Great weekend closes semester

We are in the midst of final exams, clearly a demanding time for all but one that also validates the hard work done by students over the past 15 weeks.

On Friday, we had our annual holiday celebration in two shifts! Thanks to great work by Laurie Jones, director of Human Resources, we had a huge afternoon event for faculty and staff at our Cunningham Center and than later a smaller but no-less-wonderful event for our many staff who work the evening shifts at the university. This is important recognition for very important people who many rarely see because of their work hours.

On Saturday, our men's basketball team posted a victory over the University of West Alabama, and two of our soccer players were named All-Americans, marking the first time ever that two student-athletes in soccer were honored the same year.

Later on Saturday, our Student Recreation Center hosted the annual holiday gathering for one of the Valley's great non-profits, Big Brothers,Big Sisters. We had the "bigs" and the "littles" on campus, and it was a great affair.

That evening, Lauren and I took the entire student delegation from the Beijing Institutue of Petroleum and Technology for dinner. They had a great semester and will be exceptional ambassadors for CSU in China.

We are looking forward to commencement on Friday the 16h and hosting Regents chair Ben Tarbutton and honoring our friend Mrs. Richard Hallock with an honorary degree.

From music to athletics to lectures, ours is a busy, busy campus

Last night, Lauren and I had the great pleasure of enjoying a student chamber recital in Legacy Hall involving some 30-plus Schwob School of Music students performing nine different pieces.

From Beethoven to Brahms, Schubert to Dvorak, it was a great end-of-semester concert. My thanks go to professors Oberlander, Schwartz, Tomkiewicz, Pershounin, Kobrin and Jakovcic for coaching the various groups of students. Tonight is a wind orchestra concert. Last night, the men's basketball team beat the U of West Alabama for the first time and are 3-1.

Tomorrow, I will be visiting high schools in metro Atlanta with our enrollment management team, home basketball games resume, and we'll host an important presentation by Dr. Jane Nsubuga, a physician, originally from Uganda, who will present the "Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS: the Successes/Challenges of Current Treatment" and a global perspective on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, including a Ugandan case example.

These days offer quite a reflection on the diverse array of quality programming at our university.

Week's events offer plenty of reasons to give thanks

What a great week at Columbus State University. First, allow me to wish all a happy and healthy Thanksgiving holiday. Special thanks to all of our troops serving around the globe during this holiday season. We can thank you and all veterans for the freedoms we enjoy.

Over the past week, I enjoyed an extraordinary concert in Legacy Hall presented by our Schwob School of Music Jazz Ensemble under the exceptional guidance of Dr. Alex Pershounin. The concert was truly spectacular, and the talent among our students is best-of-class. I then had the unique opportunity to attend an incredibly innovative performance comprised of music and art students at our Corn Center for the Visual Arts.

The audience was fully engaged and the program assembled by professor Kristen Hansen was most impressive. Three Sisters, the famed Anton Chekhov play, was performed by the students in our Theater Program in the Studio Theater. They were terrific, and the audience was again treated to great acting, costumes, set design and performance.

I attended a magnificent original short story reading by  David Samuel Levinson, the 2012 Marguerite and Lamar Smith Writing Fellow, who has spent the fall semester living in the McCullers House on Stark Avenue. Levinson is a writer driven by passion and sentiment and experience. The reading was outstanding and one, I am certain, we will see in print.

Our campus Visitation Day was busy!  Thanks as always to our Enrollment Management Team, CSU Cheer Team, all faculty who attended and the staff who work tirelessly to make the event run flawlessly. Saturday and Sunday , come help us cheer the CSU Lady Cougars basketball  team at Lumpkin arena.

Inaugural, bike ride and Gusto!

What an honor and a privilege it was for me to attend the 12th investiture ceremony for a University System of Georgia chancellor. Chancellor Hank Huckaby was formally installed in the State Capitol, and the ceremony, conducted by the governor and the speaker of the House, was truly exceptional. What an honor for Columbus State University that our Student Government Administration president, Antonio Orsborn, was in attendance. Also, of all the faculty in the USG, our own Curry Eminent Scholar Chair, Earl Coleman, was selected to represent the faculty in speaking at the investiture. His remarks were outstanding and a great day was had by all.

