Winter break is over for Georgia’s colleges, and students likely wish the winter weather were, too.
They’ve returned to cold campuses across the state, braving the elements in what’s so far been a frigid spring semester. But classes, much like the AJC On Campus Roundup, are in session. So bundle up for this month’s chilly edition.
Anti-ICE campus
With much of the country focused on federal agents in Minneapolis, outrage over the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement has spread to Georgia. Over the last two weeks, students have held protests at the University of Georgia, Emory, Georgia State and Kennesaw State universities. UGA students held another rally on Friday.
Some students are on high alert, with posts on Reddit claiming ICE has been spotted at Georgia State. One Facebook post claimed ICE was inside the GSU dorms on Thursday. The university denied the claim, saying ICE was not in dorms and is not active on campus.
Online rankings
U.S. News & World Report recently released its 2026 rankings for the best online college programs. UGA was the highest among Georgia schools for bachelor’s programs, coming in at No. 29. Two of its online master’s programs were ranked No. 3 nationally, and its online master’s in special education programs ranked No. 4.
The list also includes some of the state’s other largest public universities. GSU ranked No. 13 for its online master’s in criminal justice and No. 8 for its family nurse practitioner master’s. The nursing master’s program at the University of West Georgia ranked No. 22.
KSU ranked first in the state for two categories: Best Online MBA and Best Online MBA for Veterans.
Influential Georgians
KSU’s rankings are another reason to celebrate for President Kathy S. Schwaig. She was among a slew of university presidents named in Georgia Trend magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Georgians for 2026.
Also included on the list: Georgia State’s M. Brian Blake, F. Dubois Bowman of Morehouse College, Ángel Cabrera of Georgia Tech, Russell Keen of Augusta University, Kyle Marrero of Georgia Southern, UGA’s Jere Morehead, Stuart Rayfield of Columbus State, and Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice from the Morehouse School of Medicine.
Sonny Perdue, chancellor of the University System of Georgia, and Greg Dozier, commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia, were also on the list.
Transfer agreements
So, too, was Gov. Brian Kemp, who on Wednesday announced that the TCSG and Mercer University signed transfer agreements.
The move will allow graduates from any of TCSG’s 22 colleges to transfer into Mercer’s Bachelor of Business Administration programs in accounting, business technology, human resource management and management. Additionally, graduates of TCSG’s Associate of Science in Nursing programs will be able to transfer into Mercer’s Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
The agreement, said Kemp, “is another great example of how we’re ensuring Georgians have access to the skills they need to be successful in a wide range of growing industries.”
AI at Emory
We recently reported on the concerns many college students in Georgia have about what artificial intelligence means for their career prospects. Emory University recently opened a space for liberal arts students nervous about what AI means for their job prospects.
While the Emory College Pathways Center first opened in 2022, it functioned as a virtual hub for student programs. But it will now occupy two floors of the Boisfeuillet Jones Center. Students will be able to visit the site for career services, experiential learning, national scholarships and fellowships, pre-health advising and undergraduate research.
“Peer advising will take place in a spacious café, recruiters and alumni will connect with potential interns in small meeting rooms, and larger rooms will host workshops on research or fellowship opportunities,” according to the university.
Star search
Georgia State graduate student Sebastián Carrazco-Gaxiola recently shared his research for places that may prove to be good havens for life to develop.
Carrazco-Gaxiola’s survey focuses on over 2,000 stars that are closer than 130 light-years from Earth. Careful analysis of the measurements provides astronomers with estimates of the stars’ temperature, age, spin rate and space motion.
“This survey will be the foundation for studies of nearby stars for decades to come,” said Distinguished University Professor of Physics and Astronomy Todd Henry, who serves as Carrazco-Gaxiola’s adviser and is a senior author on the study. “These stars and their planets will be the destinations for spacecraft exploration in the far future of space travel.”
The research was funded through a National Science Foundation grant and by NASA. Institutional support was provided from Georgia State’s College of Arts & Sciences and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development.
If you have any higher education tips or thoughts, email reporter Jason Armesto at jason.armesto@ajc.com.
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