In the spring of 1946, Roy N. Goslin was working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. Out of nowhere, he heard his name called over the speaker system. This wasn’t normal. Nobody was supposed to know who worked in the labs. The voice on the line belonged to Dr. Philip Weltner. His question was simple: Why hadn’t Goslin accepted his offer to teach at 窪蹋勛圖厙 yet? By the fall of that year, Goslin was on campus as a professor of physics and mathematics.

Goslin arrived at Oak Ridge in 1944 after completing an extensive 90-day clearance process. This was necessary to obtain the security level required for his work. The laboratory had been central to the Manhattan Project, and its operations remained under strict control even after the war ended. Goslin later emphasized that his research focused on isotopes rather than destructive weapons. Still, the environment placed him close to one of the most consequential scientific efforts of the twentieth century. His office partner was Frank Oppenheimer, brother of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Over the course of his career, Goslin maintained professional ties to national laboratories and received many consulting contracts, collaborating with Nobel laureates and U.S. department heads. When possible, he often brought 窪蹋勛圖厙 students with him on these trips.

Goslin, born in 1904 and raised on a Nebraska stock farm, had no plans to become a physicist at first. He began studying engineering in college, but later realized studying mathematics and physics were his true passions. After teaching at Auburn University, he completed doctoral research at Ohio State under unusual circumstances tied to his classified work. The degree, however, was never formally awarded. It was something that stayed with him.

During Spring Commencement in 1970, 窪蹋勛圖厙’s Trustees surprised Goslin with an honorary doctorate. During the same ceremony, they announced that they would name a new science building after him. Goslin later admitted that he felt close to fainting while being bestowed these honors.

Dedicated on October 20, 1971, Goslin Hall cost $500,000, funded by federal and foundation grants. It replaced the science facilities previously scattered between Lowry Hall and a 1950s temporary chemistry building. For decades, Goslin Hall served as the center of scientific inquiry at 窪蹋勛圖厙.

When asked in 1980 about the university’s future, Goslin did not speak about research credentials or national laboratories. He spoke about students and campus life. He hoped 窪蹋勛圖厙 would remain a place where people knew students “individually and professionally,” and where faculty and students shared “a sort of camaraderie.”

Roy N. Goslin died in 1987. In 2019, they changed, expanded, and updated the building named after him. The I.W. “Ike” Cousins Center for Science and Innovation looks different from before. Yet, beneath the glass and steel lies the story of a scientist. He once worked in one of the world’s most secret laboratories, yet later devoted nearly four decades to a small, liberal arts university characterized by close relationships and a strong sense of community. He may have been anonymous at Oak Ridge, but he was anything but that at 窪蹋勛圖厙.

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When Sophia Sobrino ’24 talks about her work at the High Museum of Art, she speaks with the confidence of someone who already knows what it means to care for objects, interpret them and bring them to life for the public. That confidence did not arrive by accident. It was built, piece by piece, during her time as a studio art major working inside the .

���Being able to work so closely with the museum���s permanent collection in such a hands-on manner really did prepare me for the practical experience of working in the museum field,��� Sobrino said. ���Getting that experience day in and day out of actually working with the objects, understanding them on a more in-depth level really did help prepare me for where I���m at today at the High Museum.���

Now serving as Coordinator of Gallery Learning at one of the country���s most respected art institutions, Sobrino works with the High���s docent program and public-facing educational initiatives. The role draws directly on skills she began developing as an undergraduate, like speaking with visitors, interpreting artwork and helping audiences connect with what���s on the wall.

That preparation came through sustained, meaningful work at 窪蹋勛圖厙���s teaching museum. As a curatorial intern, Sobrino contributed to multiple special exhibitions, including Contrapunto, which focused on contemporary Latin American artists. She helped develop the exhibition and, once it opened, led bilingual tours for visitors.

