Earlier this month, I shared a century-old photo on Twitter that we received from Georgia Tech alumnus Andy McNeil (PP 2001). It has since gone viral. It was taken by Andy’s great-grandfather, Thomas F. Carter (ME 1922), at a game at Grant Field during the 1918 influenza pandemic — and just about everyone was wearing a mask.
I’m very proud of how our community has stepped up to address the challenges of this pandemic. It has been quite inspiring to see our faculty, staff, students, and alumni band together and show what Progress and Service is all about.
The COVID-19 pandemic may well be the mightiest challenge most of us have faced in our lifetimes. And yet, amid all the uncertainty and difficult choices we have been facing, I have a great sense of optimism about the future.
One of the unique qualities that sets Georgia Tech apart is the generational connection that our alumni have with current students. Leading the way is the Alumni Association, which not only offers a host of services for its members but also sponsors very important programs for students.
It seems everybody in the universe aspires for their city to become a hub of innovation. That is precisely what Atlanta has become. If you look at all of the innovation hubs around the nation, none of them has occurred in the absence of a leading research university.
