New faculty from the University of Georgia visited Covington on Monday, Aug. 5, as their first stop on the UGA New Faculty Tour. The purpose of this statewide tour is to introduce new faculty to Georgia’s diverse communities, highlighting the work of public service and outreach throughout Georgia. One such initiative is the Archway Partnership, which connects communities with UGA’s expertise, and Newton County is one of its newest partnerships. Participants learned about the work of Archway and were briefed on local projects developed through collaboration with UGA. The Covington stop featured a tour of Three Ring Studios, showcasing the growing film industry in Georgia, state-of-the-art facilities, and the industry’s impact on local economic development. The faculty also enjoyed lunch at The Social Goat before continuing to their next stop.

The Archway Partnership is one of eight UGA Public Service and Outreach units dedicated to serving the state. UGA’s innovative approach to community engagement and the Archway Partnership earned the 2022 C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship Award from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities.  Newton County became an Archway community in 2023, and the efforts are led by the leadership of Newton County Tomorrow.