Competitive Premed Program Off to a Healthy Start

Great thanks go to Dr. Katey Hughes, director of CSU's Competitive Premedical Program, and Jill Carroll, development officer for the College of Letters and Sciences, for a great kickoff event for the premed program last night at the River Club.

We enjoyed wonderful attendance by physician alumni, faculty, current students in the program and friends of CSU for this very special event.

Dr. Hughes brought her idea for this program to Dr. Julie Ballenger, chair of biology, who came to the provost and, in remarkably short order, the idea was launched. This is a very important initiative for Columbus State University, focused on academic excellence.

Weekend Offers Magnificent Mix of Music, Soccer, Recruiting and More

Cheers are being heard for our Lady Cougars soccer team as they scored an impressive 2-0 victory over Peach Belt rival Armstrong Atlantic on Friday night. A huge crowd was in attendance at the Walden Soccer Complex on Columbus State University's main campus. Kudos also go to fraternities for their raucous cheer section.

On Saturday, our Enrollment Services division hosted the first of the fall Discovery Days for high school students and family members. We saw terrific attendance from across Georgia and the region. I remain very impressed how far families will travel in pursuit of the "right match" for their student. A great group of high school students spent a good half day on our campuses exploring academic programs and attempting to determine if CSU will be their First Choice.

On Saturday afternoon, the office of the provost, students and staff participated in the first annual Latino Festival for Columbus and the region. The rainy weather failed to dampen spirits and great crowds, exhibits, dances and foods from across Central and South America graced the parking lots at the Columbus Civic Center. We were glad to see so many of our students in attendance.

Sunday afternoon brought the inaugural fall performance of the Schwob School of Music's Philharmonic under the direction of maestro Paul Hostetter. Our students were terrific.  A great crowd packed the RiverCenter's Legacy Hall for a wonderful performance. Viola Professor Zoran Jakovcic played masterfully, and students, faculty, staff and community enjoyed a truly engaging afternoon.

U.S. News and World Report Again Recognizes CSU

For the second consecutive year, Columbus State University is honored to be included among the top comprehensive universities in the region by U.S. News and World Report. This reflects great work by faculty and staff, as well as our ongoing effort to raise admissions standards and enrollment in key programs like Honors, Servant Leadership, Tower Scholars, Competitive Premed, etc. My sincere thanks go to all who are so very focused on this effort.

Volleyball is Back -- After 31 Years!

Congratulations to Coach Casey Cornett and team, now 4-0 in their inaugural season. Lauren and I and a packed Lumpkin Center saw three great matches this weekend and the team just returned from its first-ever road trip with a victory. At our home a few weeks ago we enjoyed a terrific cookout with these students athletes from Columbus and across the U.S., as well as Lithuania and Serbia. Go Cougars!

Performance by Professor Earl Coleman and Friends Inspiring

Lauren and I had the distinct pleasure of attending this extraordinary concert staged by Earl Coleman, CSU's William and Isabelle Curry Eminent Scholar Chair in Voice in the Schwob School of Music. Performing with a group of colleagues, the breadth of the outstanding performances and the large crowd made for a wonderful and inspiring afternoon at Legacy Hall.