Alumnus' Gift Supports ISyE, ECE Faculty

Georgia Tech alumnus Jim Moylan Jr., IE 1972, and his wife Joanne have made a generous gift in support of faculty in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). The endowed funds will strengthen Tech’s ability to attract and retain eminent teacher-scholars. 

Moylan came to Tech from Savannah, Georgia, to study math. He excelled academically, earning an impressive 4.0 GPA and a Borden Scholarship in his first year, before switching his major to industrial engineering. After graduating from Tech, he went on to earn an MBA from Harvard and serve in key leadership positions with companies such as Westinghouse and Georgia-Pacific. He ultimately retired as chief financial officer of the global telecommunications company Ciena Corporation. 

Moylan credits his Tech education for much of his success. 

“I am very grateful to Georgia Tech for the education that it provided me, the work ethic that it instilled in me, and the fact that it has put us in a position to give back to this great school,” he said. Now, he and his wife are demonstrating their appreciation to Tech with their support of ISyE and ECE. 

The endowed funds will provide critical support for ISyE and ECE faculty, underscoring Moylan’s belief that “a great school is powered by its faculty.” The significant gift will help fund professorships, director’s chairs, faculty chairs, professors-of-thepractice, and early career professorships. Reflecting on the potential scope of the impact, H. Milton and Carolyn J. Stewart School Chair Pinar Keskinocak, said, "We are deeply grateful to Jim and Joanne for their belief in the power of education and research to drive progress, and for their generous support. This endowment will strengthen ISyE’s ability to attract and retain exceptional talent, accelerate research, and support the translation of innovation into long-lasting impact." 

Similarly, Arijit Raychowdhury, the Steve W. Chaddick School Chair in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, expressed his appreciation for the Moylans’ support and the impact it will have on early-career faculty. 

“Supporting early career faculty is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen our academic community,” he said. “Early support accelerates the launch of research programs, enriches teaching, and sets the stage for lasting contributions. The Moylan family’s gift empowers our young faculty to take bold steps at a defining moment in their careers.” 

Not only does this gift reflect Moylan’s gratitude for Tech, it also reflects his pride in his alma mater. 

“I was proud that I earned my Georgia Tech degree in the 1970s,” he said. “But Georgia Tech has since then become a nationally and internationally renowned research institution. We have some of the best minds in every STEM and business discipline. I want that to continue because that brings other faculty, it brings students, and it advances Tech’s reputation.” 

To make a gift in support of ISyE, contact Carol English, director of Development in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, at carol.english@isye.gatech.edu. To make a gift in support of ECE, contact Jeff Colburn, director of Development II in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, at jeff.colburn@ece.gatech.edu.