News from the Office of the Provost
JANUARY 2023 - VOL. 5, ISSUE 2
A NOTE FROM THE INTERIM PROVOST

Happy New Year! I hope you had an opportunity for well-deserved time to rest, relax, and renew over the winter break. As we start the spring semester, I would like to provide a few updates and discuss what’s ahead for our community – and reflect on a momentous occasion from this past December.
December Commencement: Ms. Myra Payne Elliott Earns Her Degree
I can’t continue with this letter unless I look back at one of the most profound and deeply moving events in our university’s history: the conferral of an honorary degree to Ms. Myra Payne Elliott, the last surviving of one of three plaintiffs in a lawsuit in the 1950s to desegregate our institution.
Ms. Elliott, along with her co-plaintiffs, Barbara Pace Hunt and Iris Mae Welch, had the quiet courage to pursue justice, despite hatred and threats to their lives. Even after winning their case, they were still blocked from enrolling.
Ms. Elliott might have been prevented from enrolling at Georgia State, but decades later, she still earned her degree. It was a joy to see – and I am so glad to have met her and her family; I’m also grateful to have met the families of Ms. Hunt and Ms. Welch.
Although these brave women are no longer with us physically, they were in the Convocation Center in spirit on that momentous day in December. With their family there, they’ve still earned their degree. Their legacy lives on!
Nothing can make “right” a historical wrong. But it’s acknowledging what happened, how it affected others, how we honor those who struggled, and how we gain insight that allows us to move forward.
It is vital to learn from our past. It can only make us stronger and allows us to build a better future for all. And, with December’s ceremony, I hope that we’ve taken another step in that direction.
2023 Groundbreaker Lecture with Jelani Cobb
In 2020, we established the Groundbreaker Lecture Series in honor of Ms. Elliott, Ms. Hunt and Ms. Welch. In 2023, we’re continuing our series – now back in person.
We sent out a save-the-date last semester, but in the event you haven’t done so, make sure to register for the 2023 Groundbreaker Lecture to be held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8, in the Student Center East Ballroom.
Jelani Cobb, Dean of the Columbia Journalism School, author, and writer for The New Yorker, will be our speaker. To learn more about him and to register for the lecture, make sure to read further down in this newsletter.
MLK Commemoration
This year marks the 37th anniversary of the first observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day federal holiday. Numerous departments and units across the university are commemorating Dr. King’s dream and vision through activities throughout the month, and you can learn more about them at https://dei.gsu.edu/mlk/.
I am excited to share with you more information about Georgia State’s 2023 MLK Commemoration ceremonies, which will be held at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19 at the Student Center East Ballroom. (A livestream is being planned for Georgia State students, faculty and staff as well; those links will be posted to the MLK site link above.)
Our keynote speaker will be Grammy Award-winning and groundbreaking musician India.Arie. who is also an artist-in-residence at the Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII). We will also recognize again the 2022 Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Award winners at the commemoration.
I hope that you join us at the commemoration and also take part in all that the university has to offer during January. Make sure to check back at https://dei.gsu.edu/mlk/ for updates in the future.
COACHE
As I discussed in the August edition of the newsletter, the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) Faculty Satisfaction process begins a new cycle this academic year.
The previous COACHE survey results helped to inform our action plan that yielded significant progress on issues of faculty concern (you can read more about this by clicking this link). Now that we’ve made progress, faculty will be hearing more about COACHE starting next month, and faculty will receive an invitation to participate in the COACHE survey.
I highly encourage you to participate in the process, because with your input, we can take even greater strides in making Georgia State a great place to work and thrive.
To that end, my team is working on ways to incentivize participation, including, but not limited to, a little healthy competition.
Leadership
This month, we bid farewell to Sally Wallace, who stepping down as dean of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies to pursue a new opportunity at Ernst & Young LLP. Sally has been essential in the school’s digital transformation and research and scholarship that makes a difference in the decision-making of policy makers and leaders.
The university will undertake a national search for dean. In the meantime, I am grateful that Distinguished University Professor Ann-Margaret Esnard has agreed to serve as interim dean of AYS.
Strategic Planning
As announced by Nancy Kropf, our Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, in December, the Strategic Planning Committee has completed a draft strategic plan. This semester, the draft plan will be reviewed by university leadership, and rolled out to the university community for review and feedback. Further information will be announced by campus email, so make sure to check your inbox for updates.
And to reiterate Dr. Kropf’s message this past December, make sure to visit a new page on the university’s Strategic Plan website that contains a list of core values for our institution. You can find it at this link: https://strategic.gsu.edu/values-of-georgia-state-university/.
Academic Freedom
Academic freedom is vital to accomplish a university’s mission of inquiry, discovery, and learning. As we begin a new semester, I want to reaffirm this essential principle that Georgia State continues to hold dear.
To that end, my office has posted information about our commitment to academic freedom to https://provost.gsu.edu/gsu-academic-freedom/. There, you will find links to our policies and principles about this subject and other helpful information.
Additional News
It’s been a while since we published our last newsletter, and there’s a lot of other news to catch up on, from academic affairs, international initiatives, research, faculty affairs, student success, and more. And, we also recognize some of our outstanding faculty in our Faculty Spotlight section.
Our sense of mission is strong. The difference we make in the lives of our students is powerful. The innovations we uncover change the world.
I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity and responsibility to lead at Georgia State, and I thank each and every one of you for what you do.
You make things possible – and I am excited for the possibilities of this new year.
Sincerely,

Nicolle Parsons-Pollard, Ph.D.
