Monthly news and updates from

Georgia Southern Academic Affairs

Message from the Provost

As spring arrives across our campuses, it brings with it a sense of renewal.

We see it in the energy of our students as the semester moves toward its final stretch. We see it in the work of our faculty, who continue to push the boundaries of discovery and innovation. And we see it in the many ways Georgia Southern continues to grow—thoughtfully, strategically, and with purpose.

This season is a reminder that progress is rarely static. It is built through momentum, through new ideas, and through the people who step forward to lead what comes next.

One of those moments of forward movement is the recent appointment of a new dean for the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering & Computing. This leadership transition represents more than a change in title—it reflects continued investment in a college that plays a critical role in preparing students for high-demand fields and advancing research that impacts our region and beyond.

Across Academic Affairs, that same spirit of renewal is evident in the work highlighted throughout this month’s newsletter. From faculty achievements and student success to new initiatives and partnerships, these stories reflect what we mean when we talk about Excellence in Action.

They are a testament to a community that continues to grow, adapt, and move forward—together.

As we look ahead to the close of the academic year, there is much to be proud of—and even more to be excited about.

Where Care Meets Impact

Georgia Southern Program Restores Voices for Parkinson’s Patients

Parkinson’s Awareness Month is an annual observance held in April designed to increase awareness and support for individuals and families living with Parkinson’s disease.

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, it’s estimated that 1.1 million people are living with Parkinson’s in the U.S., and that number is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030. It’s considered the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease.

After receiving a grant totalling more than $280,000 in 2023 from ParkinsonVoice Project (PVP), RiteCare® Center for Communication Disorders at Georgia Southern University on the Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus has worked to improve access to vital community health resources through the PVP’s SPEAK OUT!^®Therapy program.

Georgia Southern was one of 16 universities chosen to receive a grant from the organization’s national funding opportunity, “Campaign to Reach America,” which awards higher education clinics for their compassion and commitment to serving their communities. The free program provides accessible, high-quality care through in-person and remote speech therapy, as well as encouragement and hope to patients in the community.

Tory Candea, Ph.D., SLP.D., director of clinical education in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Georgia Southern, understands the importance of providing these invaluable services to community members living with Parkinson’s. As a certified SPEAK OUT! provider and the primary clinician of the SPEAK OUT!^®Therapy & Research Center located at RiteCare, Candea is a first-hand witness to the benefits of the program.

“One of the most rewarding parts of this work is watching participants rediscover their voice,” Candea explained, “When therapy is accessible and consistent, the progress people make can be truly remarkable.”

Candea worked with Assistant Professor of Psychology Robert G. Franklin Jr. from Anderson University in South Carolina to conduct research evaluating leadership qualities in patients before and after participating in SPEAK OUT! Therapy. The work was then published in the Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology in 2025.

“When people living with Parkinson’s strengthen their voice, they often strengthen their confidence as well,” Candea said. That ripple effect is one of the most powerful outcomes we see through SPEAK OUT! Therapy.”

PVP’s commitment to provide grant funding to university-based clinics across the country exemplifies the organization’s dedication to providing speech therapy, encouragement and hope to individuals and families living with Parkinson’s.

Where Students Lead

Georgia Southern Honors Student Earns Prestigious Schomburg-Mellon Fellowship

Georgia Southern junior Ariana Taylor-Williams will spend her summer in New York City after earning a Schomburg-Mellon fellowship. This prestigious opportunity will allow her to advance her undergraduate research on the Harlem Renaissance by giving her access to unique documents in the New York Public Library’s extensive archives.

“Being able to do research with primary sources is a big deal,” said Taylor-Williams. “This will be the highest level of research I have gotten to do and I’m really excited for the opportunity. It’s exactly what I need to be able to advance my thesis.”

The Schomburg-Mellon fellowship is given to 10 rising college seniors annually.

Taylor-Williams is an Honors College student double-majoring in history and English while working as an archivist in the Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections. She is the head delegate of the University’s Model United Nations team and the vice president of Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society. Her research into the effects of Cumberland Island’s commercial development on the Gullah Geechee community earned her the history department’s Richard S. Beene Scholarship. Now she is preparing her Honors thesis: “Harlem’s Federal Writers: Transnationalists, Humanitarians, and Public Historians,” which examines how the work of African American authors in the 1930s contributed to the preservation of American history.

