Letter from the President
On June 30th, I concluded my tenth year leading the University of Georgia. Throughout my time as president, I have been continually inspired by the dedication of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends as they helped UGA secure a host of extraordinary achievements. Thanks to them, the past decade was marked by many ambitious initiatives that elevated UGA’s world-class learning environment, pushed our research enterprise to new heights, strengthened communities across Georgia, and expanded the University’s impact like never before.
Through numerous hiring initiatives, we decreased class sizes, enhanced academic support, and increased students’ interaction with renowned scholars. Our lauded experiential learning initiative earned national recognition and ensured that every UGA student now benefits from hands-on learning. Programs like Double Dawgs gave our students a competitive advantage in the workforce, while others helped students from all walks of life to thrive on our campus. Measures of student success soared, and our students earned the nation’s most elite academic honors.
Meanwhile, UGA faculty generated breakthroughs in their fields while addressing society’s grand challenges. Seed grant programs fostered vital research, and presidential hiring initiatives boosted our expertise in areas critical to Georgia’s future. We launched the Innovation District to catalyze economic development, and our technology transfer efforts were recognized nationally as we introduced products into the marketplace and spawned startups based on UGA research.
From promoting active learning to advancing Georgia’s workforce, UGA has undertaken an array of measures that will ensure the next decade is our best yet.
- Jere MoreheadPresident, University of Georgia
UGA’s Public Service and Outreach units were relentless in developing solutions for the challenges facing Georgia communities. They formed partnerships with organizations and local governments in every corner of the state, enhancing economic vitality, empowering entrepreneurs, and improving quality of life. Their efforts earned UGA the highest awards in public service and helped grow the University’s annual economic impact on Georgia to a record $7.6 billion.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors and the support of state leaders, the University also added 2.5 million square feet of new facilities and renovated over 1 million more. We built a new residence hall and state-of-the-art spaces for research and instruction and completed several athletic projects, including a new indoor practice facility and significant upgrades to Sanford Stadium. Our superb athletic facilities helped our student-athletes excel on the biggest stages of competition, while new programs like The Georgia Way helped them thrive off the field as well.
In the pages that follow, you will find these accomplishments arranged into themes that characterize UGA’s last decade, along with profiles of some of the amazing individuals who contributed to our success. You also will read about our commitment to boldly shape the future. From promoting active learning to advancing Georgia’s workforce, UGA has undertaken an array of measures that will ensure the next decade is our best yet. I hope you enjoy reading this report, and I thank you for all you do for the University of Georgia.
Sincerely,
Jere W. Morehead
President, University of Georgia