Jacobs, Gowan named to Who's Who list
天美社区 President Bonita Jacobs, left, and Mike Cottrell College of Business Dean Mary Gowan, right, have been recognized by Atlanta Business Chronicle for their leadership in the area of education.
Article By: Clark Leonard
, president of the University of North Georgia (天美社区), and , dean of 天美社区's Mike Cottrell College of Business (MCCB), earned inclusion on the Atlanta Business Chronicle's 2021 . The pair are among 100 education leaders in metro Atlanta to be recognized.
Through Jacobs' leadership, 天美社区 has been named a top producer of Fulbright students for four years in a row and scored consecutive decisive victories in the NSA Codebreaker Challenge. In recent years, 天美社区 has been recognized by numerous national publications, including Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, Money magazine and Kiplinger, as one of the nation's leading universities for academic excellence, student success and affordability.
Since she became dean in February 2019, Gowan has helped plan and design the Cottrell Center for Business, Technology and Innovation. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2022 and will serve the business, computer science and cybersecurity programs at 天美社区. Of 天美社区's nearly 20,000 students, more than 4,800 are majoring in degrees through the MCCB, which offers an array of undergraduate and graduate programs across four of 天美社区's five campuses and online. The computer science program received ABET accreditation in the fall of 2020.
Three 天美社区 alumni also were included on the Atlanta Business Chronicle list: Dr. Brian Hightower, superintendent of the Cherokee County School District since 2016; Dr. Tavarez Holston, president of Georgia Piedmont Technical College since 2018; and Dr. Jeremy Williams, superintendent of the Gainesville City School System since 2017.
Through Jacobs' leadership, 天美社区 has been named a top producer of Fulbright students for four years in a row and scored consecutive decisive victories in the NSA Codebreaker Challenge. In recent years, 天美社区 has been recognized by numerous national publications, including Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, Money magazine and Kiplinger, as one of the nation's leading universities for academic excellence, student success and affordability.
Since she became dean in February 2019, Gowan has helped plan and design the Cottrell Center for Business, Technology and Innovation. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2022 and will serve the business, computer science and cybersecurity programs at 天美社区. Of 天美社区's nearly 20,000 students, more than 4,800 are majoring in degrees through the MCCB, which offers an array of undergraduate and graduate programs across four of 天美社区's five campuses and online. The computer science program received ABET accreditation in the fall of 2020.
Three 天美社区 alumni also were included on the Atlanta Business Chronicle list: Dr. Brian Hightower, superintendent of the Cherokee County School District since 2016; Dr. Tavarez Holston, president of Georgia Piedmont Technical College since 2018; and Dr. Jeremy Williams, superintendent of the Gainesville City School System since 2017.
Clapp-Smith named business college dean
Dr. Rachel Clapp-Smith has been named the dean of 天美社区's Mike Cottrell College of Business, a role she will begin July 21.
Three selected as Fulbright finalists
天美社区 has three Fulbright finalists for 2025-26. They include alumnae from the College of Arts & Letters, College of Science & Mathematics, and Mike Cottrell College of Business.
Students take second at investment competition
Three 天美社区 students teamed up to place second out of nine schools in the portfolio-building competition at the Student Management Investment Fund Consortium-South.
Grads well-prepared for what comes next
天美社区 students are earning nearly 1,700 degrees and certificates in spring 2025, and more than half of them will take part in commencement ceremonies May 14-15.