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Meet the keynote speaker! |
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Message from the Provost
This edition highlights outstanding achievements—both in the work of our faculty, staff, and students and in the influence our efforts have beyond campus.
One exciting recent development is the national recognition of Wexford: Savannah's Irish Pub, included on USA Today’s 2025 Restaurants of the Year List. The owners credit Georgia Southern’s Wexford-Savannah Axis Research Project for inspiring the pub’s theme—a decision shaped by primary-source research conducted by our students and faculty. This recognition reflects how our scholarship extends beyond academia, actively shaping Savannah’s cultural and economic landscape.
From the beginning, we emphasized student involvement in this research, ensuring our Eagles made a real-world impact. In appreciation of our contributions—both through research and consultation—the pub’s owners have included a CIRT Corridor (Center for Irish Research and Teaching) in their venue, which we curate. Additionally, thanks to a vision for an immersive space in Henderson Library, Howard Keeley, director of the Wexford Campus, secured an initial $100,000 in funding from the pub’s owners to develop the Wexford Hub on the third floor. This dynamic space will highlight the many learning, research, and internship opportunities on our Wexford Campus. Mark your calendars: the official Hub opening is set for Friday, March 14, at 2 p.m.
This success is part of a broader story. Our partners at the Dunbrody Emigration Center in New Ross have embraced our research, particularly the discovery that the original Dunbrody’s first commercial voyage was to Savannah—a
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historical detail uncovered by our students through extensive archival work. Their findings have reshaped public history narratives in both Ireland and Georgia. On August 30, 2024, Ireland’s Taoiseach (leader) inaugurated a $1.6 million upgrade to the Dunbrody Emigration Center, where our students’ research is now central to the visitor experience—another reflection of Georgia Southern’s global impact.
Closer to home, I’m pleased to share that the College of Education’s work incorporating the Foundations of Reading, Language, and Literacy rule has earned the highest possible rating from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC)—a perfect score of 3 in all areas. This is a tremendous accomplishment and demonstrates the dedication of our faculty and staff to preparing future educators.
To provide context, this initiative began in August 2023 with program readiness assessments and action plans. Following GaPSC’s initial review, we submitted extensive evidence in October 2024, including curriculum maps, candidate assessments, faculty training narratives, and oversight documentation. Review teams from the University System of Georgia evaluated our materials across key areas, and we achieved top marks in:
- Program of Study/Curriculum
- Candidate Assessments
- Faculty Resources
- Oversight and Implementation
This recognition affirms our leadership in literacy education and our commitment to equipping future educators with the tools they need to support student success.
Looking ahead, several key events are approaching. A SACSCOC reaccreditation on-site visit is scheduled for March 10-13, and I have full confidence in our teams to secure reaccreditation. In April, we will host the Board of Regents on our campus—an excellent opportunity to highlight the work happening at Georgia Southern.
I also invite faculty and staff to join the next Conversations with the Provost event on April 2 in ERB Room 3004 on the Statesboro Campus. These discussions provide a space for open dialogue about the challenges you face and how we can offer support.
Finally, I want to take a moment to recognize Dot Kempson, who is retiring after years of dedicated service as director of the Liberty Campus. Her leadership and commitment have been invaluable, and it has been a privilege to work alongside her. Please join me in celebrating her contributions and wishing her well in this next chapter.
Thank you all for your dedication to Georgia Southern and for the excellence you bring to our university every day.
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Empowering success. Inspiring progress. | | |
Georgia Southern’s Gremillion Awarded NSF Grant Supporting STEM Scholarships | |
Sara Gremillion, Ph.D., a professor in Georgia Southern University’s College of Science and Mathematics, and her team has been awarded a nearly $2 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to provide scholarships and support programs for academically talented, low-income students pursuing degrees in Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences, Mathematics, Physics, or Sustainability Science.
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Advancing Neurology and Mental Health Research with JPHCPH's Sullivan | |
Kelly Sullivan, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Georgia Southern University’s Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health and an epidemiologist whose work in neurology and mental health has made significant contributions to public health research, clinical guidelines, and education. Her passion for understanding the connections between sleep, mental health, and neurological disorders continues to advance knowledge of these critical issues.
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It Takes a Village: Faculty Mentorship Fuels GS Student's Success | |
Makenzie Lewis still remembers the moment that cemented her decision to be a historian. It wasn’t in a grand lecture hall or a dusty archive. It was in a classroom discussion about women in the Civil War era. As a sophomore at Georgia Southern University, she sat captivated by the stories of resilience, struggle, and triumph. And at the front of the room, guiding the discussion with passion and insight, was Felicity Turner, Ph.D.
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Roy Appointed Editor-in-Chief of the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies
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Nalanda Roy, Ph.D., professor of political science and international studies at Georgia Southern University, has been appointed editor-in-chief of the Oxford Research Encyclopedia (ORE) of International Studies Association, published by Oxford University Press.
Roy's expertise in global affairs, ocean governance & maritime security, human rights and genocide, international law and security will guide the development of the ORE, a highly regarded resource in international studies.
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Georgia Southern’s Landge Receives Regents’ Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award | |
For Shainaz Landge, Ph.D., pushing boundaries in the classroom and the laboratory isn’t just a professional pursuit, it’s a passion. As an associate professor of organic chemistry at Georgia Southern University, Landge has spent more than a decade inspiring students to soar beyond traditional learning, blending research, mentorship, and hands-on experiences that extend far beyond textbooks.
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CEC's Cesmeci honored with DOE EnergyTech University Prize Faculty Explorers Award | |
Sevki Cesmeci, Ph.D., an associate professor of mechanical engineering, has received the prestigious EnergyTech University Prize Faculty Explorers Award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Technology Transitions. The award, given to only 10 faculty members across the United States, recognizes Cesmeci’s dedication to innovation, technology development and the integration of entrepreneurial skills into engineering education.
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At Georgia Southern, we celebrate the achievements that inspire us to reach new heights. The Congratulations Corner is your space to spotlight the incredible work happening across our campuses—whether it’s earning accolades, publishing impactful research, or receiving noteworthy appointments.
Let’s continue to soar together! Share your success stories with Mary Kate Allen at mallen@georgiasouthern.edu to be featured in the next newsletter.
These are the successes highlighted in the latest edition of Excellence in Action.
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