ATLANTA—A $2 million gift from The Delta Air Lines Foundation will enable Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business to create a physical space that will unite three units focused on ensuring students develop business communication skills, access experiential learning opportunities and connect with businesses for internships and job opportunities.
“This commitment from The Delta Air Lines Foundation provides tremendous momentum to Robinson’s strategic initiatives to prepare our students to innovate, create, lead and be ready to provide value from the moment they begin their careers,” said Dean Richard Phillips.
The Delta Student Success Center will house Robinson’s recently repurposed Career Advancement Center, the Office of Undergraduate Assistance and the soon-to-be launched Office of Experiential Learning. The center will bring together Robinson students, alumni, advisers, faculty and members of the business community in the college’s new home at 55 Park Place.
“The Delta Air Lines Foundation is proud to support Georgia State University as it continues to provide its students with the educational tools and resources they need to succeed,” said Tad Hutcheson, senior vice president for The Delta Air Lines Foundation. “Through this new facility, we hope to cultivate a place of learning and mentoring with students, teachers and business leaders.”
A centerpiece of the Delta Student Success Center will be its Office of Experiential Learning, which will support the development and delivery of unique curricular and co-curricular programs for students. These include existing offerings for undergraduates such as Robinson’s Women Lead program and the Panther Accelerated Career Experience (PACE) course, along with its Panthers on Wall Street program for graduate and undergraduate students.
“The forthcoming Office of Experiential Learning will allow us to turbocharge the immersive educational experiences we provide Robinson students through these signature programs by expanding our already extensive network of business partnerships,” Phillips said.
Robinson’s newly expanded career services unit also will occupy the space. The Career Advancement Center will have a greater focus on securing external partners for student programs and faculty research.
Robinson’s Office of Undergraduate Assistance also will be housed in the center. This unit uses Georgia State’s pioneering analytics-based advisement tracking system, GPS Advising, to help students achieve academic success at rates widely regarded as exceeding national expectations.
The Delta Air Lines Foundation is a nonprofit corporation formed in 1968 to enhance Delta's charitable giving. It is focused on the key areas of education, health and wellness, arts and culture and diversity. Foundation contributions are unrestricted, allowing recipients to use funds where they are most needed.