UGA students’ research contributes to Hawkinsville project
A Middle Georgia city reports greater community engagement thanks to a new digital sign recommended by University of Georgia students.
Inspired by PROPEL Rural Scholars’ research, the Hawkinsville Downtown Development Authority installed the sign in downtown Hawkinsville. Halle Bynum, a 2023-2024 PROPEL Rural Scholar and 2025 UGA Terry College of Business graduate, worked on the project and said learning about the sign’s installation and early successes is satisfying.
“This small step makes me so hopeful in the power UGA and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government have to impact rural Georgia in real, tangible ways,” she said. “It is not only rewarding to see my team’s research turn into real-life solutions but also inspiring to know that the knowledge and experience my fellow students hold can make such large and immediate impacts on our state.”
PROPEL Rural Scholars is part of PROPEL, a nationally-recognized program led by the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, a unit of UGA Public Service and Outreach. As part of the program, teams of undergraduate students conduct research in participating PROPEL communities alongside UGA mentors and local stakeholders. The program has received support from the Langdale Foundation, UGA Foundation and UGA Parents Leadership Council.
PROPEL, or Planning Rural Opportunities for Prosperity and Economic Leadership, supports rural communities’ economic and community development through expert coaching and connection to resources. Working with UGA faculty, staff and students, key stakeholders identify and execute a long-term vision for their community’s economic future.
“Our students gain such valuable experience through researching issues PROPEL communities have identified as key priorities,” said UGA Institute of Government PROPEL Coordinator Madison Drummond. “The Hawkinsville digital sign project is a great example of the fresh perspectives and creativity the students bring to this work.”
Pulaski County, home of Hawkinsville, was one of the first PROPEL communities from 2022 to 2024 and has been a UGA Archway Partnership community since 2009. The Archway community model forms long-term, multi-year partnerships with Georgia communities. A dedicated UGA faculty member is embedded in each community to engage residents, connect university expertise and resources, and co-plan for the future.
In 2024, a team of PROPEL Rural Scholars researched methods Hawkinsville could use to communicate about community events and share information in addition to existing online options. They concluded that a strategically-located digital sign could be an effective way to reach residents and visitors.
The development authority recently began promoting community events and advertising local businesses on the sign. In its first three months of operation, the sign generated nearly $10,000 in revenue—enough to cover the sign’s loan payments and hire a part-time assistant, whose job duties include helping to manage the sign.
Jamie McDonald, Hawkinsville/Pulaski Economic Development and Main Street executive director, said the development authority has already sold more than 30 ads, promoted almost a dozen community events and even spotlighted a few residents’ birthdays with the sign.
“The long-term goal is for the sign to serve as an additional revenue source, with proceeds reinvested into downtown initiatives and to help fund additional staff support,” McDonald explained.
McDonald said the sign has already helped boost attendance for events like Main Street Fest, with attendance nearly three times higher in 2025 than in 2024.
“Local businesses are excited to have an affordable and effective way to advertise, and community members report more awareness about upcoming events,” she said. “Overall, residents frequently describe the sign as a valuable community asset.”