Alumni Magazine Fall 2018

COLUMBUS STATE THE MAGAZINE OF COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS

FALL 2018

A SEASON TO REMEMBER CSU Men’s Tennis team brings home national championship 2018 EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR HOMECOMING HIGHLIGHTS CSU, THEN AND NOW: A 60TH ANNIVERSARY FOUR-PART SERIES

FROM THE PRESIDENT President Markwood and graduate Jocelyn Canedo

Celebrating 60 Years with New Milestones

T

he 2018-19 academic year, which began this fall, is shaping up to be truly momentous for Columbus State University.

With our provost now fully on board and a newly adopted strategic plan finalized, just look at what is coming up this year: • Celebrating the 60th anniversary of Columbus State University’s founding.

• Closing out the First Choice Comprehensive Campaign with another astounding fundraising total.

• Unveiling CSU’s brand (now being developed) to better tell our story.

• Embracing our roots by participating in Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP), a national public advocacy and campus action initiative that champions the importance of a liberal education.

• Opening a new science building addition and planning for a renovation of the main library.

• Discussing some exciting new academic possibilities, such as robotics.

• Continuing our quest to be creative and student-centered in all we do.

This is just a sampling of what I know is on the horizon.

What makes Columbus State University so exciting is that there is something new around the corner every day.

Most of the things on this list will be driven by our faculty and staff. But rest assured that our students are also making an impact on this university in the most positive ways. As an

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example from last semester, we had an annual event we call Tower Day — it is for undergraduate students representing disciplines and is part of Columbus State University’s Celebration of Academic Excellence. This annual event is a showcase for undergraduate research and creative endeavors and drew students from all corners of campus.

The caliber of work by these undergraduate students was quite impressive. We had students working on techniques that would allow cancer cells to be targeted by medications, exploring Bluetooth cybersecurity, cataloging artifacts from 1000 AD, studying fossils of ancient stingrays and comparing their growth rates to modern stingrays and developing small cubeshaped satellites that might one day be launched to study the atmosphere of Venus.

In this issue of Columbus State University magazine, read about all the great things happening at CSU and let us know how you can be a part of our momentum. Stay in touch.

Contribute to our campaign. Be a mentor. Recruit a student.

Tell a neighbor about what’s going on here. Be involved!

Thanks for all you do for our community and for each other.

Chris Markwood President

TABLE OF CONTENTS

VOL. 25 NO. 2 • FALL 2018

EDITOR

Josh Becker CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Kristin Andris Anne Appleton CSU Archives Eric Crouch Kareem Moore Michael Rominger MAGAZINE LAYOUT & DESIGN

Rowland Publishing, Inc. VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT

Rocky Kettering ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT & SPECIAL EVENTS

Jennifer Joyner CHIEF OF STAFF

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John Lester DIRECTOR OF UNIVERSITY RELATIONS

Greg Hudgison ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE TO:

Columbus State Alumni Magazine Office of University Relations Columbus State University 4225 University Ave. Columbus, GA 31907 ur@columbusstate.edu @COLUMBUSSTATE @CSUCOUGARALUMNI

FACEBOOK.COM/COLUMBUSSTATE FACEBOOK.COM/ COLUMBUSSTATEUNIVERSITYALUMNI

ON THE COVER CSU’s men’s tennis program returns to campus with a surprise from Arizona: a National Championship Title.

IN THIS ISSUE

FEATURES

2 5 6 15 25

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Dr. Jim Owen

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Coach Evan Isaacs

26 28 31

President’s Letter First Choice Campaign Campus News What’s Trending Q &A: Dr. Kimberly M. Scott Library Media Specialist at Double Churches Elementary School

Class Notes Alumni Scene Upcoming Events

16 18 22

CSU Educator of the Year

CSU Coach claims national championship

Homecoming 2018 Tennis National Champions Building the Foundations of CSU Part one of four celebrates the beginnings of CSU in honor of our 60 year anniversary

READ & REACT: Visit magazine.columbusstate.edu to give us your reaction to this edition.

See page 18 for the full story.

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CSU is Celebrating Sweet 60!

To celebrate 60 years of philanthropy, we are challenging all of our alumni to make a $60 gift to the CSU Fund before December 31, 2018! To make things more exciting, we are offering a dollar-for-dollar match for up to $1 million. You can double the value of your gift and participate in the First Choice Comprehensive Campaign.

Join the 60 for 60 Challenge! *Please note that the 60 for 60 challenge is for gifts to the University’s Greatest Need (CSU Fund) only. We will count and match all alumni gifts at any amount until the challenge is complete.

Give Online: Visit Giving.ColumbusState.edu/60460 Speak to a Foundation Representative: Call 706.507.8945 To show your support via mail, please send gifts to: 4225 University Avenue Columbus, GA 31907 Please make all checks payable to the CSU Foundation.

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CSU GIVING: BY THE NUMBERS WHO OUR SUPPORTERS ARE:

40% Alumni

72%

of donors are from Georgia

Donors are from

50 STATES

52%

& 11 foreign countries

Friends

8%

FUNDS RAISED FROM 8/1/12 – 7/31/18:

Corporations/ Foundations

NEW CONTRIBUTORS:

57%

were first-time donors

LOCAL, NATIONAL, GLOBAL REACH:

51%

$91M $25M

$116M

cash, pledges & planned gifts gifts-in-kind, property & related income to date

of new alumni donors graduated after campaign began (8/1/2012) FALL 2018

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CAMPUS NEWS

CSU Servant Leadership Students Raise Funds for Warrior Outreach Community Center Warrior Outreach in Fortson, Georgia, recently broke ground on a new community center for veterans, thanks to $15,000 in funding raised by Columbus State University’s Servant Leadership senior class.

“We decided on Warrior Outreach because we live in a large community of military, active, reserves, National Guard and veterans from all branches,” said Ellie Pippas, senior Servant Leadership student. “CSU Servant Leadership has never had a senior project that has touched the lives of our military community, and Warrior Outreach’s mission hit close to home for our senior class. We love what (Warrior Outreach founder) Sam Rhodes and his wife stand for and their mission to help veterans and their families with their support, horses and good company.”

Each year, seniors in Columbus State University’s Servant Leadership Program choose an organization to partner with to help make a positive impact on the community. This year, they hosted the third annual Uptown Tree Trail, with all profits from the event going towards Warrior Outreach’s new community center.

Construction for the community center began with a groundbreaking ceremony for its new community center at its future location on Warrior Outreach Ranch in Fortson. The Center provides activities for military families through equine therapy that help heal, build camaraderie and connect with resources.

Their goal is to partner to help past, present and future service members and their families.

Servant Leadership at CSU is a comprehensive program committed to developing future leaders who practice the servant leadership philosophy.

Participants are given the opportunity to develop leadership skills through exciting and innovative leadership classes, hands-on modeling of leadership practices, participation in community service projects and much more. Servant Leadership is created on a foundation of love and compassion, where power and authority are used to benefit the whole of an organization, encouraging individuals to grow and achieve autonomy.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Local Businesses Provide Suits to Veterans through CSU’s Military Enrollment Office Dusty Amenta, an Army veteran and accounting major at Columbus State University, recently received a full professional makeover, thanks to JCPenney and CSU’s military enrollment office.

