Please join us for a very special opportunity to hear from Dr. Suzanne Ortega, past president of the Council of Graduate Schools. She will present “The Future of Graduate Education: What Is and What Can Be” at the UGA Chapel on March 26, 2026 at 3:00 pm. Her address will be followed by a discussion moderated by Dr. Ron Walcott, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School at UGA.
This event is open to all and will be of interest to faculty, staff, and students who want to learn more about the current challenges facing graduate education, as well as opportunities for innovation. Dr. Ortega is a renowned expert and strong advocate for graduate education nationally. Don’t miss this exciting event!
Suzanne Ortega served as the 6th President of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) from 2014 through 2025. The only U.S. higher education association devoted solely to graduate study, CGS has nearly 500 U.S. and Canadian members and 25 international affiliates. A sociologist by training, Ortega’s research focuses on social inequality, mental health, and graduate education. She previously served as the University of North Carolina Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Executive Vice President and Provost at the University of New Mexico, and Vice Provost and Graduate Dean at both the University of Washington and the University of Missouri.
The author of numerous articles and book chapters, Ortega’s masters and doctoral degrees in sociology were completed at Vanderbilt University. She has served on review panels for NSF and NIH, has been the principal investigator or co-investigator on grants totaling more than $21 million in state, federal, and private foundation funds. Ortega has served on a number of professional association boards and committees, including the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), the National Academies of Science Committee on Revitalizing Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century, and the National Science Foundation’s Human Resources Expert Panel. In addition, she is currently a board member of the American University of the Emirates, serves on Advisory Councils for the Vanderbilt University Graduate School and the Societies Consortium on Sexual Harassment in STEMM.
