Academic Advising

New Students

If you are new to UGA, you will be advised and cleared to register at orientation.

If you recently changed to a major in CAES, you will receive your new advisor assignment in SAGE in two business days.

Current Students

At UGA, academic advising is a mandatory and essential part of the undergraduate educational experience.

CAES offers a unique two-tiered approach to advising. Each student has an academic advisor and a faculty mentor.

Academic advisors coach students in course selection, schedule planning, preparing to apply for professional programs, and other academic issues. In short, advisors are there to help ensure you meet all of the requirements for graduation.

Faculty mentors provide advice on internships, research opportunities, career planning, and graduate school. They have first-hand experience in your field of interest and can offer valuable insights as you prepare for work or school after graduation.

Students are expected to be full participants in academic advising and thus to be both prepared for and engaged in the advising experience. The academic landscape is always subject to change, and although advisors can provide advice, each student is ultimately responsible for knowing and understanding the degree requirements and policies related to their own academic progress.

Advising Appointments

All students are required to meet with an academic advisor every semester. Your advisor will notify you when it is time to schedule an appointment. Log into SAGE to schedule your appointment.

Get the most out of your appointment by coming prepared. Review your DegreeWorks audit, course descriptions and the schedule of classes, and make a list of possible classes you would like to take along with any questions you have for your advisor. During your appointment, you and your advisor will review your progress and work together to create a plan for the upcoming semester(s). Advisors can also direct you to additional resources on campus as needed. At the end of your appointment, you will have access to an academic plan in DegreeWorks, and your academic advisement hold will be removed.

Meet our Department's Academic Advisors!

Animal Health, Avian Biology, & Poultry Science Majors

Devin Duggan

Devin Duggan is the academic advisor for Animal Health, Avian Biology, and Poultry Science. She helps with course planning, professional school prep, campus engagement, etc. She also is the Explore Advisor for CAES, where our department is housed, so she helps potential students determine their major, explore career options, and prepare for their undergraduate admissions application. She is an alumni of UGA, specifically CAES and this department, and loved being in Athens so much she started this job fresh out of her undergraduate degree. She now has her Master’s in Business and several certifications relating to higher education and student success. She is here to help students navigate their educational path and ensure you are successful both in and outside the classroom. Her advice to new students is to use your time in college wisely; push yourself, but also have fun – UGA has so much to offer so take advantage of everything! In Devin’s time off she enjoys spending time with her little boy and family exploring the food and fun of Athens!

Biological Science Majors (Last Names A-H)

Kelsey Witherington

Kelsey Witherington serves as the Academic Advisor for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. She is responsible for advising Biological Science (last names A-H) in the Poultry Science department as well as Food Science students in the Department of Food Science. Residing in Athens for five years while pursuing her bachelor’s degree, Kelsey was an active member of her sorority while at UGA. She has been a Georgia Bulldog fan since birth and still attends many sporting events with family and friends. Most recently, Kelsey completed her master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Valdosta State University. Currently, Kelsey lives in Bethlehem, GA with her husband, Jeremy, and their lab-mix, Linus. They enjoy traveling, trying different foods and fine-dinging experiences. At home, Kelsey enjoys gardening, cooking and baking and she adds books to her to-be-read list almost daily.

Biological Science Majors (Last Names I-Z)

Renay Berger

Renay was born and raised in Rabun County, Georgia. She moved from her small town to Athens in 2011 to study Avian Biology at the University of Georgia. After receiving her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from CAES, she remained in the Athens area because she fell in love with the Athens community. In the Department of Poultry Science, Renay serves as Academic Advisor for students majoring in Biological Science, specifically those whose last names begin with the letter I through Z. Renay has a strong passion for each student's academic success and enjoys working with students on an individual basis to provide them with tailored resources to help them achieve their goals. She believes in developing a trusting and respectful relationship with each student in order to foster student empowerment in personal, academic, and professional success. Renay loves spending her free time with her family. This includes her husband, two dogs, two cats, and 14 chickens (and counting!).