The Melvin Douglas and Victoria Kay Ivester Foundation has pledged $1.1 million to create the M. Douglas Ivester Scholar at the University of Georgia’s School of Medicine. The commitment, which will be matched by the UGA Foundation, brings the total scholarship fund to $2.2 million, making it the largest ever donated to the School of Medicine.
“We are deeply appreciative of the Ivester Foundation for their remarkable gift,” said Shelley Nuss, founding dean of the School of Medicine. “Their generosity will impact and empower countless students as they begin their medical education. The enduring legacy of this contribution will inspire future generations of physicians.”
The annual scholarship will be awarded starting with the school’s first class and is designated for students from Hall County, where Doug and Kay Ivester have longstanding ties.
“Two of Mr. and Mrs. Ivesters’ great passions, Hall County and the University of Georgia, collided together, creating the opportunity to support UGA’s School of Medicine,” said Lynn Darby, president of the M. Douglas and V. Kay Ivester Foundation. “The Ivester Foundation is always looking for opportunities to support the people of Gainesville and Hall County, particularly when education is involved. When the board learned about UGA’s new School of Medicine, it seemed like a natural fit for our foundation, and one which we hope provides great paths for those Hall County students who want to become doctors.”
Doug Ivester is a 1969 graduate from UGA’s Terry College of Business and former chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. Since their first donation in 1971, Doug and Kay Ivester have contributed significantly to UGA programs including business analytics initiatives at Terry College.
“The Ivesters’ commitment to the University of Georgia continues to make a profound and lasting impact on our institution and, more importantly, on the lives of our students,” said Benjamin C. Ayers, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at UGA. “From their support of the Terry College of Business to this incredible, record-setting investment in the new School of Medicine, Doug and Kay Ivester continue to open doors of opportunity, ensuring that students from their home of Hall County and across Georgia have access to a world-class education at UGA.”
Previously, through their family foundation named after Doug’s father—the Howard E. Ivester Scholarship Fund—the Ivesters provided over $1 million for need-based scholarships targeting Hall County students attending UGA.
“For more than five decades, Doug and Kay Ivester have demonstrated an unwavering belief in the power of education and in the University of Georgia’s role in serving the state, and their latest investment reflects that extraordinary commitment,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “This remarkable gift will have a significant influence on the School of Medicine and on our state’s future health care workforce.”
In addition to supporting higher education scholarships locally through programs like Deer Run Global Fellows—which helps business students study abroad—the Ivesters have also contributed funds toward local K-12 programming as well as facilities such as Howard E. Ivester Early College in Hall County.
The foundation has also played a role in health care education by supporting Brenau University with scholarships across several schools including helping establish both its College Health Sciences (Ivester) as well as Mary Inez Grindle School Nursing.
“The Ivester Foundation’s generosity sets a powerful example for our UGA community, and their gift will open doors for Hall County students,” said Hudson Clare, senior director development at UGA’s School Medicine.“We hope their generosity will inspire others join us investing next generation Georgia’s physicians.”
