Why I Give: Giving a boost to those who need it

Alissa Huelsman-Bell (BSED ’90, MED ’02) can’t get enough of the University of Georgia. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in middle school education and a master’s degree in instructional technology, she spent much of her career teaching in schools around the Athens area. However, after her youngest son was born, Huelsman-Bell decided she needed a change of pace, so she began to write novels.

Since 2012, Huelsman-Bell has published 19 novels. But that doesn’t stop her. She has her next book coming out on October 1, 2024.  Once Huelsman-Bell got into writing, she fell in love with storytelling. She explains her love of telling stories led her to an interest in TV and film. 

Huelsman-Bell then decided to return to the University of Georgia in 2022 for a third degree. This time at Grady College studying Entertainment and Media Studies (EMST).

She states, “My love of writing novels kind of pushed me toward EMST a little bit. I figured I could learn how to write a TV script, write a movie or direct a movie. I got really excited about that possibility, and that’s why I wanted to go back to school.”

Huelsman-Bell’s journey with the University of Georgia may have been rekindled in 2022, but her family’s journey stretches back even farther and deeper. Currently, four out of five members of Huelsman-Bell’s household attend the University of Georgia, and the one member of the family who doesn’t currently attend the University is an alumnus. Huelsman-Bell shares, “Since 1987, we’ve been involved one way or another. We love what the university does, and we just really believe in education. As a former teacher, education is really important to me.”

Huelsman-Bell credits her journey at the University to a huge reason why she gives. But her reason for giving to Grady College goes even deeper than her love of the red and black. “When I got to Grady, I was starting to see all the cool things that were going on,” Huelsman-Bell states. “My friend was doing a project for her directing class, and she came to me and said, ‘Would you be the producer on this film?’ I was so honored that she would think of me. We shot the film in one day, and it was a long and intense day. But by the end of the day, I just rode this high.”

Throughout her journey at Grady College, Huelsman-Bell began to feel a need to give back. “I started realizing there are probably kids out there at UGA who need a boost. There are departments that need a boost. Being in the middle of everything helped me to see things a little bit more clearly,” shared Huelsman-Bell. Thanks to Huelsman-Bell’s generous support, other students at Grady College can experience the same “highs” she experienced throughout her time studying EMST.

Outside of academics and the University of Georgia, Huelsman-Bell spends her time kickboxing and volunteering for the Backlight Festival and the Athens Film Festival. She states after graduation she and her husband will focus on their newest project, Bell Boys Media – a production company. They hope that the connections and friendships Huelsman-Bell has made through her Grady College journey will help them to recruit excellent people to work for the company after she graduates. 

Author: Lauren A. Pike, lauren.pike@uga.edu