The iGniTe Summer Launch Program came back in style in 2021; actually, that’s more like 2 styles: residential and remote. Given changing health conditions, we offered two different experiences for this year’s class of 730 iGniTers. The on-campus residential option hosted approx. 230 students. iGniTe students lived in Glenn and Towers Residence Halls, took classes in academic buildings, and explored campus life throughout the summer. In addition, approx.. 500 virtual iGniTe students took a fully remote course schedule, allowing students to get a taste of Tech from the comfort and convenience of their own homes.
iGniTe is a community effort! Program operations are led by the Office of Summer and Special Sessions. This summer, four former iGniTe students served as interns for the office – Taylor Gray (4th year LMC major), Lily Arnold (3rd year LMC major), Vishal Malla (3rd year CS major) and Stephen Nash (4th year IAML major). In addition, Shelby Kuehl, Assistant Director for Events in the Office of Undergraduate Admission took on a dual role as the Interim Assistant Director for iGniTe virtual, working with virtual events and the Spark Mentorship program, which was founded by iGniTe students.
Providing key leadership for each of the iGniTe tracks were: Mariah Liggins (Pre-Graduate and Pre-Professional Programs), Stacey Doremus (Leadership Engagement and Development), Recha Reid (Academic Enrichment Programs), Dr. Zorana Matić and Harini Patel (College of Design), Dr. Rebecca Watts-Hull (Serve-Learn-Sustain), Dr. Vickie Birchfield and Allie Crain (First Year Fall Abroad program). In addition, iGniTe offers a special thanks to all of our Office of Undergraduate Education and wider campus partners for the role they play in the program. This year, two Faculty Fellows also joined the iGniTe team to provide events and co-curricular engagement that aligned with iGniTe’s curriculum - Dr. Corey Goergen and Dr. Molly Slavin from Ivan Allen College.
As iGniTe entered the hybrid realm, its events became more creative than ever. Campus was abuzz with iGniTe action, with a special emphasis on outdoor activities and games, from West Campus to the GT Connector. Some other popular events managed to return indoors to beat the Georgia heat, such as the iGniTe Comedy Show, an hour of entertainment with Georgia Tech student and professor comedians, who delivered some Tech pro tips along with their punchlines. Our previous year of virtual experience taught us a lot about hosting high quality online events, and this year, we had better options than ever, with speakers talking about everything from the Beltline to Buford Highway. Of course, this was all grounded by our ever-popular iGniTe at Night event, in which iGniTe staff meet with students over a Bluejeans call to share stories and play games, from 11 p.m. until the last person logs off, fitting for a collegiate schedule.
Now that iGniTe 2021 has finished their first set of final exams, and the residence hall floor lounges- once lively until the wee hours of the morning- have cleared out, we know that our students are set up for success as campus fills up for another fall semester here at Georgia Tech. While hard to believe, a group of special high school seniors are working on applications right now to join this group next year as iGniTe 2022!
More about the iGniTe program: https://summer.gatech.edu/ignite/