After the election is done, the votes are finally tabulated, and the winners declared, we must then work mindfully to once again be one Yellow Jacket community – moving forward with grace and compassion for each other, as well as always holding hope in our hearts.
The tragic mass shooting that took place on September 4th at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta continues to weigh heavily on many hearts and spirits. Knowing that any school or campus could be vulnerable to gun violence, a number of students and colleagues have shared anxiety and concern about safety at Georgia Tech. In addition, other issues have arisen related to both physical and psychological safety concerns. This newsletter issue will examine the actions each of us can take to promote the welfare and well-being of the Georgia Tech community.
For those returning to Georgia Tech, welcome back! For the members of the Class of 2028, congratulations on your decision to join the Ramblin’ Wreck family! To all: I hope you had some fun this summer, no matter where you visited, worked, or played! As for my summer, I visited family for two weeks in Phoenix, where it hit 118 degrees, and I got some R&R while binge-watching House of the Dragon and Snowpiercer.
We have an update regarding the chilled water outage and our ongoing efforts to restore full operations across campus. Due to the significant efforts of the staff in Infrastructure & Sustainability, air conditioning has now been restored to several buildings across Student Engagement & Well-Being.
Headed To Campus? Here Are the Impacts of Construction & Chilled Water Outage. As you prepare for your arrival or return to campus, I just wanted to give you a sense of the physical environment. There is a lot of energy and movement on campus – and we are excited about the prospect of all the new buildings that will be coming online in the near future, as well as the improvements being made to the campus’ physical infrastructure. However, since Friday, July 26th, a chilled water outage has affected air conditioning in many buildings. We have several teams working around the clock to bring buildings back online.
This month, we have the chance to learn from the voices of our graduate student leaders as they share their reflections on the rights and responsibilities associated with freedom of expression and inquiry for them.
This month we asked undergraduate student leaders why upholding and safeguarding freedom of expression was so important for a college campus. Listen to what GT student leaders shared about what they believe are the most essential rights and responsibilities of students when it comes to protecting speech and expressive activity.
One of the most unique aspects of being part of a higher education community is the ability to learn about and be exposed to a broad, vibrant range of world views, personal perspectives, challenging ideas, and intriguing ideologies. However, this intellectual diversity can sometimes create anxiety, conflict, and tension.
Happy New Year! I hope you took some time off over Winter Break and implemented some affirmative actions to support your personal wellness that you can now sustain throughout the Spring semester.
A number of significant global conflicts are impacting the world at this time, and I would like to focus on the most recent one in this month’s newsletter.
Welcome to week six of your Fall semester! I love the excitement and energy around the beginning of the Fall semester, but for most students, the first round of exams is already underway or about to be. Accordingly, this month’s newsletter focuses on: Why Belonging Makes a Difference for Student Success, Sharpening Your Self-Care Toolkit, Ribbon Cutting for Black Culture, Innovation, and Technology, New Covid-19 Vaccine Now Available for Students, andStudent Engagement and Well-Being Advocates for Your Success.
For those returning to Georgia Tech: welcome back! For those who are members of the Class of 2027, congratulations on your decision to join the Ramblin’ Wreck family! I’m excited to share the many new things happening in Student Engagement and Well-Being as we continue to support you as students both in and out of the classroom! For our newest Yellow Jackets, this newsletter is my opportunity to communicate with you directly throughout the academic year about the issues, programs, and services that will impact your sense of belonging, well-being, and success. I hope you will find it informative and engaging.
April signals the start of spring and the near-ending of the academic calendar. Student Engagement & Well-Being kicked off Student Celebration Week, earmarked by the new student leadership banners that flank the experiential pathway, which runs from the John Lewis Student Center to the Campus Recreation Center. Be sure to walk by while you take a break from your studies and see who of your peers have been honored!
Welcome back from Spring Break! I hope you found the time and space to disconnect, rejuvenate and relax – in preparation for the rest of the Spring term!
As we observe Valentine’s Day – whether with friends, family, with a partner, or just by ourselves - it seemed appropriate to focus on social wellness in this issue of our monthly newsletter. We will also cover the following topics: observing black history month, hate speech vs. freedom of speech, and continued support for our global community.
Best wishes to you and yours as we celebrate the Lunar New Year and welcome a new semester! #YearoftheRabbit I hope you took some time off over Winter Break to sustain or adopt habits to support your wellness that you can now maintain throughout the Spring.
As the Winter 2022 holiday season approaches, I want to acknowledge that the Yellow Jacket community comprises individuals of many faiths and expressions of spirituality. As such, we each may celebrate different holidays (or none at all) at this time of year, as well as do so in ways that honor our traditions, cultures and beliefs. However, the practice of gratitude can be a common theme for all.
Happy All Hallow’s Eve!!! Not sure how you plan to celebrate Halloween but this is one of my favorite holidays. I love seeing all the costumes and relish the sense of mystery and mischief that is associated with this day. Regardless of how you observe Halloween, I hope you will take steps to ensure your personal safety and that of others by engaging in low-risk drinking or drugging (or refraining altogether) and keeping an eye on friends.
Welcome to week six of your Fall semester! For many students, we are going into our first round of exams. Can you believe it? Now is the time to take a few extra moments to practice mindfulness and self-care to help you be at optimal capacity to achieve your academic performance goals.
For those returning to Georgia Tech: welcome back! For those who are new Yellow Jackets, congratulations on joining the Ramblin’ Wreck family! I can hardly believe summer is over and another academic year is upon us. I’m excited to share the many new things happening in Student Engagement and Well-Being as we continue to support you as students both in and out of the classroom!
I can hardly believe that we are near the end of another academic year! With only a few days left of the semester, I want to take this opportunity to applaud you for getting to this point of your academic journey; it took perseverance and tenacity to do so. I hope you each take the time to remember the obstacles you’ve overcome in the past months, as well as celebrate your successes, both big and small.
Happy Spring! I hope you were able to take some time off to relax during Spring Break. Whether you chose to travel away from Atlanta or enjoyed a staycation, it will be important for you to recharge and prepare for the remainder of the semester.
To provide students with options for immediate testing needs, Student Engagement and Well-Being has procured a limited supply of at-home testing kits to facilitate self-care for students who are experiencing symptoms or illness that could be Covid-19 related.
The U.S. government announced last week that every household in the U.S. is eligible to order four free at-home Covid-19 tests. College students are eligible to order these tests. However, because of their multi-unit nature and incompatibility with USPS coding systems, campus residence halls can pose challenges for determining what constitutes “household.”
The Gwinnett County Health Department has informed us that there was an individual at Georgia Tech between August 23, 2021 and September 27, 2021 who has been diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB). Read the full letter for more information.
You are near the finish line for the Fall 2021 semester. While this is a time of anticipation and celebration, we have also heard from many of you that you are experiencing some anxiety and uncertainty as we approach final exams.
