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William Inman
Director of Communications
Public Relations and Marketing Communications
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ATLANTA — Georgia State University last week welcomed more than 52,500 new and returning students to its Atlanta and Perimeter College campuses for fall classes, an increase of more than 2,000 students over the previous fall’s enrollment.
Among those are more than 35,000 students enrolled on Georgia State’s Atlanta Campus and more than 17,000 enrolled across Georgia State’s five Perimeter College campuses, the highest Perimeter enrollment since 2020.
The first classes Aug. 26 followed the previous day’s First-Year Convocation ceremony, held in the university’s Convocation Center. First-Year Convocation, with much of the pomp and circumstance of a commencement, welcomes incoming first-year students to Georgia State with a guest speaker, remarks from university leaders, the first-year pledge and performances of the university fight song and alma mater.
Georgia State’s incoming class includes nearly 7,000 first-time first-year students.
This year’s Convocation speaker was Charbel Aoun (B.S. ’18), an Alumni Association 40 Under 40 honoree and co-founder of the Georgia First Generation Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Buford, Ga., that has helps students consider next steps after high school graduation.
Students returning to the Atlanta Campus are noticing the emergence of the brand new GSU Blue Line, a 3.7-mile marked walking path knitting together the university’s network of dorms, libraries, research centers and classroom buildings. Work began this summer installing informational trail markers complete with QR codes and other signage signifying the GSU Blue Line, which defines the core of the Atlanta Campus.
The GSU Blue Line also connects the Atlanta Campus’ newly established quads, five distinct neighborhoods each with a unique identity.
In addition to the first classes of their college careers, new students — and returning students — can participate in a slate of Panther Welcome events designed to immerse them in the Georgia State experience during the first weeks of the semester. From a job fair to open houses to a comedy show, the events help students get to know Georgia State and find the resources they need to thrive in college and beyond.
“There’s no better way to kick off the semester than with Panther Welcome,” President M. Brian Blake told students in a blog post. “It’s packed with activities designed to help you settle in, make new friends and immerse yourself in the vibrant GSU community.”
The first two days of classes, Georgia State’s campuses hosted Welcome Breakfasts sponsored by the Panther Activities Council and Spotlight Programs Board. Recreational Services also showcased its activities and services during an event with games and giveaways.
The first week of classes was capped off with the first football game of the season, when the Panthers took on Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Panthers’ first home game of the season is Saturday at Center Parc Stadium against Chattanooga. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
— Photo by Carolyn Richardson