“This is greatly welcomed,” said Amenta. “As a mom and an Army wife, it has taken me eight years to graduate. I haven’t had much time to do things like this.”

Amenta, who will graduate in December, received a free suit, shoes, haircut and makeup makeover from JCPenney as part of CSU’s Suits for Veterans program.

She was shown the royal treatment at JCPenney. Staff escorted her around the store, helping her select the perfect suit and ensuring she made it to her appointments at the salon and makeup counter. Amenta’s friends even joined in on the effort to make Amenta’s day extra special; they watched Amenta’s daughter so she could enjoy her makeover.

The experience was coordinated by CSU’s office of military enrollment, a department at CSU that is focused on serving the needs of military-affiliated students.

Chancellors, E&S Suit Warehouse and JCPenney have all donated suits for the new program. So far, six militaryaffiliated students have received suits.

“We strive to do whatever we can to help our militaryaffiliated students have a smooth college experience,” said Susan Lovell, Director of Military Enrollment at CSU. “One of the frequent issues that we hear is our students do not have suits for graduation or job interviews. We’ve reached out to businesses in the community and have found that they are more than happy to help our military families as they prepare for their next step.”

All Competitive Pre-Med Program Graduates Accepted to Med School The first full group of graduates from Columbus State University’s new Competitive Pre-Med Studies Program is on its way to medical school this fall. The program’s founder, Dr. Katey Hughes, said all six graduates who applied to medical school were accepted.

Another five graduates are preparing their applications for entry next year.

“If you talk to students from all over the country, you would see students who are academically qualified to get into medical school, but along the way, life happened to them,” said Hughes. “I thought that there needed to be a better way to provide opportunities to our students that they wouldn’t get at any other university.”

Recognizing a nationwide need for more support of pre-med students, Hughes created the unique CSU program in 2013 with support from CSU’s College of Letters and Sciences. A clinical volunteering program, five-week shadowing experience with local physicians, “physician coffee talks,” mentorships between upperclassmen and freshmen, MCAT preparation materials and field trips to nearby medical schools are among the many benefits students receive in the program to prepare them for their next step toward becoming a doctor.

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CAMPUS NEWS

Local Teachers to Bring Cybersecurity to Schools after CSU Workshop Columbus State University’s TSYS School of Computer Science hosted a workshop to provide a select group of local teachers with the skills and knowledge they need to bring cybersecurity curricula into their schools.

“I wanted to learn about cybersecurity because it is a highly needed area,” said Chris Lovelock, a technology and engineering teacher at Double Churches Middle School and one of the workshop’s 20 attendees. “It has been a lot of information in a short period of time, and it has been good to network with other teachers.”

Led by CSU professors Dr. Lixin Wang and Dr. Yesem Peker, the workshop engages attendees in hands-on activities that enhance knowledge and skills

in cybersecurity. Participating teachers receive a complete set of teaching materials for high school and middle school cybersecurity courses, a cybersecurity training certificate and a $600 stipend.

The workshop was sponsored by a grant from GenCyber, a jointly funded effort by the National Security Agency and the National Science Foundation.

This is the first GenCyber workshop for teachers that CSU has hosted, although the university offered a GenCyber camp for middle school students last year.

To learn more about how CSU’s TSYS Center for Cybersecurity is equipping the students of today to grapple with the computer and network security issues of tomorrow, visit CS.ColumbusState.edu/CAE-IA/

CSU Students Recognized for Work on Award-Winning Film Columbus State University students were recently recognized on stage at the Atlanta Film Festival for their work on the production of an award-winning film.

Still, a modern suspense drama that was shot in Columbus, made its world debut to sold-out audiences at the Atlanta Film Festival and received the Georgia Award, an honor that recognizes the best film produced in Georgia. During the award’s presentation, the film’s director, Takashi Doscher, recognized 12 interns from the CSU Communication Department’s Georgia Film Academy certificate program.

As part of their internship course credit requirements, the CSU students served as on-set crew members for the production of the film.

Typically, students must travel to Atlanta to complete their internship requirements, but CSU Associate Vice President for Engagement and Economic Development Richard Baxter and Communication Department Chair Danna Gibson helped to recruit the film to Columbus. The effort was the first of many initiatives from the Georgia Film Academy, Columbus State University’s Communication Department and the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau Film Office to provide training and education to a new generation of Georgia filmmakers in CSU’s film production program.

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CAMPUS NEWS

CSU Announces Winners of 7th Annual Business Plan Competition Columbus State University’s Turner College of Business recently awarded three aspiring entrepreneurs with funding to launch their own businesses. The recipients were the winners of CSU’s seventh annual Business Plan Competition, which is open to both students and members of the community.

Out of the 31 business plans submitted to the competition this year, the judges selected Kimberly Presley as the 2018 winner and recipient of a $3,000 prize. Presley, a current CSU student, proposed a new shooting target that is safer than the traditional clay targets

used by most recreational shooters.

Not only is Presley’s product biodegradable, but it is also edible. The judges were impressed with the creativity and long-term profit potential of producing and selling biodegradable shooting targets.

Additional prizes were also awarded to the second-place winner Victor Feliciano and third-place winner Nathan Carr. Feliciano is the founder of Vicinity Tours, a guided touring company for the Columbus area. Carr is the owner of SonicAirflow, and his product, AirJet, is a patent-pending twin

turbo fan that regulates the temperature in large areas, such as warehouses.

Dr. Kirk Heriot, professor of management and the Ray and Evelyn Crowley Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship, created The Business Plan Competition in 2012 and was on hand to present checks to this year’s winners at a luncheon in the Schuster Center. The competition, which is open to both students and members of the community, is hosted by CSU’s Turner College of Business. Prize winners from previous years have gone on to start new businesses based on the plans that they entered into the competition.

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FEATURE

Dr. Jim Owen CSU’s 2018 Educator of the Year

BY JOSH BECKER | PHOTO BY MICHAEL ROMINGER

D

r. Jim Owen has been an English professor at Columbus State University for nearly 24 years, making him one of the few remaining professors to remember the sleepy, quiet campus of early ’90s Columbus College.

“We had fewer students, the downtown campus was a set of blueprints on my dean’s desk, few students lived in dorms, most were from a 20-mile radius,” recalled Owen. “Since then, CSU has gone through a natural growth process — more students are here, the commuter-campus feel is gone. We’re beginning to feel like a larger university.”

Owen has been a pivotal part of that transformation and was recognized as such this spring when students named him CSU’s 2018 Educator of the Year.

Bestowed by the Student Government Association, the award recognizes and promotes teaching excellence among the university’s faculty. Awardees are nominated by students and evaluated on the basis of knowledge, consistency, dependability and creativity. Then, they are recognized at the annual Scholastic Honors Convocation ceremony.

