Author: Alex Howard

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Julia “Julie” Sonnenberg-Klein, executive director of the Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) Program, has joined the Office of Undergraduate Education and Student Success (OUESS) in a joint appointment as director of Experiential Learning Strategic Initiatives. Within OUESS, Julie will serve as a member of the E2L team and the OUESS leadership team, supporting division-wide strategic priorities.

As director of Experiential Learning Strategic Initiatives, Julie will identify and advance special projects, strategies, and initiatives related to undergraduate High-Impact Practices (HIPs) and Experiential Learning. She will also work to strengthen collaborations between VIP and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) to ensure strategic alignment around undergraduate research. Finally, she will have responsibilities supporting our Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), Leaders in Progress and Service, working closely with Chad Slieper, faculty director, and Dr. Roberta Berry, QEP coordinator and associate vice provost for Undergraduate Education and Student Success.

Julie has been part of the Georgia Tech community since 2004, when she began her career as a project director at our Savannah campus. In 2013, she relocated to Atlanta to work with the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC), and in 2017 she joined the VIP program in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) as an academic program manager, where she has progressed in leadership to her current role as executive director and academic professional. Julie’s educational background includes a Ph.D. in Education Policy Studies with a concentration in Research, Measurement and Statistics from Georgia State University; a Master of Education in Education Organization and Leadership from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is a co-author on numerous articles and has presented extensively at national conferences on the VIP program, which received the 2025 University System of Georgia (USG) Regents’ Award for Excellence in High-Impact Practices and Experiential Learning.

Please join us in welcoming Julie to the OUESS team!

When Dean John Stein reflects on his 24 years of teaching Georgia Tech’s one credit hour first-year seminar, he doesn’t hesitate: “It’s the highlight of my week.” 

That sentiment captures the heart of a course that, for two decades under its current name, has helped thousands of students navigate the transition to college life. GT 1000 is more than a class. It serves as a close-knit community of peers, a launchpad for life and learning at Georgia Tech, and a living example of the Institute’s commitment to student success.

A Course with Deep Roots

Although the program was officially named GT 1000 in 2004, the development of Tech’s first-year seminar actually dates back to the 1980s when it was housed in the School of Psychology as a multi-credit adjustment to college life course. The 2004 naming milestone reflected a thoughtful redesign led by Dean Stein, then director of Success Programs, who worked to strengthen the curriculum and position the course as a cornerstone of the first-year experience. 

Stein worked closely with Debra Fowler, an educational and faculty developer within the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at the time, to redesign the course from the ground up. Together, they developed learning objectives, signature assignments, and a training model for instructors. The revamped course was approved by the Institute Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and launched as GT 1000: Freshman Seminar.

Staying True to Its Mission

Despite its evolution, the core mission of GT 1000 has continued to anchor the first-year experience: helping students build a sense of belonging, develop academic and career plans, and connect with the people and resources that will support them throughout their time at Tech.

Catherine Thomas, director of Academic Transition & Learning Communities, puts it simply: “This is time for you.” She emphasizes that while Georgia Tech students are already high-achieving, GT 1000 gives them space to reflect, build self-awareness, and form meaningful relationships. The class also provides a supportive environment where they can explore academic, professional, and social opportunities and work through challenges they’re experiencing.

Students agree. “While Georgia Tech already felt close-knit, taking GT 1000 made it feel even more approachable,” said alumna Kelly Sokolowski. “The course was not just about resources or study tips. GT 1000 offered ways to truly engage with the Georgia Tech community.”

GT 1000 helps students build a sense of belonging and connect with people and resources that will support them throughout their time at Tech.

Built on Relationships

One of the course’s most distinctive features is its Team Leader (TL) model. Undergraduate students volunteer to serve as mentors and role-models for first-years, fostering strong relationships between new students, helping familiarize them with Tech resources and campus culture, offering guidance and encouragement as they transition from high school to college, and providing an important peer perspective. 

“Students live this experience every day,” Stein says. “And that’s why the TLs are so important. They normalize the challenges first-years are going through, and they offer hope.” 

Bianca Chuma, a current Team Leader, describes GT 1000 as “a place where I get to be the mentor I once needed and remind first-years that they’re not alone in figuring things out.”

Scaling with Heart 

Today, GT 1000 serves nearly 1,800 students annually, with 130 instructors and 140 TLs leading 100 sections of the course. That growth reflects a deep commitment to helping students start strong. 

“The scalability of GT 1000 has ultimately relied on the very passionate staff and faculty that we have,” says Steven Girardot, vice provost for Undergraduate Education and Student Success. “They truly value being part of the student experience.” 

Instructors are volunteers from across campus who bring diverse perspectives and a shared desire to connect with students and contribute to Tech’s academic mission. “These classes connected me to Georgia Tech on a molecular level,” says Brett Hulst, associate director of Residence Life and 2022 winner of the Instructor of Excellence Award. “Each year brought something new, but the experience was always grounding and fun. It reminded me why I chose to work in higher education.”  

That sense of purpose is echoed by many, who describe teaching the course as one of the most rewarding parts of their careers. They value the opportunity to play a hands-on role in shaping the first-year experience, developing lessons to meet students where they are, facilitating honest conversations, and helping them apply what they learn to real-life decisions. Instructors create space for individuals to feel seen and supported, laying the groundwork for growth that carries into future semesters and beyond.

GT 1000 instructors are volunteers from across campus who play a hands-on role in shaping the first-year experience.

Evolving with Purpose

Over the years, GT 1000 has introduced new section types — including thematic and cohort-based options — to better serve students’ interests and connect them with their academic programs earlier. From leadership and innovation to pre-health and international education, these sections offer tailored experiences while preserving the course’s foundational goals. 

Signature assignments like the Career Readiness Project, Academic Plan, and Team Presentation have remained integral to the seminar, helping first-year students reflect on their goals, map their academic paths, and build leadership and collaboration skills. Some instructors, like Stein, have added creative twists to the signature assignments, such as a Shark Tank-style team project that blends career research with entrepreneurial thinking. 

The course also partners with campus initiatives like the First-Year Wellness Experience and the Experiential Learning Showcase, reinforcing its role of connecting first-years to everything Georgia Tech has to offer.

Looking Ahead

As GT 1000 enters its third decade, its purpose remains clear: to help every first-year student start strong. The program’s growth and longevity reflect a shared commitment from instructors, team leaders, and staff who believe that belonging and support should be part of every student’s Georgia Tech experience. 

As Girardot says, “It’s a real point of pride that Georgia Tech offers a class focused on helping students succeed. That commitment to service — from faculty, staff, and students — is something we really practice.” 

Twenty years after earning the name GT 1000, Tech’s first-year seminar continues to provide new students with connection, confidence, and a roadmap for success. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming an instructor or Team Leader, please visit the Undergraduate Transition Seminar website for more information.