Interim Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
TABLE OF CONTENTS
NEWS
- 2023 MLK Commemoration Week at Georgia State
- Academic Affairs News
- Leadership Transitions at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
- Jennifer Sherer Appointed as Georgia State’s Cross-University Executive Officer for Entrepreneurship
- Documenting Your Student Success Activities
- CETLOE Faculty Teaching Fellows Named
- EPIC Program’s Krog Street Codex Project Featured on 11 Alive
- 40th Anniversary of the Georgia State College of Law
- Faculty Affairs News
- Get Ready for COACHE II: Survey Information Coming in February for the New Cycle in the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) Faculty Satisfaction Process
- Advancing Diversifying the Georgia State Faculty: SREB and FFDI Oct. 26-30
- Celebrating Faculty Excellence 2022: Honorees, P&T Lists and Photo Gallery
- Coming Soon: Inaugural Spring Writing Table
- New at faculty.gsu.edu: Calendar of Events
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion News
- The 2023 Groundbreaker Lecture Featuring Jelani Cobb, Feb. 8
- The Mario A.J. Bennekin Symposium Feb. 20-24
- Black History Month and Additional Signature Heritage Months
- 2022 JEDI Award Winners
- News from ADVANCE-IMPACT
- Report on the Initial Action Plan on the Recommendations of the Task Force for Racial Equality
- Contribute to the Diversity Database and the DEI Resource Library
- International Initiatives & News
- Virtual Exchange Call for Proposals
- Call for Applications: Faculty Associate for Virtual Exchange
- International Education & Access for All – Free Passport Program Student Q&A with Ayana Ousley
- Rickey Bevington Named Leadership Fellow of the International Women’s Forum
- Institute of International Business, Office of International Initiatives, work with U.S. Africa Chamber of Commerce to Organize 10th Pan African Trade and Investment Conference
- Research News
- RISE Awardees Honored During Investiture Week by President Blake
- University Hosts First-Ever Postdoctoral Research Symposium
- Universal Flu Vaccine Protects Against Variants of Both Influenza A and B Viruses, Researchers Find
- Variant Type and Patient Sex Affect Molnupiravir Efficacy, Study Finds
- Poster Campaign with the School of Public Health Raises Vaccine Confidence in Clarkston
- Georgia State Economist Receives Grants to Study Higher Ed’s Role in Closing Racial Disparities
- Student Success
- Georgia State Remains No. 2 for Innovation, Tied for Top Public University for Undergraduate Teaching in 2023 U.S. News & World Report Survey
- Georgia State Selected as Partner University for Prestigious Stamps Scholars Program
- Georgia State Welcomes Philanthropic Partners to the Kickoff for New National Institute for Student Success Headquarters
- Georgia State’s Prison Education Project Interim Director Named a Georgia Trend 40 Under 40 Recipient
- Graduate Student Success: Gerald R. Miller Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Awards
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
READ PREVIOUS ISSUES & CONTACT THE EDITOR
NEWS
2023 MLK Commemoration Week
January 16, 2023, marks the 37th anniversary of the first observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a U.S. federal holiday, and Georgia State continues its annual tradition to honor the dream and vision of Dr. King through its annual MLK Commemoration.
A few key activities include:
- Monday, Jan. 16, 10 a.m., Student Center East: 40th Annual Day of Service – A Day On, Not a Day Off
- Tuesday, Jan, 17, 3 p.m., Student Center Ballroom: MLK Vision Board Party
- Wednesday, Jan. 18 11:30 a.m., Veterans Memorial Hall at Dahlberg Hall, 30 Courtland Ave.: MLK On Leadership: A Lunch & Learn Experience
- Thursday, Jan. 19, 4 p.m., Student Center Ballroom: Annual MLK Commemoration and Keynote with India.Arie
- Friday, Jan. 20, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Student Center East: 2023 Summit on Culture sponsored by the Georgia State Counseling Center.
You can learn more about these and other events at the MLK Commemoration page linked below.
Academic Affairs News
Leadership Transitions at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
Distinguished University Professor Ann-Margaret Esnard will serve as interim dean of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies on Jan. 18, as current Dean Sally Wallace steps down to become a Managing Director in the Quantitative Economics and Statistics practice of Ernst & Young LLP.
A national search for a permanent dean is planned for this semester.
Dr. Wallace has been a faculty member in the economics department since 1991, including five years as department chair, where she helped establish the Center for State and Local Finance. She also served AYSPS as associate dean for research and strategic initiatives and as the director of the Fiscal Research Center.
She led a collaborative effort with faculty and staff to develop the college’s Digital Landscape strategic initiative, successfully advancing new academic experiences and career directions for students.
Activities include the development of policy analytics programs and courses, the launch of DS4PS (Data Science for Public Service Consortium), the university’s membership in the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN), and AYS Open in economics and criminal justice and criminology. AYS Open’s work to develop course materials at zero cost to students in the latter department has saved more than 10,300 students more than an estimated $800,000 since 2019. Additionally, the Georgia Policy Labs were launched in 2017, focused on harnessing big data to support evidence-based policy making.
Dr. Esnard as Interim Dean
As she takes on the interim role, Dr. Esnard is currently the Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs at AYS.
Joining Dr. Esnard in the Dean’s Office will be David Ribar, professor of economics and faculty director of the Child & Family Policy Lab in the Georgia Policy Labs, who will serve as the interim associate dean for faculty affairs. Maggie Reeves, senior director of the Georgia Policy Labs, will serve as senior adviser for research strategy. Both will continue in their existing positions along with their new roles.
On the academic side, Cynthia Searcy, clinical associate professor of public management and policy and associate dean for academic innovation and strategy, and Jan Ivery, associate professor of social work, assistant dean for academic programs and interim director of the School of Social Work, will continue in their respective roles.
Dr. Esnard joined Georgia State in 2013 as part of the “Shaping the Future of Cities” cluster during the university’s Second Century Initiative. In 2017, she joined the Dean’s Office in AYSPS as associate dean for research and strategic initiatives which in March 2022 was changed to associate dean for research and faculty affairs.
Her research expertise encompasses urban planning, disaster planning, vulnerability assessment and GIS/spatial analysis. She has been involved in several multidisciplinary multi-institutional National Science Foundation-funded projects on topics that include population displacement from catastrophic disasters, school recovery after disasters, long-term recovery and community resilience. In addition to journal articles and book chapters, she has co-authored or co-edited three books.
You can read more at the GSU News Hub through the link below.
Jennifer Sherer Appointed as Georgia State’s Cross-University Executive Officer for Entrepreneurship
Jennifer Sherer Appointed as Georgia State’s Cross-University Executive Officer for Entrepreneurship
Jennifer Sherer has been named the executive officer for entrepreneurship at Georgia State University. The appointment represents a continuation of the university’s goal to strengthen the culture of entrepreneurship and innovation across campus.
Sherer will continue to serve as the director of the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Institute (ENI), which is supported by the J. Mack Robinson College of Business. She has held this position since joining Georgia State in 2018.
In her new role within the Office of the Provost, Sherer will represent the university on entrepreneurship-related matters in the greater community and lead a university-wide entrepreneurship working group. Under her leadership, she will coordinate activities representing Georgia State’s spirit of creativity and enterprise across multiple dimensions, including ENI as well as in activities such as social entrepreneurship in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, media entrepreneurship through the Creative Media Industries Institute, and biomedical enterprise in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences.
