January 14, 2025 – January Letter to Campus

January 14, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

Happy New Year, and welcome back to a brisk start to our Spring 2025 semester! While it may be chilly outside, I can tell you that 2025 promises to be a sizzling year of opportunity, accomplishment, and celebration for Georgia Southern University. Growth and momentum will be the driving force as spring enrollment is projected to increase by 6% over last spring and summer and Fall 2025 enrollment is on track to reach record-breaking numbers. 

Over the coming months, we will launch phases II and III of our website redesign; assess, synthesize and develop the first draft of our new institutional strategic plan; prepare for and host our SACSCOC onsite reaffirmation visit; and host the Board of Regents meeting on the Statesboro Campus in April. 

This week, we will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a presence at both the Savannah and Statesboro parades. This Friday, January 17, Dr. Walter Kimbrough, Interim President of Talladega College, will be our keynote speaker for both MLK Celebration events on the Statesboro and Armstrong campuses. An Atlanta native and a seasoned student affairs professional, Dr. Kimbrough has been recognized for his research and writings on HBCUs and African American men in college.

As we begin the new semester, let’s start by nominating our outstanding faculty and staff for the 2024-2025 University Awards of Excellence. The University Awards of Excellence for Faculty and Staff are designed to identify and reward individuals who make outstanding contributions to the success of Georgia Southern University. Through this process, Georgia Southern will recognize individuals who demonstrate excellence in performance and contributions to one area of the University’s pillars and values. Each recipient, excluding the team award winners, will receive $1,000 in professional development funding along with a medallion. The nomination process is simple, and the deadline is 5 p.m. on January 26. Nominate a deserving faculty and/or staff member HERE. 

Finally, this week marks the beginning of the 2025 Georgia Legislative session. Over the next few months, we will spend time in Atlanta, advocating for and telling the story of Georgia Southern—highlighting our economic impact on the region and the state, our students’ achievements and career readiness, and the dedication and hard work of you, our faculty and staff.

Sincerely,

Kyle

People. Purpose. Action: Growing Ourselves to Grow Others!