On February 25, 2025, the University of Georgia commemorated the fifth anniversary of naming the College of Education in tribute to Mary Frances Early.
This year also signifies the 25th anniversary of UGA’s Mary Frances Early Lecture series, which took place earlier this month featuring Early along with alumni Tracey Ford and Valerie White. Ford and White were instrumental in naming the spring lecture series in 2000 while serving as leaders of Graduate and Professional Scholars, an initiative aimed at underrepresented graduate students at UGA.
In honor of these significant milestones, Georgia’s U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock recorded Ms. Early’s achievements and the influence of her contributions to the university in the Congressional Record on January 23, 2025.
The college will pay tribute to Ms. Early’s legacy by launching the inaugural cohort of Mary Frances Early Scholars — a selection of five students in the college who will each be awarded a $5,000 scholarship funded by contributions from the original campaign to name the college.
The five recipients of scholarships from the Mary Frances Early College of Education Endowment are:
- Amanda Nunes Costa (M.Ed. ’26), communication sciences and disorders
- Nicole Ofsie (B.S.Ed. ’25), elementary education
- Jeet Patel (B.S.Ed. ’26), sport management
- Janae Pipkin (B.S.Ed. ’25), science education
- Witney Talabert (Ph.D. ’27), counseling psychology
Additionally, the college recently elevated the Mary Frances Early Distinguished Professorship, which was upgraded from a professorship in 2020 by Georgia Power Company and Southern Company, to the Mary Frances Early Chair.
“On the fifth anniversary of the college’s naming, we reflect on the achievements of a pioneer whose bravery and commitment not only shaped our institution but also the wider movement for educational access and equity,” stated Denise A. Spangler, dean of the Mary Frances Early College of Education. “This achievement is a tribute to Ms. Early’s lasting impact, and we aspire to further her legacy through our student scholars.”
In 1962, Mary Frances Early made her mark on history by earning a master’s degree in music education, becoming the first African American to graduate from the University of Georgia. She later returned to UGA to obtain a specialist in education degree in 1967.
Early continued to break down barriers when she assumed the role of the first African American president of the Georgia Music Educators Association in 1981. She also served as an associate professor of music education and chair of the music department at Clark-Atlanta University, director of music for Atlanta Public Schools, and was appointed to the board of directors of the Atlanta Music Club.
Early’s drive to excel as a graduate student and her contributions as a music educator were crucial in promoting equality at UGA and across the Southern region. In recognition of her efforts and her ongoing influence in the field today, the UGA College of Education was named in her honor in 2020.
“Mary Frances Early represents so much to the University of Georgia, from her inspirational role as the first African American graduate of this institution to her unwavering support for her alma mater,” remarked President Jere W. Morehead. “Countless generations of UGA students have greatly benefited from Ms. Early’s bold legacy, and I will always be thankful that our College of Education carries her name.”
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