New Residence Hall to be Named for Former President, First Lady

The residence hall nearing completion on Curran Street will be named the Bud and Val Peterson Residence Hall, honoring the tenure of Georgia Tech's 11th president and first lady. The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved the naming at its Sept. 16 meeting in Atlanta.

G.P. "Bud" Peterson served as president from 2009 to 2019. Under his leadership, Georgia Tech enhanced student programs and grew enrollment; increased collaboration and built strategic partnerships in Atlanta and Georgia; expanded its global reach, with a focus on innovation; executed Campaign Georgia Tech, which raised $1.8 billion for the Institute; and more than doubled new research awards, exceeding $1 billion for the first time in 2019.

"The naming of this residence hall is a fitting tribute to the Petersons, whose unwavering commitment to Georgia Tech and its students shaped our Institute in lasting ways," said Ángel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech. "This building will stand as a reminder of their remarkable service and of the deep respect and affection the entire Georgia Tech family will always have for them."

Peterson has remained involved with the Institute as president emeritus, a Regents' Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and a member of the steering committee for Transforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech.

He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, a second bachelor's degree in mathematics, and a master's degree in engineering, all from Kansas State University. Peterson earned a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University.

"I want to thank President Cabrera and the USG Board of Regents for this recognition," Peterson said. "As undergraduate students at Kansas State, Val and I both lived in campus residence halls, and we are especially pleased to be recognized in this way."

As first lady, Val Peterson was a dedicated presence on campus and an ardent supporter of students and faculty. She served as a chief spokesperson for the Tech Ends Suicide Together initiative when it launched in 2016 and was a mentor to students and campus organizations. Val Peterson holds two bachelor's degrees and a teaching certificate from Kansas State University and a master's degree from Texas A&M. She has been recognized as an honorary alumna by the Georgia Tech Alumni Association for her devotion to the greater good of Georgia Tech.

"Names like Brittain Dining Hall, the Pettit Microelectronics Building, and the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons just roll off my tongue. But it feels quite different having the Bud and Val Peterson Residence Hall, which we'll be able to walk into one day soon," she said. "The beauty of having a two-in-one residence hall that carries both of our names is that it represents our body of work as we ran this university together. We gave her our hearts and souls for 10 and a half years, and that love has been returned to us a hundredfold."

The Petersons have four adult children, two of whom are Georgia Tech alumni, and four grandchildren.

The Bud and Val Peterson Residence Hall is the first new residence hall constructed on campus since 2005. The 191,000-square-foot facility for approximately 860 first-year students is scheduled for completion in 2026.