Like many students who pass through his halls, Owen discovered his passion for literature by pushing himself and seeking out the most challenging professors, first at North Carolina State University, where he received his B.A. and M.A., then at the University of Virginia, where he received his PhD. From modernism

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“I’M PROUD. THAT SAID, THERE ARE MANY FACULTY MEMBERS AT CSU WHO HAVE WORKED JUST AS HARD, OR HARDER, WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN PUBLICLY RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR WORK. I TOLD ONE OF THE STUDENTS ON THE SELECTION COMMITTEE THAT I VIEWED GETTING THE EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD AS A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.” — DR. JIM OWEN and romanticism to British literature of the Restoration, there was something to glean from every author and every page, but it was a seminar on Charles Dickens, given by Elliot Engel at N.C. State, that provided Owen with a focus: the 18th century novel.

While he taught a course on the 18th century novel at CSU for many years, he now finds that these are not books for our times. “I decided a few years back that the 18th century novel just doesn’t work right now,” Owen mused. “The books are all quite long, and we live in a time when if I put one 800-page novel on a syllabus, I’ll be burnt in effigy, if not in actuality.”

Today, Owen lets the students take part in the planning process, giving them a voice as he creates the syllabus. Take this past year’s Jane Austen seminar and a new course combining the literature of the Romantics and the Victorian Age. “The Austen seminar came about as a response to a number of student evaluations stating

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‘you should teach more Austen.’ Well, now I have. And I think the students in that class all found, as I have, that there’s more to Austen than first meets the eye. The combined Romantics and Victorian class kept me on my toes, but I wound up deeply enjoying the class and the material we studied. We ended with Thomas Hardy’s novel Tess, and the students seemed to feel that it was the perfect cap to the semester.”

Owen was touched when he won the Educator of the Year Award.

“I’m proud. That said, there are many faculty members at CSU who have worked just as hard, or harder, who have never been publicly recognized for their work. I told one of the students on the selection committee that I viewed getting the Educator of the Year Award as a lifetime achievement award. I’ve spent the majority of my adult life teaching, and I’m very honored to have been chosen for this year’s award.”

FEATURE

Dr. Jim Owen

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Coach Evan Isaacs CSU coach finally finds his national championship

BY JOSH BECKER | PHOTOS BY ANNE APPLETON

E

van Isaacs has been playing tennis for as long as he can remember. You might even say it’s in his blood. “I remember playing tennis with my parents when I was 2 or 3 years old, and I grew up watching my grandfather play,” recalls Isaacs, now head coach of Columbus State University’s men’s and women’s tennis teams. “My grandfather was a very good player growing up, even got a chance to play Bobby Riggs, who, as you know was on the losing side of ‘The Battle of the Sexes’ match.”

His grandfather was a line judge for a number of tournaments featuring superstars such as John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, so Isaacs was in attendance for many storied matches. One such match was at the 1986 Atlanta AT&T Challenge of Champions, in which McEnroe had one of his trademark meltdowns. “You can pull it up on YouTube — he was getting really mad at a line judge. I was a big McEnroe fan, sitting in the front row, and so I started yelling at the line judge, too,” Isaacs said with a laugh.

“And that line judge? Yep, it was my grandpa.”

Isaacs’ passion for the sport was evident from an early age, but it was at Jefferson State Community College, under the tutelage of the legendary Coach Bal Moore, that Isaacs’ passion was given focus and his game was taken to the next level. “At the time, Bal was

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the winningest coach in college tennis, but he had never won a national championship,” recounts Isaacs. “I was on his last team and we were supposed to win a national championship for him.

What ended up happening, though, is that we fell short.”

The team that came so close to winning it all went their separate ways after that season, scattering across the country to new programs. Seven of the eight players would go onto win a National Championship after their junior college career. Only one guy didn’t.

“Yeah, that poor one guy was me,” admitted Isaacs, laughing. “Ever since, I’ve always wanted to win a national championship; coming so close always kind of stuck in my craw. That’s why I became a coach: because I wanted to win a national championship for myself, sure, but especially for Coach Bal.” Isaacs received several offers to finish his playing career at Division I programs — Michigan and Ohio, among others — but a longtime school friend talked him into visiting Columbus College.

“I had lived in Atlanta but had never heard of Columbus College back then.

But I figured we’d go at least take a look at it, and it was kind of funny. I was coming from a junior college that was top five in the country, and, at that time, Columbus College didn’t even have a coach — or much in the way of scholarship opportunities for that matter. It was still very much a commuter college.

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“I TRY NOT TO RECRUIT MORE THAN THREE PLAYERS ON A TEAM FROM ANY ONE COUNTRY. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE OUR PLAYERS TO LEARN FROM OTHER CULTURES. IT’S REALLY HELPED OUR TEAM TO GROW AND TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER.” — COACH EVAN ISAACS There were only around 3,000 students.

There was no downtown area. You had The Loft and that was pretty much the only place we had to go to hang out.

The only dorms were the old Courtyard One, because everybody basically lived off campus. The team — and the college — had nowhere to go but up.”

One of the first Cougars that Isaacs met during his visit was Coach Herbert Greene, Columbus State’s legendary athletics director, and he was sold immediately. “Coach Greene was just an amazing guy,” said Isaacs.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

“He created a family atmosphere that brought everybody together, inspiring everyone to work together. If someone needed something, he knew how best to help that person. We were a band of brothers and sisters back then, and as coaches and students. We didn’t have much, but we learned how to do more with less and because of that, we felt like we could do anything. Coach Greene is one of the main reasons I chose CSU.” Isaacs attained his undergraduate degree in recreational management in 1995. The real world beckoned, but

Isaacs balked. “After I got my undergrad, I just sat there and thought to myself, ‘I don’t know if I want to work yet,’ ” admitted Isaacs. “So, I chose to get a graduate degree in public administration. Yes, one reason I chose this path is I didn’t want to work yet, but the other reason is that when I graduated with my undergraduate degree, I saw the nice, little hoods that the master’s graduates get. They looked pretty cool, and I just really wanted one of my own.

So, the day after graduation, I went to Coach Greene and told him that I didn’t

want to leave the tennis team, that I wanted to continue doing what I was doing and he let me do that. I became the first graduate assistant for the tennis program. But I really just wanted the hood and didn’t want to work yet.”

In 1997, Isaacs got his hood, earning his master’s in public administration.

Still, although armed with a top-notch education, he felt there was unfinished business to attend to on the campus courts: that elusive national championship. So, Isaacs again chose Columbus State, this time assuming the role and

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT responsibilities of full-time coach of the tennis program. He then began implementing a process that would, 17 years later, elevate his team to the upper echelons of collegiate tennis.

Seventeen years, though, is a long time, and Isaacs faced one of his greatest challenges as a coach his very first year in charge: rebuilding the entire women’s tennis team from the ground up. “When I first took over, the guys’ situation wasn’t all that bad, but the girls were really fractured,” Isaacs revealed. “I think there were two girls on scholarship. It’s January, and I had to put together an entire girl’s team by the beginning of February just to play the first match. It’s not like I could go recruit out-of-town, I had to pick people off campus. That first year, I took anybody that had any tennis experience. If you had a racket, you were on the team. It didn’t matter if your last match was in high school or if you took lessons back when you a kid. It was like, ‘I will give you money to do this.’ ” Isaacs’ first season went about as good as could be expected. “We won one match,” Isaacs said smiling. “But we had fun. It was important to me to take what I’d learned from Coach Greene and apply it to my teams. The brotherhood and sisterhood, the teamwork, the discipline, the conditioning that helped position us to punch above our weight — that’s what we as coaches are trying to keep alive in the athletics department today. It’s why so many alumni come back to coach here, because of that personal connection to the university and the lessons we learned here as students. I think maybe you feel a bit more pride about your job, and you put more effort into it when you have blood in the game.”

