Hear the story from the people who lived it!

Thirty years ago, Atlanta welcomed the world for the Centennial Olympic Games, a 17-day event that transformed the city and left a lasting mark on Georgia Tech's campus.

Join us for 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 & field), Dr. Mindy Millard-Stafford, director of Georgia Tech's Exercise Physiology Laboratory, and Public Engagement Librarian Charlie Bennett, who was a student at Georgia Tech during the Games. Together, they will share personal stories, behind-the-scenes perspectives, and reflections on this historic moment in Atlanta's history. Discover how the Olympics connected Georgia Tech to a global audience, transformed campus life, and created memories that continue to inspire three decades later.

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.