The banquet is an opportunity to celebrate the dedication of our Instructors and Team Leaders and to thank them for all of the hard work they've put into the GT 1000 & 2000 programs throughout the semester. The GT 1000 & 2000 programs couldn't exist without the Instructors and Team Leaders who volunteer their time to help our first-year students thrive during their transition to Georgia Tech.
The banquet also serves as an opportunity to present awards to Instructors and Team Leaders who have demonstrated effective teaching and mentoring practices in the classroom.
Friend of the First Year Seminar: Sally Hammock
Sally Hammock, Program Manager for C2D2 and former Program Manager for CAE, has been an integral part of the GT 1000 & GT 2000 programs for many years. In her tenure in the Office of Undergraduate Education, Sally has served as a mentor and advisor to literally thousands of student leaders. Each year, she plays an integral role in the recruitment, training, and development of our Team Leaders; she has also served as an advisor to the Team Leader Advisory Board and assisted in the creation of the GT 1000 & 2000 Ambassador program. She has been a champion of the GT 1000 & 2000 program, sharing her wisdom, knowledge, and expertise with our student leaders and helping to ensure the continued success of all incoming Georgia Tech students.
Instructor of the Year: Dr. Benjamin Holton
Dr. Holton, Senior Director of Stamps Health Services, has been an invaluable resource and inspiration to the students and TLs in his pre-health focused GT1000 section. Both students and TL’s nominated him for this award. Dr. Holton has gone above and beyond in creating a space where the students can discuss their goals and ambitions with an experienced physician. He challenges the students to think critically about their careers and offers advice and resources for the students to make informed decisions. Additionally, he has done a great job of helping the first years feel at home here at Tech, by being available to talk to and give advice.
GT 1000 Team Leader of the Year: Hans Webster
Hans Webster is a fifth-year Mechanical Engineering major. Hans is a six-time TL, and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone as invested in the program as this he is. Hans is described by instructors as the embodiment someone who leads by example. He is a well-respected, high achieving person who serves as an indispensable resource to students. He is a natural leader, a great speaker, and overall just a breath of fresh air. In addition to his stellar work as a Team Leader, Hans also serves as a GT 1000 Ambassador, going above and beyond to ensure the continued success and improvement of the GT 1000 program.
GT 2000 Team Leader of the Year: Emily Bunce
Emily Bunce, a fourth-year Civil Engineering major, is always encouraging, smiling, and open to talk to the students in her GT 2000 class. As a transfer student herself, Emily provides her students with a positive outlook on transferring to Tech, sharing with them challenges she’s faced, resources she’s used to succeed, and great advice on how to succeed at Georgia Tech. Students in her GT 2000 class have opened up more as a result of her encouragement and positivity, and she goes above and beyond to create a sense of community for transfer students in her class.