Today, things are different.

Enrollment is at record highs, the quality of student-athletes the athletics department attracts is phenomenal, and thanks to the new state-of-the-art John W. Walden Tennis Center, the facilities finally match the passion and drive of a program on the rise.

Seven acres of land were cleared to make room for 12 new hard courts and nine clay courts. As part of the

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“I REMEMBER PLAYING TENNIS WITH MY PARENTS WHEN I WAS 2 OR 3 YEARS OLD, AND I GREW UP WATCHING MY GRANDFATHER PLAY.” — COACH EVAN ISAACS expansion, six courts are equipped with PlaySight technology, a video component with live-streaming capabilities that transforms the home courts into fully interactive practice sites.

Columbus State is the first NCAA Division II program in the country to employ PlaySight technology on its home courts. To put that in perspective, fewer than 20 NCAA Division I programs have similar technology.

“Now, I’m sure all coaches say they have a great facility,” admits Isaacs, “but, really, we have a great facility. It is an incredible recruiting tool. When prospects come to visit, I purposely leave out the facility over at Cooper Creek until the very end. It’s always the last thing I show them. When we go over there, we walk in and their eyes light up and you can just see them thinking, ‘I can’t believe that this is the place we’re going to play!’ So, it was

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really neat to see that type of enthusiasm for the complex.”

When it comes to recruiting, Isaacs recruits student-athletes from all over the world. “We basically have a model UN — New Zealand, Spain, France, Italy, Romania, Taiwan,” Isaacs said.

“I think that kind of diversity is important for a team. I try not to recruit more than three players on a team from any one country. I want to encourage our players to learn from other cultures. It’s really helped our team to grow and to understand each other.”

That growth and understanding, the players’ passion, determination and hard work and Isaacs’ lifetime of experience all came together this season to produce a run that would take the 2018 CSU Men’s Tennis Team all the way to Surprise, Arizona.

All the way to the NCAA Division II National Championship.

Join the Men’s Tennis Team on the road to the National Championship.

Their journey begins on page 18.

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WHO TO FOLLOW

TINY COUGAR New parents Richard and Laura Beth Barrow, both employees at CSU, participated in the #ColumbusStateSpirit photo contest with their new daughter, Wren.

K9 Lieutenant Duk Follow Columbus State University Police Department’s newest officer, K9 Lieutenant Duk. INSTAGRAM: csupolice_k9_duk

WELCOME HOME The national championshipwinning Columbus State University Men’s Tennis Team was welcomed home with full support from the community, complete with a party and police escort.

Watch the victory party on CSU’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ColumbusState.

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HOMECOMING

THE COUGAR NATION HOMECOMING EXPERIENCE Alumni, friends and community members come together annually for the alwaysexciting Homecoming Weekend. With activities for the entire family, join us for this year’s popular events:

FRIDAY, OCT. 26

Alumni Recognition Awards Homecoming Parade and Outdoor Concert SATURDAY, OCT. 27

CougarFest Craft Beer Tasting Fireworks and band, Funk Factory 5, playing at Evening on the Top

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HOMECOMING

Register NOW at Homecoming.ColumbusState.edu

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COVER STORY

Champagne rains down on Shao-Yu Yu and Alvaro Regalado as the team celebrates with family, friends, faculty and fans.

COVER STORY

Our Year: The Men’s Tennis Team’s Road to the National Championship

BY JOSH BECKER AND STEPHEN WILLIAMS | PHOTOS BY ANNE APPLETON

C

olumbus State’s road to the National Championship began much like last season ended — with a hard fought battle against Barry University.

Last year, the men’s team lost to Barry in the NCAA semifinals. This year’s team was essentially the same group of players, and, in the wake of that heartbreaking loss, the men immediately began mulling over every aspect of their performance, wondering what they did right, where they fell short and determining the areas in which they needed to improve.

“The core group of guys made it their mission that they were going to work harder in the fall and compete at an even higher level than the season before,” said head coach Evan Isaacs.

“They did the things necessary to keep in shape. They were at all the fitness and conditioning sessions.

They kept each other accountable.

They helped each other when one of them struggled.

“They put in the work, and it showed.”

Still, it would prove a long road to Arizona. This season’s schedule was brutal. The team dropped three matches in March, all three losses to top-10 teams. In every defeat, though, is the blueprint for victory. The men learned from the hardships of March and entered April with a renewed

sense of purpose as they won every match leading up to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament.

The winning streak continued in tournament play, with convincing wins over North Georgia in the quarterfinals and Georgia College in the semifinals, but it was their shutout victory of Lander University in the championship that convinced the team that this season was something special.

“That’s when it really clicked,” Isaacs said. “We played a pretty

awesome match, and that’s when they knew. That performance made us recognize our potential, and it was an amazing experience to see it happen.”

The NCAA Division II Men’s Tennis National Championship was held at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in Surprise, Arizona. The opportunity to travel across the country to play for the national title is already an unforgettable experience, but CSU staff arranged a police escort to accompany the team from the

The men’s tennis team hoists their first-ever NCAA National Championship Trophy.

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COVER STORY

KP Pannu in action at the NCAA Southeast Regional Men’s Tennis Tournament.

“THE GUYS JUST BELIEVED IN EACH OTHER, AND THEY KNEW THAT THEY HAD A CHANCE TO WIN IT ALL. WHEN YOU CAN BUILD THAT KIND OF CULTURE, IT’S SOMETHING SPECIAL TO HAVE, AND BIG THINGS CAN HAPPEN.” — COACH EVAN ISAACS campus to the airport. “It was amazing,” exclaimed Isaacs. “I mean, who does that? You see it with football teams all the time, but them being able to do that for us was really special.”

Arizona is hot. Really hot. The team did not know exactly how hot it would feel until the soles of their shoes started to melt on the asphalt. And the 25-mph wind made it seem like they were playing in a blow dryer. These weren’t conditions easily replicated back in Georgia, but Isaacs had prepared them the best he could.

“For two or three weeks after conference tournaments, we would all gather at the Rec Center facility, and I’d put the team in the saunas for 15 minutes a day, just to give them a feel for what the heat would be like out there. It was good to be able to do that.”

Unfortunately, that was not the only condition for which it proved impossible to prepare. The day before the tournament kicked off, Isaacs spent most of the day in the hospital with kidney stones. “I had never had a kidney stone before, and, wow, I thought I was dying.

So, I had to deal with kidney stones all week, but even with the added adversity, I thought to myself this might be a sign that something cool was about to happen. You always see these

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Hollywood movies where something horrible happens to the team, but then, at the very end, they find it in themselves to rise to the occasion — and the team wins the big game! So, I thought, ‘All right, sure, I’ll suffer if we’re going to win a championship.’”

