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The Georgia Tech Academic Advisors Network (GTAAN) kicked off the new academic year on August 13 with a Welcome Back Breakfast hosted in conjunction with the Office of Undergraduate Education and Student Success (OUESS). The drop-in event gave advisors a chance to connect before the fall semester began. 

Over 100 faculty and staff advisors attended, with representatives from all colleges, the Office of the Registrar, the Office of International Education (OIE), Athletics, and Academic Success & Advising (ASA). This marks a record turnout for the event, which has grown significantly in recent years. 

GTAAN has long served as a professional development group for academic advisors and affiliated student support staff and faculty at Georgia Tech. In addition to a monthly information meeting, the group also sponsors informal connections and networking opportunities throughout the year.  

Dr. Lorett Swank, executive director of ASA, noted, “The turnout for this event is evidence that there is a renewed energy and excitement in our Unique and United advising community!”  

GTAAN is open to all interested faculty and staff. For more information about their meetings, the listserv, and other opportunities, please visit the GTAAN website. 

Dr. Meghan Babcock, a faculty member and academic advisor in the School of Psychology, has been selected to receive the Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award from NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. Dr. Babcock will be honored with others at the awards ceremony during the upcoming NACADA Annual Conference this October. Her application was submitted following her selection as Georgia Tech’s faculty recipient of the Outstanding Undergraduate Academic Advisor Award for 2025. 

“I’m honored to be recognized with this award from NACADA,” said Dr. Babcock. “I’m so grateful to be part of a community like Georgia Tech that shares a deep commitment to supporting students and their success.” 

Dr. Babcock is an academic professional based in the College of Sciences and works with students, faculty, and staff in the School of Psychology. Her focus on evidence-based strategies, proactive engagement with students, and consistent drive to improve the advising infrastructure with the School of Psychology make her a shining example of a great faculty member in academic advising at Georgia Tech.  

About NACADA: Established in 1983, the NACADA Global Awards Program honors individuals and institutions making significant impact on academic advising. NACADA is a representative and advocate of academic advising and those providing that service to higher education. The association has grown to over 14,000 members around the globe.  

We are pleased to announce that Jenae McCray has joined the Office of Student Achievement (OSA) as Administrative Manager I. Jenae brings over a decade of experience in higher education, spanning admissions, advisement, and student success, all within the University System of Georgia. Most recently, she served as the Academic Program Coordinator in Georgia Tech’s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, where she played a vital role in supporting the master’s and doctoral programs.

Jenae is deeply passionate about administration, student support, and purpose-driven work: values strongly aligned with OSA and OUESS. She shared that she is excited to contribute to a community where she can continue fostering student success.

Jenae holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Science, a Master of Education, and a Master of Arts, all from Armstrong State University. As a proud alumna, she understands the lasting value of a transformative undergraduate experience.

Outside of work, Jenae enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, tending her garden, and exploring a variety of literary genres.

Please join us in welcoming Jenae to OSA and OUESS.

We are pleased to announce that Evan Burnett has joined Academic Success and Advising as an Academic Advisor II for the new Atlanta Bridge Program. The Atlanta Bridge Program is a partnership between Georgia Tech and Atlanta Metropolitan State College that provides a cohort-based transfer opportunity for academically talented students to earn a Georgia Tech degree.

He has a strong background in student advising and program development, most recently serving as a Dual Achievement counselor at Chattahoochee Technical College. In this role, he supported over 200 students each semester in the Dual Achievement Program—a unique pathway that allows students to earn an accredited high school diploma, two college certifications, and, if desired, transition into traditional college programs. Before that, Evan served as a student resources specialist at Chattahoochee Tech, supporting students by connecting them with services such as textbook lending, food pantry access, and local support agencies.

Evan holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from St. John Fisher University and a master’s degree in higher education administration from Stony Brook University. 

Outside of work, Evan enjoys coaching basketball and mentoring young men. Since 2019, he has assisted in leading five varsity basketball teams to the Georgia State Tournament. He also enjoys spending time and taking walks with his rescue dog, Lolo.

