{"686474":{"#nid":"686474","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Celebrates Naming of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPublic service, at its core, is an act of translation. It is the work of turning complex technical challenges into human solutions, moral conviction into lasting policy, and compassion into a more just and equitable society.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more than half a century, Georgia natives President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter exemplified this work, forging a partnership in service that\u2019s recognized around the world. It\u2019s a legacy that will continue with the naming of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe naming, first announced in April 2025, was formally celebrated at a ceremony on Nov. 13, 2025, at the newly renovated D.M. Smith building. A standing-room-only crowd, including President \u00c1ngel Cabrera, University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue, former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn, civil rights icon and former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, members of the Carter family and other luminaries attended the event.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe milestone marked more than the honoring of a homegrown president and first lady by Georgia\u2019s top public university. It serves as a profound statement of identity \u2014 a declaration that the School\u2019s mission to create leaders who \u0022ethically address societal problems\u0022 is indelibly linked with the Carters\u2019 lifelong commitment to improving the human condition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Names matter,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/sugimoto-cassidy\u0022\u003ECassidy R. Sugimoto\u003C\/a\u003E, Tom and Marie Patton Chair in the Carter School. \u201cWhen you evoke the Carter name, it means something. In that one word, you encompass decades of public service, values of humility, respect, faith, integrity, justice, a deep commitment to human rights and democracy.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Roots, Global Impact\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Carters\u2019 connection to Georgia Tech is not merely symbolic. It\u2019s foundational. Before James Earl Carter Jr. was a naval officer, a governor, or a president, he was a Georgia Tech student. Carter arrived in 1942 and attended for one year before moving on to the U.S. Naval Academy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile his time at Georgia Tech was brief, it was impactful, said the Carters\u2019 fourth grandson, Josh Carter, ME 2006.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech is where my grandpa learned to love engineering,\u201d Josh Carter said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAnd every time my grandpa talked about the Naval Academy, he always made a point to say that he got his start at Georgia Tech and left here to graduate from an easier school.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Shared Commitment to Problem-Solving\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA problem-solver\u2019s mindset winds through Jimmy and Rosalynn Carters\u2019 careers in public service as well as through the Carter School\u2019s core pillars of sustainability, equity, and innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor instance, decades before \u0022sustainability\u0022 became a global watchword, Carter framed the energy crisis as the \u0022moral equivalent of war.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe formed the Department of Energy, oversaw the creation of the Superfund program to pay for critical environmental cleanups, and placed solar panels on the White House roof.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, Georgia Tech students and faculty champion sustainability through degree programs such as the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/masters\/mseem\u0022\u003EMaster of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Management\u003C\/a\u003E and through projects such as the Drawdown Georgia research effort led by Regents\u2019 Professor Marilyn A. Brown, whose team recently \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/news\/item\/685842\/georgia-tech-report-shows-state-significantly-emissions-amid-economic\u0022\u003Ereported\u003C\/a\u003E how Georgia has slashed its carbon output while significantly growing its economy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECarter also possessed an unwavering commitment to equity, speaking out against racial discrimination and making civil and human rights a central tenet of U.S. foreign policy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe School continues this legacy through programs such as the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/urbanresearch.iac.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Urban Research\u003C\/a\u003E, which seeks to address socioeconomic inequities in urban areas. The Center was \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/news\/item\/682259\/center-urban-research-receives-grant-help-improve-atlanta-neighborhoods\u0022\u003Erecently named\u003C\/a\u003E the research lead for the city of Atlanta\u2019s $5 billion neighborhood revitalization effort.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECarter also understood the growing importance of technology, becoming the first president to install computers in the executive offices, well before they became common in every household.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday\u2019s Carter School is nationally ranked for its programs in environmental policy, information and technology management, and public policy analysis. The school helps train tomorrow\u2019s cybersecurity leaders to spot the impact of technological change on network security, develop experts in ethical frameworks for artificial intelligence systems, and more.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGlobally, the School extends its reach through partnerships with universities around the world, including the University of Manchester, Colombia\u2019s Universidad\u0026nbsp;Externado, the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, the National Institute of Science and Technology Policy in Japan, and KAIST, a South Korean university.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese agreements help the School extend its reach and provide students and faculty to collaborate on research, academic programs, and more.