Sherer will oversee the development of a university-wide strategic plan for inclusive entrepreneurship and innovation and will expand and integrate non-curricular innovation and entrepreneurship resources, initiatives, and spaces such as LaunchGSU, the on-campus student incubator, to serve a broader population of entrepreneurs and innovators.
She also will develop a strategy to increase campus-wide engagement of student entrepreneurs and continue to scale the Main Street Entrepreneurs Seed Fund (MSESF), Georgia State’s award-winning business accelerator that increases access to funds and counsel among underrepresented Georgia State entrepreneurs.
In her role as executive officer for entrepreneurship, she will report to Interim Provost Nicolle Parsons-Pollard.
Read more from Sherer, Dr. Parsons-Pollard and Robinson Dean Richard Phillips at https://news.gsu.edu/2022/09/29/jennifer-sherer-named-executive-officer-for-entrepreneurship/.
Jenifer Shockley, Assistant Director, Office of Communications & Marketing, Robinson College of Business & Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager for the Office of the Provost
Documenting Your Student Success Activities – Recommendations & Upcoming Workshops
Don’t wait until the semester is over to start documenting your teaching effectiveness and student success activities!
Last academic year, Georgia State revised university Faculty Review Manuals to meet the new University System of Georgia (USG) requirements for faculty evaluation.
One of the new USG requirements is that faculty evaluations include documentation on how instructors support student success – evidenced-based activities or actions that promote student learning and engagement.
Now that the semester is in swing, we recommend that you collect and plan how you will demonstrate what you do to support student success in and out of the classroom.
To assist in this process, the Center for Teaching, Learning & Online Education (CETLOE) is offering best practices:
Recommendations
Lists of Student Success Activities and University Manuals: While colleges and departments may have their own list of student success activities, the university also has a list of teaching-related activities here. You can link to the university manuals here. Please contact your chair for your department and college manuals, as needed. Also document any research- or served-related student success activities you engage in.
Capturing Student Success Activities: It is unlikely that these activities will be captured in your end-of-semester Student Evaluation of Instructor (SEI) scores or evident if you just provide a collection of PowerPoint slides in your teaching portfolio.
- Consider including assignment descriptions, rubrics, or pedagogical approaches that will give your chair or review a better understanding of how you are supporting your students.
- You can also include copies of assignments you’ve graded and returned if you either get permission from the student or remove names or identifying information.
- If you teach using TiLTed assignments or with Small Teaching practices these are USG recognized strategies that support student success.
- If you are teaching online remember that Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) is a student success activity. If you completed the RSI training, either synchronously or asynchronously via the iCollege course, you can include your email verification of training in your teaching portfolio.
Laura Carruth, Senior Director, CETLOE & Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager for the Office of the Provost
CETLOE Faculty Teaching Fellows Named
Congratulations to the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning & Online Education’s (CETLOE) 2022 University Faculty Teaching Fellows!
University Faculty Teaching Fellowships support faculty who demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching who are actively participating in the scholarship of teaching and learning research.
The fellowship includes funds for a teaching release, travel, research supplies, and a GRA/GTA line.
The new fellows are:
Omer Ari
Middle & Secondary Education, CEHD
Project title: Course-Based Instructional Supports to Increase Student Success
Hakyoon Lee
World Languages & Cultures, CAS
Project title: Project-based course development for teaching ‘language and social justice in a multilingual world
Dr. Tamra Ortgies-Young
History & Political Science, Perimeter College
Project title: Critical Thinking, Information Literacy and Democracy: Teaching and Learning Case Studies in Descriptive Best Practices
Dr. Rebecca Weaver
English, Perimeter College
Project title: What now? How has faculty pedagogy changed since the pandemic “pivot” in 2020?
Read more about the fellowships by clicking the button below.
Laura Carruth, Senior Director, CETLOE
40th Anniversary of the Georgia State College of Law
In 1982, Georgia State University College of Law welcomed 200 Juris Doctor candidates to the new school’s home, the first floor of Georgia State’s Urban Life building—just a short walk to the State Capitol, courts, and numerous law firms.
Founding Dean Ben F. Johnson Jr. and others had advocated for an affordable, high-quality law school that offered evening classes and part-time enrollment, which would open up a path for students who may not have been able to pursue a law degree otherwise – therefore broadening and diversifying the field.
In 2022, with an alumni community of more than 6,000, Georgia State Law offers 12 degree programs of study and a variety of experiential learning opportunities through 18 research centers and clinics, and has more than 70 full-time faculty members. It has been recognized as one of the “best value” law schools in the nation, and bar passage rates have remained high.
Read more about Georgia State Law’s tradition of excellence and innovation, and commitment to equity and inclusion at the link below.
From excerpt of article written by Stacey Evans (B.A. ’02)
11 Alive Features Work by the Experiential, Project-based and Interdisciplinary Curriculum (EPIC) in the Krog Street Tunnel
During the December break, 11 Alive (WXIA) featured the work of the Krog Street Codex project, part the EPIC’s Mapping Atlanta project.
EPIC is a program supported by the Office of the Provost.
A quintessential part of Atlanta’s culture, the ephemeral art and graffiti of the Krog Street tunnel at DeKalb Avenue – many with messages related to important issues locally or nationally – is quickly gone and replaced. The Krog Street Codex project seeks to keep a record of the unique visuals.
Reporter Liza Lucas spoke with Ph.D. student Curt Jackson, who took the reporter around the tunnel, and Brennan Collins, professor and EPIC director.
To watch the segment and to read the story, visit 11 Alive through the link below. You can also learn more about the Krog Street Codex project as well as EPIC additional links below.
Faculty Affairs News
Get Ready for COACHE II: Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) Faculty Satisfaction Survey in February
Faculty, make sure to keep an eye on your inbox for information about the survey this February for the new round of the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) Faculty Satisfaction process.
COACHE is a research-practice partnership based in the Harvard Graduate School of Education. COACHE studies the work lives of faculty with a focus on actionable data to support academic administrators. Studies are conducted in partnership with college and university leaders (both faculty and administrative) with an emphasis on using the data collected to improve the academic workplace.
COACHE is a cyclical process, with the first round completed during the 2021-22 academic year. For more information about the first round and the action plan that was implemented based on faculty feedback, visit https://provost.gsu.edu/coache.
Next month, faculty will receive communications about the survey for this new round, and participation is vital to continue efforts in making Georgia State a great place to work and thrive. Please keep an eye on your inbox, and join in as the university progresses forward.
Celebrating Faculty Excellence 2022: Honorees, P&T Lists and Photo Gallery
Congratulations, once again, to the honorees recognized at Celebrating Faculty Excellence on September 29!
