Rebecca Keane
Communications, Ivan Allen College

The Ivan Allen College (IAC) experienced its largest ever enrollment this fall with 963 undergraduate and 283 graduate students matriculating in IAC majors. This is a continuation of the rapid growth the college has experienced during the past six years. From 2002 to 2008, undergraduate and graduate enrollment increased 33 percent, and surpasses the 18 percent increase for the Institute as a whole.

Associate Dean John Tone explained, "The joint major programs launched within IAC are innovative and these are a significant factor in our rapid expansion. They are attracting the kind of students we want at Georgia Tech." Two of the most successful joint degrees are the International Affairs and Modern Languages (IAML) program and the Computational Media (CM) program that combines studies in IAC's Literature, Communications, and Culture and the College of Computing. Tone added that growth is also occurring in the other joint degrees, Economics and International Affairs (EIA) and Global Economics and Modern Languages (GEML), as well as in the other IAC majors.

"We have been very aggressive in implementing programs that add value for students," he explained. "Our international programs and the opportunities for undergraduate research and internships are very strong and this is another draw for students. For example, more than 71 percent of our undergraduates participate in international programs, compared to 38 percent for the Institute."

Dean Sue Rosser adds, "We have established Ivan Allen College as a national model for a new approach to liberal arts research and curriculum. Our focus on how society shapes, and is shaped, by science and technology is unique and I think our robust growth reflects that."