Mallory. Photo provided.
Nia Mallory wasn’t expecting to discover a second home when she came to Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) in 2019. But the more time she spent on campus, the more at home she felt.
“At first, I chose GGC because it was close to home and affordable, making it a practical choice,” she says. “However, as I immersed myself in campus life and got more involved, I found myself genuinely appreciating what GGC had to offer. The more time I spent here, the more I grew to love the community, the opportunities and the unique experiences that have shaped my journey.”
Mallory was born in Newark, N.J., and was raised by her mom, Sharon, a teacher, and her dad, Perry, an entrepreneur who helped small business startups. She initially came to GGC to study nursing, but changed course when she discovered the patient navigator program, which trains students to guide patients through the country’s complex health care system.
GGC is one of only a few schools nationally offering a program in patient navigation, which is a concentration within the college’s Bachelor of Science in health science degree.
She carried the spirit of service that runs through the patient navigator program into her life outside the classroom by serving as a resident assistant (RA) in the residence halls on campus for three years. She said that becoming an RA was a leap of faith, but it pushed her to grow as a leader.
“Being an RA is more than just making sure people follow the rules and telling them when it’s quiet hours,” says Mallory. “It’s about supporting people and creating a home for them in an unfamiliar environment.”
“The responsibility grew when she became a senior RA in 2022, responsible for an entire building, but so did her commitment to making GGC feel like a welcoming, inclusive place where everyone can belong,” she says. “Living in student housing gave me an intimate view of college life, with all its highs and lows, and I saw firsthand the struggles we often face quietly. My RA experience taught me that every individual in a community makes an impact, and our shared experiences and openness about our struggles weave together to create something extraordinary.”
Mallory also served as president of the Greenlight Activities Board (GAB), a student-run group that plans, advertises and staffs campus events for students.
“My role in Greenlight taught me that a true sense of community doesn’t just happen” she said. “It’s built day by day by people who care, by moments of shared laughter and connection, by every time we show up for one another.”
It wasn’t always easy for her either, she said. There were plenty of times she had moments of doubt and wondered if she would fail to graduate.
“But every setback became a lesson in resilience, and every time I felt unsure, the GGC community was there to lift me,” she says. “The support I received from God, my family, friends, classmates and mentors reminded me that I wasn’t alone in this journey.”
After graduation, Mallory plans to explore different career fields and gain experience before pursuing a graduate degree.
Jackson EMC refunds $16 million to its members
Approximately 237,000 current and former members of Jackson EMC will receive their share of a total of $16 million in margin refund checks in December.
After this December’s refund, Jackson EMC will have refunded $220 million in margin refunds to its member-owners since the cooperative was founded in 1938.
Each year, any revenues remaining after covering the cost of providing electricity are reinvested by Jackson EMC to enhance its distribution system—upgrading poles, transformers, substations, and related equipment. Surplus revenues are then returned to our members as margin refunds.
Rodney Chandler, chairman of the Jackson EMC Board of Directors, says: “We focus on member service, not profits. Jackson EMC has a long history of providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity to members, and also a great history of returning surplus margins back to our members.”
Margins are refunded for a combination of years, so former, long-term and newer members benefit from belonging to an electric cooperative, like Jackson EMC. This year, margin refunds will go to those who received electric service from Jackson EMC in 1998, 1999, 2000 and/or 2023. The amount of each member’s refund check is based on the amount each member paid for electric service during those years.
County completes purchase of 23 acre Macy’s site
The Urban Redevelopment Agency of Gwinnett County has finalized the $16.5 million purchase of the 23-acre Macy’s department and furniture store properties at Gwinnett Place Mall, marking a key advancement in the redevelopment of the site.
The eventual redevelopment will transform the mall site into a mixed-use complex and is projected to bring both catalytic change and new opportunities to Gwinnett residents and businesses. With this acquisition, the Urban Redevelopment Agency and Gwinnett County own a combined total of 76 acres on the Gwinnett Place Mall site.
Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson says: “This purchase is critical for us to attract top development partners in 2025, and together work toward creating a revitalized urban hub for Gwinnett County residents, entrepreneurs and businesses.”
Two public input studies, the Equitable Redevelopment Plan and the Gwinnett Place Mall Site Revitalization Strategy, identified community needs for the redevelopment of the mall site and surrounding area.
Gwinnett County is partnering with CBRE, a real estate services firm with global expertise, to advance and refine plans for the redevelopment. The county plans to begin its selection process for a development partner with the nationwide release of a request for proposals in the first quarter of 2025. The Macy’s department and furniture stores will be leased back to Macy’s for continued operations through early 2025.
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