Dear Panther Family,
The dream of transforming our campus to a “College Town, Downtown”, is a key part of our strategic plan, BluePrint to 2033 where our ambitious vision promises to elevate Georgia State to new heights. That dream is one step closer to reality thanks to an extraordinary $80 Million gift from the Woodruff Foundation. We are incredibly honored to accept the largest gift in GSU history and the largest gift the foundation has given to any institution in the University System of Georgia.
This transformation project will bring to life the downtown campus our Panther community deserves. It will not only enhance our downtown presence, but also create new opportunities for our Panther community to learn, work, play, and grow. This significant milestone is a testament to the power of shared vision and teamwork. It takes a hard working and dedicated team to pull off such amazing work. As president, I extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed to this historic achievement. A special thank you to the following:
Campus Safety Initiatives Team
Jared Abramson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Ramesh Vakamudi, VP – Facilities and Building Services
Kim Bauer, Asst. VP – Facilities Design and Construction
Brad Freeman, VP – Finance & Administration, CFO
Michael Parkerson, VP - Government Relations
Susan Ridley, Senior Director, Finance Administration and Risk Mgmt.
Anthony Coleman, Chief of Police
Fred Hammett, Director of Emergency Services
Kelly Wilson, Director, Facilities Planning
Mark Rountree, Assistant to the Executive VP & Chief Operating Officer
Public Relations and Marketing Communications Team
Jo Ann Herold, Interim VP — PRMC
Renata Irving, Director, Strategic Communications
Cody Benson, Senior Director, Digital Strategy
William Inman, Executive Editor
William Davis, Director, Video & Photography
Classroom Space Planning Team
Ramesh Vakamudi, VP – Facilities and Building Services
Brad Freeman, VP – Finance & Administration, CFO
Allison Calhoun-Brown, Senior VP for Student Success
Tarrah Mirus, University Registrar
Phil Ventimiglia, VP for Technology and Instructional Innovation, CIO
Lee Webster, Director of Technology Learning Environments
Michael Sanseviro, VP ¬— Student Engagement and Programs
Strategic Planning Team
Nicolle Parsons-Pollard, Provost & Executive VP for Academic Affairs
Cynthia Villaverde, VP — Financial Planning and Operations
Cynthia Lester, Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives
University Advancement
Cheryl Harrelson, VP — University Advancement
Heath Wood, Assistant VP of Development
Advancement Corporate & Foundation Team
To learn more, please read the full article, Creating A True College Town Downtown. As we look ahead to breaking ground on the next chapter of our downtown campus, I’m incredibly excited about what’s to come. Thank you for being an integral part of GSU’s journey to redefine what it means to be the nation’s most diverse, Research 1, urban university in the nation.
All the best,
