Atijah Collins, Robert Lancaster, Lyn Wilson, Dana Thomas, Michael Ridlehoover and
Ahmad Bhatti.
Photos by Phil Jones/Rings courtesy of Jostens.
Developed by Dr. Michael Ridlehoover and the active participation of a committee of colleagues, students and faculty, the seal and the ring are a true product collaboration and dedication.
Dean Carol Lefebvre and her faculty take great pride that as the college, now 48 years old, continues to evolve, its symbols and traditions are growing as well. “Traditions and rituals play a large role in establishing a sense of community, a sense of family, and we love knowing we’re helping to create a rich reservoir of memories,” she says.
Components of the Dental College of Georgia's official seal and class ring include:
I think it’s so fitting that students took the reins on this project. They’re the
ones who will benefit throughout the rest of their careers as they share with the
world a tangible symbol of their profound pride in their alma mater. -- Retired Dean Carol Lefebvre, DMD
We’ve never had that kind of a symbol before. The students are very enthusiastic about it and were very involved in creating it. It’s a focal point that will hopefully stay with us forever. -- Retired Associate Dean Carole Hanes, DMD
This is a way of instilling traditions. Not only students, but alumni as well can
purchase the ring. I want to be able to see someone I don’t know at, say, a dental
meeting in Seattle, and by glancing at the ring know he graduated from the DCG. -- Dr. Michael Ridlehoover, Class of 2017
Dr. Michael Ridlehoover has boundless pride in his alma mater’s internationally renowned reputation.
Thanks to him, he and his fellow alumni can now demonstrate that pride everywhere they go.
Ridlehoover, who graduated from DCG in 2017, had in mind a way for DCG alumni to recognize each other at a glance, helping cement bonds with old friends and forge instant connections with new ones.
“I wanted us to have a class ring,” he said.
The DCG loved the idea and immediately set it in motion, forming a committee to draft a design. She had previously also formed a committee to create a seal for the newly renamed college, and Ridlehoover was appointed to sit on both.
Ridlehoover, an Augusta native, drew on several sources of expertise as he served on the committees. For instance, he’s always been an avid woodworker.
“I was self-taught, basically through trial and error,” he says. “I like the challenge of imagining something, then making it become a reality.”
He’s had professional experience with design as well. “I’ve done some graphic design in the past,” he says.
In designing both the seal and the ring, he drafted several ideas. Then he and his fellow committee members passed the concepts along to students, seeing what they liked and incorporating their feedback and ideas.
