Academy “launches” new study, conference space for students

(January 23, 2024) - After years of operation and innovation, Clayton State University’s Launchpad Leadership Academy is finally ready to physically open for business.

The inaugural opening of the Academy’s new campus space will be hosted at Room 329 in the James M. Baker University Center on Thursday, January 25, from 12-2 p.m.

Genesis Polo, the executive assistant to the dean of Clayton State’s College of Information and Mathematical Sciences (CIMS), said that the new academy space will be arranged to help students feel both relaxed and professionally ready to engage in casual conversations and networking events alike with local industry leaders.

“The studio room has sofas and sofa chairs in one section as soon as you walk in to give it a home living room feel,” Polo said. “When you walk towards the back side, there are high top tables and stools to give it more of a restaurant feeling, where students can have more privacy.”

The new academy space will additionally feature a two-roomed studio, complete with a conference room for in-person and virtual meetings, as well as a section set up entirely for Academy industry partners to engage with and work with students – some of whom may even become prospective future employees.

Polo said that all on campus are invited, and that food and drinks will be provided for all who attend. Guest speakers, local politicians, and Clayton State industry partners will also be present to speak to students and network with them, further showcasing the academy’s benefits.

“From what I know, there’s not another space like this on campus where you can just come hang out, probably find someone from Google or Intuit,” Polo said. “It’s a place where you can just network ... it brings us to the forefront.”