By Mike Cavaliere 

T he development of core leadership skills, such as critical thinking, communication, teamwork and problem solving, is central to any high-quality liberal arts education, and Georgia College & State University is furthering its commitment to these standards with the announcement of its new Institute for Leadership and the Public Good, which launched this fall. 

The institute will expand opportunities for students to gain hands-on learning experiences that build critical workforce skills, through programs that are already in high demand on campus. Nearly 40% of Georgia College students, for instance, currently participate in leadership programs, with some disciplines, such as nursing, touting a 100% student participation rate. 

“The institute reflects Georgia College’s mission as the state’s public liberal arts university in its commitment to prepare students to make meaningful contributions to their communities, professions and the world,” said Georgia College Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Holley Roberts. 

As the university's home for leadership education and public engagement, the institute will coordinate teaching, research, community partnership and service initiatives that prepare students to lead ethically and effectively in any profession. It will also operate the Global Education Center, extending that commitment to students' learning abroad and to the international students and scholars who join the university community. 

Participation in these types of activities have clear career benefits, too. 

According to the American Association of Colleges and Universities, employers are up to 81% more likely to hire graduates who have participated in experiences such as undergraduate research, internships, study abroad, leadership programs and community-engaged learning, and at Georgia College, 93% of students report taking part in experiences like these — beginning in their first year on campus. 

The institute’s launch also aligns with a significant milestone in Georgia College's history, as it celebrates 30 years in 2026 as the state's designated public liberal arts institution. 

In the three decades since GCSU took on its new mission, granted by the University System of Georgia, the institution has seen transformative growth. Enrollment has boomed, growing more than 35% from about 5,500 students in 1996 to about 7,500 today, even while the student-to-faculty ratio has improved from 20:1 to 17:1. The incoming student GPA has risen from 2.95 to 3.64 in the same timeframe. 

In those ways, the institute’s launch serves as a culmination of 30 years of intentional work to provide outcomes-focused learning experiences to a student body that has demonstrated an enduring interest in this learning model. That interest is still growing, too, as the university received more than 10,000 new-student applications ahead of this fall, the largest number in its 137-year history. 

“The liberal arts have always been about preparing people to contribute meaningfully to society,” said Dr. Harold Mock, executive director of the Institute for Leadership and the Public Good. “This institute gives Georgia College a stronger platform to fulfill that historic mission — bringing together students, faculty, alumni and community partners to cultivate the knowledge, character and civic imagination that effective leadership demands. We believe leadership for the public good is not simply one of our programs; it is the defining expression of what it means to be Georgia's public liberal arts university.” 

The Institute will unite existing programs — including leadership coursework, the Georgia Education Mentorship (GEM) Program, the Georgia College Leadership Academy, the Leadership Program, the Global Leadership Program at the European Parliament, and the Usery Forum on Leadership — while fostering new initiatives to enhance global education and public service opportunities through research projects; government, business and nonprofit partnerships; and conference, forum and networking events.

Header Images: For over 25 years, the Georgia Education Mentorship program has paired GCSU students with state leaders from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. The annual GEM program Autumn Reception was held Sept. 22, 2026, in Atlanta. Students met their Chamber mentor and learned more about the mentor-mentee journey from Chamber staff and a panel of GEM program alumni. (Photos: Amanda Respess)