On Friday, my wife Lauren joined me as we biked from the RiverPark campus along the Fall Line Trace with students, faculty and staff to the recreation center on main campus. Thanks to a crack CSU Police escort, the ride was smooth and without incident, and all of those in attendance celebrated for the second year in a row this fantastic trail that gives a new meaning to personal transportation in Columbus. My thanks to the Student Affairs staff who ensured a fantastic evening.

Saturday night, our own Columbus State University Schwob School of Music hosted Gusto! an elegant evening of fare and flair at the RiverMill Event Centre. Co-Chairs Gail Greenblatt and Jackie Titus led a committee that produced a magical evening and the performances of our students were breathtaking. My thanks to all involved in every detail, from table decor to logistics. This set a new standard for CSU special events!

College of the Arts dean responds to student death

As you may have read through an email and posting on the university's Facebook page, our campus is mourning the loss of theatre student Shea Barnett. Interim Dean of the College of Arts Richard Baxter offered his own words to members of that college today. They are touching, timely and thoughtful. With his permission, I'm posting his note here:

Dear College of the Arts Majors:

It is with great sadness that I share with you the tragic loss of Shea Barnett's family and our college family in Shea's death yesterday. On behalf of you, the faculty, and the staff of the College of the Arts, I want to express our condolences to the Barnett family.

The CSU Counseling Center has outstanding staff members who can assist you in coping with your grief for a lost peer or any anxieties you may be feeling as the semester continues and pressure in your classes mount. I would also remind you that your faculty members are dedicated professionals who care about your well-being and are committed to helping you with the challenges you may face.

I chose to come to CSU seven years ago because I was impressed by the genuine care faculty had for the students. My time here has only reinforced that perception as I have witnessed your faculty celebrate your success, through their laudatory remarks after your performances, and their expressions of empathy at your less successful efforts. They all have rich experiences in life and are a valuable resource available to you.

I personally can relate to your feelings at this challenging moment having tragically lost a fraternity brother when I was a senior in college. The death of a peer rattles our sense of security, it challenges our feelings of invincibility, and it heightens our anxieties about the ambiguity that is life.

Hopelessness is a state of mind; it is not a physical action. Like love and anger it can manifest itself in action, but in and of itself it is not an action. You must make a conscious effort to turn feelings into action. Sharing your feelings with family, friends, faculty or counselors can give you a broader perspective of what your feelings mean and how best to act upon them.

Do not lose sight of the fact that this is about Shea and the loss of her family and not solely about us the survivors. At the same time, commit yourself to create support networks among your peers, encourage each other, and remember your life is precious to all of us.

My door in the Dean's Office in One Arsenal is always open to your needs. My email is baxter_richard@ColumbusState.edu if you are ever alone and need to talk. I receive my emails on my phone, and I would rather be awakened by a call for help than the notice of another student tragedy.

May God watch over you,

Richard Baxter

Interim Dean, College of the Arts

CSU Again Rated Military Friendly University

Thanks are due Mark Ridley, our military affairs representative, and his team for orchestrating this very important designation for the second year in a row. Our relationship with Fort Benning is so very important, and this national recognition emphasizes our ability to turn intent into action. Tonight, also for the second year in a row, our Cougar club football team goes head to head with the Fort Benning team at Doughboy Stadium. It should be another great event!

Several events, people contributed to Alumni Weekend success

Thanks to to so many for a spectacular alumni weekend, our first truly comprehensive weekend devoted to alumni reunions, celebrations and visits. Jennifer Joyner and the rest of the alumni team led the celebrations while Lyn Riggsby-Gonzalez and a wonderful group from Student Affairs directed a great "Day of Service" for the community. From a reception at The Loft to a celebratory luncheon outside the Coca-Cola Space Science Center, campus tours, a great student jazz concert at RiverCenter directed by Dr. Alex Pershounin and a magnificent dance and dinner at the CSU Theatre and Woodruff Park. It was great to meet old and new friends and a wonderful reflection on our university.

Professor Andrew Zohn

Professor Zohn enthralled a grateful audience at Legacy Hall last night with an incredible guitar program. For more than a decade, he has directed our guitar program and organized the annual Guitar Symposium. His own composition, Con Pulso, dedicated to Carlos Perez, our 2011 Amos Eminent Scholar, was truly exceptional.