Associate Professor of History Julie de Chantal, Ph.D., noted that Taylor-Williams took her work beyond expectations when teaming up with graduate students to produce an exhibit on American Independence.

“She operates at a level I have never seen before and she is tenacious like no other,” said de Chantal. “She has a profound ability to read text and subtext, so she finds patterns nobody else sees.”

Taylor-Williams believes her success in so many fields comes from the supportive environment created by Georgia Southern faculty.

“Attending Georgia Southern is one of the best decisions I have made,” said Taylor-Williams. “I feel very lucky to have gotten these opportunities because not many students, especially in my field of archives, get to do this as an undergraduate student. All of the different extracurricular activities I have been able to hold leadership positions in, that’s not something you see at a lot of other universities.”

De Chantal notes that a common theme in Taylor-Williams’s studies is using her own success to help others grow.

“Not only does she excel in her own work, she helps others to accomplish their goals too,” said de Chantal. “With the Model U.N., she’s not only using the feedback that the faculty give her on her submissions, she shares the lessons that she learns with high school students whom she mentors. She does not just take knowledge in, she gives it back.”

As Taylor-Williams prepares for a busy summer filled with rare books and handwritten notes, she already has her sights set on her next educational challenge.

“I plan to get my master’s in history and library science because I really want to pursue a career as an archivist,” said Taylor-Williams. “Once I started working in Special Collections at the library, I realized it combines both history and English, so that became my goal. I want to do hands-on work that will help preserve historical documents for future generations to make their own discoveries.”

Georgia Southern Student Media Wins Nine Industry Awards

Georgia Southern University’s student-led media group, The George-Anne Media Group, recently earned recognition for excellence in design and reporting from The Georgia College Press Association (GCPA) and The College Media Association (CMA).

The group claimed nine total awards from the two organizations, which annually recognize excellence in student-led journalism and media organizations.

The GCPA awarded The George-Anne, based on the Statesboro Campus, and The Inkwell, based on the Armstrong Campus, with first place for Newspaper Layout and Design Excellence. The Association is known across Georgia for upholding the industry standard of collegiate journalism, as well as connecting member colleges to student journalists across the state.

The George-Anne also took home second place in General Photography Excellence, Best Newspaper website and Best News Article Based on Investigative Reporting. The Inkwell took second place for Best General News Article and Best Entertainment Story.

The Inkwell earned an honorable mention for Best Newsletter at the CMA’s Apple Awards in New York City, New York. The Apple Awards highlight the best in student-produced journalism nationwide.

Botanic Garden Launches Emerging Leaders Program

The Botanic Garden at Georgia Southern University has launched the Emerging Professionals Board, a new opportunity for early career leaders to deepen their community engagement while advancing the Garden’s mission to protect, nurture and share the wonders of the natural world.

The board will consist of up to 30 members with no more than ten years of experience in their profession who are, or become, members of the Garden upon joining. Members will serve a term of one or two years while actively contributing to the board’s work. Each member serves on one of four committees: adult education and events, youth education and events, family education and events, or outreach education and events. Members will also attend monthly meetings on the third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and committee meetings.

“This is a really exciting initiative that I am personally enthusiastic about as this board is aimed at bringing a broader audience into the Garden,” said Todd Beasley, Ed.D., director of the Botanic Garden.

In addition to their leadership and planning responsibilities, board members will support the Garden’s mission through fundraising and event engagement. Each member is required to raise a minimum of $250 annually through corporate donations, personal contributions or membership purchases. Members are also expected to participate in signature initiatives such as plant sales, member celebrations, major fundraising events and community outreach programs. Board service will require a commitment of two to six hours per month on average.

The Emerging Professionals Board is self-managed, with officers including a president, vice president, treasurer and secretary, along with committee chairs who serve on the executive committee. The board is supported by Beasley and Trent Davis, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies, who serve as institutional advisors connecting the board to the Garden’s broader strategic direction.

“By having Dr. Trent Davis, a Georgia Southern expert on nonprofit organizational management, working with us to mentor participants, the professional development opportunity we are offering should deepen the experience our next generation of leaders can showcase for future service,” said Beasley.

