Gilliam to receive 2014 Louise McBee Award

Graduate student Jamil M. Gilliam has been selected to be the recipient of the 2014 Louise McBee Award from the Athens Area Psychological Association. She will be presented the award at the AAPA's annual legislative breakfast Dec. 5 at the Athens Country Club.

Gilliam, a fourth-year doctoral student in school psychology, is being recognized for her outstanding leadership and service to the college, UGA and surrounding community. In addition to her scholarship, Gilliam serves as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate for the Western Judicial Circuit Juvenile Court.

She also organizes a holiday gift drive for needy families in the Athens area in collaboration with the School Psychology Program Association of Students and the Graduate and Professional Scholars, and has served as a COE Ambassador, a Graduate Mentor in the UGA Graduate School's Outreach and Diversity Office, and as president of UGA's Graduate and Professional Scholars.

Gilliam, of Spartanburg, South Carolina, received her bachelor's degree in psychology from Spelman College in Atlanta, and an Ed.M. in risk and prevention from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

The scholarship's namesake, Louise McBee, is vice president for academic affairs emerita of UGA and served as a state representative from Athens. During her 25-year tenure at UGA, she worked in a number of positions, including dean of women, dean of students and assistant vice president for instruction. In 1991, McBee was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives, where she served six terms. She was chair of the Higher Education Committee from 2002-04.