Dear Scheller Community,
There are some months when it feels as though an entire semester happens in a few weeks. September was one of those months.
On Sept. 18, we officially dedicated George Tower | Scheller Tower, marking the next chapter for the College in Tech Square. But we didn’t just celebrate the opening of our new building that day. We gathered to “Schellerbrate” Ernie Scheller’s 97th birthday and recognize not only all he has contributed to the College, but also how he continues to encourage us to dream big about its future.
It was fitting that our Advisory Board met later that day to help us continue thinking about the future. Board members shared valuable perspectives as we develop Scheller’s next Strategic Plan. Earlier in the month, our faculty devoted part of their annual retreat to thoughtful conversations about the College’s future. I am grateful to everyone who has contributed ideas and challenged our thinking. Each conversation is helping sharpen our vision for where Scheller goes next.
Our students were at the center of the month's activities as well. We began September with Opening Bell, welcoming our newest undergraduate and transfer students to Scheller. Student speaker Teddy Suazo shared an inspiring message, and Jasmine Walker facilitated an engaging conversation with Scott Catlett, chief legal officer of Inspire Brands.
I also enjoyed reconnecting with Georgia Tech alumni letterwinners to discuss how Scheller can continue to support our student-athletes. Half of Georgia Tech’s student-athletes study at Scheller, and one in 10 Scheller undergraduates competes as a Yellow Jacket. They are an important part of our community, and I appreciated hearing former Yellow Jackets share their experiences and ideas.
September also brought well-deserved recognition for two of our faculty. Andre Calmon received the 2026 INFORMS Computing Society Harvey J. Greenberg Research Award for his recently published paper. D.J. Wu received the 2026 Dr. Hermann Zemlicka Award for the most visionary paper at the NeuroIS Retreat. Congratulations to Andre and D.J. on these honors.
Our undergraduate program earned national recognition as well. U.S. News & World Report ranked Scheller No. 20 in the nation, marking our third consecutive year in the top 20. Five specialties ranked among the top 10, including Analytics and Management Information Systems at No. 3.
I also want to congratulate Thomas Fanning on being named the sole finalist for chancellor of the University System of Georgia. Tom earned two management degrees from Georgia Tech and previously served on the Scheller Advisory Board. His connection to Georgia Tech and Scheller spans decades, and I am pleased to see someone with such deep ties to our community considered for this important role.
Tech Talks Business opened its fall season in September with a compelling conversation with Jaime Gilinski, B.S. Industrial Engineering ’78 and CEO of Grupo Nutresa. Jaime shared lessons from his remarkable career, including reflections on perseverance, leadership, family, and knowing when it is time to change course. I hope you will join us for two more conversations in October:
- Tonight, Oct. 1, we will host Tech Talks Business featuring Jim Hannan, president and chief operating officer of Koch, at 5:30 p.m. in Scheller Tower.
- On Oct. 13, we will welcome Ronnie Chatterji, chief economist at OpenAI, for a special Tech Talks Business session at 5:30 p.m. in Scheller Tower as part of the Avant South Conference.
- On Oct. 6, I will be in Miami for Scheller in Your City: Miami, an opportunity for alumni and friends to reconnect with the College and one another.
- On Oct. 18, graduate students, alumni, and their families are invited to gather for a Graduate Community Mixer at StillFire Brewing.
- On Oct. 22, we will host a special Homecoming Week edition of Scheller in Your City at Scheller Tower.
September was among the most notable months of my time as dean at Scheller. The energy across the College right now is hard to miss. It comes from our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends who continue to show up, contribute, and care deeply about Scheller and where we are headed. I am grateful and proud to be part of our stellar Scheller community.
Best Wishes,
Anuj
Anuj Mehrotra
Dean and Stephen P. Zelnak Jr. Chair
Professor of Operations Management
Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business