Press Room

Keila Diaz

Keila Diaz wants to impress upon the Hispanic population how important a college education is and wants to set a good example to the young people in her community by achieving her goals and surpassing them.

“I have the responsibility as a role model,” said Diaz. “I am aware that children look up to me, and that members of the Hispanic community look to me and see what I have achieved. I want to use the opportunity to make a difference.”

As the 5000th student registered for Georgia Gwinnett College’s 2010 fall semester, Diaz already embodies the College’s four core values of leadership, service, scholarship and creativity.

“At GGC, we develop the total person by emphasizing core values that equip students with the skills, knowledge and perspective to be successful as contributing members of society,” said GGC President Daniel J. Kaufman. “Keila’s distinction as a symbol of GGC reaching its 5,000 enrollment goal is made more significant by how this young leader already possesses the very qualities we seek to instill in our students. She is a great representative of this important milestone in GGC’s growth.”

As a new member of the GGC student body, Diaz, who plans to major in psychology, looks forward to becoming active in several student organizations, including the Organization for Latin American Students (OLAS), known for its community service. She also plans to help recruit Hispanic students in collaboration with Dr. Louis Negron, GGC’s director of minority outreach. She met Negron when he visited her high school to encourage Hispanic students to pursue higher education.

“In the Hispanic community, a lot of parents do not understand the process for getting a student into college because it’s complex,” she said, adding that cultural barriers have kept many of her peers from pursuing a college education. “Too often, Hispanic students think they can’t go to college and I want to help change this.”

Diaz is a native of Hoschton and a 2010 graduate of Mill Creek High School in Gwinnett County. During her high school years she was an active member of the Latin American Student Organization and in pageant programs that placed her in the community limelight.

Diaz’s experience in community involvement also stems from being an active volunteer for Special Olympics, a role about which she is enthusiastic.

“I believe that everyone as the ability to do whatever you put your mind to,” Diaz said, as she described working with adults and children who, despite their limitations, are determined to compete and succeed. “Special Olympics has changed my life and helped me grow as a person.”

Diaz also wants to be part of the GGC story and experience the College’s growth and development. In many ways, she is a typical freshman student. She is excited by the college experience and last week, moved into the college’s new campus housing with one of her best girl friends.

“I planned in advance how I was going to decorate my room,” she said enthusiastically. “I like the thought that I will be the first student to live in that room in our brand new student housing facilities.”

Beyond these basic details, it becomes clear that Diaz is far from typical. Being identified as GGC’s 5000th student for fall 2010 was a surprise and a blessing, she said.

“I was shocked,” Diaz said. “This is a great opportunity to be known on campus, to be more involved and to help others. I’m proud to have the opportunity to represent GGC.”

Several hundred students registered after Diaz, but GGC chose to recognize the student representing its specific enrollment goal. As of Aug. 23, the total enrollment for the 2010 fall semester is more than 5,700.

Georgia Gwinnett College surpassed projections today by welcoming more than 5,700 students to campus for the 2010 fall semester.  This figure represents an increase of more than 75 percent over last fall’s enrollment of 3,200.

“Our enrollment this fall is a strong indicator that GGC has become a college of choice,” said GGC President Daniel J. Kaufman. “With only 118 students when we opened in the fall of 2006, this is a remarkable ramping up of a new college, and we will grow at double-digit rates for years to come.”

This year’s enrollment includes a sizeable class of seniors who were freshmen in the fall of 2007, and who are the first class to have spent all four academic years at the new college.  All previous graduating classes transferred to GGC to finish their education.

The 2010-11 student body also includes GGC’s largest freshman class so far, numbering more than 2,300.  While most of the students are Gwinnett County natives, many are from throughout Georgia.

The College recently hired more than 130 new faculty members to serve the dramatically expanding student body.  The larger enrollment will require even more faculty.

“GGC is committed to its educational mission, and one of our key standards is small class size,” Kaufman said. “We are actively recruiting additional faculty so we can maintain the level of quality expected of the GGC student experience.”

Based on this year’s enrollment, GGC enrollment management staff anticipate next fall’s projections to be in excess of 8,000 students.