By all accounts, the men were never nervous. There was no doubt or anxiety — only motivation and the will to win.

“We had a meeting that night, and I said, ‘Guys, win or lose, this will be the most influential day of your collegiate tennis career — win or lose — but nobody remembers who finishes second. You guys will remember, and this day will either give you joy for the rest of your life or you’ll think about it from time to time and wonder what might have been. Just go out and give it everything you got. And if we have to go to the hospital, we’ll go to the hospital together, because I’ve been there all week!’”

The championship itself was a backand-forth affair, the top two teams in the country battling it out on the scorching court, a spirited duel from the opening serve. Alvaro Regalado

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and Zach Whaanga set a strong tone to start the day, dominating first doubles for an 8-3 victory. Barry (25-3) evened the match at one apiece with an 8-6 win at second doubles, but Jorge Vargas and Arnold Kokulewski scored a huge 9-7 victory in the swing match at third to give the Cougars a 2-1 advantage heading into singles.

Singles play got off to a stumbling start though, as only Matei Avram and Kokulewski claimed first set wins.

The skid continued as Avram fell 6-4, 2-6, 0-6, leveling the contest at 2-all.

The Barry Bucs seized the momentum, quickly taking down Vargas 4-6, 6-7 at fifth singles and pulling into the lead for the first time that day.

That’s when the Cougars’ fitness and conditioning training started to become a factor in turning the momentum back toward CSU, with Kokulewski pulling out a 7-6, 6-4 win in the sixth position to send it back to even at three. With the match down to a best of three, each of the top three singles matches went into the third set. The Cougars lost the opening set in each contest before rallying back to force the third.

COVER STORY

The team had each other’s backs the whole season.

Second singles was the first to drop, with Whaanga suffering a 4-6, 6-4, 2-6 loss to put the Cougars on the verge of defeat. “I didn’t realize how close it was at the time. We were down, we knew that we needed to win two out of three doubles points but we ended up losing at two doubles and winning at three doubles. So, we were up 2-1. I felt like our matchups were favorable and that we had a chance to win.”

The match then fell into the hands — or on the shoulders — of KP Pannu, the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year, and Regalado, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Rookie of the Year. Regalado steamrolled through the final set for a 6-7, 6-2, 6-1 win that tied the match at four, and Pannu, moments later, secured the national championship, winning by the exact same score.

Columbus State’s banner year closed out with 16 consecutive victories, the program’s second consecutive sweep of the PBC regular season and tournament

Coach Evan Isaacs addresses local news after the historic championship.

championships — and the Cougars’ first national championship in team history.

This championship was a true team effort, a collaboration and a partnership. A brotherhood.

“The guys just believed in each other, and they knew that they had a chance to win it all. When you can build that kind of culture, it’s something special to have and big things can happen. It’s also pretty neat to have a bunch an 18-to-22year-old know-it-alls believe in your vision, share in your passion and trust

the blueprint that you’re putting out saying that this is the road to success.

This was our year, and it was awesome.”

The next day, the Columbus State men’s tennis team brought the national championship trophy home. They rode in on a firetruck, trophy held high, again led by a police escort, back to campus, where a crowd of friends, family, fans, faculty and staff awaited to congratulate them. After all, this was our year.

This will always be our year.

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FEATURE First registration on Monday, Sept. 22, 1958

Building the Foundations of CSU Part one of a four part series

BY JOSH BECKER | PHOTOS BY CSU ARCHIVES

S

ixty years ago, there was nothing here. No classrooms. No students or professors, faculty or staff. No clock tower rising from the quad, marking time. There was simply a small dairy farm on the outskirts of Columbus, a spacious field of grass filled with a languid herd of cows owned by Mr. and Mrs. Walter L. Miller. Blank slates became solid foundations, and humble beginnings inspired drive and ambition.

With hard work, determination and a generosity of spirit over several generations, a small dairy farm on the fringes of the city was transformed into a worldclass institute of higher education and an engine of economic development in the community, the Southeast and beyond.

It was 1943. Lassie Come Home was playing at the Bradley Theater, a bottle of Coca-Cola would set you back a nickel and America was still engulfed in World War II. However, the economic

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development generated by the war effort was a boon to local mills and manufacturers, encouraging city leaders to implement plans to modernize and enrich the quality of life of Columbus’ citizens. A group of civic and business leaders formed the “Greater Columbus Committee” and presented their vision to the Chamber of Commerce, then led by President J.Q. Davidson. One of the monumental endeavors these early city fathers aimed to tackle was to revolutionize the education system in Muscogee County. Under the chamber’s leadership, the city government, school board and citizenry would — by the end of the war — come together to form a public-private partnership intent on establishing an institute of higher learning, right here in Columbus.

The gestational period of CSU had no shortage of committees, led by the best and brightest across the Chattahoochee Valley. These committees — these citizens — would petition the state

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government for funding. They would stage fundraising receptions. They would personally seek donations amongst their social circles. They put their shoulders to the wheel and did the heavy lifting, and for all their hard work and herculean efforts, about 180 people raised more than $92,000 … in 1948. That would be almost $1 million today.

It was with this money that a special committee, including such familiar names as Davidson, Robert M. Arnold and Walter A. Richards, in conjunction with the Board of Education, completed the purchase of the dairy farm in 1950.

It would be 13 more years before a single student walked onto the main campus. There was still much work to be done.

In 1955, two reports were published, one by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and one by the George Peabody College for Teachers. Both

FEATURE

Inside the first fall registration at CSU

grabbed a different part of the elephant but basically described the same beast — it was essential for Georgia residents to have access to higher education opportunities. It then became a matter of purview, responsibility, support and whether these things should occur at the state level, the local level or both. For the next three years, it was a messy, magnificent mix of the three.

The outpouring of local support was tremendous as the movement to implement a statewide, state-controlled system of junior colleges gathered steam.

Naturally, more committees were formed.

Lots of committees. One such committee came from the state level to visit in November of ’57. Among those that rode south were Carl E. Sanders, then a state senator, and two Columbus locals serving on the Board of Regents: Allen Woodall Sr. and “Bo” Callaway. Their visit, subsequent report and eventual passing of the Junior College Act of 1958 was the catalyst that would — after a decade of purpose, passion and perseverance — lead to the founding of what we now know as Columbus State University.

With all obstacles removed and a path cleared to securing a charter, all that was left to do was the small task of constructing an entire college campus in a cow pasture in only five months. Obviously, this was not going to happen and, aware of the abject futility of such an endeavor,

a secondary site was chosen by the school board: the recently shuttered Shannon Hosiery Mill. In short order, Dr. Thomas Y. Whitley was appointed president. By mid-summer, he was overseeing a $100,000 renovation that transformed the defunct mill into what would become known as Columbus College.