What a weekend

Kudos to our great Orientation and Student Affairs team for a wonderful Parents Weekend, as well as an early fall Open House. Great energy, programming and attendance. My thanks to all involved. The caricatures on Woodruff Park were a great hit, as was the spectacular weather.

Sunday afternoon, baritone student Byron Mayes rocked the Studio Theatre at RiverCenter with a wonderful concert. The program was great from Gagliano to Brahms to Hogan, and the audience was mesmerized by his passion and talent.

On Sunday night, our LegacyLive concert series brought P\professors (in alphabetical order!) Jason Eklund, Zoran Jakovcic, Lisa Oberlander, Alex Pershounin, Sergiu Schwartz, Wendy Warner and Ron Wirt together for an all-Beethoven concert. Legacy Hall was packed, and the concert was incredibly powerful. How fortunate we are to have this array of world-class talent on the faculty of the Schwob School of Music.

CSU Wind Orchestra

What a night! Under the direction of conductor Dr. Jamie Nix, guest conductor\ Dr. Sean Powell and graduate conductor Josh Kearney, our Wind Orchestra mesmerized a great crowd at Legacy Hall. All the compositions played were written by composers who studied at either Eastman or Juilliard. The progression of one-half century of composition revealed some fascinating insights into the evolution of sound and musical style. Kudos to the Schwob Students who truly distinguished themselves last night.

Program Accreditation

One of the key drivers in our strategic planning is achieving best-of-class status in our undergraduate and graduate program offerings.

For some programs, this includes a commitment to national or international accreditation. During the past few months, our colleagues in the Department of Chemistry (Drs. Floyd Jackson and Samuel Abegaz) and in the Department of Political Science (Dr. Kimberly Gill and Amber Dees) have worked tirelessly on their program submissions to the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and  Administration (NASPAA).

These Herculean efforts pertaining to our exceptional chemistry program and our robust public administration program have been essential to the positioning of our university. While there are absolutely no guarantees of approval for initial or subsequent submissions, these efforts have served to galvanize and focus faculty and programs and have been incredibly impressive and rewarding to all involved.

Braves Game

Kudos to Jennifer Joyner, director of Alumni Relations, for orchestrating a great day at Turner Field for 100-plus Columbus State University alumni and friends. The gathering at the wonderful 755 Club at Turner Field was terrific, and it was so very nice to catch up with friends and supporters at the game. The Braves helped as Chipper Jones had two of the three hits and knocked in the Braves' only run -- enough to clinch the victory. If anyone has great ideas for other Atlanta-area events, please let us know!

Thanks to a partner

Dr. Tina Cross, with the Muscogee County School District, has, over the last three years secured more than $5.5 million in Department of Defense funding for profoundly important educational initiatives. Over $2.1 million of the funding has been directed to our Coca-Cola Space Science Center, our Center for the Quality of Teaching and Learning, our mathematics faculty, the Carson McCullers Center the Math Collaborative, Oxbow Meadows and the College of Education and Health Professions. This is truly how great community partnerships work!

A Proud Moment

On September 11, 2011 the Columbus State University Wind Orchestra along with the Maneuver Center of Excellence Bank and the Columbus State University Singers mesmerized more than 1000 in attendance at RiverCenter's Bill Heard Theater with a stirring tribute to those who perished in the horrific attacks on our nation. Sponsored by AFLAC, this exceptional program included Mayor Teresa Tomlinson, Major General (ret.) Walter Wojdakowski, Colonel Walter Piatt Commandant of the Infantry, our own Dr. Tom Dolan and revered community leader Bunky Clark. Our Schwob School faculty and students were exceptional and the tribute was inspiring.

NSF grant to support STEM initiatives, complement UTeach

Congratulations to Mathematics Professor Tim Howard and team for securing a National Science Foundation Noyce Grant to support all of our many science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiatives. This is very important to CSU, parallels our UTeach grant and moves the entire institution forward!

Welcome back events well attended, appreciated

Kudos to Dr. Kimberly Mullen, Collins Brown and the entire Orientation Team for a great opening two weeks of events. Chill with the President was a wonderful, on-campus frozen yogurt celebration. The Beach Bash at Callaway Gardens was fantastic. Both had terrific tunes and great attendance. Our O Team is first-class and the opening of the fall semester, supported wonderfully by Todd Myrick and the entire Residence Life organization, was outstanding.

