News Center Features | Georgia Institute of Technology

Forging the Future

It’s no secret that our students are what make Georgia Tech such an incredible place. Every student has a unique story: passions ready to be unleashed, talent and brainpower ready to transform the world by taking on issues in a way only a Yellow Jacket can.

The new Ramblin’ Wrecks joining our ranks each year continue to make us stronger, with each freshman class raising the bar to a new level – and that doesn’t just mean academically. These students are already motivated to help those who are less fortunate, using their skills to invent the next great idea, and applying their experience to launch their own startup companies… and they were doing it all in high school. With these students in our labs and classrooms, the Tech campus grows stronger, fortified by iron-clad determination, intelligence, compassion, and innovation.

10 students. 10 incredible stories. We introduce you to just a handful of the Georgia Tech freshmen who are forging the future.

Alexandra Foote admits that she’s been described as ‘glittery and cheerleader-y.” But she is just as comfortable with programming languages as she is with her pompoms.

Booker Farrior’s full name is Booker Taliaferro Washington Farrior IV. The famed educator and orator’s name has passed through the generations in Booker’s family.

First-generation American Caroline Zabinski traces her roots to Poland. Her father was a political refugee. Her mother grew up during the Solidarity movement that helped bring the fall of communism.

Progress and service were motivations for Chandler Watkins prior to enrolling at Georgia Tech. Since the age of 4, he's been collecting food on his birthday, rather than accepting gifts.

“I was bred to come here,” Ciandra Calhoun – better known as CiCi – says. Her father graduated from Georgia Tech, now she’s following in his footsteps.

Not many college freshmen can say they’re coming to campus having won an Emmy award, but David Ashcom can. He also started his own film company.

A move from a small town in Connecticut to midtown Atlanta turned out to be the best decision for Jon Dolan, an inventor and code developer.

“I want to do things that have never been done before,” Kaan Goksal says. Even as a high school student, Kaan was a leader of his country’s maker movement.

Mechanical engineering freshman Rosalee Ramer ends up doing much of her calculus homework on planes.That’s because she's the world’s youngest female monster truck driver.

Tammy VuPham is the daughter of Vietnam War refugees. She speaks Vietnamese and English as heritage languages, but has also taught herself Spanish, French, and Arabic.

Producer, Writer, Videographer: Steven Norris
Photographer: Fitrah Hamid
Digital Designer: Melanie Goux
Student provided photos and video used with permission.

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