{"684063":{"#nid":"684063","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Dean Gaudelli Sparks a Culture of Curiosity and Collaboration at His First College of Lifetime Learning Town Hall","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the first town hall with its new Dean, College of Lifetime Learning colleagues came together to explore a central question: what does it mean to learn, and how can that spirit shape the way we work?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBill Gaudelli, Ed.D., joined the College Aug. 1 as the inaugural dean. He brings more than 35 years of experience as an educator, researcher, and academic administrator to this role.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERather than beginning with charts or plans, the Dean opened with two polls. The first asked: \u003Cem\u003EWhat did you learn? What did you notice about your learning? How did you feel before, during, and after?\u003C\/em\u003E The second posed a broader challenge: \u003Cem\u003EWhat is a learning organization?\u003C\/em\u003E Colleagues shared learning experiences that ran along a fairly common path: anticipation, uncertainty, frustration, and, ultimately, accomplishment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNot one of you said I had no emotional response to the learning. Not a person. There was joy. There was a lot of laughter. And everyone had something to share because that is how fundamental learning is,\u201d Dean Gaudelli observed. \u201cAnd so, as a learning organization. We\u0027ve got to think about how we meet the moment and the learner in a context that\u0027s totally new. We\u0027ve got to figure that out in a new space, using new tools, recognizing that the desire to learn is permanent in humans.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith these shared experiences in mind, Gaudelli introduced the concept of a learning organization, drawing from Peter Senge\u2019s landmark work \u003Cem\u003EThe Fifth Discipline\u003C\/em\u003E. He outlined the five disciplines (personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, team learning, and systems thinking) and invited colleagues to see them not as abstract theory, but as a practical framework for how the College might operate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecoming a learning organization, Dean Gaudelli said, is not a label but a way of working: embracing curiosity, being adaptable, questioning assumptions, and understanding that the whole is stronger than its individual parts. \u201cIf we\u2019re going to promote learning in the world, then we have to be learning ourselves,\u201d he noted. That means committing to continuous improvement, viewing mistakes as opportunities, and aligning every role with a shared purpose.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis vision brings to life the College\u2019s mission to support learning across the lifespan and positions the College to respond to a rapidly changing educational landscape. By building systems and culture that make learning continuous, collaborative, and transformative, Gaudelli sees an opportunity to lead not just in what the College teaches, but in how it works together.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Roslyn Martin, Director of Professional Education Programs for the College and GTPE , later reflected on the meeting. \u201cIt was powerful to reflect on the learning journey and experience the process organically to deepen our understanding,\u201d she shared.\u0026nbsp;\u201cAnd I\u2019m excited about this pivotal chapter for Georgia Tech, as the College creates more impactful learning experiences and pathways to transformative education for communities around the globe!\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the months ahead, the College will begin crafting a new strategic plan rooted in these ideas. Gaudelli encouraged everyone to take an active role in shaping the future. His closing challenge: learn something new in the coming month, and not for the skill alone, but for the insight into how you learn. That awareness, he said, is the foundation for building a true learning organization.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt his first town hall, Dean Bill Gaudelli invited colleagues to reflect on what it means to learn, sparking dialogue on building a culture of curiosity, adaptability, and shared purpose. Framing the College of Lifetime Learning as a \u201clearning organization,\u201d he emphasized continuous growth, collaboration, and innovation to meet a changing educational landscape.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Dean Gaudelli\u2019s first town hall marked the start of a bold journey toward becoming a learning organization grounded in curiosity, adaptability, and shared vision."}],"uid":"36756","created_gmt":"2025-08-21 22:11:03","changed_gmt":"2025-08-21 22:19:02","author":"jalderman3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-08-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-08-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677767":{"id":"677767","type":"image","title":"Dean-Gaudelli-Town-Hall.png","body":null,"created":"1755814275","gmt_created":"2025-08-21 22:11:15","changed":"1755814275","gmt_changed":"2025-08-21 22:11:15","alt":"Dean Gaudelli speaks to the College of Lifetime Learning in his first town hall.","file":{"fid":"261703","name":"Dean-Gaudelli-Town-Hall.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/21\/Dean-Gaudelli-Town-Hall.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/21\/Dean-Gaudelli-Town-Hall.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3978707,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/21\/Dean-Gaudelli-Town-Hall.png?itok=vslNR_1h"}}},"media_ids":["677767"],"groups":[{"id":"660375","name":"Lifetime Learning"}],"categories":[{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["john.alderman@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}