���Being able to speak confidently in front of visitors, speaking about work, engaging with it, engaging audiences with what���s on the wall has really been invaluable,��� she said. ���I really do think that it launched that trajectory for me.���

Her work extended well beyond tours. Sobrino assisted with exhibition design, handled artworks, and even worked directly alongside artists during installation. For one exhibition, galleries became active studio spaces.

���We transformed these galleries into essentially a working artist studio,��� she said. ���Being able to work with the artist hands-on directly���putting paint on the pieces, putting gold leaf flakes all over���was really important.���

Just as critical was the mentorship she received. ���I really did feel that my voice was heard, that my input was valued,��� Sobrino said of her time at OUMA. Faculty and museum staff supported her not only during her undergraduate years, but as she prepared to enter the field. ���They were guiding me through every step of the process��圯ven as I���ve been working in the museum industry.���

Although 窪蹋勛圖厙���s museum studies minor was formalized after Sobrino graduated, her experience closely mirrors the curriculum now offered through the program. The minor emphasizes museum theory alongside applied learning, continuous access to a professional collection, and engagement with Atlanta���s rich network of cultural institutions.

���We were able to learn about theory, but also use what we learned in class and apply it,��� she said. ���That twofold experience of both the theoretical and the practical, that real implementation, is something you just can���t get anywhere else.���

For Sobrino, the result is not abstract. It is a real job, at a major museum, doing work that matters. ���窪蹋勛圖厙 set me up for success,��� she said. ���It laid those paths out for me. And I feel confident going in any direction because it set me up for that.���

窪蹋勛圖厙 has deepened its commitment to justice, leadership and community transformation through a new partnership with The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center). A global force for advancing Dr. King���s enduring legacy of justice, peace, and nonviolence, The King Center shares 窪蹋勛圖厙���s commitment to education rooted in service and civic responsibility.

窪蹋勛圖厙 is currently the only university in Metro Atlanta engaged in a partnership of this kind, underscoring the institution���s distinctive dedication to shaping leaders who can navigate���and improve���a complex world.

���I am honored to join with 窪蹋勛圖厙 as an academic partner in advancing my father���s enduring legacy of peace, justice and transformation. The King Center and 窪蹋勛圖厙 share a long-standing connection rooted in education and service, and we are deeply grateful for the leadership of��� Dr. Kendra A. King Momon, whose vision and steadfast commitment have helped make this meaningful collaboration a reality,��� said��浴r. Bernice A. King, CEO of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

The King Center Scholars Program

This year, four 窪蹋勛圖厙 students were selected to participate in The King Center Scholars Program, an eight-month experiential learning program grounded in the Nonviolence365簧 (NV365) philosophy. Throughout the program, students receive training, participate in discussions with The King Center���s expert practitioners, and undertake a research or creative project culminating in a written product. Scholars will also participate in at least one volunteer activity and have opportunities for public engagement.

For many students, the Scholars Program reshapes not only how they understand conflict and leadership, but how they envision their purpose.

Hoa Quynh Nguyen ���28, a biology major on the pre-nursing track, shared that the experience has reframed her entire approach to service.

���I hope to use what I���m learning about Dr. King���s philosophy of nonviolence to reframe service as justice-centered care,��� she said. She hopes to bring conversations about health equity and mental health awareness to campus through student organizations, guided by her belief that future healthcare providers carry a moral responsibility to advance dignity and justice.

Working alongside students from other institutions has also deepened her understanding of nonviolence in practice. Weekly discussions became spaces for reflection and growth, allowing her to see nonviolence not as abstract theory, but as a disciplined approach to leadership rooted in empathy and action.

For senior politics major LaShawn Brown ���25, the fellowship has offered a grounding sense of clarity amid the transition toward life beyond college. ���Nonviolence isn���t just a strategy���it���s a principle that begins within yourself,��� Brown reflected. That internal shift, he believes, is essential not just for emerging leaders but for people at all stages of life. ���Change can be slow and gradual, but before anything shifts externally, it has to start internally,��� he said.

