Georgia Institute of Technology

A 900-Mile Tour Through South Georgia

Tue, 07/03/2012 - 10:40am

Each summer since coming to Georgia Tech three years ago, we have spent a week touring the state talking to various groups about Georgia Tech. This summer has been no exception and Val and I just returned from our 900-mile route through south Georgia. The annual event provides a great opportunity to meet with with alumni, legislators, regents, the media, industry partners, as well as current and potential students. Over a four-day period we visited 43 of Georgia’s 159 counties, were hosted at a number of alumni events, met with local community leaders and met hundreds of Tech friends and supporters at more than 20 events across south Georgia.

During our visits, I shared updates about Georgia Tech and enjoyed the opportunity see firsthand the Institute’s impact. Georgia Tech truly serves the entire state, from the large metro areas to the small rural communities. We serve students in those communities, but we also serve local industries who are looking to us to help them improve efficiency and streamline operations. We saw examples of everything from our engagement in elementary, middle and high schools, to business partnerships strengthened through our Advanced Technology Development Centers (ATDC) and our Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2).

We visited three companies with whom Georgia Tech has partnered to add value to their operations: NCR Columbus, Max Manufacturing, and CJB Industries. We had the privilege of being hosted at two separate events by members of the Board of Regents Doreen Stiles Poitevint, along with Alec Poitevint, and Dink NeSmith, along with Pam NeSmith. We are grateful to all of our hosts throughout the tour.

Wreck driver Stephen Webber took the Ramblin’ Wreck to several of the locations. Of course, it attracted a great deal of attention, including a couple of newspaper features. Stephen is a great ambassador for Georgia Tech, as well as an ambassador for the G. Wayne Clough Tech Promise scholars program.

Along our 900 mile journey, Val and I tasted boiled peanuts for the first time in Plains, bought gas for $2.86 a gallon in Hinesville, saw live alligators on a farm and in the wild, and experienced our first “low country boil” in Jesup, GA.

Many thanks to all who made the trip possible, and also to the Georgia Tech community for the tremendous contribution and impact you make and have in our state, our region, and our nation.

Government and Community Relations posted a number of photos from the trip on their website. Check them out.