Helena Mitchell G’78, G’87

Atlanta Regional Council member Helena Mitchell G’78, G’87 has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to Syracuse University and its students, particularly those enrolled in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. A loyal supporter of the Newhouse Dean’s Fund and the Undergraduate Black and Hispanic Scholarship Endowment, she also created the Helena Mitchell Scholarship to benefit black and Latino students at Newhouse. As the first minority student to earn a doctorate in electronic communications from Newhouse, she says, “The experience was so gratifying I felt compelled to establish the scholarship so other minority students could also find financial relief and mentorships as they pursued their dreams.”

In addition to her philanthropy, Mitchell has mentored countless students and financially supported interns at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Center for Advanced Communications Policy (CACP), where she serves as executive director. She focuses on development of multi-unit interdisciplinary teams that examine critical policy/research issues. “Because of the dynamic colleagues and talented students involved with the center, we’ve been able to create cutting-edge initiatives which we believe will contribute to making a better world for everyone,” Mitchell says.

Mitchell is a Regents’ Researcher, the highest status bestowed by the Board of Regents, which governs the University System of Georgia. In addition to her role at CACP, Mitchell holds the rank of principal research scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her areas of specialty include advanced communications technologies, regulatory policy, emergency/public safety communications, and universal service to vulnerable populations.

Since 2001, Mitchell has also been the principal investigator for the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies, funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. She previously held roles with the Federal Communications Commission, Rutgers University, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.