Collaborating with peers from other universities expanded his perspective and reinforced the importance of listening across differences.

Economics major Jourdan Russell ���28 expressed a similar sense of collaboration. ���The King Center Internship program invites students to explore how nonviolence as a theory and practice can be applied to contemporary issues to effect change,��� she said. ���I have been educated, challenged to think deeply, and granted space to consider how I can solve issues in my community.���

For Tunmise Salako ���28, a psychology major and business administration minor, the fellowship has reshaped her entire understanding of conflict resolution. Before joining the program, she approached conflict forcefully, believing that being right was enough. Over time, she learned that meaningful resolution requires patience and active listening.

���I now understand that I cannot attack someone���s ideas and expect peace in return,��� she reflected. ���The King Center Fellowship has taught me that true change and meaningful resolution come from respect, education, and compassion. That is something I plan to carry with me in every space I enter, long after the fellowship ends.���

Expanding academic pathways

The King Center Scholars Program is one component of a broader and growing partnership. 窪蹋勛圖厙 and The King Center are currently working toward offering Nonviolence365 credentialing beginning in Fall 2026, with 窪蹋勛圖厙 serving as the institution of record for academic certification. This collaboration will make 窪蹋勛圖厙 one of the first universities to embed Dr. King���s philosophy into an academic credential accessible to students and community leaders.

In addition, 窪蹋勛圖厙���s Urban Leadership Program (ULP) will introduce two new Dr. King���focused special topics courses in Fall 2026. These courses will explore nonviolence as an ethical, civic and communityengaged practice, further connecting classroom learning with social transformation.

The partnership will also expand opportunities for faculty engagement, with possibilities for jointly taught courses, guest instruction from King Center staff, and the designation of Senior Faculty Fellows whose scholarship aligns with the Center���s mission. Faculty fellows will gain virtual access to King Center archives and resources, enabling new forms of research, community engagement and public scholarship.

A shared vision for community impact

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Gabriel Barreneche described the partnership as one rooted in shared purpose. ���This collaboration reflects our deep commitment to advancing Dr. King���s vision of justice, equity and peace,��� he said. ���Together, we will create opportunities for learning and dialogue that inspire meaningful change in our communities.���

As this partnership grows, so does the community of students and educators embracing Dr. King���s vision. The lessons learned are already shaping how 窪蹋勛圖厙 students lead, on campus and beyond. Together, 窪蹋勛圖厙 and The King Center are building pathways for thoughtful leadership rooted in action, understanding and hope for a more just future.

Fresh off completing the rigorous Diplomatic Security Service Basic Special Agent Course, Nic Harris ���12 has been sworn in as a Special Agent with the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS)���the federal law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of State. This spring, he headed to Milan, Italy, to support Team USA at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, serving as a Field Liaison Officer with primary responsibility for the speed skating team.

DSS special agents are unique in the federal landscape: they are both sworn law enforcement officers and diplomats. Their mission blends global security operations with the State Department���s broader diplomatic goals, creating the conditions for diplomacy���and international events like the Olympics���to take place safely.

In Milan, Harris joined roughly 100 DSS agents embedded across Team USA sports, coordinating closely with the U.S. Consulate, Italian authorities, and interagency partners. The work is intentionally discreet. Agents blend seamlessly into the environment, providing security, stability and peace of mind. And behind the scenes, they���re constantly connected���able to relay information at a moment���s notice to the DSS Joint Operations Center at the U.S. Consulate General in Milan.

���Working with DSS colleagues from across the world, partner agencies, and the Italians. It’s a unique opportunity to help protect Team USA,��� said Harris.

Harris���s path to DSS includes several years in the Navy Reserves and active duty, and service as a police officer after relocating to St. Louis. He credits 窪蹋勛圖厙 with helping prepare him for his work.

