by Rachael Greene on
Panel discussion with three speakers and the moderator seated at the front of the room.

On Tuesday, April 1, Georgia Tech officially launched its new Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), Leaders in Progress and Service, with a campus event that brought together students, faculty, staff, and alumni in celebration of this forward-looking initiative. Held just one week ahead of the Institute’s reaffirmation visit from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the event served both as a formal introduction to the QEP and as a community-building opportunity for the campus. 

The evening began with a panel discussion in the Scholars Event Network Theater at Price Gilbert Memorial Library, where over 50 attendees gathered to learn more about the QEP and hear from three distinguished Georgia Tech alumni who exemplify the spirit of Progress and Service in their professional lives. Moderated by Associate Vice Provost Roberta Berry, the panel featured: 

  • Douglas Hooker – Former executive director of the Atlanta Regional Commission 
  • Jennifer Weizenecker – Partner at Jones Day and recipient of the Justice Robert Benham Community Service Award 
  • Rhonda Allen – Chief Customer Experience Officer at MARTA 

The speakers reflected on their time at Georgia Tech, the mentors and experiences that shaped their paths, and the importance of considering multiple perspectives and societal impacts in their work today. The panel offered valuable insights into how the Institute’s motto of “Progress and Service” can guide students well beyond their time at the Institute. 

Faculty Co-Directors Chad Slieper and Kate Williams opened the evening by framing the QEP as a key contribution to Georgia Tech’s mission to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. “With Leaders in Progress and Service, we’re creating more opportunities for students to lead with impact—on campus, in their communities, and in the world,” Slieper shared in his remarks. 

QEP facilitators pose with Georgia Tech's mascot, Buzz, holding a T-shirt with the Leaders in Progress and Service graphic on it.
Left to right: Steven Girardot, Lauren Evans, Kate Williams, Chad Slieper, Roberta Berry, and Cara-Joy Wong.

Following the panel, guests made their way to the Clough Commons Rooftop Garden for a reception that took full advantage of the early spring weather. Golden hour light filled the space as members of the Georgia Tech community mingled, discussed the panel, and enjoyed refreshments. The Institute’s beloved mascot, Buzz, made a lively appearance—posing for photos, handing out high-fives, and helping to drum up excitement for the new initiative. 

The QEP is a required part of the SACSCOC reaffirmation process, but at Georgia Tech, it is also much more: a strategic investment in the undergraduate experience. As part of the plan, students will be encouraged to engage in curricular and co-curricular experiences that emphasize perspective-taking, reflection, and consideration of both technical and social issues in understanding complex problems.  

Students will have a first opportunity to begin pursuing a path to become a “Leader in Progress and Service” this fall, as GT 2803: Progress and Service Forum is offered as an elective to fulfill the Foundational Course requirement of the QEP, along with CEE 1090: Exploring CEE, for Civil and Enivronmental Engineering majors.  

For those who were unable to attend the event or want to learn more, visit the Leaders in Progress and Service website, distinguishyourself.gatech.edu, where you can sign up for mailing lists, find out how to participate, and explore upcoming opportunities to engage with the QEP. 

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