At this time there will be no service planned for Sylvia Shortt, 65, of Athens. There will be a celebration of Sylvia’s life once we can all safely gather together again.
Ms. Shortt taken too early and too quickly, she died Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020 in Athens, following a brief illness.
Born April 6, 1955 in Athens and lived there a short while, she was the daughter of the late William Bill J. Shortt and Lois H. (Johnson) Shortt. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her brother, Sidney Shortt.
The family moved to Walhalla, South Carolina, and Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, before her family settled down in Cornelia. She attended elementary and middle school in Cornelia and received her high school education from the Westminster School in Atlanta, graduating in 1973. She continued her education at Brown University obtaining her bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1977, and then furthered her education by receiving a Master of Education and Education Specialist Degree in Counseling from West Georgia College, now known as the University of West Georgia. She was a Licensed Professional Counselor.
As a new professional, Sylvia was employed as a Counselor in the Student Development Center at West Georgia College. She later was asked and accepted the position of Advisor to the International Student Program, a position that became her driving passion in life. She expanded the program from 18 to 180 International Students and became a nationally recognized authority on immigration rules and regulations. After being employed for 31 years at the University of West Georgia, she retired as the Associate Director of International Services and Programs in December 2012 but continued her association with the University serving as a Volunteer Alumni Coordinator for the UWG Alumni Association.
Sylvia was a recognized leader in numerous national, regional, state, and local professional organizations. She was instrumental in developing the American College Counseling Association and served as the organizations President and Treasurer as well as serving as their Conference Chair. As a founding member of the Georgia College Counseling Association, Sylvia helped provide an avenue for professionals to receive quality continuing education hours and served as a mentor to numerous young counseling professionals. She was an active member and held many leadership positions in the Southeastern Conference for Counseling Center Personnel (SCCCP) organization; as well as in the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers (NAFSA): Association of International Educators, and many other organizations. The awards and recognitions she received in these organizations are too numerous to list. Her impact has been immeasurable.
When Sylvia retired and moved back to the Athens area, she became a member of Athens Rotary. In the Rotary, Sylvia served as Chair of the Georgia Rotary Student Program (GRSP) Alumni Committee, was the GRSP Trustee for the Athens area and was a Will Watt Fellow.
She is survived by her partner, Robin Mullinix; her daughter, Marisol Vazquez; and her babies/kitties, Rowen, Mika, Skan, Nissa, and Tad. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Sherry Shortt; cousins, Lynn Pugh, Ann Latham, Linda Thompson, Stanley Johnson, Connie Zapiain, Phyllis Ware, Wanda Kato, and several 2nd,3rd, and 4th cousins. In addition, she is survived by hundreds of International Students whose lives she touched, and she will forever be known as their American Mother, and by numerous Higher Education professionals whom she mentored and helped to reach their full potential.
Sylvia Shortt was an amazing individual whose impact will continue to positively affect future generations.
In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to either the Sylvia Shortt Scholarship at University of West Georgia:
https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1639/m20/interior.aspx?sid=1639&gid=2&pgid=390&cid=1061&dids=75&bledit=1
or Lois Johnson and William Jasper Shortt Fellowship in Physical Education Endowment at UGA:
https://gail.uga.edu/giving/coe/lois-johnson-and-william-jasper-shortt-fellowship-in-physical-education-endowment.
An online guest register is available and may be viewed at habershamcrematory.com.
Habersham Crematory of Cornelia is in charge of arrangements.