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.