Alumnus Establishes Need-Based Computing Scholarship

Christian Battaglia, CS 2017, has endowed a need-based scholarship in the College of Computing. “I wanted to help students,” he said, “the ones who need it the most.” 

Battaglia serves as VP of Engineering for Sysdyne, a sales integration platform for construction materials: concrete, asphalt, and gravel. A seasoned entrepreneur, Battaglia was a founding engineer at the food delivery site Glovo, of the on-board vehicle diagnostic scanner Fixd, and a founder of the platforms Triple Axel and Slabstack. The latter, a sales platform for concrete, was acquired by Sysdyne in 2025. 

While at Tech, Battaglia was involved in “a little of everything” — lacrosse, Phi Delta Theta, a GTRI co-op, and study abroad in Barcelona. He says Tech’s emphasis on applied computing prepared him well for his career. “For me, it was like my playground,” he said. “I’m so thankful I got exposed to so many different things.” 

Battaglia also is extensively involved with the alumni chapter for the College of Computing in New York City, where he is based. He celebrates his 10-year reunion this fall

To provide support for computing students with financial need, contact Jason Zwang, senior director of Development, College of Computing, at jason.zwang@cc.gatech.edu.

Strategy 2035 Optimizes Learning Systems

The College of Lifetime Learning is advancing Strategy 2035 as it redefines the future of learning across the lifespan. This 10-year roadmap positions Georgia Tech at the forefront of a global shift toward lifelong learning. Shaped by the voices of more than 450 students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners, the strategy reflects a shared insight: Learning can no longer be confined to a single phase of life — it must operate as a dynamic, integrated system that evolves with people and a changing world. Since January, inaugural Dean Bill Gaudelli has mobilized the College around this vision, integrating research, teaching, and extension into a unified model that reimagines how education is designed and delivered. 

Strategy 2035 sets an ambitious course: Engage 5 million learners, credential 2 million individuals, and accelerate breakthroughs in optimized learning systems. As implementation accelerates, philanthropic support is vital in helping the College build the infrastructure, partnerships, and pathways needed to support learning that is continuous, accessible, and responsive to rapidly shifting societal demands

To learn more and help fund Strategy 2035, contact Macie Thompson, director of Development, College of Lifetime Learning, at macie.thompson@dev.gatech.edu.

Newest Makerspace Funded by Philanthropy

The H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) has opened Tech’s newest makerspace. Thanks to the generous endowed support of the late P. Dexter Allen Jr., IE 1955, and his wife Evelyn Allen, and named in honor of the Allens and I.M. “Mac” Davidson, CE 1934, and Paul M. “Skeet” Coleman, CE 1911, the Allen-Davidson-Coleman (ADC) XR Makerspace expands access to extended reality (XR) tools for the ISyE community. 

XR is an umbrella term encompassing everything that merges physical and virtual worlds. It includes augmented reality (where digital objects are added to the physical world), mixed reality (where digital elements can interact with the physical world), and virtual reality (which uses a completely virtual environment). 

The makerspace offers a wide range of equipment for student and faculty research and exploration. Technology includes Apple and Meta headsets, augmented reality glasses, haptic gloves, motion-tracking cameras, and 3D printers. 

Student-led, the makerspace is located on campus in the Groseclose Building but will move to the new 18-story George Tower in Tech Square later this year.

To support state-of-the-art facilities for the next generation of engineers, contact Dave Zaksheske, assistant vice president for Development, College of Engineering, at davez@coe.gatech.edu.

Sam Nunn Endows Professorship

In celebration of their 60 years of marriage and his wife’s distinguished career in national security, former Sen. Sam Nunn, IM 1960, HON Ph.D. 2008, has established the Colleen O. Nunn Global Strategic Intelligence Faculty Endowment Fund in Tech’s Sam Nunn School of International Affairs. 

The endowed professorship honors Colleen’s early career in diplomacy and intelligence and her lifetime of civic and philanthropic leadership. It also celebrates the couple’s shared commitment to and legacy of outstanding public service. 

The professorship will advance the Nunn School’s teaching and scholarship related to intelligence, national security, strategy, and policy. This anniversary gift stands as a testament to the couple’s decades of public service and an enduring investment in future generations of civic leadership.