Professors Earl Coleman, Robert Murray, Yien Wang Offer Grand Evening

I attended Professor Earl Coleman's (The William and Isabelle Curry Eminent Faculty Chair in Voice) performance on Thursday, August 18 at Legacy Hall, and it was exceptional. Handel, Schumann and Ralph Vaughn Williams' works were reflected in the program, and The Trumpet Shall Sound benefited greatly from trumpet Professor Murray's participation. Yien Wang, our full-time collaborative pianist, was exceptional, and the evening was grand. Legacy Hall was packed with students, faculty and friends, and this was a wonderful kickoff program for the academic year.

Freshman Convocation gets students off to an insightful start

Freshman Convocation was a wonderful, engaging event. Sunday afternoon brought together students, faculty, family and friends for an important kickoff for this academic year. CSU alumnus Alex Acton, former Student Government Association president and a graduate student at Georgia State, shared some incredibly insightful words with the students. Current SGA President Antonio Orsborn also spoke from the heart, and Dr. Tom Hackett led a stellar event. This was truly a wonderful day for our university.

Students get supplies, happy surprises with Walmart run

Monday night at 10 p.m., Lauren and I were at Walmart with hundreds of CSU students, Dr. Kimberly McElveen, Collins Brown and our crack Orientation Team students as part of the welcome back celebration.

Students were lined up to jump into the "cash machine" to win one of scores of prizes, and Kimberly and Collins casually handed out gift cards to unsuspecting CSU students shopping for last-minute housing/personal items at Walmart. There were also lots of free food and sodas, a DJ and great spirit. We picked up some CSU gear and other essentials! A fun night for all.

Visit features alumnus guiding Army's budget at the Pentagon

Last Thursday, Dr. Carmen Cavezza (retired lieutenant general, commander of Ft. Benning and currently special assistant to the CSU president and director of Cunningham Center for Leadership Development) and I visited Washington, D.C., and met with Maj. Gen. Phillip McGhee, comptroller of the U.S. Army and a 1979 alumnus of the Turner College of Business and Computer Science. Maj. Gen. McGhee oversees the entire budgeting process for the U.S. Army. The general is regularly at his desk at the Pentagon at 3:45 a.m. and is there until after 8:00 p.m. We know that the finances of the Army are in the best of hands!  How proud we are to have a CSU alum in this position at this point in time.

Vibrant campus pulse beats as we greet fall semester

This is a great and exciting week at our university. Opening meetings for faculty and staff, Move-In Day, great social events and activities, final class selection and more create a palpable pulse on campus. I was so very impressed with the breadth and depth of new faculty talent and with the willingness of faculty to expand core class availability to accommodate students. New computer labs at RiverPark campus are terrific and important. There's still lots of construction going on, possibly causing some inconvenience, but the promised results are a positive sign.

Residence Life has done wonderfully in managing "Cougar Inn," our fall partnership with the Holiday Inn, which is housing temporarily the overflow from our campus student apartments. These are all signs of growth and progress.

Several campus improvement projects under way this summer

We typically undertake a variety of construction projects around campus during the summer so as to cause the least disruption as possible, and to also get the campus ready for a new fall semester.

This summer is no different, and there is a lot going on, funded by maintenance and renovation monies, stimulus grants or construction funds that cannot be used for personnel expenses. Here are some of the things we're doing:

• Landscaping the entrance to Columbus State University from East Lindsay Drive, improving drainage and following the landscaping master plan to create larger usable green spaces on campus. This will be for athletic and student use.
• Building two classrooms/computer labs in the Health and Wellness Center, replacing the volleyball court there. Outfitted with technology and computers, these should be finished by January.
• Adding air-conditioning to Woodruff Gym. This should be finished by January.
• Beginning a multi-year renovation in the lowest level of the library to house the archives and create more classrooms and usable library spaces.
• Finishing the gating and fencing around our student apartment complexes to upgrade our security and create access control for student housing.
• Constructing a press box at the softball field. This should be done by the end of September.
• Using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) State Energy Program, upgrading lighting and reinforcing our commitment to sustainability and green initiatives with improved HVAC controls for a variety of buildings, better pathway lighting around campus and installing the campus' first solar panel for surplus power generation.
• Renovating Clearview II to add labs and classrooms for the Department of Earth and Space Sciences.
• Renovating the Cougar Food Court in Davidson Student Center to make room for Chick-fil-A to move in there by October. This is being done by Aramark in response to student requests for Chick-fil-A.
• Columbus Water Works is building a new facility and outdoor animal area at CSU's Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center. Funded through the most-recent SPLOST, the facility will host a grand opening, featuring the new building, for the public on July 30. The center will also feature a renovation of its original building and a newly reopened treetop trail canopy walk.

