Passing the Torch: Georgia Tech and the Enduring Legacy of the Centennial Olympic Games

Join the Georgia Tech Library in the Scholars Event Theater on the first floor of Price Gilbert on Thursday, Sept. 17, from 6 – 7:30 p.m. for Passing the Torch: Georgia Tech and the Enduring Legacy of the Centennial Olympic Games, a panel discussion featuring members of the Georgia Tech community who experienced the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games firsthand.

Panelists include Olympian Matthew Ryan ('96, handball); Paralympic gold medalist and former vice chairman of the 1996 Paralympic Organizing Committee Al Mead ('88, '92, para track and field); Dr. Mindy Millard-Stafford, director of Georgia Tech's Exercise Physiology Laboratory; and Public Engagement Librarian Charlie Bennett, who was a Georgia Tech student during the Games.

Together, they will share personal stories, behind-the-scenes perspectives, and reflections on this historic moment in Atlanta's history.

The program will conclude with a special lighting of the 1996 Olympic torch in honor of former Georgia Tech mechanical engineering professor Sam Shelton, whose engineering expertise contributed to one of the most recognizable symbols of the Centennial Olympic Games.

About Centennial Summer: Georgia Tech's Olympic Legacy

Thirty years ago, Atlanta welcomed the world for the Centennial Olympic Games, a 17-day event that transformed both the city and the Georgia Tech campus. The Games spurred significant urban renewal and infrastructure projects, elevating Atlanta's profile on the global stage.

At the heart of that transformation was Georgia Tech. Serving as the Olympic Village and host to several competition venues, the Institute renovated Alexander Memorial Coliseum and added seven residence halls, North Avenue Apartments, the Campanile, and a new pool that later became part of the Campus Recreation Center, shaping the student experience for generations.

The Georgia Tech community is invited to revisit these Olympic memories and explore their legacy through the Library's newest exhibit, Centennial Summer: Georgia Tech's Olympic Legacy. The exhibit examines the lasting impact of the 1996 Games through photographs, artifacts, and personal stories.

Centennial Summer: Georgia Tech's Olympic Legacy is on display through mid-November in the Library Exhibit Gallery on the first floor of Price Gilbert. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily.