Purpose and Potential Speaker Series

The Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts study committee hosted a seven-week virtual speaker series between Jan. 28 and March 18, 2021. The objective of this series was to foster conversation about the unifying purposes and specific possibilities of a liberal arts college in an institutional setting such as Georgia Tech, an internationally leading, technologically focused research university.

The study committee invited Georgia Tech academic and research administrators, external academic and research administrators, foundations, community stakeholders and organizations, and alumni to participate as panelists. Faculty, staff, alumni, advisory board members, administrators, and students were invited to attend.

Sessions

Spring 2021 State of the College Address

Jan. 28, 2021, 4 – 5 p.m.

Presenter: Kaye Husbands Fealing, Dean and Ivan Allen Jr. Chair

Dean Kaye Husbands Fealing will present the college’s immediate and long-term priorities, provide an overview of the strategic planning process, and outline upcoming college events.

Session Recording

Alumni Outreach and Engagement

Feb. 4, 2021, 4 – 5 p.m.

Presenters:

  • Dene Sheheane, President, GT Alumni Association

  • Ayo Aladesanmi, Economics

  • Angelina Callahan, History and Sociology

  • Tarun Chaudhary, International Affairs

  • Ann Hoevel, Literature, Media, and Communication

  • Neta Kanny, Modern Languages

  • Amanda Shailendra, International Affairs

  • Xiaojing Sun, Public Policy 

  • Hamilton Steimer, Public Policy

Session Recording

External Academic and Research Leaders

Feb. 11, 2021, 4 – 5 p.m.

Presenters:

  • Laura Belmonte, Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech

  • Reginald DesRoches, Provost, Rice University

  • Catharine “Cappy” Bond Hill, Managing Director, Ithaka S+R

  • Paula Krebs, Executive Director, Modern Language Association of America

  • Melissa Nobles, Kenan Sahin Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Richard Scheines, Dean, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University

  • Holden Thorp, Editor-in-Chief, Science family of journals, American Association for the Advancement of Science 

  • Lee Zak, President, Agnes Scott College

Session Recording

Georgia Tech Academic Affairs Leaders

Feb. 18, 2021, 4 – 5 p.m.

Presenters:

  • Steve McLaughlin, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

  • Charles Isbell, Dean, College of Computing

  • Steve French, Dean, College of Design

  • Raheem Beyah, Dean, College of Engineering

  • Susan Lozier, Dean, College of Sciences

  • Maryam Alavi, Dean, Scheller College of Business

  • Leslie Sharp, Dean, Library

  • Nelson Baker, Dean, Professional Education

Session Recording

Development and Funding Diversification

Feb. 25, 2021, 4 – 5 p.m.

Presenters:

  • Birgit Burton, Executive Director of Development, Georgia Tech Foundation Relations

  • Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change; Managing Director at the MacArthur Foundation

  • Isa Ellis, Senior Program Officer, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

  • Danny Goroff, Vice President and Program Director, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; National Science Foundation

  • Brad Hastings, Senior Director of Development, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and College of Computing

  • Ryan Kelsey, Executive Director, Partnership Development, Markle Foundation

Session Recording

Georgia Tech Research Leaders

March 4, 2021, 4 – 5 p.m.

Presenters:

  • Chaouki Abdallah, Executive Vice President for Research

  • David Bridges, Interim Vice President, Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI²)

  • Lizanne DeStefano, Executive Director, Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, & Computing (CEISMC)

  • Steve Harmon, Associate Dean of Research, Georgia Tech Professional Education (GTPE); Interim Executive Director, Center for 21st Century Universities (C21U)

  • Jim Hudgens, Senior Vice President and Director of GTRI

  • Robert Knotts, Executive Director, Georgia Tech Federal Relations

Session Recording

Undergraduate and Graduate Students

March 11, 2021, 4 – 5 p.m.

Presenters:

  • Majid Ahmadi, Graduate Student, Public Policy

  • William Branham, Undergraduate Student, International Affairs, Modern Languages, and ROTC

  • Jonas Chan, Undergraduate Student, Modern Languages

  • Chase Fletcher, Undergraduate Student, International Affairs & ROTC

  • Cade Lawson, Undergraduate Student, Economics

  • Aiyanna Lowery, Undergraduate Student, Economics and International Affairs

  • Emma Menardi, Undergraduate Student, Public Policy

  • Brandy Pettijohn, Graduate Student, Literature, Media, and Communication

  • Alejandra Ruiz, Graduate Student, History and Sociology

  • Daniel Schiff, Graduate Student, Public Policy

Session Recording

Community Outreach and Partnerships

March 18, 2021, 4 – 5 p.m.

Presenters:

  • Chris Burke, Executive Director, Georgia Tech Community Relations

  • Caulder Harvill-Childs, Director, Georgia Tech State Relations

  • Doug Hooker, Executive Director, Atlanta Regional Commission

  • Fatimot Ladipo, Principal, Walton Bradley Consulting

  • Debra Lam, Managing Director, Georgia Tech Smart Cities and Inclusive Innovation

  • Thomas W. Ross, President, The Volcker Alliance

  • Amanda Shailendra, Managing Partner, The Pendleton Group

Session Recording