May 31, 2024
Summer is a chance to refresh, reset and seek out new experiences. For many of our students, this means participating in Maymester programs, summer internships or study abroad. For faculty, it could include developing or redesigning courses through the Active Learning Summer Institute or spending significant time on research and scholarship.
This is also a season of change and excitement for our newest UGA alumni. At the spring Commencement ceremonies earlier this month, the university conferred degrees on 6,627 undergraduates and 1,691 graduate students. We also celebrated 442 graduates from professional programs in the School of Law, College of Pharmacy and College of Veterinary Medicine. Congratulations to all the spring graduates! We are eager to see how you will continue to lead, discover and serve beyond our campus.
Earlier this month we received the welcome news that Aaron P. Mitchell, Distinguished Research Professor and head of the Department of Microbiology, was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. This extraordinary achievement reflects the national and international reputation of his research and scholarship.
On May 14, I also had the pleasure of joining Dr. Mitchell and Dr. Jennifer Walker, senior lecturer and undergraduate coordinator in the Department of Microbiology, to accept the Regents’ Teaching Excellence Award for Department or Program during the Board of Regents meeting. The Department of Microbiology was recognized as an exemplary academic unit that successfully used assessment and feedback data to foster growth, address needs and implement evidence-based teaching and high-impact practices.
At UGA we remain committed to international collaboration. This month a delegation from the University of Liverpool visited our campus to commemorate more than 10 years of collaboration between our institutions. Our partnership has led to robust strategies, grant programs and service activities that help our faculty and students respond to the challenges of our time.
Whether in Athens or abroad this summer, I hope this is a time of excitement and new discovery for each of you. Thank you for your continued commitment to UGA and our mission.
Sincerely,
