UGA student raises more than $100,000 for UGA Miracle
Before leading one of the University of Georgia’s largest student-run philanthropies, Grace Tortorella spent her summers in the ocean, helping others find their balance on a surfboard.
A New Jersey native, Tortorella has worked as a surf instructor for the past six years, a role that reflects her natural patience and love for connecting with people.
“I learned when I was eight,” she said. “I do lessons with kids as young as three, and then I’ve had people who wanted to learn how to surf as part of the last part of their bucket list.”
She also facilitates surf therapy, an experience that has become a meaningful part of her life beyond the water.
A sense of connection carries into everything Tortorella does. At UGA, she found community through organizations and other students who quickly became her support system. After moving from New Jersey in search of something new, she leaned into the unfamiliar.
“I came to UGA because I just wanted a big school,” she said. “Something a little bit different for four years,” she said.
She found a place in which she felt she belonged very early on. Through UGA Miracle, Tortorella discovered a community that felt constant and grounding amid the changes of college life.
“Miracle has kind of just given me a place that I always know can be home,” she said. “We always say that you come for the cause and stay for the people, and that’s been really true to me.”
Her relationships extend far beyond campus. Tortorella admires her two nephews, who have become a central part of her life even from a distance.
“They are super special to me,” she said, noting that her friends at UGA feel like they know them too from how often she shares stories.
Her passion for working with children also shapes her academic and professional path. As an elementary education major, she has student-taught across Barrow, Clarke, and Oconee counties, while also volunteering in the Athens community. Through those experiences, she has focused on building genuine relationships with her students—getting to know them not just academically, but as individuals.
One of those relationships became especially meaningful when she met a student who had been treated at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, directly connecting her classroom experience with a cause she cares deeply about.
“That has been probably the highlight of my college career so far,” she said. “Being able to see really how the funds impact others has been inspiring.”
Even as executive director of UGA Miracle, Tortorella stays grounded in the personal side of her work. She values the conversations, the shared moments and the sense of belonging that comes from being part of something bigger than herself.
“I’ve met the most incredible people through this organization and people that I know will be lifelong friends,” she said.
Her perspective on fundraising reflects that same mindset. Rather than focusing on numbers, she centers her efforts on storytelling and connection. “Fundraising is not always easy,” she said. “But at the end of the day, when you can come back to your ‘why.’ You’re reminded of what you’re doing.”
That mindset produced truly impressive fundraising results. Over the course of her college career, Tortorella raised more than $100,000. UGA Miracle’s 2026 Dance Marathon raised more than $1.4 million overall.
As she looks ahead to returning to New Jersey to begin her teaching career, Tortorella plans to bring those relationships and experiences with her. Whether she is in a classroom, on a beach or staying involved with the Miracle network, her focus remains the same: showing up for others and building meaningful connections.
Her advice to students mirrors the way she has approached her own college experience: with openness and intention.
“Don’t be afraid to give it your all,” she said. “There’s a place for everyone.”