“Nothing affirms this College more than the dramatic growth we have seen in our student body,” Kaufman said.  “The leaders of Gwinnett County and the surrounding region should feel proud that their vision and leadership were right on target with the needs of our young people, the region and state.”

Returning students are discovering a new campus.

GGC’s new Library and Learning Center opened over the summer. It provides a state-of-the-art educational resource not only for students and faculty, but for the community at large. The Student Center’s dining facility also opened, and the rest of that facility will be completed later this fall.

Applications for the 2011 spring and fall semesters are now being accepted.

Georgia Gwinnett College welcomed about 200 students today during the College’s first, historic move-in day. About 200 more resident students are expected to move in tomorrow in preparation for the beginning of fall semester, Aug. 23.

“This is a great day for Georgia Gwinnett College,” said GGC President Daniel J. Kaufman.  “We are now officially a 24/7, residential campus.  We have spent months planning for this day, and now that it is here I can say that the campus is truly a more vibrant and exciting place.  I look forward to experiencing the transformation as these first resident students help establish the character of campus life at GGC.”

The College’s new residence halls offer suites of two to 12 private bedrooms with shared living and kitchen space. These modern facilities feature built-in classroom and activity space; on-site security; wall-mounted, 46-inch, flat-screen, Sony televisions and laundry facilities that will text students to alert them when their laundry is done.

Student families enjoyed a valet unloading service provided by GGC faculty, staff and volunteers, as well as a complimentary barbecued lunch on a newly landscaped lawn within the residential quad. General, the College’s grizzly mascot, roamed the halls and provided entertainment.

“We wanted to make this a memorable experience for families by providing as much help and support as possible,” Kaufman said. “Sending a child away to college is stressful enough.  We tried to lighten the load, quite literally, so families could enjoy this special milestone in their lives.”

Many students and parents said that the help was appreciated.  Chantelle Murray of Stockbridge, Ga., the first student to move in, remarked that it took a few hours to pack, but only a few minutes to unload.

“For a new campus, it went very smoothly,” said Ginger Hansborough.  “The valet service was great.  It’s a lot different from how things were 23 years ago.”

Hansborough’s daughter, Sarah Bonner, is a freshmen majoring in exercise science.  Although the family lives nearby in Lilburn, Bonner wanted to live on campus.

“I wanted to get the independent living experience and the camaraderie,” Bonner said.  She had been nervous this morning, but after arriving at GGC, the nerves quickly turned to excitement, her mother said.

“I love my room and I love my roommates,” said Bonner.

Nyesha Bacote of Stone Mountain expressed similar thoughts about campus living.

“I want to get the full freshman experience.  I didn’t want to miss anything,” Bacote said. Also a freshman, she is majoring in accounting. “I am very excited.”

The students will enjoy the first official student meal this evening in GGC’s new dining hall. Dining staff plan to surprise the students with decorations and fun, to make the occasion memorable.  After dinner, the resident assistants will lead hall meetings for the review of rules and other important information.

Nancy Edwards, assistant professor in literacy education, was one of many faculty who helped move students’ belongings.

“I am extremely excited for the students moving in and happy to lend a hand,” she said.  This will be her first fall semester at the College as a faculty member. “I’m so pleased with all of the people I’ve met here, with the work that’s been done and the organizational structure that’s been put in place.”

The housing complex required $102 million in bonds, provided by a public/private partnership with the GGC Foundation.

Kaufman noted that the student residence halls are a culmination of long-time community support. They would not have been possible without the support of the GGC Foundation and our trustees, he said.

More than 5,000 students are expected to be enrolled when classes begin Aug. 23.  Of these, up to 1,029 may be housed in the residence halls, which total 416,000 square feet. Applications are still being received for rooms.

As the College continues to grow, plans call for a parking deck for student residents, followed by additional residence halls.

Georgia Gwinnett College President Daniel J. Kaufman announced today that more than 130 new faculty members have been hired for the 2010 fall semester.  The faculty are now undergoing an orientation program to familiarize themselves with the young institution before the arrival of more than 5,000 students on the first day of classes, Aug. 23.