In case you missed it, we’ve assembled an event photo gallery, awardee information, more information about our new Regents’ and Distinguished University Professors, and we have posted promotion, tenure and promotion and tenure lists on the website of Faculty Affairs. You’ll also find more information about our 2022 JEDI Award winners in the faculty, staff, undergraduate student, graduate/professional student, and group/departmental categories, all honored at the event.
It’s all available online at https://faculty.gsu.edu/facultyexcellence2022/.
If you were an attendee and appear in one of the photo gallery images, if you’d like a higher-resolution copy, please don’t hesitate to contact Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager for the Office of the Provost, at [email protected] for further assistance.
Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager, Office of the Provost
Advancing Diversifying the Georgia State Faculty: SREB and FFDI Oct. 26-30
Georgia State University’s Office of Faculty Affairs and the university’s colleges and schools participated in the Southern Regional Education Board’s Institute on Teaching and Mentoring Oct. 27-30, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta.
The Institute hosted nearly 1,500 students, with the majority of participants being doctoral students. The event is the largest gathering of underrepresented minority students in the nation. Georgia State was the only platinum sponsor for the 2022 event, and university faculty and administrators talked and engaged with hundreds of attendees.
In addition, prior to the SREB event, the university launched the Future Faculty Diversity Initiative (FFDI) Oct. 26-27, bringing senior doctoral candidates, newly minted Ph.D. and junior faculty members from all disciplines across the country to Georgia State University.
Invited scholars engaged with Georgia State administrators, met dynamic faculty, staff, and students, and had an opportunity to discuss their research and develop relationships with Georgia State’s academic departments.
Coming Soon: Inaugural Spring Writing Table
The Office of Faculty Affairs (OFA) is excited to present the inaugural Spring Writing Table. In an effort to support the faculty writing goals of Georgia State’s faculty, we will welcome 50 faculty to come together to learn a few goal-setting strategies and then WRITE. To facilitate the writing process, qualitative and quantitative methodologists will be onsite to assist you with analytical questions, and grant specialists will be present to assist you in developing or refining your proposal. Light refreshments will be provided. Look out for this event in February! Sign-up will occur in early spring, 2023.
New at faculty.gsu.edu: Calendar of Events
There’s so much going on and so many opportunities from Faculty Affairs that it can be difficult to keep up with them all. But don’t worry about frantically searching your inbox – the new calendar listings page has you covered with workshops, talks, check-ins, other opportunities, and important deadlines.
There’s also other helpful calendar links on the page, including workshop and training opportunities through CETLOE, events celebrating the university’s Signature Heritage Months (check the next section of this newsletter for more about them), academic calendars, and other information. You’ll also learn how you can submit your own events to the main University Calendar.
Check it out at https://faculty.gsu.edu/events/. And if you can’t find something you’re looking for, OFA is happy to help. Contact [email protected] for more assistance.
Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager, Office of the Provost
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion News
The 2023 Groundbreaker Lecture Featuring Jelani Cobb, Feb. 8
The Office of the Provost is pleased to announce the speaker of the 2023 Groundbreaker Lecture, Jelani Cobb, Ira A. Lipman Professor of Journalism, and Dean of the Columbia Journalism School on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023.
The event will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the State Ballroom in Student Center East, and is open Georgia State students, faculty and staff. Register for the event by clicking the button below this text. (A livestream will be available to Georgia State students, faculty and staff; register to obtain the link.)
Jelani Cobb is a staff writer at The New Yorker, writing on race, history, justice, politics, and democracy, as well as Columbia University’s Ira A. Lipman Professor of Journalism and next Dean of Columbia Journalism School.
Read a full biography and a list of his accomplishments at the link below.
The Groundbreaker Lecture Series was launched by the Office of the Provost at Georgia State University during February 2020 to honor three brave women — Barbara Pace Hunt, Iris Mae Welch and Myra Payne Elliott — who sued in the 1950s for their right to enroll and attend Georgia State’s predecessor institution. Ms. Elliott received an honorary degree from Georgia State this past December.
The 2023 Mario A.J. Bennekin Symposium at Perimeter College, Feb. 20-24
Black women’s and labor history scholar Eshe Sherley will keynote the third annual Mario A.J. Bennekin Black History Symposium at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College Feb. 20-24, 2023.
Sherley’s presentation is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 20 at 3 p.m. in the college’s Dunwoody Campus auditorium.
The symposium theme is “Black Empowerment in America: Organization, Mobilization and the Struggle for Equality,” with Sherley’s talk focusing on a group of black feminists in Atlanta that formed unions in the late 1970s and early ‘80s to address the demands of black women working in the service industry.
The Bennekin Black History Symposium is named for Mario Bennekin, a beloved history professor at Perimeter who taught for 20 years before passing in 2019 when he chaired the History and Political Science department. Bennekin was instrumental in bringing the African-American Studies, now Africana Studies, curriculum to Perimeter.
For more information, visit the link below.
Black History Month Events & Other Signature Heritage Months Ahead
Heritage months at Georgia State celebrate the customs, values and traditions of various cultures, examining the issues and struggles of those communities as well as affirming their contributions to society. Heritage months are important in providing intentional space for teaching, learning and reflection.
Georgia State’s Cultures, Communities & Inclusion (CCI) team and partner departments celebrate the identities and histories of members of Georgia State’s global communities each month through vibrant performances, lectures and activities that celebrate our rich cultural diversity and help us understand our shared history.
More information will be distributed via campus email, newsletters, websites and digital display screens across Georgia State campuses about exciting and impactful Black History Month activities happening in February.
Additional months include:
- Women’s HERstory Month: March
- Asian-Pacific Islander-Desi/American Heritage Month: April 1-30
- Social Justice Summer in June and July marks celebrations including Juneteenth, Pride, and Caribbean American Heritage Month.
If you or your GSU organization/department has any events you’d like to share for our calendars, please click here to contribute!
Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager, Office of the Provost
2022 JEDI Award Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the 2022 Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Awards! The winners are:
- Department/Unit: Center for the Advancement of Students and Alumni (The CASA)
- Undergraduate Student: Bailey Hatchett
- Graduate/Professional Student: Yasmina Al-Aboudy
- Staff: Ashley Salmon
- Faculty: Carlos A.O Pavão
The JEDI honorees of all categories were recognized at the Celebrating Faculty Excellence last fall, and will also be recognized during the university’s MLK Commemoration event on Jan. 19.
Read more about the winners at the link below.