Fall registration began on Monday, September 22, 1958, and 200 students were greeted by 14 faculty members, five administrative staff members and President Whitley. They registered for classes and paid $39 to enroll (which included a $30 matriculation fee, a $3 student welfare fee and a $6 student activity fee). They attended orientation. They were on a quarter system rather than a semester system, and they took seven classes a day, five days a week, from 8:30 in the morning until 3:55 in the afternoon. The course offerings were broad, boasting disciplines as diverse as business, education, fine arts, home economics, language, physical education, science, mathematics and social sciences.

What was impossible to accomplish in five months at the main campus site had been achieved at the Shannon Hosiery Mill, and on Oct. 5, the public was invited to witness and celebrate the incredible transformation. However, ever the committee chairman, J.Q. Davidson had prepared a message beforehand to keep everyone focused on the true goal

President Thomas Whitley

THESE COMMITTEES — THESE CITIZENS — WOULD PETITION THE STATE GOVERNMENT FOR FUNDING. THEY WOULD STAGE FUNDRAISING RECEPTIONS. THEY WOULD PERSONALLY SEEK DONATIONS AMONGST THEIR SOCIAL CIRCLES. THEY PUT THEIR SHOULDERS TO THE WHEEL AND DID THE HEAVY LIFTING, AND FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK AND HERCULEAN EFFORTS, ABOUT 180 PEOPLE RAISED MORE THAN $92,000 … IN 1948. THAT WOULD BE ALMOST $1 MILLION TODAY. FALL 2018

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FEATURE

— establishing a permanent college campus. During the event, he recounted the incredible story of how the various public-private partnerships had fought and strived for over a decade to get the college to this point.

Sure, the success of the Shannon Hosiery Mill was reason to celebrate. But this was 1958. This was just the beginning.

There was, Davidson reminded them, still much work to be done.

Columbus is a city known for its generosity. Bring us a problem; we’ll find a solution. Sell us on a big idea; we’ll buy in. Prove the worthiness of a particular endeavor, and we’ll even vote to tax ourselves. This generosity was on display in May of 1958, when voters passed a school bond that eventually would earmark $1 million to help fund the construction of classroom and administrative buildings on the main campus.

Adjacent to the former dairy farm, a labyrinth of orange cones signaled another stage in Columbus’ growth as the city created the Lindsey Creek Bypass (now known as I-185). As it often goes with road construction, what should have taken a year ended up taking three, and a campus that should have been completed by 1960, would not enroll its first student until 1963.

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Years before the faculty and staff of Columbus College boxed up their belongings and left the mill behind to move into their new home on the old farm, Columbus College on Talbotton Road had settled into a groove and was developing more than just a curriculum — it was developing student spirit and a culture all its own. They formed a student government. They organized athletic teams and started a student newspaper.

They staged dances. They crowned Miss Sabers, and they awarded Faculty Cups.

They enjoyed a campus life that, though now experienced only through black and white photos, is quite relatable to the generations that followed. Thanks to the shenanigans on the Lindsey Creek Bypass, Columbus College on Talbotton Road can even claim the first graduating class in CSU’s 60-year history. T. Hiram Stanley, then the chairman of both the board of Royal Crown Cola and the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, delivered the inaugural commencement address, remarking, “In tomorrow’s world of electronics and automation, in the wonder world that lies ahead, the

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opportunities are going to the young men and women who are eager for and determined to secure further training. The world of the future will obviously recognize that the most important asset will be educated and mature individuals.”

Stanley’s vision of the future would prove prescient as CSU would come to be known for its groundbreaking relationship with TSYS, its top-ranked online cybersecurity master’s program, a competitive pre-med program, an internationally accredited business school and a College of the Arts that literally changed the face of downtown Columbus forever.

But, as Stanley intimated, all of those incredible things would occur “in the wonder world that lies ahead.”

It’s 1963, and there is something here now. A new energy has awakened. A sense of family has come alive. The names behind our past now adorn the buildings that hold our future: Howard Hall, Tucker Building, Woodall Building, Woodruff Gym. It’s a humble start, yes, but this is just the beginning.

There is still much work to be done.

In the next installment, “Part Two: Gateway to the Future,” the campus expands, enrollment increases, and new educational opportunities abound. Look for it during Homecoming Week, online at News.ColumbusState.edu/csu-60-part-2

ALUMNI Q&A

Q&A with Dr. Kimberly M. Scott Muscogee County School District’s 2018 Library Media Specialist of the Year

BY JOSH BECKER | PHOTO BY ERIC CROUCH Dr. Kimberly Scott explains the role of a library media specialist, discusses her time at CSU and encourages the next generation of alumni to stay engaged.

Q: What is a Library Media Specialist?

A: Each media center program is different based on the needs of the school. The five LMS roles are program administrators, leaders, instructional partners, informational specialists and teachers.

My mission is to empower learners to be informed, compassionate and innovative leaders. I collaborate with my school colleagues to help grow readers and leaders in various ways. I believe reading books is an opportunity for us to have a window that peaks into the cultures and traditions of our peers as well as a mirror to learn more about ourselves.

I earned both my B.S.Ed. and M.Ed. from Columbus State University prior to my first position as a classroom teacher. I became interested in becoming a media specialist during the end of my first school year and enrolled in the school library media add-on certification program at the University of West Georgia. After three years of classes, 100 hours of internship and a passing score on the state certification test, I earned my school library media certificate.

Q: How did your 20-year relationship with Columbus State University prepare you for your career?

A: CSU helped me to become the servant leader I am today be presenting me with many opportunities to serve in leadership roles starting with my first role as an Orientation Team Leader to my current role as a member of the COHEP (College

of Education and Health Professions) Advisory Panel.

I applied for CSU’s Orientation Team during my second quarter at CSU because I wanted to welcome students to CSU. As an O-Team member, I became connected to college mates who were chairs and members of CSU’s Student Programming Council and participated in the planning and implementing of campus events.

Four years after graduating with my M.Ed., I joined the CSU Alumni Association Board of Directors. I have served in many leadership roles during my 12 years of board service, including president. Columbus State University has played such a significant role in shaping me as a person, I feel it is important to give back, to serve and contribute to its continued growth and success, just as it has served and contributed to the continued growth and success of my own life.

Q: How would you encourage the next generation of alumni to remain actively engaged?

A: I invite alumni and friends to participate in the many awesome alumni activities and events, but most definitely Homecoming. I often hear alumni say they would like to see their college mates they participated in various organizations with while a student.

My response is, “Go to Homecoming.”

I also encourage alumni to submit their accomplishments and achievements to Class Notes so that others will be aware of the awesome works CSU alumni are doing. I also encourage alumni to donate to their program of study or college, in addition to annual giving. There are also amazing naming opportunities and scholarship endowment funds alumni can set up to leave a lasting legacy.

More About Me BEFORE THIS POSITION: I was in the United States Navy and worked at the Pentagon and Defense Intelligence Agency.

FAMILY: My family and friends inspire me to do great things, encourage me to persevere and keep me grounded.

LAST BOOK I READ: One Last Word

by Nikki Grimes FAVORITE SONG: “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Visit alumni.columbusstate.edu to learn more about alumni engagement and the CSU Alumni Association. Also, call (706) 507-8946, or email alumni@columbusstate.edu for more information about upcoming events.