To learn more or provide essential support for faculty-scholars in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, contact Lauren Kennedy, director of Development, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, at lauren.kennedy@dev.gatech.edu.

Top Ranking for Donor-Funded Career Services Center

Georgia Tech has been ranked by Financial Times as No. 1 in the world for MBA career services. Scheller College's top-ranking MBA career services are made possible by the Jones Career Center and the generosity of Gary T. Jones, GMGT 1971. The Jones Career Center assists Scheller graduate students by providing support such as career strategy development, interview preparation, networking, and employer recruiting sessions.

To support the Scheller College of Business and its top-ranked services for students, contact Duante Stanton, senior director of Development, Scheller College, at dstanton30@gatech.edu.

Shaping Cities, Supporting Futures: $11M Fuels College of Design Growth

The Georgia Tech College of Design generated more than $11 million in philanthropic support from alumni, donors, and partners in 2025, marking a significant milestone in the College’s continued growth. 

For decades, the College has helped shape Atlanta into the dynamic, globally recognized city it is today — educating generations of architects, designers, planners, and builders whose work defines the region’s skyline, infrastructure, and cultural life. This growing support is now fueling its next COLLEGE OF DESIGN chapter by expanding access, strengthening programs, and enhancing student experiences. 

Philanthropic investment is already translating into impact, including $5.2 million in new scholarship gifts, $765,000 in fellowships, and $5.3 million supporting student programs and initiatives. “We are so grateful to supporters of the College and its Schools for the unparalleled financial support we received this year,” said Ellen M. Bassett, dean and John Portman Chair. 

Many of the year’s most generous donors were recognized at the annual Design Excellence Awards, reflecting a growing culture of philanthropy across the College’s community.

To support the College of Design, contact Kelly Smith, director of Development, College of Design, at kelly.smith@design.gatech.edu.

Stay Connected to Your Impact at Georgia Tech

The Georgia Tech Foundation has introduced the Georgia Tech Foundation Donor Portal — a secure, user-friendly hub in which donors can track their contributions and stay informed. With advanced encryption protecting personal data, the portal offers 24/7 access to everything donors need, including: Athletics Gift Summaries, Complete Giving History, Enhanced Endowment Reports, Annual Gift Statements, Roll Call Summaries, and Profile Updates. 

Donor support shapes the future of Georgia Tech, and the new dashboard puts the proof at their fingertips. Each card — Giving History, Endowments, Roll Call, and A-T Fund Priority Points — is clickable, letting donors instantly dive deeper into their lifetime commitments, pledge balances, consecutive giving years, and athletic priority points, all from one convenient home screen

Library Efforts Increase Student Success

In 2025, the Georgia Tech Library saved students, faculty, and staff more than $5.1 million through affordable education efforts like course reserves and lending services like Gadgets. And support of the Library’s Affordable Education Fund is one of the most effective ways to measurably increase student success. A gift to the Library offsets the cost of purchasing lendable textbooks, reducing the price of required course materials. When textbooks are readily available, students can access required materials from the first day of class — a factor consistently linked to stronger academic outcomes. 

Reading Lists from Leganto is also among the top savers. This software option allows instructors to tie their course-required materials to existing Library collections, creating about $170 in savings per student

To learn more or support affordable education efforts like these, contact Emily Wong, senior director of Development, Student Experience, at emily.wong@dev.gatech.edu.

Early-Career Professorship ATHLETICS Fuels Innovation, Impact

Through their philanthropic investment in the McCallum Family Foundation, Dana and Jack McCallum, BIOL 1966, are advancing research at Georgia Tech that bridges discovery and human health. Their philanthropy has helped accelerate the work of Nick Housley, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences, whose research sits at the intersection of neuroscience, cancer biology, and nanotechnology. 

Housley’s lab investigates how cancer and its treatments affect the nervous system, while also developing innovative nanotechnologies designed to improve the delivery and effectiveness of cancer therapies. 

This early career funding has provided the flexibility to pursue bold, interdisciplinary research, engage postdoctoral scholars, and translate fundamental insight into real-world impact. The McCallums’ support reflects the power of philanthropy to fuel innovation, empower talented faculty, and strengthen Tech’s commitment to research that improves lives and advances science in service to society.