News from ADVANCE-IMPACT
Members of the recently funded National Science Funded ADVANCE-IMPACT team have been busy getting ready to launch a suite of initiatives aimed at producing systemic changes that promote the recruitment and retention of women in tenure-track faculty positions.
For example, this fall team members attended Bystander Leadership Program training offered by the university’s ADVANCE-IMPACT partners at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida. These workshops use live theater to teach faculty how to practice behaviors that allow them to confidently intervene to reduce bias and promote faculty belongingness.
Pictured above are ADVANCE-IMPACT team members Megan Connors, Cirleen Deblaere and Russel White along with FIU faculty after a long day of productive training on September 16, 2022.
Other members attending the training this fall include Jennie Burnet, Suri Iyer, Marise Parent, and Sergey Plis. ADVANCE-IMPACT will return to FIU in the spring to learn how to become Bystander Leadership Program trainers and will launch Bystander Leadership Program workshops with the FIU theater group at Georgia State in fall 2023. Faculty who want to learn more about ADVANCE-IMPACT or who want to join the team can visit the ADVANCE-IMPACT website at https://www.gsu.edu/advance, or email ADVANCE-IMPACT Director Marise Parent at [email protected].
ADVANCE-IMPACT at Georgia State is supported by a generous grant from the National Science Foundation, (Award #2204559).
Information from Marise Parent, Director and Co-PI, ADVANCE-IMPACT
Report on the Initial Action Plan on the Recommendations of the Task Force for Racial Equality
Following the horrific events of mid-2020, where Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks and too many other Black Americans were killed at the hands of law enforcement, the university convened a Task Force for Racial Equality to examine how Georgia State could move needed conversations forward and take solid actions to affect diversity, equity and inclusion at the institution.
The Task Force’s recommendations during the fall 2020 semester led to a three-phase action plan to implement these recommendations and turned words into deeds. Though the work isn’t done, Georgia State has made significant progress to share.
The Office of the Provost is pleased to share the final progress report: From Plans to Action: The Results of the Initial Action Plan. It’s available by visiting the link in the button below.
It is a straightforward report, but it tells so much. Knowing that this work continues, more than 90 percent of the actions from the original plan have been completed or are in progress.
As the university moves forward during this strategic planning year, it’s vital to recognize the importance of inclusion in formulating the next plan. Indeed, one of the key pillars – Identity & Placemaking – has this tenet embedded in it.
Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager, Office of the Provost
Contribute to the Diversity Database and the DEI Resource Library
Georgia State’s Diversity Database and DEI Resource Library provide comprehensive listings of DEI related initiatives and programs, as well as helpful books, articles, films, and on-demand trainings. Learn how to contribute more information below. If you previously submitted a program or initiative for the Diversity Database, you can also submit your changes.

International Initiatives & News
Call for Proposals: Virtual Exchange
The Office of International Initiatives (OII) and the Atlanta Global Studies Center welcome proposals from Georgia State’s full-time faculty who plan to implement Virtual Exchange (VE) activities for the first time in a course which will be taught in the Fall 2023 semester.
Faculty who previously implemented VE in other courses (including those who may have received past support from OII) are eligible to apply if requesting support for VE in a new course. See the link below for more details.
The deadline to apply is March 27, 2023. Click the button below to apply.
Call for Applications: Faculty Associate for Virtual Exchange
Georgia State University’s Office of International Initiatives invites applications for the Faculty Associate for Virtual Exchange position.
The Faculty Associate provides leadership for expanding Virtual Exchange opportunities at Georgia State, with an emphasis on scaling and sustaining this high-impact teaching and learning practice. The position is open to both tenure-stream and non-tenure stream faculty with full-time appointments in one of the academic units at Georgia State. This position reports to the Associate Provost for International Initiatives.
Additional position details and application instructions may be found here and the link below. The deadline to apply is February 1, 2023.
International Education & Access for All – Free Passport Program Student Q&A with Ayana Ousley
The Free Passport Program of the Office of International Initiatives has opened the world to Georgia State students, no matter their background. In addition to scholarships and other support, the university has opened study abroad and other international opportunities to students who never thought they could before.
The impact of this program cannot be understated. As of October 6, 1,046 students have received free passports. These are students, too, for whom this is their very first U.S. passport. Initially known as the Free Passport Initiative, it began during a time when international travel was uncertain due to the global pandemic.
But, to prepare students for when they were ready to explore the world again, the initiative was an innovation that has been recognized by the IIE with the prestigious 2022 IIE Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education. It now lives on as the Free Passport Program.
OII asked several FPI students about their experiences. In this edition of the Provost’s Newsletter, Ayana Ousley, a biological sciences student, shares more about her experiences and how the FPI impacted her.
Q: Who or what inspired you to apply to the Free Passport Initiative? Why was this helpful to you?
A: I was inspired to apply for the Free Passport Initiative after seeing it advertised by Georgia State advocates. I thought it would be helpful and useful in the future when I decided to travel for vacation or work. Overall this was helpful for me because I began traveling sooner than I expected through studying abroad.
Q: Did you also receive a scholarship? Please name the scholarship and share how it helped you.
A: Yes, I received the IEF Scholarship and I received the Gilman Scholarship. They both helped me to fund my study abroad as far as paying for the program fees and other things such as visa, luggage, etc.
Q: What study abroad program did you participate in and what did you gain personally and/or academically and/or professionally from the experience?
A: I participated in the Field Study of Contemporary and Emerging Global Public Health Issues in Ghana program with Dr. Armstrong-Mensah and the Public Health Department. From this experience, I personally learned the importance of perspective. Seeing life through the eyes of other people was the most insightful experience. Professionally, I learned how to collect and analyze data in the field and how to properly interview participants for research studies.
Q: What social, cultural or personal benefits would you share with someone to encourage them to participate in study abroad, virtual exchange or other globally focused GSU programs?
A: Socially, you learn to compare and contrast how people from other countries interact with one another and you can apply some of those practices into your life, where you see fit. Culturally, you get to immerse yourself into the lives of the citizens of the country you’re visiting. You get to try new foods, hear/learn different languages, and learn about different traditions.
Q: What was your greatest hurdle to studying abroad and how did you overcome it?
A: My greatest hurdle for studying abroad was the financial aspect. Before I was awarded my scholarships, I had to figure out how I was going to fund my experience, especially because I did not want to burden my family. I decided to work full time during breaks to allow myself to save for the initial deposit. I also decided to apply to the Gilman Scholarship on a whim, just to say I tried. Fortunately, I was awarded money from the Gilman Scholarship, the IEF Scholarship, and a scholarship from the GSU’s School of Public Health. With those scholarships combined with working, I was able to overcome this hurdle.
