University of North Georgia (UNG) President Michael Shannon shared his vision for the future of the university and his enthusiasm about its momentum Oct. 24 in his State of the University address.

Shannon pointed to the seven strategic big bets and the moonshots that are helping UNG both envision and deliver "the most innovative, dynamic, legacy-making university in America."

"We're not just preparing our students for jobs. We're empowering our students to discover their passions, to find their voices. Ultimately, ladies and gentlemen, we are equipping every one of our students to walk toward their purpose," Shannon said. "We are delivering value. We are innovating. We are disrupting. We are daring to provide a curriculum and college experience suited to the challenges that students will face tomorrow, not the challenges of yesterday."

He pointed to key factors illustrating how that vision is unfolding:

• A 6.7% growth in enrollment as UNG serves 19,298 students this fall.
• $3.7 million in scholarships awarded to students in 2023-24 through the UNG Foundation.
• The start of the Cadet Leadership Preparatory Program this fall at the Gainesville Campus that readies students to enter the Corps of Cadets at the Dahlonega Campus their sophomore year.
• The opening of the Cumming Campus expansion this fall, enabling the addition of four-year degrees in elementary and special education, nursing, computer science, management, and international affairs.
• The Blue Ridge Campus expansion set to open next year.
• The recent launch of the Institute for Peak Performance, bringing together the collective expertise and resources of the Cadet Leadership Academy(CLA), Athletics Department and College of Health Sciences & Professions.
• The launch of the Leadership Foundry will curate a tailored leadership experience for students on all five campuses and be delivered at scale by fall 2027.

Shannon invoked President John F. Kennedy's 1962 "We choose to go to the moon" speech, highlighting, "We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too."

He also highlighted multiple students, faculty and alumni who embody the ideals UNG aims to instill.

"Our strategy is working. We are not just adapting to the changing landscape of higher education. Ladies and gentlemen, we are defining the future of higher education," Shannon said. "Our university is thriving, and we are creating an environment where our students are excelling. We are setting the conditions for a university that doesn't exist — yet."