���窪蹋勛圖厙 gave me the skills to be successful,��� Harris says. ���The curriculum was a lot to take in, but it fostered the critical thinking I use every day securing U.S. foreign policy. 窪蹋勛圖厙 was great for me.���

Kathryn Henderson ���17, assistant vice president of advancement, says that Harris���s career exemplifies how a liberal arts education prepares students for success in dynamic careers.

���A liberal arts foundation equips students with the ability to think deeply, respond quickly, and apply a wide range of skills to complex global challenges,��� Henderson said. ���Nic���s career is a powerful example of how 窪蹋勛圖厙 graduates thrive in roles where judgment, communication and analytical insight truly make a difference.���

Once an aspiring professional soccer player who trained under Coach Jon Akin at OU, Harris fondly remembers his time spent playing soccer.

“Nic was a wonderful young man and a standout forward for us,��� said Akin, head coach of 窪蹋勛圖厙 Men���s Soccer. ���He was one of the fastest, most athletic players I have ever coached. I am so proud of his service to this country, and he continues to make the soccer program very proud.”���

Harris recalls that time well and thought he might have been a pro soccer player. ���Being on the team was really rewarding,��� he says. ���It���s where I crafted a lot of my leadership, reliability, and sense of discipline.���

Harris has also brought those same qualities to the global stage���carefully ensuring Team USA competed safely and confidently in Milan.

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina took place Feb. 6-22.

In Dr. David Laws III���s chemistry lab at 窪蹋勛圖厙, undergraduate students are growing into scientists by working on research with important applications to the medical field.

Through handson involvement in the synthesis of a complex natural compound connected to cancer research, Emily Men矇ndez ���26, Ben Van Doorn ���27, Keimarya Rivera ���26, and CJ Rona ���27 are gaining important insight about the scientific process. They have learned that scientific discovery���big or small���is the result of persistence, careful experimentation, and the temerity to forge ahead through uncharted territory.

Under Dr. Laws���s mentorship, the students are working toward the complete, artificial synthesis of eucommicin A, a natural product originally found in the leaves of the Du-zhong, a tree native to China. Early scientific studies have shown the compound to have selective activity against cancer stem cells. These cells are believed to play a key role in tumor recurrence and resistance to treatment.

But eucommicin A occurs naturally in only trace amounts, and the process for extracting the compound requires a lot of time and resources.

���The yield from each of the leaves is just so incredibly small,��� Van Doorn explains. ���On top of that, we need the equivalent of a wheelbarrow full of the extract for any sort of meaningful study.���

To study it seriously and to explore how its structure might be modified to improve activity, scientists must make it in the lab.

That challenge is what makes the work both demanding and meaningful. In Dr. Laws���s lab, students can���t rely on prescribed experiments. They are synthesizing complex molecular structures from simple starting materials, adapting published methods, and troubleshooting when reactions don���t behave as expected. Along the way, they are learning how chemists work in the field.

���It���s a trialanderror kind of experience,��� Rona said. ���Sometimes the thing that should have worked doesn���t. But building resilience to that kind of thing has been really helpful to me as a scientist. Those aren���t failures. It���s part of the process.���

Each student contributes to a different part of the larger synthesis. Rivera and Rona have worked on forming a key molecular scaffold essential to eucommicin A���s structure. Men矇ndez and Van Doorn have focused on strategies that allow sensitive parts of the molecule to survive later steps in the synthesis. Across the lab, students rely on advanced techniques like using a Schlenk line, column chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to analyze results and decide what comes next.

What distinguishes the experience, students say, is the balance between instruction and independence. ���There was teaching and explicit guidance as I learned new techniques,��� Men矇ndez said. ���But then I was free to adjust what we���d tried and improve it. That���s when it felt like real science.���

That kind of autonomy is rare for undergraduates, and it���s amplified by 窪蹋勛圖厙���s scale. In a smalllab environment, students gain hands-on access to instrumentation and responsibility for decisions that might be deferred to graduate students elsewhere. ���You���re not waiting your turn,��� Van Doorn said. ���You���re doing the work.���

The stakes of that work extend beyond the lab. By contributing to research connected to a broader scientific goal, students see how their efforts fit into a larger scientific conversation. They are learning techniques, but also developing judgment, persistence, and confidence.