Q Before you went on a study abroad program, had you ever traveled internationally? Before you came to Georgia State, did you think that studying abroad was out of your reach? Was this an aspiration you always had?
A: Before this opportunity, I had only traveled internationally via cruise, never by plane and I never stayed in another country for more than a day. Before coming to GSU, I knew that I could study abroad if I really worked hard to make my vision come to life. I knew it was only out of reach if I believed it to be. Coming into college, I always wanted to either do an exchange program or complete a shortened specific program. Because of this, I did all my research and asked as many questions as I could.
Q: What were you excited about or nervous about before you left?
A: I was very nervous about traveling with people that I did not know. In the past, I had only traveled with my parents and my friends. Meeting the people that I would be staying with for the first time at the airport was so out of my comfort zone, but I’m glad I experienced it. I was also nervous about how I would be perceived while in Ghana. Thankfully, I was received well and it really put all my doubts to rest. The thing I was most excited about was conducting the HIV surveys and research, as well as trying Ghanaian food for the first time.
Q: What did you learn about yourself? How are you different, how are you the same?
A: I learned that continuing to put myself in situations where I’m uncomfortable yields the best feeling and results. After overcoming the difficult and uncomfortable tasks, I proved to myself that I can do anything. I also realized that there are places, jobs, people etc. that are ready to receive my opinions and ideas; all I have to do is take the leap to share them. So, I am different in a way where I am more comfortable in expressing my professional thoughts and ideas. I am the same in ways that I still want to travel and this experience just reassured me that I should continue to experience different parts of the world and the people in it.
Q&A by Elaine Guillot, Manager of Marketing & Public Relations for the Office of International Initiatives; introduction by Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager, Office of the Provost
Rickey Bevington Named Leadership Fellow of the International Women’s Forum
Rickey Bevington has been selected for the 2022-2023 Leadership Fellow of the International Women’s Forum (IWF), comprising more than 40 participants who are leading change throughout the world. Bevington is president of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta, a nonpartisan membership organization affiliated with Georgia State University. The council’s vision is to inspire Atlanta to lead globally. As council president, Bevington holds an appointment as an expert in residence with the university’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.
IWF invests in making women stronger, smarter, and more influential through its Leadership Fellows Program, a year-long, intensive leadership development experience.
IWF’s Leadership Fellows Program was launched in 1994 with seed funding from the U.S. Labor Department as a direct result of the Glass Ceiling Commission. It annually convenes fellows from around the world for a total of 20 days of leadership development. Featuring academic partnerships with Harvard Business School and INSEAD, the program offers customized leadership training for high-achieving women leaders on their path to the C-suite. The approach is holistic and focused on the participant’s personal and professional development, career path, and leadership trajectory while embracing the value of an outside perspective.
The 29th class of the Leadership Fellows Program includes accomplished women leaders in Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Canada, China, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, the Palestinian Territories, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United States. Their backgrounds include corporate, government, nonprofit, academic, and entrepreneurial sectors.
Jenifer Shockley, Assistant Director, Office of Communications & Marketing, Robinson College of Business
Institute of International Business, Office of International Initiatives, work with U.S. Africa Chamber of Commerce to Organize 10th Pan African Trade and Investment Conference
Institute of International Business, Office of International Initiatives, work with U.S. The Institute of International Business (IIB) at Robinson College collaborated with the US Africa Chamber of Commerce in organizing the 10th Pan African Trade and Investment Conference held at GSU Buckhead on August 18, 2022.
The conference brought many small and medium enterprises (SMEs), nonprofits, and various trade and investment agencies interested in Africa. IIB Professor Mourad Dakhli and Ms. Kike Ehigiator, Director of International Partnerships and Agreements at Georgia State University’s Office of International Initiatives, led a panel discussion on GSU’s partnerships in Africa.
Dr. Dakhli presented outreach activities by IIB under a Department of Education, Business and International Education (BIE) grant that focuses on Building Global Competencies in Turbulent Times Through Local and Global Partnerships in Africa.
Jenifer Shockley, Assistant Director, Office of Communications & Marketing, Robinson College of Business
Research News
RISE Awardees Honored During Investiture Week by President Blake
During a weeklong celebration of his investiture, Dr. M. Brian Blake reaffirmed the university’s dedication to his Four Pillars, including Research and Innovation, for Georgia State to build upon for continued success.
As the eighth president of Georgia State, Blake and Dr. Bridget Blake hosted a dinner to celebrate the awardees of Georgia State’s Research Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) initiative.
Blake has laid out an ambitious growth strategy for research and innovation at the university, and this first class of RISE awardees was recognized for their pursuit of research growth and impact.
The grantees are sharing $2.5 million in one-time seed funding to develop transformative research. The projects explore four key research hubs and comprise nearly 50 university experts across different fields.
The hubs include:
- Crime Prevention and Data Transparency
- Imaging for Global Solutions
- Data Science for Health and Equity
- Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness
The award process was led by Tim Denning, Vice President for Research and Economic Development, and Interim Provost Nicolle Parsons-Pollard.
Noelle Toumey Reetz, Communications Manager for the Office of the Vice President for Research & Economic Development
University Hosts First-Ever Postdoctoral Research Symposium
Georgia State University held its inaugural Postdoctoral Research Symposium on Sept. 23, a first-of-its-kind institutional event aimed at recognizing and celebrating the contributions of postdoctoral researchers to the university community.
The event offered a mix of traditional poster presentations, speeches and lightning talks, as well as an opportunity for postdocs to connect with each other and with students, faculty, staff and administration. A group of judges were also on hand to award prizes based on both posters and on the presentations given at the event. In all, about 85 people representing more than a dozen departments, centers and offices on campus were in attendance.
The symposium was a multidisciplinary effort made possible not only by the Postdoctoral Association but by support from the Office of the Vice President for Research & Economic Development, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at the Graduate School, the Neuroscience Institute, the Department of Chemistry, the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience and the Department of Biology.
For more information about the symposium or to connect with the Georgia State University Postdoctoral Association, visit pda.gsu.edu or email [email protected].
Amanda Dobbs, Associate Director for Public Relations & Marketing Communications, Office of the Vice President for Research & Economic Development
Universal Flu Vaccine Protects Against Variants of Both Influenza A and B Viruses, Researchers Find
A new universal flu vaccine protects against diverse variants of both influenza A and B viruses in mice, according to a new study by researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences.