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CLASS NOTES Kentucky, where he enjoyed a 38-year career teaching fifth and sixth graders.

Gerald retired in 2009 and resides in Kentucky.

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1976

Carolyn Martin Asbell, A.A. ’62, M.Ed. ’82, has chaired the Schools for Africa project of the Epsilon Chapter, Delta Kappa Gamma International, for the past six years. Her personal narrative of Epsilon’s SFA project with Hope Primary School in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, was published in the recent addition of DKG Bulletin: Collegial Exchange. DKG is an international society of key women educators.

1966

Jay A. Davis, Jr., A.S. ’66, was inducted into the Columbus State Athletic Hall of Fame. Jay was the first student-athlete in school history to compete at a national tournament in 1964, going undefeated in Georgia State Junior College conference play in tennis.

He won the GSJC singles and doubles titles to reach the National Junior College Tournament, where he advanced to the finals.

James Coe, B.B.A. ’76, celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary with wife Carol in September. Mr. and Mrs. Coe live in Gainesville, Florida.

Alberta L. Shipman, M.Ed. ’76, celebrated her 90th birthday on April 28. In 1973, Alberta became Director of the South Columbus Branch Library in the Chattahoochee Valley Regional Library System, making her the first AfricanAmerican and professionally degreed librarian to hold that position.

1990 Stacey Carlisle, B.S. Ed. ’90, replaces the retiring Jeff Branham as assistant superintendent for human resources for the Harris County School District.

She was assistant principal at HCCMS for two years before serving as principal for 11 years.

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season in 2004 was one of the best in CSU history, as he hit .392 with 21 home runs and 75 RBIs to earn PBC Player of the Year and All-America honors.

2001

Robert McShane, B.A. ’06, earned a Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia, and is a resident physician in pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia.

Pops Barnes, B.S.N. ’01, has been elected to his fourth term on the Columbus, Georgia city council.

2006

Stephanie McIntosh, B.S. ’06, M.Ed. ’08, was named Teacher of the Year at her school and later named a finalist for Clayton County Teacher of the Year for the 2015-16 school year.

2003

Darryl Halbert, M.P.A. ’03, was recently named chief of the Fulton County Police Department. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army and served during Operation Desert Storm from 1990-91.

2005

1995

Moore-Powell

Trelanne Moore-Powell, B.S. ’06 & M.P.A. ’08, was named head women’s basketball coach at Tuskegee University. Most recently, she was the assistant coach at Mercer University. She was on the women’s basketball team during her time at CSU.

2008

1971 Gerald Aldridge, B.S. Ed. ’71, began his teaching career in 1971 in Thomaston, Georgia.

He married Judith Mosley in 1972. They moved to

Columbus State Athletic Hall of Fame. A three-time All-American, Lonardi will go down as one of the best golfers in Columbus State history. He won the first ever Peach Belt Conference Championship in 1992.

Martin Lonardi, B.B.A. ’95, was inducted into the

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Larry Pittmon, B.S. ’05, was inducted into the Columbus State Athletic Hall of Fame.

Larry was one of the best power hitters in Cougar history. Pittmon’s senior

Kellen Gray, B.M. ’08, earned a Master’s Degree in Orchestral Conducting from Valdosta State University. He has joined the Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra as the assistant conductor for the 2018-19 season.

CLASS NOTES

2010 Ahmed Holt, M.P.A. ’10, was promoted on June 1 to deputy director of field operation for the Georgia Department of Corrections. He previously served as assistant regional director of the north region with Facilities Operations. He currently resides in Buford, Georgia.

Teacher of the Year. She teaches fourth-grade reading and social studies at North Columbus Elementary School.

2012

All-American status in 2011.

2017 Brittany James, B.S. Ed. ’17, was the winner of the “Be the One Project” which recognizes first-year teachers who have overcome obstacles and made impacts on their students.

Brittany teaches second grade at Key Elementary.

2011

Melanie Gouine, B.S. Ed. ’11 and M.Ed. ’13, was named Muscogee County’s 2018

2018 Stephanie Lowery, B.S. ’12, was inducted into the Columbus State Athletic Hall of Fame. Stephanie earned All-American and AllConference status in each of her three seasons at Columbus State and was named the 2010 PBC Player of the Year. She was also strong in the classroom, garnering NSCAA Scholar

Want to share your exciting news with fellow alumni?

Submit to Class Notes! Visit Alumni.

ColumbusState.edu.

To learn more about alumni engagement, the CSU Alumni Association and information on upcoming events, call (706) 507-8946 or visit Alumni.

ColumbusState.edu.

Danesha Evans, B.F.A ’18, Miss CSU, won the Gamma Alpha Congeniality Award at this year’s Miss Georgia Pageant.

The CSU Alumni Association offers alumni the opportunity to travel with fellow graduates and friends to locations around the world.

Go to Alumni.ColumbusState.edu/Travel to learn more about the following trips!

PERU (March 30 - April 8, 2019) GREECE (May 23-31, 2019) MEMORIALS OF WORLD WAR II - 75TH ANNIVERSARY (July 31 - August 9, 2019) SPAIN & PORTUGAL (October 31 - November 12, 2019)

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ALUMNI SCENE 1. President Chris Markwood and Athletic Director Todd Reeser with this year’s Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees, Larry Pittmon, B.S. ’05; Carlos Martin Lonardi, B.B.A. ’95; Stephanie Lowery, B.S. ’12 and Jay Davis, A.S. ’66.

2. Brandon Todd, B.B.A. ’16, won the Alumni Award at the 2018 Diversity Forum.

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3. Pam Preer, B.B.A. ’91 & M.S. ’13, and Lionel Haynes, B.B.A. ’06 & M.B.A. ’07, enjoying First Thursday at the Bo Bartlett Center in February.

4. Jordan Hughes, B.F.A. ’16, Carole Mashburn, Ed.S. ’09, and Carlie Hinson, B.B.A. ’16 during First Thursday at Morten’s at Old Town in April.

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5. Tiffany Taylor, B.S. ’07 and D’Anna Smith, networking during First Thursday at Morten’s.

6. Kimberly Scott, B.S. ’01 and M.Ed ’02, Dorothy Bellamy, B.S.Ed ’01, and James Grant, enjoying each other’s company during First Thursday at Morten’s.

7. Daniel Ferriter, Jessica Ferriter, M.S. ’16, and Sommer Bundy, B.B.A. ’05, during the President’s Recognition Dinner.

8. Kristin Jain, A.S. ’87; Ash Jain, B.S. ’83 and M.B.A. ’90; A.J. Jain, B.S. ’86; Rashmi Hudson, B.B.A. ’83 and M.B.A. ’91; and Mark Hudson, B.P.A. ’83 celebrating A.J.’s honor at the President’s Recognition Dinner.

9. Sommer Bundy, President of the Alumni Association, and Dr. Markwood with this year’s award recipients at the President’s Recognition Dinner. David Lewis, superintendent of Muscogee County Schools, J. Rick Alexander and A.J. Jain, B.S. ’86.

