Enjoying our incredible community connections

It was, once again, a most incredible weekend at Columbus State University.

Friday evening, on the green, at the Saunders Center for Music Studies in front of Columbus State's Schwob School of Music, Dr. Alex Pershounin led our CSU Jazz Orchestra in a wonderful concert under the stars. We brought lawn chairs and joined so many others for a truly remarkable performance. Immediately after, Dr. Matt McCabe led a multi-talented band of students in a terrific contemporary concert that kept everyone engaged.

We were on the lawn as the Ron White show ended at RiverCenter's Bill Heard Theatre, and I could sense so many wished they had joined us for the evening of food and fun outdoors, perfect weather and great talent.

On Saturday, CSU students partnered with the First Freedom  Climb, a fundraiser for the Fountain City Chapter of the national Federation of the Blind of Georgia and, at our world-class Student Recreation Center, helped an incredibly brave group of friends maneuver and climb the 40-foot vertical walls. Our students served as spotters and belayers and again reflected that culture of servant leadership that is such a dynamic part of our university.

Lauren and I had the great opportunity to watch our men and women's tennis teams battle it out at the NCAA Regional Tournament at the Blackmon Tennis Complex on campus. The women compete in the finals this afternoon and the men lost a heartbreaker. The tenacity and focus of these student-athletes is incredible, and we still marvel at how they balance full-time academics with an incredibly rigorous competitive schedule.

This morning at 6:30, I met Lt. Col. Feret and the Cougar ROTC Battalion at our intramural field. I joined them on a 5k run and proudly brought up the rear!  What a commitment these students have in terms of academics, country and more. It was a real treat to join in the cadence calls of the battalion, and I thank Lt. Col. Feret and his team for the great work they are doing.