Fall Semester Wrap-up

As I close out the first week of December, I'm looking back on what I think turned out to be a remarkably successful semester. I'm proud of the work I did with the Georgia State Library on the renovation of the Kell Hall exhibit, set to re-launch officially in January. You can preview it here. 

In particular, I enjoyed looking at the evolution of this unique urban university through the lens of its oldest building — once its only building — which was demolished in 2019 to make way for campus renovations that would emphasize green spaces for students to gather and enjoy in the middle of Atlanta's urban core. 

Georgia State's relationship with Atlanta, its setting physically, socially, and economically, has been marked by mixed emotions over the school's first century. At once dependent on Atlanta and at times desiring to transcend the city's gravity, GSU has literally positioned itself above the city's streets through elevated plazas and pedestrian bridges. In a recent turn toward an acknowledgment of its interconnectedness, the university has moved to come back down to earth, literally. Given the city's similarly fraught history with regards to its streets, alleys, and railroad gulches, it remains to be seen what the future will hold. 

Neverthless, I'm excited to present this snapshot of history to the world. It was a great chance to get to know the university that I hope to graduate from in another two years. Now, to turn my attention to finalizing my dissertation prospectus and studying for comps!