Please join us in welcoming Evan to Georgia Tech.

Charles Anderson, a rising senior in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Matthew Fernandez, from the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, have been named 2025 Astronaut Scholars by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF). They are among 74 students selected from 51 universities nationwide to receive this prestigious honor.

Now in its 40th year, the Astronaut Scholarship supports exceptional undergraduates who are dedicated to pursuing research-oriented careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Recipients receive up to $15,000 for academic expenses, a trip to ASF’s Innovators Symposium & Gala, and access to a lifelong network of astronauts, alumni, and supporters.

Charles Anderson

Anderson, an electrical engineering major, conducts research in the Bhamla Lab under Associate Professor Saad Bhamla in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. His current project, the Evapinator, is a low-cost, portable technology designed to preserve biological samples without ultra-cold freezers or lyophilization. It offers rapid preservation within one to two hours, achieving recovery rates comparable to traditional methods.

Through this work, Anderson is advancing biomedical engineering and global health, and he is eager to explore further research avenues that create accessible solutions for underserved populations. 

Matthew Fernandez, Mechanical Engineering 2025

“This award underscores the innovative work Charles and Matthew are doing at Georgia Tech,” said Georgia Brunner, Prestigious Fellowships Advisor in the Office of Undergraduate Education and Student Success. “We are proud to support their journeys and see them thrive among the ASF community.”

Georgia Tech students and alumni interested in applying for prestigious fellowships are encouraged to contact Georgia Brunner at fellowshipsadvising@gatech.edu or visit the prestigious fellowships website. 

The Georgia Institute of Technology is proud to announce that one of its distinguished alumni has been selected for the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program for the 2025–2026 academic year. The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, provides opportunities for students and professionals to study, conduct research, and teach abroad while promoting mutual understanding between the United States and other countries.

Nethra Rammohan, (B.S. LMC ’21)

Nethra will serve as an English Teaching Assistant at a preparatory high school in Zurich, Switzerland. With a background in conversational design and a passion for cross-cultural exchange, she looks forward to immersing herself in Swiss culture while refining her public speaking and language learning skills.

I wanted to apply for the Fulbright scholarship because it seemed like an amalgamation of all the things I deeply value and enjoy—such as cross-cultural exchange, language learning, leadership, and creative expression. The cherry on top of the cake was having the agency to decide on a country of my choice where I could undertake my grant.

Currently working as a Conversational Designer at Cox Communications, she has been exploring the world of Natural Language Processing and Generative AI. She sees the Fulbright experience as a way to build soft skills that will enhance her executive presence and people-facing abilities in both corporate and academic settings.

Reflecting on her time at Georgia Tech, she fondly remembers Skiles, where she took most of her LMC classes before the pandemic. She encourages current students to “take advantage of all the resources you’re offered as a student, and don’t forget to have a ton of fun along the way—this time goes by so fast!”

She also expressed deep gratitude for Georgia Tech’s Prestigious Fellowships Advisor, Georgia Brunner, saying,  “I quite literally would not have reached Finalist status had it not been for Georgia. She was always so prompt and thorough with her responses, even to my most nitpicky questions, which always made me feel like I had a soft place to land during this long and sometimes challenging journey.”

Fulbright U.S. Program

More than 2,000 Fulbright U.S. Students—recent college graduates, graduate students, and early career professionals—pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English in schools abroad each year.

Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished individuals with the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections, and work to address complex global challenges.

Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide support to the Program, which operates in over 160 countries. In the United States, the Institute of International Education implements the Fulbright U.S. Student and U.S. Scholar Programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. For more information, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org.

Additional Information

Students interested in Fulbright or other nationally competitive awards can contact a prestigious fellowship advisor at fellowshipadvising@gatech.edu.

Specialized Advising is part of Academic Success and Advising (ASA) and the Office of Undergraduate Education and Student Success (OUESS).