Registration for the undergraduate Student Government Association’s Home for the Holidays initiative is open through Thursday, Nov. 19.  

The annual tradition allows undergraduate and graduate students who may not be able to spend the holiday at home to be matched with a local Yellow Jacket faculty, staff, or alumni host and enjoy a meal together.  

Tech students come from all 50 states and 146 countries, and while Thanksgiving is specific to the U.S., SGA Executive Vice President Andrew Tso believes this program captures a wider, cross-cultural spirit inherent in the holiday.  

“On a day meant to celebrate community and gratitude, no student should be alone,” Tso said. “Even if they aren’t used to celebrating Thanksgiving, we want them to have this holiday experience. That’s what we’re about here at Georgia Tech, supporting our fellow Yellow Jackets in any way we can, and we hope this program can provide a sense of community that these students may not have had otherwise.”    

Hosts typically welcome between two and six students, and as meaningful as the program is for them, Scott Madigan, EE 1979, and his wife, Claudia, feel that it's equally beneficial for those who open their homes to participants.  

"We have thoroughly enjoyed hosting students for Thanksgiving dinner in the past,” he said. “It's been a rewarding experience meeting a diverse and talented group of young people and sharing the holiday with them. It's a nice gesture of hospitality that can make the holiday a little more special for a student who is away from home. We encourage fellow alumni with an extra chair or two to consider participating in the Home for the Holidays program." 

Students and hosts can register now through Nov. 19. At least two students are matched with each host (students can request to be paired together). Dietary restrictions and a variety of factors are taken into consideration when pairing students and hosts.