For emerging leaders seeking to invest their time and talent in a growing regional treasure, the Emerging Professionals Board offers an opportunity to lead with purpose while cultivating community impact. Individuals may nominate themselves or others by completing the nomination form. Applications must be submitted by April 10 with the first meeting taking place on April 21.

Georgia Southern Leadership Program Earns Prestigious NASPA Gold Award

The Office of Student Activities (OSA) at Georgia Southern University has received the Gold Award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) for some of its student programming for advancing student leadership and engagement.

The Student and Organization Leadership Development (SOLD) Workshop Series received the Gold Award in the Fraternity and Sorority Life, Leadership, Student Activities, Student Union, and related category of the 2026 NASPA Excellence Awards.

The SOLD Workshop Series is a free leadership development program designed for students to help cultivate the next generation of campus and community leaders. Offered during the fall and spring semesters, the series provides high-impact learning opportunities for students across all majors and classifications who want to strengthen their personal leadership skills, prepare for roles within student organizations, and contribute meaningfully to the University and broader community.

“The SOLD Workshop Series reflects the Division of Student Affairs and Georgia Southern’s commitment to developing career-ready leaders who will positively impact their communities,” said Memory Littles, director of OSA. “The program is aligned with the University’s SACSCOC Quality Enhancement Plan, the National Association of Colleges and Employers career readiness competencies, NASPA’s professional competencies and several other strategic priorities. We are honored that NASPA has recognized the work being done at Georgia Southern to empower students through leadership education and engagement.”

Championed by Littles and Cat Hoopaugh, associate director of OSA, the series is additionally supported by all of OSA’s team members, and connects faculty, staff, community members and Georgia Southern alumni to current students.

The workshop series was selected for its outstanding impact on student leadership development and campus engagement. Since its pilot launch, the SOLD Workshop Series has educated tens of thousands of Georgia Southern students, building a strong culture of leadership and involvement across each of our campuses. Over the past five years alone, more than 15,500 students have participated in SOLD workshops, reflecting the program’s broad reach and sustained impact, said Hoopaugh.

As part of this recognition, Littles and Hoopaugh were invited to present the SOLD Workshop Series at the 2026 NASPA National Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, in March, where they shared the program’s model and impact with higher education professionals from across the globe.

The NASPA Excellence Awards represent one of the most respected recognitions in the field of Student Affairs, honoring innovative and high-impact programs that transform student experiences in higher education around the world. The national recognition from NASPA underscores OSA’s dedication to fostering student success through innovative programming and leadership education.

Where Innovation Takes Flight

Dr. Bhattacharyya Named Dean of Engineering and Computing at Georgia Southern

Abhijit Bhattacharyya, Ph.D., has been named the next dean of Georgia Southern University’s Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing. He will begin his role July 1.

Bhattacharyya currently serves as the inaugural dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Arkansas State University, where he has led a period of strategic growth focused on student success, workforce development and research expansion. During his tenure, the college launched new academic programs in high-demand fields, strengthened industry partnerships and advanced initiatives supporting student recruitment, retention and career readiness.

“I have the honor and privilege to join Georgia Southern at an exciting time in its journey as it soars beyond its current very strong position in the state of Georgia,” said Bhattacharyya. “The energy on campus and within the college was palpable during my visit, and I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to build on that strong foundation and create a national brand.”

Prior to his current role, Bhattacharyya held several leadership positions at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, including interim vice provost for Research and dean of the graduate school, as well as associate dean of Engineering and Information Technology. He began his career as a faculty member committed to teaching, research and service, and remains an active scholar with externally funded research from federal agencies.

Bhattacharyya earned his Ph.D. in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Rutgers University, along with a master’s degree in applied mechanics. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. He is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and serves as an ABET program evaluator.

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Avi Mukherjee, Ph.D., said Bhattacharyya’s experience and leadership align strongly with the University’s strategic priorities.

“Dr. Bhattacharyya brings a proven record of growing engineering education, advancing academic programs, bolstering research, managing accreditation, strengthening industry partnerships and positioning engineering and computer science for long-term impact,” said Mukherjee. “His commitment to faculty excellence, student success and workforce development will be instrumental as we continue to expand opportunities for our students and elevate the national profile of the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing.”