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe First Lady\u0027s Enduring Policy Legacy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile the former president\u2019s career garnered more attention, Rosalynn Carter\u2019s life in public service was deeply impactful, as well. Her work gave a policy voice to millions of unseen and unheard Americans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022My grandmother was more politically savvy than my grandfather,\u201d Josh Carter said. \u201cShe was a strategist. She was his confidant. My grandmother was involved in just about every decision, peace deal, cease fire, and political triumph of my grandfather\u0027s life.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe became the first first lady since Eleanor Rooselvelt to testify before Congress as she fought to reduce the stigma of mental illness and create new programs to help those struggling with mental health. Her work on the President\u0027s Commission on Mental Health led directly to the landmark Mental Health Systems Act of 1980.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPerdue said he learned much about mental health need from Roslaynn Carter while visiting the couple during his time as governor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI know that we are glad that Georgia has made some progress in that group, but she laid that foundation,\u201d Perdue said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERosalynn Carter also founded the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, reframing the act of caregiving as a universal public policy challenge.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022There are only four kinds of people in this world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers,\u201d she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHer advocacy also helped lead to federal vaccine programs that have saved countless lives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, the Carter School strives to continue this work by providing policymakers with rock-solid research on complex medical and social issues.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor instance, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spp.gatech.edu\/news\/item\/669909\/ivan-allen-college-expands-interdisciplinary-approach-healthcare-policy\u0022\u003EHealth Economics and Policy Innovation Collaborative\u003C\/a\u003E, a partnership with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/soe.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Economics\u003C\/a\u003E, provides rigorous, data-driven analysis on everything from healthcare access to child well-being, applying that same blend of compassion and policy acumen Rosalynn Carter championed. Another example: Recent \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.medscape.com\/viewarticle\/energy-insecurity-tied-anxiety-depression-risk-2025a1000u4i\u0022\u003Eresearch\u003C\/a\u003E published in \u003Cem\u003EJAMA Network Open\u003C\/em\u003E that reveals a link between energy insecurity and mental health. Another \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/featured-news\/2025\/10\/georgia-tech-rural-rental-housing-affordability\u0022\u003Epaper\u003C\/a\u003E brings attention to a potential housing crisis brewing in rural America.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECarrying the Legacy Forward\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is this dual legacy \u2014 Jimmy Carter\u2019s engineering-forward approach to policy, and the \u0026nbsp;compassionate approach to public well-being he shared with his wife \u2014 that the Carter School now embodies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe School\u0027s home in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/a\u003E drives the point home.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe College is named for former Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr., a Georgia Tech graduate and another Southern political leader who championed desegregation. Allen\u2019s calls for transformative urban leadership continue to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/about\/overview\/legacy\u0022\u003Eshape\u003C\/a\u003E the College\u2019s mission today.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Mayor Allen was a beacon of light for Jimmy and for me \u2026 standing up for what was good and what was right,\u201d Rosalynn Carter \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2017\/02\/17\/jimmy-and-rosalynn-carter-receive-2017-ivan-allen-jr-prize-social-courage\u0022\u003Esaid\u003C\/a\u003E on receiving the Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage with her husband in 2017.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, the Carters\u2019 legacy of ethical public service, technological advancement, commitment to sustainability and human and civil rights serves as another guiding principle for Carter School students, faculty, and staff.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir example serves as a model for the generations of leaders to come \u2014 leaders who will graduate from the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy ready to continue the work of translating technology, conviction, and compassion into a better world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022They both led with humility and unshakable moral compass,\u201d said President \u00c1ngel Cabrera. \u201cAnd they showed us what true service looks like. I could not think of a better name to be associated with the school. This is a proud day for Georgia Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech celebrated the naming of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy on Nov. 13.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech celebrated the naming of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy on Nov. 13."}],"uid":"34600","created_gmt":"2025-11-17 14:21:05","changed_gmt":"2025-11-17 14:55:04","author":"mpearson34","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-17T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-17T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678641":{"id":"678641","type":"image","title":"josh-carter.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJosh Carter, grandson of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, speaks at the ceremony celebrating the naming of Georgia Tech School of Public Policy for the late president and first lady.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763389367","gmt_created":"2025-11-17 14:22:47","changed":"1763389367","gmt_changed":"2025-11-17 14:22:47","alt":"A man in a blue suit and yellow tie speaks at a podium","file":{"fid":"262699","name":"josh-carter.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/17\/josh-carter.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/17\/josh-carter.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":329155,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/17\/josh-carter.jpg?itok=TIGoN_Iw"}}},"media_ids":["678641"],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1289","name":"School of Public Policy"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}