This past Tuesday marked a busy day in the State Capitol with full dockets and people everywhere in sight.  Above all the action, however, resonated a familiar and unmistakable buzz—over thirty Georgia Tech students under the Gold Dome for the first-ever GT Student Day at the Capitol.

Joined by alumni legislators and legislative staffers, students spent Tuesday morning thanking state legislators for their support of Georgia Tech and reminding them of the importance of investment in higher education.  The event was sponsored by the Student Government Association’s Student Lobby Board with support provided by the Office of Government and Community Relations.

During the morning, student leaders heard from President G.P. "Bud" Peterson, Senate Higher Education Chairman Seth Harp, and each member of Georgia Tech’s delegation in the General Assembly: Senator Hardie Davis, EE ’92; Senator Johnny Grant, IE ’72; and Senator Chip Rogers, MGT ’91.  Students also had the opportunity to seek out their own legislators to share the Georgia Tech message.

In honor of the day, both chambers of the General Assembly passed resolutions commending the students in attendance and officially declaring February 9, 2010 “GT Student Day at the Capitol.”  The resolution in the House, HR 1287, was sponsored by Majority Leader Jerry Keen and Representative Mike Cheokas.  The resolution in the Senate, SR 894, was sponsored by Senator Johnny Grant, Majority Leader Chip Rogers, and Senator Don Balfour.  Text of the resolutions can be found online at http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/.

The students completed their day with a tour of the capitol led by some of Georgia Tech’s current undergraduate students serving as legislative interns this session. 

Photos from the event can be found online at http://www.gov.gatech.edu/photos/index.html.