Teams across the University are putting employee feedback into practice.
Goals 1 & 2
Annual Report & Strategic Plan
Explore Georgia Southern’s progress in fiscal year 2026 and the people, purpose and action shaping our future through Soaring Beyond 2030.

2030
Strategic Horizon
01 — People. Purpose. Action.
Report / The Year in Motion
Fiscal year 2026 marked the first year of Soaring Beyond 2030 and a new chapter for Georgia Southern, with the East Georgia Campus joining our University community.
“Eagle Nation is stronger—and larger—than ever before. Our research enterprise is growing. Our employees are more engaged. And across Georgia, our impact continues to strengthen communities and create opportunities throughout the state. At Georgia Southern, progress begins with people, driven by purpose, and is realized by action.�
– Kyle Marrero, President
2025–2026 Annual Highlights
From student success and research to economic impact and innovation, Georgia Southern continues to move forward with purpose.
31,599
Students Enrolled
81.6%
First-Year Retention
5,775
Degrees Conferred
$1.24B
Economic Impact
4.01 / 5
Employee Engagement Score
Measured on a five-point scale.
#33 Nationally |
#2 in Higher Education
Forbes America’s Best Employers for Company Culture 2026
Ready Day 1
89%
Class of 2025 graduates employed, enlisted or enrolled within six months.
$53,562
Median earnings one year after graduation.
Research & Discovery
$57.8M
Research expenditures and awards.
84
Research doctorates.
Philanthropic Support
$27.4M
Annual gifts and pledges
605
Engagement visits with alumni, donors and fans.
4,568
Processing hours saved each month through automation.
$2M
Reduction in maintenance expenses through intelligent technology.
Progress / Strategic Results
Every result connects to a larger goal. Explore how Georgia Southern is strengthening its culture, preparing students for success and improving the way we work.
Faculty and staff help shape Georgia Southern’s priorities. In 2026, employee feedback led to 221 engagement action plans, turning their voices into opportunities for improvement.
Employee engagement
out of 5
Teams across the University are putting employee feedback into practice.
Goals 1 & 2
Faculty and staff participated in professional development opportunities.
Goal 3
An institutional-record engagement score reflects a community committed to growing together.
Explore Employee EngagementThrough career preparation, hands-on learning, research and service, Georgia Southern connects classroom knowledge with opportunities to make a difference.
Career-Readiness
Engagement
Students put their learning into practice through experiential learning opportunities.
Goal 6
Record research expenditures support discovery and innovation across disciplines.
Goal 5
Ready Day 1 Connect helps students recognize their skills and explain how their learning prepares them for their careers.
Georgia Southern is aligning programs with emerging needs, expanding public impact and improving operations to create more capacity to serve students and communities.
Processing hours
saved each month
Automated processes help teams streamline their work and improve university services.
Goal 10
Annual gifts and pledges support opportunities across Georgia Southern.
Goal 9
Intelligent technology is helping facilities teams move toward predictive, data-informed operations, reducing maintenance expenses by $2 million.
The Plan / Soaring Beyond 2030
Three pillars organize ten goals and connect each year’s results to Georgia Southern’s long-term vision: People. Purpose. Action. Growing ourselves to grow others.

Build a culture of high performance, support well-being and engagement, and create opportunities for professional and leadership development.

Advance student success, research, teaching and service to strengthen communities and support regional prosperity.

Align programs with market needs, expand public impact and philanthropic engagement, and strengthen university operations.
Achievements
Meet the people and explore the ideas moving Georgia Southern forward.
People
Georgia Southern earned national recognition for its workplace culture, ranking No. 33 in the nation and No. 2 among higher education institutions on Forbes America’s Best Employers for Company Culture 2026.
Purpose
Georgia Southern joined the Georgia Research Alliance in May 2026, expanding opportunities for research collaboration and strengthening its role in Georgia’s innovation economy.
Action
State investments support Georgia’s first College of Optometry through amended FY26 funding and a new ¿ìèapp¶ÌÊÓ Literacy Center through FY27 funding, connecting university expertise with pressing community needs.
Our Mission
¿ìèapp¶ÌÊÓ impacts the future by fostering a transformative learner-centered culture. We empower students, faculty, staff and alumni to lead, serve and engage, enhancing the quality of life through educational excellence, impactful research, cultural enrichment and meaningful contributions to communities locally and globally.
Georgia Southern empowers students, faculty, staff and alumni to lead, serve and engage—enhancing quality of life through education, research, cultural enrichment and meaningful contributions to communities.
Our Values
Innovation & Discovery
Mobility
People
Academic Excellence
Collaboration
Transparency & Integrity
Sustainability
People. Purpose. Action.
Our progress reflects the people who make Georgia Southern what it is. Explore the full Annual Report for more stories and the complete record of our first year under Soaring Beyond 2030.