I thank my colleagues for their patience in working around these projects as we strive to continually keep our campus in the best shape possible.

Thousands pack Civic Center for another extraordinary commencement

Our 102nd commencement was extraordinary. Besides bestowing an honorary degree on retired Col. Hal Gibson, one of the nation's truly great band conductors and educators, who made an indelible impact on CSU, we heard sage insights and advice from Regent Kessel Stelling, president and CEO of Synovus.

The Columbus Civic Center was packed, and thousands celebrated Columbus State University graduates and faculty in a most fitting manner. How wonderful that our university offers a range of degree programs, associate's to doctoral degree, recognizing the needs of the region and providing points of entry for students coming from such varied backgrounds.

Col. Gibson, for some 17 years after his distinguished retirement from the U.S. Army, helped shape what is today our world-class Schwob School of Music. Joined by his wonderful wife, Marie, he was greeted by throngs in Columbus who have such a special appreciation for his legacy impact on our university. Regent Stelling, a long-term friend, now leads one of the nation's largest financial institutions, which has made an  incredible impact on CSU and its five-state footprint. He delivered thoughtful and insightful messages to our graduates, who thanked him profusely as they crossed the stage at commencement.

We now, take a deep breath and prepare to launch Maymester, a variety of summer abroad experiences and undergraduate and graduate courses in dozens of discplines. This is the work of a committed university populated by devoted faculty intent on making a difference.

Columbus State's campus reflects diversity of activities, even on weekends

This past weekend, our university hosted the statewide finals
competition for Odyssey of the Mind. This wonderful event attracts
hundreds and hundreds of students from elementary through high school
from around Georgia for a series of challenging and complex academic
events. At the same time, our Admissions office hosted another campus
Visitation Day, attracting scores of students and parents from
throughout Georgia and around the region. Layer three baseball games
onto this, plus a very busy Student Recreation Center, and it's just
another wonderful, active weekend at Columbus State.

Kaleidoscope concert demonstrates range, artistry of Schwob music students

The Schwob School of Music's annual Kaleidoscope concert in RiverCenter's Bill Heard Theater was an incredible celebration of student success and faculty instruction. Virtually all Schwob students participated in this magnificent 80-minute concert that showcased the great range of talents among our students. From classical to contemporary, from violins to vocals to xylophones, the RiverCenter resonated with the exuberance of students supported by a committed faculty. Of special note is senior Emily Vold, an accomplished violinist who will be attending graduate school at Mannes, was named by the Board of Regents as the Outstanding Academic Graduate at CSU. Dr. Ron Wirt, interim director of the Schwob school, presented Emily with proclamations from both the Georgia House and Senate.

Tennis teams earn recognition; regional tournament next week

Congratulations go to Coach Evan Isaacs and Assistant Coach Eva Petschnig on the great success of the CSU men's and women's tennis teams. Columbus State will host the NCAA regional tennis tournament next week. That's a true credit to the great seasons experienced by these student athletes.

Tower Day puts student research, creativity in spotlight

Tower Day at Columbus State University on April 12 was truly an extraordinary event.

The annual showcase of undergraduate research and creative endeavors is the cornerstone of our Academic Week of Excellence. Students from across the disciplines present their scholarly activities and, in doing so, inspire others.  Tower Day is sponsored by the CSU Honors Program.

I attended the opening colloquium kicked off by Provost Tom Hackett and Dr. Cindy Henning, Honors Program director. I had the pleasure of hearing presentations by Dr. Stephanie DaSilva in psychology, on engaging undergraduates in research, and by 2003 biology graduate Mary Hill Johnson, now the assistant director of the Coca-Cola Space Science Center, who provided an alumni perspective on undergraduate research.

