F irst-generation college student Adam Michael Edge, ’05, ’07, always put others first. He had a way of making individuals feel comfortable and appreciated—whether it was his loud laugh or his willingness to take the initiative to help someone. People knew they could count on him. 

Unfortunately, Edge passed away at the age of 38.

Today, two of his close friends offer a scholarship to pay tribute to his unwavering commitment to his community and his love of life. 

Robert Buckley, ’07, director of financial management and program oversight at the Federal Transit Administration, and his wife Sarah Treleven Buckley, ’07, a nonprofit fundraising and development professional, knew Edge for over 15 years.

“We have so many fond memories of Adam while we were at Georgia College,” said Robert. “I lived with all of my best friends, including Adam, in a tiny, three-bedroom townhouse right off campus that we lovingly referred to as ‘the mansion.’” 

Senior year solidified a lot of the friendships the couple made—people who are still involved in their lives, as adoptive aunts and uncles to Robert and Sarah’s children or as participants in their wedding. Fellow alumni still play active roles in their lives.

But they miss Edge. He demonstrated an eagerness to put what matters most in life in the forefront.

“I'm going to try to keep the waterworks to a minimum,” said Robert. “Adam would bring that passion every day to work, life, family and friends. I try to do the same.”

Both Edge and Georgia College showed the couple the importance of being involved in the community—something they still do today as long-time members of the College of Arts and Sciences Board.

“Georgia College, gave me the room to get involved,” said Robert. “Sarah and I were both involved in things besides academics. I was in student government, and we were on the Campus Activities Board. And I’ve applied myself in my professional life by volunteering in different areas.”

“Building on what Robert said about allowing yourself to get involved in different things—this relates to Adam,” said Sarah. He was the type of person who never shied away from doing something, because it was out of his comfort zone. This is just something that we carry with us every day.”

“Fearless” is how Sarah describes Edge.

“We’re talking about a guy who enjoyed listening to OutKast, but also volunteered as a docent at The High Museum of Art,” said Sarah. “He never met a stranger, and he never thought of something that he didn't feel like he could do.”                          

Edge also loved to dance. 

“He was an excellent dancer and the life of the party at any group function or wedding,” said Robert. “Adam was the person who was on the dance floor the whole time, and he didn't care who he was dancing with.”

“That was always something to me that was so amazing about Adam,” said Sarah. “He was fearless and didn't care if a situation was out of his zone. He was going to try it anyway. And he always killed it, because that’s what Adam did.”

Edge’s joy was infectious.

“He had this huge, booming laugh,” said Sarah. “So, some of my favorite things to look back on are when our group of friends are texting videos that pop up as their memories on Facebook or Google. And there are videos of Adam laughing or having a dance battle with a kid at a wedding, and that laugh just echoing through the room—it just makes your heart happy.”

After graduation, Edge enjoyed building community relations and wanted to make a difference in the lives of younger generations—much like opportunities he was provided where he grew up in Atlanta.  He felt compelled to mentor younger generations of students living in Suwanee. He started a program there to help transform over 300 graduating high school students into leaders.

“Adam wanted to help the next generation, so they could be civic leaders at any age,” Sarah said. “That was important for him, because he learned some of that on his own. So, I think he wanted people to know that it doesn't matter where you come from, it doesn't matter your age. You can do big things and impact people’s lives.”

Edge taught Robert and Sarah to be passionate and engaged in their lives, and the lives of others.

“If he was going to do something, he did it big,” said Sarah. “He did everything whole-heartedly and was kind. He also taught us to get out there and give back.” 

When the group, including Edge, met for homecoming a year or two after graduating from Georgia College, they thought about someday creating a scholarship.

“Somehow it came up in conversation,” said Sarah. “‘How cool would it be, if one day, we could all go in together and start a scholarship?’  We thought we could really make an impact on the school and provide something that would have meaning for years into the future.”

This was something the group didn't think about again until after Adam passed. Robert and his Sarah brought the idea up with Edge’s wife, Rebecca, and shared what they wanted to do this in his honor to preserve his memory and legacy. 

“Since Adam was the first person in his family to go to college, it was a big deal to him,” said Sarah. “And just the way that we talked about Georgia College, Adam had those feelings about it, too. It was a place that was really special to him. And we think we're doing what he would have wanted us to do.”

The goal of the scholarship is to help first-generation students who are similarly engaged with their community, and who need that extra financial support to get through college.

“I think it's nice to help take away one daunting barrier to achieving a degree,” said Sarah. “So, we hope the scholarship can help take a little bit of those nerves and barriers away for students.”

“We're trying to live up to this mountain of a man,” said Sarah. “And a scholarship is just one little way we can do that. I think like instilling a little bit of Adam in others, and maybe we can discover someone who has a little bit of Adam in them already.”

Learn how you can provide a life-changing opportunity to students or contact Bob Preston at bob.preston@gcsu.edu.