Kaufman noted that with the dramatic increase in enrollment and academic subjects being taught at the College, the number of academic disciplines necessarily had to expand.

“Last fall, we had 3,000 students on campus,” he said. “This fall, we will surpass our goal of 5,000 students.  We are delighted with the talent and diversity of the new faculty who have joined us to meet our teaching and mentoring requirements.”

The new faculty members fill 75 full-time and more than 50 part-time positions, and will bring the College’s total academic staff to more than 300.  The educators represent business, education, liberal arts, science, technology and student success disciplines.

GGC received 4,977 applications for the full-time faculty positions.  Kaufman noted that the academic world is drawn to a teaching college.

“We are an undergraduate teaching college, and we are fortunate that we have been able to attract talented professors who share our commitment to teaching and student engagement,” Kaufman said.

Stas Preczewski, vice president for Academic and Student Affairs, noted that the applicants came from across the nation.

“We were fortunate to have interest from many states and academic institutions.  This, to me, is a great testimony to the reputation GGC is gaining throughout the nation.”

Rebecca Flynn came to GGC from the University of South Dakota.  She has a doctorate from the University of Houston, and teaches contemporary literature.

“One of the aspects that attracted me to GGC was the fact that I would be a part of a like-minded community working to build the College from the ground up,” Flynn said. “Much progress has already been made in that regard and I can tell everyone who works here is enthusiastic about the evolution taking place. I am delighted to be here and can't wait to contribute to this process.”

Tess Reid has an Ed.D. from the University of San Francisco in learning and instruction with an emphasis in secondary special education.

“The faculty and students are so very fortunate to have such visionary leadership from the president, deans and support staff,” said Reid. “The student mentoring and student-centered approach to teaching and learning benefits every student's success here, and I can hardly wait for the students to arrive on Aug. 23.

I feel so fortunate to have been selected to work at GGC because this place rocks!”

Yesterday, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents recommended the governor and the members of the Georgia General Assembly include $7.1 million for campus-wide infrastructure improvements on the campus of Georgia Gwinnett College, as well as $2 million for the design of the new Allied Health and Science Building in the Fiscal Year 2012 appropriation.  This is part of the Regents’ $2.1 billion budget and capital request to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget for the budget year that begins in July of 2011.

“This money is vital to the growth of Georgia Gwinnett College,” GGC President Daniel J. Kaufman said today following the Board’s vote.  “Because of the state’s current budget problems we already are a year behind on the Allied Health and Science Building, but we believe we can catch up once the building gets started if we can secure the $28 million in general obligation bonds for the construction within the next year.”

Following the Board of Regents meeting, Stas Preczewski, vice president for Academic and Student Affairs said, “The Allied Health and Science building is imperative to the College’s continued growth, as it will house the College’s nursing program and other science programs including biology, radiology technology, chemistry and physics.”  He noted that Georgia Gwinnett College expects to begin its BSN degree program in 2012.  “As all are aware, Georgia currently is experiencing a nursing shortage that is expected to reach devastating proportions over the next decade, so it is essential that GGC start training nurses as soon as possible.”

The $7.1 million in infrastructure money will be used for necessary road, sewer and electrical improvements.  The campus has grown considerably with new student housing, a new Library and Learning Center and a new Student Center opening this year.  A Fitness Center and two other buildings, as well as a parking deck have been added to the College’s campus over the past five years. No new infrastructure improvements have been made since the prelude to GGC, the Georgia University Center, was built more than 20 years ago.

“We appreciate the Board’s support of GGC,” Dr. Kaufman continued.  “Our campus is experiencing rapid growth and the facility needs are unprecedented.  To our knowledge no Georgia college has ever experienced what amounts to a doubling in size every year.  These students deserve excellent facilities for classrooms and laboratories.”  GGC expects to have in excess of 5,500 students on campus this fall – up from the 3,200 who were on campus last fall.  More than 400 students will be living on campus this year for the first time since the College opened its doors in 2006.

Earlier this summer, Georgia Gwinnett College opened its new Library and Learning Center and student housing, and the new student center will open within the next few weeks.  Students are expected to move onto campus next week and classes start on August 23.