To fund groundbreaking faculty research in the College of Sciences contact Dan Warren, director of Development, College of Sciences, at dan.warren.cos@gatech.edu.

Scholarship Support Empowers Groundbreaking Research

J’Avani Stinson is able to channel his lifelong passion for science and community commitment into groundbreaking research, academic excellence, and purposeful engagement because of Roll Call. Empowered by the opportunities he has earned, the biology major from Stone Mountain, Georgia, is determined to pay it forward by studying chronic pediatric diseases to drive meaningful change in society. 

Roll Call gifts fuel programs like Tech Promise, ensuring talented students like Stinson have support to innovate, excel, and lead — advancing Georgia Tech’s aim to deliver unmatched outcomes and value for every student. Click here to make your gift by June 30.

Supporting Recovery, Advancing Student Success

At Georgia Tech, student success means supporting the whole student. For those in recovery from substance use disorders, that support can be life-changing. 

The Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP), housed with the Center for Mental Health Care and Resources, ensures that students never have to choose between their education and their commitment to sobriety. And now, with a lead gift from alumni parents Lance and Julie Fritz, Tech is reimagining the CRP through a bold new initiative that includes a dedicated recovery lounge, mutual support meetings, specialized staff, scholarships, and supportive housing. A generous gift launched this vision, and additional philanthropic investments will ensure it becomes a lasting resource, transforming lives and strengthening Tech’s commitment to student well-being and success. 

Designed for students navigating sobriety in a campus environment, the CRP provides structure, peer connection, individualized coaching, and access to on- and off-campus resources. 

Together, these support frameworks empower students to maintain their recovery while fully engaging in the Institute’s academic and social life. The program also fosters a sense of belonging, helping students persist, thrive, and graduate as confident leaders.

To support programs for students such as the Collegiate Recovery Program, contact Emily Wong, senior director of Development, Student Experience, at emily.wong@dev.gatech.edu.

Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Brings STEM to Rural Georgia

Georgia Tech's Advanced Manufacturing Pathways (AMP) program is tackling a critical talent gap in rural Georgia by offering hands-on engineering education to local high schools. 

Launched in Fall 2025 through the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute in partnership with Georgia Tech Research Institute's Rural Computer Science Initiative, the pilot program engages students in designing and building custom race cars using CAD software, 3D printers, machining equipment, and Python-based data analysis. 

Schools in Thomasville and Bainbridge are among the first cohorts, with students discovering new passions and reconsidering college and career paths they once thought out of reach. Local educators receive hands-on training at Georgia Tech, ensuring the program's sustainability beyond any single visit. 

Funded by the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission through Georgia AI in Manufacturing, AMP aims not just to teach technical skills but to reshape how rural students see their own potential. With donor support, Georgia Tech can bring programs like AMP to more rural communities, ensuring that geography is never a barrier to opportunity.

To expand Georgia Tech’s reach and impact through education and outreach programs like AMP, contact Meagan Burton-Krieger, executive director of Campaign Operations and chief of staff, at meagan.burton-krieger@dev.gatech.edu.

Scholarship Endowment Dinner Connects Donors, Recipients

The Alexander-Tharpe (A-T) Fund, the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech Athletics, held its 2026 Scholarship Endowment Dinner on January 12, at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center. 

The Scholarship Endowment Dinner is held annually to show appreciation for the A-T Fund donors who support Georgia Tech student-athletes through endowed athletic scholarships. As importantly, it affords scholarship recipients the opportunity to express their gratitude for donors’ generous support. 

This year’s dinner was emceed by Assistant Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Development Kevin Cone, ME 2010. It featured a fireside chat with Vice President and Director of Athletics Ryan Alpert. It also included a studentathlete panel with softball’s Makayla Coffield; women’s tennis’ Alejandra Cruz; baseball’s Alex Hernandez; and men’s basketball’s Kowacie Reeves Jr. Softball student-athlete Addison Leschber offered the invocation. 

Endowed athletic scholarships help provide the resources necessary to attract talented student-athletes to Georgia Tech. An endowment fund may be named after the donor or in honor of someone of the donor’s choosing.

To endow a scholarship for a Georgia Tech student-athlete, contact Robby Poteat, executive associate athletics director for Development, at rpoteat@athletics.gatech.edu.