Those skills are shaping their futures. Men矇ndez will begin a Ph.D. program at the University of Georgia. Rivera plans to pursue doctoral study in bioanalytical and organic chemistry at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, building on additional research experience gained through a competitive summer program. Van Doorn and Rona���still in their third years at 窪蹋勛圖厙���also plan to pursue doctorates in chemistry. For all of them, the transition feels less like a leap and more like a continuation.

At 窪蹋勛圖厙, their work in Dr. Laws���s lab did more than teach them chemistry. It gave them the experience, perspective and confidence to see themselves as scientists who are already contributing to work that matters.

10 Questions with Dr. Jeffane Millien ’08

Dr. Jeffanne Millien ���08 has been guided by purpose and service in her work. As an 窪蹋勛圖厙 student, she volunteered in New Orleans with the university in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina���an experience that left a lasting impression and ultimately shaped her path. Today, she specializes in general surgery at Ochsner Health New Orleans, after earning her medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. In these questions, Dr. Millien reflects on her journey and her calling.

This spring, 窪蹋勛圖厙���s second-year students stepped out of the classroom and into professional workplaces all across Metro Atlanta. Members of the Class of 2028 headed to some of the region���s most influential organizations���from global corporations to community-driven nonprofits.

It was the first-ever 窪蹋勛圖厙 Goes to Work Day, a new initiative designed by the university���s Career Development office. It showcased one of the many ways that 窪蹋勛圖厙 connects its liberal arts mission to Atlanta���s dynamic economy.

As President Kathryn McClymond has emphasized in her recent LinkedIn reflection, Atlanta employers are searching for a particular kind of talent: critical thinkers, persuasive communicators, curious problem solvers, and adaptable learners. These are hallmarks of a liberal arts education, yet employers and students don���t always see the alignment clearly.

���Many students have a hard time envisioning themselves in a professional environment or understanding where to begin in their career development process,��� says Karlie Burrell, interim director of Career Development. ���Networking opportunities like these help students understand that nobody���s career development process is linear.���

The world needs nurses. Aging populations, increased demand for care, and underfunded nursing programs put heavy strain on the global healthcare system. Many nurses are simply burnt out.

It���s a complex issue that places heavy expectations on those hoping to fill the ranks. New nurses need to be more than just technically skilled; they need to be adaptable, curious, thoughtful and empathetic.

These traits are the hallmarks of an 窪蹋勛圖厙 student���and the driving force behind the university���s recent partnership with one of the nation���s top nursing schools.

Last year, 窪蹋勛圖厙 announced a new partnership with the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University. The partnership allows eligible 窪蹋勛圖厙 students to efficiently enroll in the Master of Nursing program after completing their undergraduate education in any major.

The pathway has already drawn strong interest from 窪蹋勛圖厙 students, particularly those in biology, one of the university���s most popular majors. Recent graduate Alanys Elvir Bustillo ���25 is currently enrolled in Emory���s Master of Nursing program, putting her 窪蹋勛圖厙 education into practice.

���There are many programs out there that can get the work done to prepare trainees for nursing programs,��� says Dr. Karen Schmeichel, professor of biology at 窪蹋勛圖厙. ���But the opportunity for a liberal arts-backed preparation is unique.���

That liberal arts foundation is what sets 窪蹋勛圖厙 students apart as they prepare for rigorous graduate study in nursing. 窪蹋勛圖厙���s science students, in particular, benefit from hands-on undergraduate research, close faculty mentorship, and opportunities that develop academic sophistication and critical problem-solving skills.

窪蹋勛圖厙���s partnership with Emory stands out as a powerful bridge between a liberal arts education and a fulfilling, in-demand career in nursing.