January 30, 2026
I am inspired by the incredible sense of purpose that defines our campus community. Across our classrooms, offices and laboratories — and in communities across Georgia — our commitment continues to drive meaningful impact.
While we are always focused on our forward-looking goals, this is also an ideal moment to reflect on the sustained excellence that keeps this university moving forward. I wanted to share a few updates that highlight our accomplishments so far this academic year. These achievements speak directly to the hard work you do every day.
For the second consecutive year, the Jere W. Morehead Honors College has been ranked No. 1 among honors programs nationwide by College Transitions. This milestone is a credit to our faculty and mentors. While rankings don’t tell the whole story, they reflect your dedication to providing an undergraduate experience that is truly second to none.
Our research community continues to build upon its astounding momentum. In fiscal year 2025, our R&D expenditures reached $654 million — a record high for the seventh year in a row. Over the past decade, we’ve seen a 75% growth in research activity. Behind those numbers are hundreds of individual breakthroughs and tireless hours in the lab and the field. Your focus on discovery and innovation is expanding UGA’s impact worldwide.
I was also proud to see UGA receive the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification this month. This accolade reflects our land-grant mission in action, and it honors the way we partner with communities across Georgia to solve real-world problems and improve lives.
We have some exciting new faces joining our leadership team. Dr. Carolyn Clevenger has officially started her role as the founding dean of the School of Nursing. She is already performing the essential work of building the foundation for our accreditation efforts, and we are fortunate to have her leadership and expertise in this critical endeavor.
Looking ahead to the summer, Dr. David B. Berkowitz will join us from the National Science Foundation as our new vice president for research starting July 1. We are also making progress in our searches for the next deans of the Terry College of Business and the College of Environment and Design, and I’ll be sure to keep you updated as those searches move forward.
This semester’s Signature Lecture Series will begin in a few days, and I encourage you to take advantage of this great opportunity to hear from leaders and scholars in a wide variety of fields. The lineup includes a Nobel Prize-winning economist, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author as well as notable voices from the arts and humanities, business, science and technology.
Thank you for everything you do to make this university such a vibrant place to work and learn. I wish you all a productive, healthy and inspiring semester.
Sincerely,
