Soaring into the Summer at Southern!

June 3, 2026
 
Dear Colleagues,


Summer is officially underway, and we are already celebrating another enrollment milestone. Nearly 17,000 students have registered across all campuses for the Summer 2026 term, making it our largest summer enrollment to date.
 
In the coming weeks, we will once again welcome approximately 600 students and faculty participating in the Governor’s Honors Program (GHP) to the Statesboro Campus, marking our fourth consecutive year as host. This weekend, we are also proud to host the Georgia chapter of the Hugh O’Brian Youth (HOBY) Leadership Seminar. Both programs provide exceptional rising high school juniors with opportunities to develop leadership skills, engage in collaborative learning, and explore advanced academic experiences. By hosting these talented students on our campus, we have the opportunity to introduce them to the Georgia Southern experience, showcase the dedication of our faculty and staff, and share the warm hospitality that defines our University community.
 
June is also a month when we welcome incoming students and their families on campus for SOAR new student orientation sessions. I was honored to greet and welcome over 800 of our soon-to-be Eagles and their family members last week. These interactions and the incredible support of our faculty, staff, and departments help validate the choice these students have made to be part of Georgia Southern as we continue building momentum toward our Fall 2026 enrollment goal of 31,730.
 
A few weeks ago, I had the honor of attending the Georgia Research Alliance Board meeting in Atlanta, where Georgia Southern University was officially welcomed as the organization’s newest member. The Georgia Research Alliance works to strengthen research across the state by bringing top scientists to Georgia universities, investing in modern lab equipment and shared research facilities, and helping researchers turn their ideas into new companies and technologies. This milestone reflects the continued growth of our research enterprise, including record levels of annual research expenditures and doctoral degree production. Our membership in the Georgia Research Alliance further affirms the strength of our research efforts and supports our progress toward achieving Carnegie R1 status in the next classification cycle. We are grateful to Governor Kemp and the Georgia General Assembly for their continued support and investment, which made this expansion of membership possible.
 
Soaring Beyond, Because of You!
 
Congratulations to Dr. Matthew Flynn, professor of International Studies and Sociology, on being selected for a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award for the 2026–2027 academic year. Through this highly competitive program, Dr. Flynn will conduct research in Brazil in collaboration with international partners. The Fulbright Program recognizes accomplished faculty, researchers, and professionals whose work advances scholarship and global understanding. Fulbright alumni include heads of state, Nobel Prize recipients, Pulitzer Prize winners, MacArthur Fellows, and other distinguished leaders from around the world. We are proud of Dr. Flynn’s achievement and the national and international recognition it brings to Georgia Southern University.


As we celebrate Dr. Flynn’s accomplishment, we are reminded of the extraordinary work taking place across our University every day. His recognition as a Fulbright Scholar reflects the spirit of People, Purpose, Action – Growing Ourselves to Grow Others and showcases the meaningful contributions Georgia Southern faculty are making to communities around the world.
 
Sincerely,
Kyle