Dr. Chavonda Mills has been named Senior Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs/Provost, effective April 1, 2025. She previously was in the post on an interim basis.
Mills
The announcement comes from Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) President Dr. Jann L. Joseph, who says: “Dr. Mills is an exceptional leader—not only on our campus but also through her engagement in the broader community, her service to USG, and her contributions to national organizations. Her impact extends well beyond our college, and she is widely recognized for her ability to foster collaboration, drive academic excellence, and champion student success at every level.”
Mills has worked with the college’s administration and faculty to establish a Distance Learning Taskforce, and fostered transparency and collaboration across the college’s Academic and Student Affairs divisions through strengthened faculty and campus-wide communication. She facilitated articulation agreements with three University of Georgia institutions so that GGC students earning degrees at the college can seamlessly continue their educational paths. Additionally, she created an AI Taskforce to explore the integration of artificial intelligence in academic and administrative functions. She also collaborated with campus partners to enhance the school’s residential student experiences with the integration of academic support services and library resources within campus housing and secured new full-time faculty positions at the college.
Prior to assuming her interim position, Mills served as dean of GGC’s School of Science and Technology (SST) from 2021 to 2024. She also successfully oversaw the school’s compliance with the SACSCOC standards as the college prepared and submitted its application for 10-year reaffirmation and worked to establish new programs of study, including fermentation science, cybersecurity and software development.
A Decatur native, Mills came to GGC via Georgia College and State University, where she spent 15 years in leadership roles. Mills earned bachelor’s degrees in chemical engineering and chemistry from Georgia Institute of Technology and Spelman College and a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.
Here’s a new way to renew your driver’s license
The Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner’s Office has partnered with the Department of Driver Services to offer driver’s license and ID renewals at select tag-renewal kiosks around the county. Currently, five of Gwinnett’s 13 kiosks offer this service with additional services planned for the future. For more information and to find a kiosk near you, visit GwinnettTaxCommissioner.com/Kiosks.
Good Samaritan Health Center expanding in Norcross
Good Samaritan Health Centers of Gwinnett is expanding! It is opening a new Screening and Prevention Annex (SPA) at its East clinic location at 1175 Commercial Court in Norcross, a significant move aimed at increasing healthcare access for uninsured and underserved individuals.
For many of Good Samaritan Gwinnett’s uninsured patients – a population representing over 70 countries – the clinic is often their first introduction to healthcare in the U.S. The Screening and Prevention Annex (SPA) will serve as a dedicated space for screening patients, treating infectious diseases, and providing childhood vaccinations. It follows the success of a similar facility opened in 2021 at the organization’s Buford Highway location. With Gwinnett County experiencing rapid population growth, particularly among new arrivals, access to healthcare services continues to be a priority.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. on April 16 at the site. For more information about Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett and its commitment to expanding healthcare access, visit the website.
Lawrenceville Legacy Leaders graduates 46 students
The City of Lawrenceville, in partnership with Impact 46, celebrated the graduation of the 2024-2025 Lawrenceville Legacy Leaders (L3) class at a dinner recognizing the achievements of these students. This year’s cohort, comprising 30 Legacy Leaders and 16 returning as Legacy Leader Mentors, has demonstrated dedication to personal growth, civic engagement, and community leadership.
Established in 2022, the L3 program provides an eight-month immersive leadership experience for rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors from Central Gwinnett, Discovery, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology, Maxwell, and Phoenix high schools. Through hands-on learning, mentorship, and engagement with local government, participants gained insights into leadership and service, equipping them to shape the future of their community.
The 2024-2025 Lawrenceville Legacy Leaders are Arnav Awasthi, Zoey Baker, Alayna Bradley, Jimmy Butts, Adelle Cadet, Kayden Carroll, Ndeye Diack, Liz Escabi, Kenwin Hayes, Jaylen Jordan, Mackinsey Lucas, Melanie Matos, Leilani McFarland, Alina Michael, Faheezat Mojeed, Christelle Monzer, Haley Nguyen, Madison Noble, Aja Okoro, Ishaan Patel, Elias Paul, Sachit Raheja, Samuel Reynolds, Milkyas Tewolde, Mia Vasquezlevano, Sophia Wieberg, Zy’Aire Williams, Cattalina Wong, Bezawit Wubshet, and Valor Yang. The 2024-2025 Lawrenceville Legacy Leader Mentors are Cynthia Alvarado, Aminata Camara, Briana Codrescu, Rianne Delos Santos, Jeminye Galarza, Madison Harris, Steven Huang, Ariel Hutchinson, Emerson Miranda Moran, Nickyale Neblett, Maya Omar, Jabahri Pasha, Krish Patel, Taylor Reid, Abhi Saji, and Nethili Tissera.
Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors from Central Gwinnett, Discovery, GSMST, Maxwell, or Phoenix high schools are eligible to apply for the 2025-2026 program. Online applications and nominations will be accepted through April 14, 2025, atwww.lville.city/legacy-leaders.
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