The researchers designed a single, universal influenza vaccine candidate with key cross-protective, less variable parts of the influenza A and B viruses: multi-neuraminidase protein subtypes known to be major antiviral drug targets and the universally conserved M2 ectodomain protein.
The findings, published in the journal PLOS Pathogens, report that mice vaccinated with an immune stimulating virus-like particle displaying multiple neuraminidase subtypes and conserved M2 portions of antigens (foreign proteins that induce immune responses) were protected against influenza A seasonal variants and pandemic potential viruses (H1N1, H5N1, H3N2, H9N2 and H7N9) and influenza B (Yamagata and Victoria lineage) viruses containing substantial antigenic variations.
“We developed a single, universal vaccine entity that induced immunity to conserved M2 ectodomain and multi subtype neuraminidase proteins and was found to be effective in conferring broad cross protection against antigenically diverse influenza A and B viruses in young and aged mice,” said Dr. Sang-Moo Kang, senior author of the study and a professor in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State. “This study provides impactful insight into developing a universal influenza vaccine inducing broad immunity against both flu A and B variants in young and aged populations.”
LaTina Emerson, Director of Communications, Institute for Biomedical Sciences
Variant Type and Patient Sex Affect Molnupiravir Efficacy, Study Finds
SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and the biological sex of patients affect the efficacy of molnupiravir, the first orally available drug approved for outpatient use against COVID-19, according to a new study led by researchers in the Center for Translational Antiviral Research in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State.
The study published in the journal Nature Communications tested molnupiravir against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in cultured cells, human airway epithelium organoids, ferrets and a dwarf hamster model of severe COVID-19-like lung injury. The analysis found molnupiravir equally inhibited variants of concern in cells and organoids, and treatment reduced shedding and prevented transmission in ferrets.
In addition, the capacity of SARS-CoV-2 to cause disease in dwarf hamsters was dependent on the variant of concern and was highest for the delta, gamma and omicron variants. All hamsters treated with molnupiravir survived, showing reduction in lung virus load from one order of magnitude for delta to four orders of magnitude for gamma. The effect of treatment varied in individual hamsters infected with omicron, and viral load reduction was significant in males but not females.
“We established in this manuscript a novel SARS-CoV-2 animal model that gives high viral load of omicron, which is currently the variant of concern. None of the other models have done that,” said Dr. Richard Plemper, senior author of the study, director of the Center for Translational Antiviral Research and Distinguished University Professor in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State.
“We show that dwarf hamsters provide a robust experimental system to explore degrees of pathogenicity of different SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. Unexpectedly, molnupiravir efficacy against omicron was variable between individual dwarf hamsters. Biological sex of the animals emerged as a correlate for therapeutic benefit of molnupiravir use against omicron, with treated males faring better overall than females. By contrast, biological sex had no effect on treatment benefit when dwarf hamsters were infected with gamma or delta, which matched human trial data reported for these variants of concern.”
LaTina Emerson, Director of Communications, Institute for Biomedical Sciences
Poster Campaign with the School of Public Health Raises Vaccine Confidence in Clarkston
As part of its continuing efforts to increase the Clarkston community’s confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, the Prevention Research Center at Georgia State University, in collaboration with the Dekalb County Board of Health, has launched the “Get Your Vaccine Today” poster campaign on Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) bus shelters in Clarkston. The vaccine education and awareness campaign encourages residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has endorsed the first updated COVID-19 booster shots. The booster shots target both the original strain of the coronavirus and the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants that most people are catching now. This double-barreled vaccine is called a bivalent vaccine.
Data shows that 70.8% of Clarkston residents are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 vs. 50.5% in comparable areas. That’s the highest vaccination rate in Georgia compared to other areas with the same Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), according to the Georgia Department of Health Vaccine Distribution Dashboard (as of September 12, 2022).
But there are still many residents who are not fully vaccinated or boosted. “We are seeing the confirmed COVID-19 cases increasing, which means we cannot lose focus,” said Clarkston Mayor Beverly H. Burks. “As we move into flu season, we must remain vigilant about continuing to wear our masks and getting vaccinated.”
The campaign ads are located in ten different MARTA Bus Shelters featuring seven trusted Clarkston community leaders including Burks, Dr. Scott Keller, Medical Director of Grace Village Medical Clinic, and Indian Creek Elementary School Principal Stephanie Brown-Bryant.
Sam Fahmy, Director of Communications, School of Public Health
Georgia State Economist Receives Grants to Study Higher Ed’s Role in Closing Racial Disparities
Georgia State University economist Jonathan Smith has received grants from the Washington Center for Equitable Growth and the Helios Education Foundation for two research projects that will shed more light on the role higher education can play in closing racial disparities.
For the first project, funded by Helios, Smith and his co-principal investigators, Andria Smythe of Howard University and Justin Ortagus of the University of Florida, will study the college enrollment decisions of Black high school students in Florida and the economic return of those decisions to the students and the state.
For the second project, Smith and his team will evaluate whether HBCUs create short-term and long-term benefits for Black students across the United States. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth awarded more than $67,000 for this project.
Smith, Smythe and Ortagus will use a large, comprehensive dataset that links SAT data with college-going and credit bureau data for their research.
Jennifer Giarratano, PR Manager, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

Student Success News
Georgia State Remains No. 2 for Innovation, Tied for Top Public University for Undergraduate Teaching in 2023 U.S. News & World Report Survey
Georgia State University is once again ranked the No. 2 most innovative university in the country and tied for the No. 1 public university for best undergraduate teaching in the 2023 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges.
Georgia State retained its position in both categories, having ranked No. 2 for innovation and first among public institutions in undergraduate teaching in the 2022 survey.
The innovation and undergraduate teaching rankings are based on a survey of presidents, provosts and admissions deans at colleges and universities across the country.
Andrea Jones, Vice President for Public Relations & Marketing Communications
Georgia State Selected as Partner University for Prestigious Stamps Scholars Program
Georgia State University has been selected as the latest institution to partner with the prestigious Stamps Scholars Program. The university joins 36 other top higher education institutions, including Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, the University of Michigan, the University of Texas and Dartmouth College, in offering Stamps Scholarships to select undergraduates.
The Stamps Scholars Program will be housed within Georgia State’s Honors College and will be the most generous and prestigious scholarship available to incoming first-year students, exceeding the total financial package awarded to Presidential Scholars. It will cover tuition, fees, housing, living expenses and meal plan, as well as provide each student a $10,000 enrichment fund, which can be used to pay for study abroad programs, research or other internships, academic conferences, leadership training or other designated activities.
