The new residence hall nearing completion on Currant Street will be named the Bud and Val Peterson Residence Hall, honoring Tech’s 11th President, George Paul ”Bud” Peterson and first lady, Val Peterson.
“Naming the new residence hall [after] the Petersons recognizes their profound impact across Georgia Tech, honoring their steadfast dedication and commitment to Georgia Tech students throughout their time at the Institute,” said Tech President Ángel Cabrera in an interview.
Cabrera, who spearheaded the naming process, reviewed the proposal with Tech’s internal naming committee before submitting it for consideration by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, which unanimously approved the decision at their meeting on Sept. 16.
During former President Bud Peterson’s transformative tenure from 2009 to 2019,Tech grew enrollment and more than doubled research expenditures, expanded its global reach and impact and was invited to join the Association of American Universities, which comprises the leading research universities in the nation.
The Petersons established key student programs, including the first Veterans Resource Center, LGBTQIA Resource Center and the First-Year Grand Challenges Living Learning Community. They executed Campaign Georgia Tech, a fundraising campaign that exceeded its initial $1.5 billion goal for a total of $1.8 billion, making it the most successful fundraising campaign in the Institute’s history. Under the Petersons’ leadership, Tech also led the transformation of Midtown into one of the fastest-growing entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems in the Southeast, adding 35 corporate innovation and research centers, as well as the Coda building.
“The naming of this residence hall will celebrate the couple’s remarkable service and lasting impact at Georgia Tech, preserving their legacy within our community,” said Cabrera.
That legacy is not only rooted in their past leadership but also in their continued contributions to the Institute. Bud Peterson currently serves 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. Val Peterson has taken part in many campus activities since 2019, such as leading yoga sessions.
The Peterson Residence Hall joins other landmark facilities on campus named in honor of past presidents, including the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons, Harrison Square and the Van Leer building. However, distinctively, it is the first to bear the name of both a president and a first lady.
“Bud and Val Peterson were a team,” Cabrera explained. “While one of them held the title and the job, the other one volunteered her time and worked tirelessly in service of Georgia Tech. They worked together and together helped transform Georgia Tech for the better.”
During her time as first lady, Val Peterson was deeply engaged with campus life and actively supported both students and faculty, establishing herself as a passionate ambassador for the Institute. She became affectionately known around the Institute as the “Queen Bee,” a nickname she embraced proudly.
Val Peterson was involved in a number of different impactful initiatives and organizations on campus. When The Tech Ends Suicide Together initiative launched in Fall 2016, Val Peterson became the chief spokesperson and made various appearances to raise awareness. With her at the helm, Tech Ends Suicide Together sought to shift focus from suicide reduction to suicide elimination.
The new Peterson Residence Hall consists of two separate building structures connected by a walkway. “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,” said Val. Peterson. “We gave her our hearts and souls for 10 and a half years, and that love has been returned to us a hundredfold.”
The 191,000-square-foot Bud and Val Peterson Residence Hall is the first new residence hall constructed on campus since 2005. Located on West Campus, it is set to open in August 2026 and boasts eight stories, 862 beds, a 24-hour automated market, study rooms, gaming spaces and a fitness center.