10. Pam Preer, B.B.A. ’91 & M.S. ’13, and Rich Cellino, M.S. ’13, during the Synovus CSU Alumni Luncheon.

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ALUMNI SCENE 11. May 2018 graduates Joslyn Ellis, Sylvester Long, Jocelyn Canedo, Qua’Daijah Cooke, Zoe Helke-Pierce, Brianna Williams and Emma McPeters received their Tower Traditions medals at the Student Recognition Reception.

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12. Lagrange-area alumni “showing their paw” during the LaGrange Regional Event.

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13. Devereaux Lindsey, M.P.A. ’16, Keigan Evans, B.S. ’05 & M.P.A. ’07, Gloria Wonnum, M.P.A. ’00, Ashley Turner, M.P.A. ’15, and Dewann Lindsey, M.P.A. ’17 enjoying their time at the Macon Regional Event at Natalia’s.

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14. Marquita Jackson, B.B.A. ’17, with Jennifer Joyner, M.S.O.L ’13, Assistant Vice President of Alumni Engagement and Special Events, during the Newnan Regional Event at The Cellar.

15. Josh Evans, B.M. ’12, Brody Brock and John Brock, B.B.A. ’11 & M.Ed. ’17, celebrating CSU Alumni Day at the Braves.

16. Dolores Hefner, B.S. ’83, and friends pose with Hank Aaron in the Hank Aaron Terrace at CSU Alumni Day at the Braves.

17. Andy Knight, B.B.A. ’13, Kenzie Marcellini, B.B.A. ’16, Ana Samayoa, B.B.A. ’14, Caroline Moyer, B.B.A. ’16, and Mary Katherine Wright, B.S. ’16, soaking up the sun on the Hank Aaron Terrace.

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18. Cindy Hicks, B.B.A. ’11, enjoys the Hank Aaron Terrace at the Braves game with her children and friends.

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19. Judy Nail, B.S.Ed. ’73 & M.Ed. ’76, Faye Carles and Brian Luedtke, M.P.A. ’94, cheering on the Braves during CSU Alumni Day at the Braves.

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The CSU Fund

Your support for CSU students is critical to their success. Gifts through the CSU Fund create opportunities and open new doors for students. We are especially excited to promote the CSU Fund this year because we are reaching the end of our historic First Choice Comprehensive Campaign. Any gift amount to any college, program or project counts as part of the final total! To date, we have received more than $91 million in cash, pledges and planned gifts and nearly $25 million in property, gifts in kind and related income. Do not miss your opportunity to be a part of this success story!

When you make your gift, you are investing in the growth and success that define this exciting chapter in our history. The close of this campaign is just the beginning for more than 8,500 students who are making CSU their First Choice for Higher Education.

Give online by visiting Giving.ColumbusState.edu or speak to a Foundation Representative at 706-507-8945.

To show your support via mail, please send gifts to 4225 University Avenue, Columbus, GA 31907 Please make all checks payable to the CSU Foundation.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Mark your calendars!

Visit Alumni.ColumbusState.edu and ColumbusState.edu/Calendar for a full list of alumni and campus events.

SEPTEMBER Alumni Engagement — First Thursday Sept. 6 from 5-6:30 p.m. at Delta Data. Reservation required. Find more info at Alumni.ColumbusState.edu/ FirstThursday

Alumni Engagement — Atlanta Regional Event Sept. 12 at noon. Reservation required.

Find more info at Alumni.ColumbusState. edu/Atlanta2018

CSU Department of Theatre — Guys and Dolls Sept. 28-29, Oct. 4-6 at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. at Riverside Theatre Complex. For tickets and other info, visit ColumbusState.edu/Theatre

Schwob School of Music — Schwob Wind Ensemble Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Legacy Hall. Find more info at Music.ColumbusState.edu

OCTOBER

Reservation required. Find more info at Alumni.ColumbusState.edu/FirstThursday

CSU Department of Theatre — The Children’s Hour Nov. 2-3 & 8-10 at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. at Riverside Theatre Complex. For tickets and other info, visit ColumbusState.edu/Theatre

Coca-Cola Space Science Center — Astronomy Night Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. Stargazing and planet viewing at FDR State Park.

College of the Arts — Pasa-Vibes Music and Arts Festival at Pasaquan. Find more info at Pasaquan.ColumbusState.edu

Schwob School of Music — Schwob Contemporary Ensemble Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at Legacy Hall. Find more info at Music.ColumbusState.edu

Alumni Engagement — Savannah Regional Event

Coca-Cola Space Science Center — Astronomy Night

Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. Reservation required. Find more info at Alumni.

ColumbusState.edu/Savannah2018

Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. Stargazing and planet viewing at Providence Canyon.

Coca-Cola Space Science Center — Astronomy Night

Alumni Engagement — Homecoming Oct. 22-27. Find more info at Alumni.

ColumbusState.edu

Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. Stargazing and planet viewing at the center.

WinterFest 2018

Schwob School of Music — CSU Percussion Ensemble

Nov. 27 from 6-9 p.m. on main campus. Find more info at WinterFest.

ColumbusState.edu

Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Legacy Hall. Find more info at Music.ColumbusState.edu

Schwob School of Music — Holiday Brass Concert

Schwob School of Music — CSU Horn Ensemble Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at Legacy Hall. Find more info at Music.ColumbusState.edu

NOVEMBER Alumni Engagement — First Thursday Nov. 1 from 5-6:30 p.m. at Epic/

Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Legacy Hall. Find more info at Music.ColumbusState.edu

DECEMBER

Alumni Engagement — Alumni Day at the Falcons Dec. 1 at 1 p.m. Reservation required.

Find more info at Alumni.ColumbusState. edu/Falcons

CSU Department of Theatre — Junie B. Jones in ‘Jingle Bells, Batman Smells’ Dec. 1 at 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. at Riverside Theatre Complex. For tickets and other info, visit ColumbusState.edu/Theatre.

Schwob School of Music — CSU Choral Union Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Legacy Hall. Find more info at Music.ColumbusState.edu

Graduation Ceremony Dec. 14-15 at Lumpkin Center. Find more info at Graduation.ColumbusState.edu

JANUARY CSU Department of Theatre — Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Jan. 24-26 at 10 a.m., Jan. 25-26 at 7:30 p.m., Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. at Riverside Theatre Complex. For tickets and more info, visit ColumbusState.edu/Theatre

FEBRUARY Alumni Engagement — Macon Regional Event Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Natalia’s.

Reservation required. Find more info at Alumni.ColumbusState.edu/Macon2019

Alumni Engagement – First Thursday Feb. 7 from 5-6:30 p.m. at Buckhead.

Reservation required. Find more info at Alumni.ColumbusState.edu/ FirstThursday

MARCH CSU Department of Theatre — She Kills Monsters March 1-2 & 7-9 at 7:30 p.m., March 3 at 2 p.m. at Riverside Theatre Complex. For tickets and more info, visit ColumbusState.edu/Theatre

FALL 2018

Columbus State

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4225 University Avenue Columbus, Georgia 31907-5645 Address service requested

Parents: If this issue is addressed to a son or daughter who no longer lives at home, please send the correct address to advancementservices@ColumbusState.edu Thank you.

Save the Date Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018 • 6-9 p.m. at Columbus State University