19 Jenny Muller started her philanthropic journey in high school with the YMCA of Georgia. Her senior year, she and the other seniors were challenged to give $100 back to the YMCA five years after graduation. Each year in college Jenny went back and volunteered for the YMCA Youth Assembly, and after five years had passed, gave her $100. The challenge aimed to teach students that giving back to organizations that they are involved with and to those who have helped them grow is important. UNG Cadet Commander, Jimmy Sprouse shared his love of the corps with Jenny’s high school JROTC class. This played a role in her choice of the University of North Georgia for her education. “I had no idea how much the decision to join the Corps of Cadets would impact my career and my life,” she said. The corps taught her about people, how to communicate and be a mentor, how to collaborate with others and how to be a force of positive growth. Jenny was the first female company commander at UNG, and attributes her success to having a ‘guardian angel’ along the way. Becoming a female leader in the corps was not easy, and Chad Allessio, another UNG student in the Corps of Cadets, was her guide on bearer and kept her laughing, reminding her not to take herself too seriously. Chad passed away during her senior year, and she knew she wanted to give back in his honor. In 1994, when Chad’s parents created the Chad Allessio Memorial Scholarship Fund, she could not donate much, but knew as she grew in her career that she would give more. With this sentiment, she wants to, “encourage others to give back to education because in some way you’ve been touched by it and it helped make you the person you are today.” She explains that if you are not in a place financially to give, that you can give your time, mentor students and connect with them as they embark on their college journey. When asked about what it means to be a UNG Alumna, Jenny gave one word, pride. She’s filled with pride to be associated with the caliber of students who have graduated, who are currently enrolled and students to come who will be smarter, stronger and more creative than those who came before. She said that being an alumna of UNG is being a member of an elite winning and achieving team. Also giving her time and talent, she serves as development committee chair on the UNG Foundation Board of Trustees. ALUMNI GIVE BACK MEET JENNY MULLER Class of 1994
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