February 27, 2026
The University of Georgia continues to reach new heights, extending its impact across the state and redefining the student experience. This month, we celebrated several milestones that reflect our momentum in teaching, research, and service — and the incredible work our community is accomplishing together.
We saw this energy firsthand at the fourth annual Active Learning Summit. Of the 429 attendees, the majority were from UGA, which speaks volumes about our shared commitment to innovative teaching. The three-day summit featured a workshop on strategies to support and sustain active learning, along with roundtables that explored how generative AI can shift the conversation from tool use to student ownership of learning.
Following our recent preliminary accreditation, I am thrilled to share that applications are now open for the inaugural class of the UGA School of Medicine. This historic step brings us closer to welcoming our first 60 medical students this fall, a vital move toward advancing the health of communities in Georgia and beyond.
We also celebrated the grand reopening of the Pet Health Center at the College of Veterinary Medicine. This $5.2 million expansion, funded by the Stanton Foundation, provides a premier "Spectrum of Care" environment where our students gain hands-on experience in a real-world clinic setting.
Our faculty and students continue to excel at the highest levels. Keaton Coletti, a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering, has been named a Truman Postdoctoral Fellow at Sandia National Laboratories — one of only two recipients nationally and the first-ever UGA student to receive this prestigious appointment.
We were also excited to learn that Samantha Joye has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional distinctions for engineers and scientists. An internationally recognized marine biologist, her work has advanced the world's understanding of the complex interplay between microbes and large-scale environmental processes in the ocean.
As spring nears, I hope you will join us for the UGA Humanities Festival from March 16 to April 2. The festival will feature public talks, conversations, readings, and a celebration of recent achievements by our humanities community. The humanities are central to who we are as a top public university, and I’m excited for the campus‑wide conversation this festival will spark.
Additionally, the annual Charter Lecture will take place on March 25 at 11 a.m. in the Chapel. Our newest Regents’ Professors, Elena Karahanna and J. Marshall Shepherd, will share their insights, and I encourage you to join us and hear from these two exceptional scholars.
Thank you for your continued dedication to the University of Georgia and for the work you do every day to drive our institution forward.
Sincerely,