Our Schuster Student Success Center and Davidson Student Center were filled with research presentations and exhibits. Every student project enjoyed the support of a faculty sponsor, and this truly reflects the power of undergraduate research in engaging faculty and students. Later in the week, student exhibits celebrating writing were presented in the multipurpose room of the new Student Recreation Center. These projects focused on intensive writing, also supported by faculty, and were equally impressive. What a great experience it is for students to commit to a semester or, in some cases, a year of research that results in truly exceptional presentations.

Greek Week activities are a tribute to growing presence

Congrats to our director of Greek Life, Tinsley Hembree, for orchestrating another exceptional Greek Week of activities for our growing fraternities and sororities. Lauren and I had the opportunity to watch the always competitive chariot races. Great engineering, design and effort! Greek Life is but one of many important co-curricular options available at our multifaceted university.

Homecoming combined visitors, sports action and more

We enjoyed a wonderful Homecoming 2011 weekend at Columbus State!

Saturday was an exceptional day at our university. The mathematics faculty, led this year by Dr. Brian Muse, orchestrated a wonderful mathematics competition for high school students from throughout the region. By 9 a.m., hundreds of anxious students and faculty coaches had gathered in venerable Stanley Hall for a grueling day of competition. Mathematics professors were everywhere in support of this long-term event, and Dean David Lanoue greeted the students with sage words of advice!

CSU's commitment to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) areas is unwavering, and I personally encouraged all of these students to look to CSU for our rigorous and demanding alternatives in these fields.

At 10 a.m., Kristin Williams and her great team of admissions recruiters helped shepherd hundreds of high school students and their friends and families for a our first-ever Visitation Day in the new Student Recreation Center. Our "takeaway" is that the rec center is too small to host the event but perfect for event registration. We learn every time! The weather was great, and students spent the better part of a day on our main and RiverPark campuses exploring their many options.

Cougar athletics were in full force this weekend with basketball, baseball, softball and tennis. At RiverPark, professor Andrew Zohn hosted the Schwob School of Music's 12th annual Guitar Symposium. Students and visitors attending his own concert Saturday night with the Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo greeted Zohn with thunderous applause at Legacy Hall.

Carson McCullers would have enjoyed her birthday celebration

Last Thursday, February 17, 2011 was a banner day for CSU. That evening, our Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians launched an extraordinary, interdisciplinary conference and 94th birthday celebration for Carson McCullers. Scholars gathered from around the world for dialogue, discussion and debate about this great writer and native of Columbus. Our colleague, professor Cathy Fussell, director of the center, hosted a grand welcome reception at The Rankin, and then opening ceremonies were held at the Springer Opera House. How fascinating that the conference began with a recording of Carson, made in 1958, the year CSU was founded. The event ran all weekend, culminating in a 94th birthday party, "Supper at the Sad Cafe (On A Good Night)," in Carson's honor, featuring foods referenced in McCullers' work. Thanks go to the Columbus Cultural Arts Alliance, Midtown, Inc. and the Southern Literary Trail along with CSU for the wonderful support of an exceptional program.

Weekend celebrates diversity, athletics and world-class faculty

What a weekend! Last night, I had the extraordinary opportunity to attend a unique concert performed by a number of our faculty in the Schwob School of Music: professors Michelle Debruyn, Zoran Jakovcic Alex Kobrin, Alex Pershounin, Sergiu Schwartz and Wendy Warner.

Legacy Hall was near capacity, and the students, faculty, staff and community supporters in the audience were enthralled. These are world-class faculty who have helped build a truly exceptional learning environment for our students. They selflessly practice and perform as enthusiastically for our community as they do for global audiences. What a treat!

I traveled to Milledgeville and, unfortunately, watched our men's and women's basketball teams lose heartbreakers on Saturday. Athletically, I thought the weekend was salvaged by great performances by our undefeated Cougar women's tennis team, and great victories in softball and baseball as well. Spring sports are in full swing, and I am thrilled to see the enormous levels of participation in intramural and club sports enhanced by our new Student Recreation Center.

Bernice King, youngest daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., spoke at our Inaugural Legacy Celebration Banquet on Friday night. She captivated the hundreds in attendance for almost an hour, helping CSU celebrate diversity and inclusiveness in a wonderful manner in the recreation center's multipurpose room.

