Your Impact
When you support Georgia State University, you ensure that our mission is carried out in the following key areas:
A world of opportunities
Samuel Oriola never planned to become a scientist. The son of Nigerian immigrants, he arrived at Georgia State as a business major — until a summer research program opened a door he didn’t know he was looking for, and his work on brain imaging data began earning recognition. What kept him going through the hard days was the memory of his father, who always told him he could do more than others expected. Support from donors helped him stay on the path, turning his father’s belief into a career devoted to changing healthcare. At Georgia State, students from every background prove what becomes possible when someone believes in them.
Destiny Thompson taught herself American Sign Language at age seven, just to talk with a friend. That early determination grew into a calling: this 2026 graduate is now pursuing her master’s in special education, driven to advocate for students too often overlooked. Through Georgia State’s Dual Degree Program, she’s earning her bachelor’s and master’s in as little as five years — learning from Deaf professors and gaining hands-on experience across Atlanta’s classrooms. Scholarships from donors eased the financial stress that shadows so many students, freeing her to focus on the work that matters to her. At Georgia State, support like that helps students turn a childhood passion into the power to change lives.
Advancing the frontiers of knowledge
As a girl, Proma Kansagra (B.S. ’26) was captivated by sci-fi films. The COVID-19 pandemic turned that fascination into purpose. As a biomedical sciences major working part-time to cover her expenses, she became the first-ever recipient of the donor-funded Shanthi Sitaraman Student Award — which opened the door to her first research internship, studying targeted drug delivery to improve life for people with colon disease. The award’s stipend eased a financial weight that so many students carry alone, letting her focus on the work itself. At Georgia State, donor support turns a childhood wonder into a scientist ready to change real lives.
Read more about Proma and and her journey to medical research.
Read more about Nitheyaa and how her scholarship unlocked a career in biomedical research.
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Strengthening the workforce of the future
Experiential learning programs are open to all students but are not available in all fields. Recognizing the value of these programs in demonstrating workforce ready skills, Dr. John M. De Pasquale (M.P.H. ’07) established a legacy gift to help more Public Health students access these opportunities. “With its emphasis on solving domestic, urban public health issues and the diversity of its students, the School of Public Health at Georgia State is where I feel my money can make the biggest impact,” said De Pasquale.
Read more about his gift and how it will help future School of Public Health students gain skills that will help them land a job after graduation.
Eliminating achievement gaps
The university is a national model for its extraordinary student success. Because of its innovative programs that remove barriers to achievement and provide meaningful support, the university has increased graduation rate by 23 points over the last decade. Recognizing that faculty diversity plays a central role in college completion, donors Kevin Lofton (MHA ’79) and Sabrina Shannon have made a special gift so that the university can attract exceptional assistant professors with a demonstrated commitment to racial diversity.
Read more about Kevin and Sabrina and why they were inspired to make this transformational gift.
“The generosity of Georgia State’s donors has impacted me on such a deep level, not only on my university experiences but on my future,” said Nitheyaa Shree. “Without their support of the Presidential Scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to attend Georgia State.”
—Nitheyaa Shree (B.S. ’21)