Dear Panther Family,
As you may have seen late last week, the University System of Georgia released the agenda for today’s Board of Regents meeting, which included a proposed action to start certain projects related to our Building Pathways to Success project — funded by the $80 million gift from the Woodruff Foundation. This first phase of projects presented for approval included the demolition of Sparks Hall and expansion of the University Greenway, as well as infrastructure and frontage improvements to the 100 Edgewood Ave. Building.
I am pleased to announce that both projects were approved. Now that we have approval, we have much work to do. Sparks Hall is the first building that was planned and constructed by Georgia State, so it’s fitting that this same space will represent a new milestone for our upcoming transformative journey.
While progress is exciting and fuels growth, many more meetings and much more communication is necessary.
Over the last several months, our facilities leadership has been gathering the requirements for relocating administrative offices, and I know many of our academic departments have been communicating with our Provost, Deans and Vice President for Research and Economic Development.
I have toured the building several times, and I want to thank the following for their personal tour yesterday:
• Katherine Hankins, Professor and Chair of Geosciences
• Nadine Kabengi, Professor of Geosciences and Associate Dean of The Graduate School
• DiAna Kelley, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Transfer Admissions
• Jennifer Lee, Director of Student Success Engagement for the Transfer and Transition Center
• Dillon Montes de Oca, Director of Undergraduate Admissions
• Bethany Turner-Livermore, Professor and Graduate Director of Anthropology
The opportunity to significantly enhance the vibrancy of the center of our campus unfolded very rapidly, so I want to thank you for your patience thus far and ask you for flexibility as we take our next steps.
With the acquisition of the 100 Edgewood Ave. Building, overlooking Hurt Park, our goal is to revitalize and activate our campus at the core. With this approval, step one will be to start the infrastructure work on items such as the roof and mechanical systems so we can activate the first floor by summer 2026.
We will provide frequent updates to keep you informed about the project’s status and next steps.
The investments we’re making will significantly enhance our sense of place and belonging at Georgia State, solidifying our College Town Downtown strategy. This reimagining of our campus footprint will leave a lasting impact for GSU and have a rippling effect in the city of Atlanta that I believe will greatly enhance our outcomes in recruitment, retention and graduation.
Thank you again for your dedication and patience as we embark on this historic journey together. I look forward to hearing your insights and working alongside you to shape the future of our institution. Have a wonderful first week of classes.
Go Panthers!
