contents Quick Bites Research & Innovation Gatherings Best CEO in America An Unlikely Rock Star Fire & Flavor Beyond the Bench Terry Memo Economic Scorekeeper Class Notes

Terry School of Business - Spring 2008

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