As we reflect on 2025, the Institute for Leadership and Social Impact (ILSI) is proud to share our annual report and celebrate a year shaped by meaningful collaboration, student engagement, and continued growth. From expanding experiential learning opportunities to elevating important conversations, this year marked an important chapter in our work to develop principled leaders committed to social impact.
Reflecting on 2025: A Year of Leadership, Learning, and Impact
In 2025, the Institute for Leadership and Social Impact advanced its mission through expanded student programs, meaningful partnerships, and new platforms for dialogue. The release of our 2025 Annual Report captures these milestones and celebrates a year of leadership, collaboration, and social impact.
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A Full Year of Social Impact Fellows
In 2025, ILSI completed a full calendar year of the Social Impact Fellows program, supporting students across three academic terms as they partnered with nonprofit and community organizations to address real-world challenges. The program included 8 Fellows in Spring, 4 in Summer, and 11 in Fall, each contributing their skills in service of mission-driven work while gaining hands-on experience in social impact careers. Their efforts underscore the value of pairing student talent with community needs through sustained partnerships.
The First Full Cycle of Impact x Intersection
In 2025, ILSI completed the first full cycle of Impact x Intersection, the podcast evolution of our long-running Impact Speaker Series. The new format expanded our reach while continuing to spotlight leaders and changemakers across sectors.
Episodes featured reflections from ILSI Directors Terry Blum and Dori Pap on the Institute’s origins and commitment to servant leadership; an Earth Day conversation with sustainability experts John Mulrow and Joe Bozeman on degrowth and the future of sustainability; a discussion with Rohit Malhotra of the Center for Civic Innovation on strengthening civic engagement in Atlanta; and a closing conversation with Georgia Works CEO Darlene Schultz on adaptive leadership and organizational impact.
Student-Led Inquiry Through Ideas to Serve
Thirteen Georgia Tech students participated in the 2025 Ideas to Serve (I2S) Poster Showcase, the culminating experience of the MGT 4189 Social Impact course. Students explored complex local issues—including mental health, environmental justice, and affordable housing—translating their research into visual presentations that highlighted both challenges and potential pathways for change.
Global Learning with Leadership for Social Good
The Leadership for Social Good (LSG) Study Abroad Program continued to offer a transformative learning experience rooted in cultural immersion and real-world engagement. In 2025, 19 Georgia Tech students traveled to Central and Eastern Europe, working alongside civil society organizations in Budapest. Through these experiences, students developed leadership, empathy, and problem-solving skills essential for global social impact.
Partnerships and Collaboration
Partnerships remained central to ILSI’s work in 2025. Across programs, the Institute collaborated with more than 30 organizations, locally and internationally, co-creating learning experiences that are responsive, relevant, and community-centered.
ILSI also collaborated on two signature events. The Earth Day panel, “Has the Economy Outgrown the Planet?”, brought together global perspectives on the ecological and social limits of economic growth. Additionally, the Tech for Change: Housing Access and Stability Mini-Hackathon, hosted with Georgia Tech and Georgia State University partners, engaged students in using data and technology for social good with support from the Public Interest Technology University Network.
Celebrating Our Community
Throughout the year, ILSI highlighted the achievements and contributions of its faculty and staff, whose leadership and dedication continue to shape the Institute’s impact.
The 2025 Annual Report offers a deeper look at these milestones and the collective efforts behind them. We invite you to explore the report and celebrate a year of leadership, learning, and social impact with us.
The Institute for Leadership and Social Impact (ILSI) is an interdisciplinary institute at Georgia Tech dedicated to promoting servant leadership and advancing organizational practices that contribute to a more just, caring, and sustainable world. Through experiential learning, research, and community partnerships, we nurture leaders who drive meaningful social change—locally in Atlanta and globally. To learn more about our initiatives and programs, visit our website.