“We appreciate and are honored that the Stamps Scholars Program recognizes the quality and ambition of Georgia State and its students, and we are proud to stand alongside other top institutions as partners in this program,” said Georgia State President Dr. M. Brian Blake. “Increasing the amount of meaningful support to students – especially our most outstanding ones – is a priority for the university, and the prestigious Stamps Scholars Program will offer Panthers unmatched opportunities to do more and dream bigger.”
Founded in 2006 by E. Roe Stamps and his late wife Penny, the Stamps Scholars Program was created to “enable extraordinary educational experiences for extraordinary students.” Each year more than 250 students from institutions across the U.S. and in the U.K. join the community of Stamps Scholars and receive generous scholarships jointly funded by the program and the partner university.
Michael Rohling, Director, Advancement Communications
Georgia State Welcomes Philanthropic Partners to the Kickoff for New National Institute for Student Success Headquarters
Georgia State University on Sept. 12 welcomed representatives from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation and the Truist Foundation, capital gift donors to the National Institute for Student Success (NISS), for a kickoff event officially launching renovations to the historic Bell Buildings at 25 and 27 Auburn Ave. that, when completed, will house the institute’s new headquarters and Georgia State’s new Student Success Center. Other philanthropic partners — on the project or on NISS programming — attending the kickoff included representatives from the Callaway Foundation.
Renovations on the Bell Buildings are underway and are scheduled to be completed in 2024. The facility will be the hub for all NISS programs, initiatives and research and will serve as a centralized location for key student success offices, including Truist Student Financial Management Center, financial aid and supplemental instruction.
The kickoff event was a celebration of the work being done by the NISS for students at Georgia State and across the nation and was held as part of the week’s special events marking the investiture of M. Brian Blake as the university’s eighth president.
Through a systematic, data-driven and collaborative process, the NISS helps colleges and universities identify and address institutional barriers to equity and college completion. Built off the systems, interventions and approaches that have eliminated the achievement gap at Georgia State and made the university a national model for student success, the NISS projects that its work will help produce almost 600,000 additional college graduates over its first 10 years.
Michael Rohling, Director, Advancement Communications
Georgia State’s Prison Education Project Interim Director Named a Georgia Trend 40 Under 40 Recipient
Patrick Rodriguez, interim director of Georgia State University’s Prison Education Project, has been named a Georgia Trend 40 under 40 recipient. The magazine recently released its annual recognition of the state’s best and brightest under 40.
Rodriguez, 31, joined the university’s prison education project in February 2022.
He also serves as co-executive director of the Georgia Coalition for Higher Education in Prison, garnering $1 million in grants to expand pathways from incarceration to higher education.
Rodriguez was incarcerated and released from prison in December 2019. Since his release, he has worked to serve those who have been impacted by prison. Through policy research and partnerships with colleges, universities, the Georgia Department of Corrections, and the Department of Community Supervision, Rodriguez builds strategies focused on a common goal – education and empowerment for all Georgians.
Kenya King, Director, Public Relations & Marketing Communications for Perimeter College
Graduate Student Success: Gerald R. Miller Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Awards
Two 2021 doctoral alums of the Department of Communication recently won highly competitive Gerald R. Miller Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Awards from the National Communication Association.
Meredith Pruden
“Maintaining Frame in the Incelosphere: Mapping the Discourses, Representations and Geographies of Involuntary Celibates Online” From Dror Walter: “this research project is a unique, timely, and extremely novel in its mixed methods approach (combining computational, rhetorical, and critical methods).”
Ayse Lokmanoglu
“Imagined Economics: An Analysis of Non-State Actor Messaging.”
From Carol Winkler: “It examines ISIS economic messaging since the start of the group in 2014, uses various statistical programs to assess the environmental factors that corresponded to changes in the group’s economic messaging patterns, and focuses on how the group used graphical communication strategies to encourage its viewers to imagine an economic world that functions outside of the International Monetary system.”
Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager for the Office of the Provost
Information from Jaye Atkinson, Chair, Department of Communications via the College of Arts & Sciences
Faculty Spotlight

Dihema Longman: IAspire Fellow
Dihema Longman, Associate Professor of Mathematics at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College, has been named a fellow in the fourth cohort of the IAspire Leadership Academy.
The program is aimed at helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) faculty from underrepresented backgrounds ascend to leadership roles at colleges and universities. The academy is part of the Aspire Alliance’s Institutional Change Initiative, which the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and the University of Georgia lead.
Longman also serves as the interim chair of mathematics on the Decatur Campus.
Her scholarship focuses on exploring race, gender, immigrant, and ethnicity issues in mathematics teaching and learning in higher education. She is chair of the Perimeter College mathematics executive committee and is a peer review member for the Caribbean Education Research Journal and the American Educational Research Association. She also is the founder of Empowering Garrison Girls, a non-profit organization to benefit young girls from Jamaican communities.
“It’s incredibly exciting to see Dr. Longman recognized for her talent and as one of our nation’s emerging STEM leaders,” said Cynthia Lester, Perimeter College interim dean.
“As a participant in the inaugural cohort for the IAspire program, I personally can vouch for its effectiveness and commitment to supporting and developing the potential of standout educators like Dr. Longman,” Lester said.
Read more about Longman below.
Kenya King, Director, Public Relations & Marketing Communications for Perimeter College

Christy Visaggi: Award-Winning Educator in Geosciences
If you walk into a class taught by Christy Visaggi, chances are you may catch her singing or doing a dance for her students to help them grasp concepts in Geosciences.
That enthusiasm for teaching paired with her knowledge of Geosciences have earned Visaggi the 2022 Biggs Earth Science Teaching Award from the Geological Society of America Geosciences Education Division.
The Biggs award recognizes innovative and effective teaching in college-level earth sciences. Visaggi, who has been a senior lecturer at Georgia State for nearly a decade, is also a Senior Faculty Associate for Signature Experiences.
She takes her students outside to see examples of erosion in action around campus, discusses and promotes diversity within Geosciences, and gives students the opportunity to present at professional conferences. In her senior role for Signature Experiences she promotes high impact courses for students while helping faculty develop the courses.
Read more by selecting the link below.
Excerpted from original article by Horace Holloman, College of Arts & Sciences
ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER, BACK ISSUES & CONTACT THE EDITOR
News from the Office of the Provost is an e-newsletter highlighting news and activities in academic affairs at Georgia State University. For questions about the newsletter, email Jeremy Craig at [email protected].
Previous issues are available by selecting the button below.
Editor: Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager, Office of the Provost
Editorial assistance by Godfried Solomon