Our History

Serve-Learn-Sustain is an Institutional effort to equip Georgia Tech students to learn and serve around the theme “creating sustainable communities” through engagement with content and context. The initiative was developed as Tech's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), as a key component to its reaffirmation of accreditation.  The co-architects of the QEP were Ellen Zegura, Fleming Professor in the School of Computer Science, and Beril Toktay, Professor of Operations Management, Brady Family Chairholder in the Scheller College of Business.  During the QEP period, Dr. Zegura and Dr. Toktay served as the Center for Serve-Learn-Sustain's Faculty Executive Co-Directors and the Center reported to Colin Potts, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education.

We believe the plan, which formally begins in 2016, addresses educational needs clearly voiced by our graduates, enhances long-held Georgia Tech values and directly responds to Georgia Tech’s strategic plan.

For a deeper understanding of Serve-Learn-Sustain, we invite you to review some of our documentation. Sign up for our email list to stay up-to-date on our latest and greatest opportunities.

What is accreditation?
Accreditation is a peer-reviewed process by which colleges and universities are validated as degree-granting institutions. The accrediting organization for Georgia Tech is the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Reaffirmation of an institution’s accreditation occurs every 10 years.

What is a QEP (Quality Enhancement Plan)?
One of two main components of the reaffirmation effort, the Quality Enhancement Plan is expected to enhance the quality of student learning outcomes and/or the environment that supports student learning. It should have a wide-ranging effect on students. It must originate from a process that involves many campus constituencies, and it should be directly and traceably related an institution’s strategic plan.

What was Georgia Tech’s previous QEP?
Its last QEP was a combination of the International Plan and the Undergraduate Research Plan.

How did Georgia Tech choose this QEP?
The process began with an open call for concept papers in the fall of 2013. Collaboration was a requirement: concepts required at least five academic faculty from more than two colleges who were committed to the idea. Concepts were presented to the QEP Advisory Committee in February 2014, which recommended two proposals — sustainability and service learning — to be merged as a single vision. The remainder of 2014 was devoted to developing a fully formed plan, and soliciting feedback from a broad network of students, faculty, and administrators.