Faculty, staff, and students explore the College’s legacy and the power of scholarship and ideas
ATLANTA, Oct. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Atlanta Metropolitan State College (AMSC) brought faculty, staff, students and community partners together on September 24, 2026, for a Founders Day celebration honoring the College’s beginnings and exploring the ideas shaping its future. Held in the Dr. Barbara Morgan Lecture Hall of the Elridge McMillan Academic Science Building, the day’s theme was “1974: The Beginning of a Legacy. 2026: The Power of Scholarship and Ideas.”
The program featured six sessions that connected institutional history with current scholarship, student success and emerging technology. Participation by faculty, staff and students reflected the shared commitment of the campus community to AMSC’s continued growth and educational mission.
“Founders Day gives us an opportunity to honor those who established this College and to recognize the people who carry its mission forward every day,” said AMSC President Ingrid N. Thompson-Sellers, Ph.D. “Seeing our faculty, staff and students come together to share ideas and learn from one another reminds us of the strength of this community. We are building on a legacy of opportunity, and the scholarship we advance today will help shape the Atlanta of tomorrow.”
The morning opened with President Thompson-Sellers and Provost Marshall Thompson, Ph.D. presenting “Then, Now and the Next 50 Years of Trailblazing: Know More, Do More, and Be More.” Student Government Association President Trevon Amey also participated in the opening session, bringing student leadership into the day’s conversation.
Dr. Paul Majett followed with “AI Revolution, A Turning Point in Education,” examining artificial intelligence in the educational landscape. Dr. Sharon R. Duhart then presented research on the impact of timing, modality and student characteristics on success outcomes in First-Year Experience courses at an urban state college.
Following a lunch break, Senior Lecturer of Music Val Parker opened the afternoon with an exploration of sound, listening and neural pathway connections, drawing on his compositions “The Droplet” and “Better” from the album Frozen Moment. Dr. Edward Hightower continued with a historical session titled “Rising from the Ashes, Combusting into Flames: The Re-Reconstruction of Atlanta in Postbellum Georgia, 1866-1929.”
The final session featured Dr. Tocarro Combs discussing undergraduate students’ experiences with artificial intelligence in higher education settings. Closing reflections concluded the program, bringing together a day of learning that linked AMSC’s founding legacy with the questions and opportunities facing higher education today.
About Atlanta Metropolitan State College: Atlanta Metropolitan State College, a member of the University System of Georgia, is an access institution offering associate and bachelor’s degree programs designed to prepare students for career advancement, further education and engaged citizenship. Located in Atlanta’s Capitol View community, AMSC provides an affordable and supportive educational environment that serves students from across the metropolitan region. Guided by its commitment to be “In Atlanta, For Atlanta,” the College engages minds, advances communities and creates pathways to opportunity.
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SOURCE Atlanta Metropolitan State College