Theatre, science, softball, tennis all part of busy weekend

What a weekend on the Columbus State University campuses! At our downtown, waterfront RiverPark Campus, 3,500 raucous (but focused) high school students participated in the Georgia Thespian Conference. Opening ceremonies at the RiverCenter's Bill Heard Theatre were followed by competition, tryouts and performances at CSU's Theatre on the Park, Springer Opera House and other stunning venues. The sunny weather was great this year (compared to great snow in 2010), and a great time was had by all. We hope we can continue to host this grand event for many years to come. The Science Olympiad was on main campus, directed by Dr. Bill Frazier and a score of our great faculty and students, supported by Jill Carroll. The middle school participants, their coach-teachers and parents were incredibly engaged and challenged. This is a stellar opportunity for these young people to visit Columbus State and interact with our exceptional faculty and students. A softball tournament, NCAA tennis matches and more also contributed to the exceptionally busy, engaging weekend at CSU. I offer special thanks to Steve Morse and our crack logistics team, as well as Chief  Rus Drew and other University Police, for their exceptional handling of all these great activities.

Schwob School of Music faculty give virtuoso performances

Some say the week was all about the Packers and the Steelers. I say, at Columbus State University, the week is about Schwartz and Kobrin. These are two of our many faculty MVP's! Last night, Lauren and I had the distinct honor and privilege of attending a Schwob School of Music concert featuring these two virtuosos: Professor Schwartz, the violinist, the William B. and Sue Marie Turner Distinguished Chair in Music, and Professor Kobrin, the pianist, the L. Rexford Whiddon Distinguished Chair in Piano. An enthralled crowd at Legacy Hall heard a magnificent program including Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Strauss. Le Soleil calls Professor Schwartz one of the best violinists of his generation, and Professor Kobrin is a winner of several international piano competitions, including the Van Cliburn. The music was magical and to have these great faculty teaching our exceptional students is truly what a connected, engaged university is all about.

Astronaut talks, musical laptops highlight exceptional weekend

The momentum built at our very own Coca-Cola Space Science Center (CCSSC) is extraordinary. In memory of the 25th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy, Director Dr. Shawn Cruzen invited former astronaut Col. Al Worden to our campus. Speaking to a variety of groups, including more than 350 Muscogee County School District children, Col. Worden reinforced the enormous value of space exploration and our space program to innovation, creativity, communications, medicine and more. Kudos to the entire CCSSC team for an extraordinary series of events. At the Schwob School of Music, while dozens of students and faculty were away participating in the Georgia Music Educators Conference in Savannah, professor Matt McCabe hosted the Latop Orchestra of Louisiana -- nine extraordinary musicians whose primary performance instruments are Apple MacBook Pros, supported by iPads, joysticks and a host of other unique technologies. The performance in our Studio Theater at RiverCenter was exceptional. These programs enhanced a special visiting lecture in the Department of Art, a hyper-busy new Student Recreation Center and Clear Channel broadcasts of Cougar basketball on the FM dial made to create another exceptional weekend at Columbus State.

Recreation center dedication represents historic milestone for university

In 18 very short months, Columbus State University has enjoyed a construction renaissance that will forever change student, faculty and staff recreational opportunities.

The recent opening of the 106,000-square foot Student Recreation Center represents a milestone for our campus, reinforcing our commitment to live, work and play on one of the most student- and faculty-engaged campuses one will find.

Student Government President Joshua Burston rightfully acknowledged the work of the two SGA presidents who preceded him, Alex Acton and David Owen (both currently enrolled in graduate programs), as well as the students who voted for and who have supported this effort since day one. Offering everything from racquetball to rock climbing, sauna to swimming, basketball to zumba, jogging, fitness, roller hockey and more, this is a campus culture-changing construction project that represents a true destination for our students. It also features lots of study space, wireless network access,  and a huge multi-purpose room for concerts, dinners and more. This is a truly terrific facility.

Our thanks go to the Student Affairs leadership team, including Drs. Gina Sheeks, Darryl Holloman and Campus Recreation Director Rick Cravens, as well as our construction oversight team of Eddie Woodhouse and Mike Medlock, for their collective diligence.

We were graced at the dedication by the presence of 10 CSU Foundation trustees, including chair Sherry Wade. Regent Kessel Stelling, state Reps. Reps. Debbie Buckner and Calvin Smyre and hundreds of students, faculty, staff and alumni also helped make the dedication a great milestone event for a great university.