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About

MISSION

Franklin CREATE! is an experiential learning and culture-building initiative that empowers arts and sciences students with entrepreneurial confidence—an essential attribute for launching startups or excelling in any career. Franklin CREATE! provide knowledge, skills, and experiences that enable graduates to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities and launch real startups through problem-based learning and discipline-embedded curricular and extracurricular experiences. Franklin CREATE! enhances Franklin faculty’s pedagogical training and professional development to grow students’ entrepreneurial mindset, while increasing access to alumni and industry expertise. 

Franklin CREATE! builds new and wider paths for more students to benefit from the resources of the UGA Entrepreneurship Program’s and the UGA Innovation District, serving as a model for discipline-embedded entrepreneurial activity across the university. Leading to new startups and engagement and support from alumni, friends, incubators, and VCs, Franklin CREATE! empowers students and faculty in the arts and sciences to accelerate Franklin’s startup potential.

LEADERSHIP

Paula Lemons, Senior Associate Dean and Director of the Office of Academic Innovation, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and Franklin CREATE!

Lemons leads Franklin’s Office of Academic Innovation; the home of Franklin CREATE! and its long-term vision and strategy. Dr. Lemons and her team guide the program's development, foster key partnerships, and champion innovation in entrepreneurial education. In this role, Dr. Lemons ensures continued excellence and national relevance of the Franklin CREATE! program participants in the arts and sciences, while strengthening collaboration with UGA’s Entrepreneurship Program and Innovation District.

Anna Stenport, Senior Advisor

As Dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, Anna Stenport serves as a senior advisor to Franklin CREATE!, contributing strategic vision and support for growing the program’s donor relations and industry partnerships.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Michael Lui is the inaugural Director of Franklin CREATE! at UGA's Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, where he leads The Marcus Foundation initiative to help arts and sciences students build entrepreneurial confidence and launch real startups. A startup founder, management consultant, product manager, and U.S. Army combat veteran, he brings more than two decades of experience spanning every stage of the business lifecycle—from founding startups to leading strategic initiatives at Fortune 500 organizations. His work has spanned technology, life sciences, aerospace, and telecommunications, where he has built and scaled teams, developed go-to-market strategies for novel technologies, and advised clients on digital transformation and AI-enabled business innovation.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

PROGRAM MANAGER

Dr. Laura Williams holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Georgia and a B.S. in Biology from Illinois Wesleyan University. After completing her postdoctoral training, she joined the Department of Biology at Providence College as an assistant professor, where she earned tenure and advanced to associate professor. Laura comes to UGA from Georgia Tech, where she served as Director of Undergraduate Research and led campus-wide initiatives that helped students engage in research as a transformative learning experience. 

PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Debbie Tonks is a Double Dawg at UGA holding a M.Ed. in Instructional Design and Development from the Mary Frances Early College of Education and a B.S. in Computer Science. Debbie recently retired from the University after a 30-year career that spanned roles in IT support, classroom design and finally the IT Associate Director at Franklin College. Debbie is excited to be back at Franklin College working with Franklin CREATE! and can be reached at dtonks@uga.edu. 

ALUMNI RELATIONS, EXTERNAL ADVISORY BOARD, AND DEVELOPMENT LIAISON 

Interested in learning more about how you can support our student startups and become involved as a mentor, coach, or member of the external advisory board? Click on the link below or contact Meredith Metcalf, Senior Director of Development at mmetcalf@uga.edu

Franklin CREATE! Supporter

FACULTY AMBASSADORS AND COACHES

Franklin College of Arts and Sciences faculty serve as ambassadors and coaches for Franklin CREATE!, supporting curricular innovation and designing new courses, providing instruction to students, leading study away, and guiding program development from their disciplinary perspectives. The first group of faculty ambassadors started in January 2026, representing all five divisions of the college (Fine and Performing Arts, Humanities; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Biological Sciences; and Physical and Mathematical Sciences).

Our eight Franklin CREATE! Faculty Ambassadors are: 

• Toyin Alli - Department of Mathematics
• Marguerite Brickman - Department of Plant Biology
• Lindsey Harding - Department of English
• Brandon Quarles - Hugh Hodgson School of Music
• Lakshmish Ramaswamy - School of Computing
• Danielle Riebe - Department of Anthropology
• Ash Eliza Smith - Lamar Dodd School of Art
• Katie Springthorpe - Department of Plant Biology

STAY CONNECTED

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