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VOLUME 15 NO. 2 Meet Timothy S. Mescon, CSU’s Fourth President FALL 2008

Dear CSU Community:

Lauren and I are so delighted tobe in Columbus. What a distinct honorit is to follow in the footsteps of mycolleague Frank Brown. Under hisleadership and guidance, ColumbusState University has become a greatuniversity, and it is a privilege to helpCSU embark on its next half century.

During the “move in” weekendenjoyed by CSU students and theirfamilies and friends, Lauren and I had the opportunity to meetso very many excited and enthusiastic students who will surelyadd to the strength and the impact of this fine institution.

Over the first 100 days, I am asking faculty, staff, students,alumni and the community at large to help us craft a strategicplan for CSU. This blueprint for action will be driven by a visionthat clearly defines our brand and our mission as we moveforward. You may be asked to participate in a focus group, onlinesurvey, interview or planning session. I hope you will considerjoining us as we embark on this most important journey.

Columbus State University is going to grow. As we refine ourfocus and programs, we will recruit broadly, enticingundergraduate and graduate students with the many challengingand rewarding opportunities at CSU. The magnificent uptownRiverPark campus is a wonderful reflection of town-gownrelationships. This incredible array of student housing, classes,studios, offices, Coca-Cola Space Science Center and performingarts facilities is a sterling example of a “live, work, walk and play”environment that contributes mightily to the economicdevelopment and vitality of the community. Adding more ofeverything, from the performing arts to graduate businessprograms, to the Uptown campus will only enhance our footprintand connectivity with the community. We can most efficiently useour facilities and better serve students by making it possible tomove quickly between our campuses at virtually all hours of themorning, afternoon and evening.

Thank you for the very warm welcome you have alreadyextended. Lauren and I look forward to immersing ourselves inthis very special community and to meeting you, hopefully inperson, in the not too distant future.

Sincerely,

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Writers/EditorsJohn LesterChris RussellGreg MuraskiBill Sutley

Magazine Design & LayoutSally Morgan/Wendy Timmons

Kis Creative, Inc.

Contributing PhotographersAshley Cross

Mike CulpepperSeth GrantRoger HartJohn LesterGreg MuraskiMike Regnier

Greg Rodriguez/ArtworksBill Sutley

About the Cover:Photographer Mike Culpepper

caught up with newPresident Timothy S. Mesconas he roamed the RiverCenterfor Performing Arts, home ofCSU’s Saunders Center for

Music Studies, during a series ofget-acquainted tours.

Address Correspondence to:Focus

Office of Public RelationsColumbus State University

4225 University Ave.Columbus, GA 31907

e-mail: [email protected]

Vice President forUniversity Advancement

Kayron Laska

Executive Director of the AlumniAssociation and AssistantDirector of Alumni Relations

Ray Lakes

Director of Public RelationsJohn Lester

Contents

New leader chargingahead, from morningjog to evening e-mail

4225 University AvenueColumbus, Georgia 31907-5645

Fall 2008

Schwob school earnsreputation for makingmore than great music

Prof, alum help GIsmake transition frombattlefield to home

FEATURES:

First SGA presidentshares memories ofinspirational teachers

2 Focus on Columbus State University Fall 2008

CAMPUS NEWS

Four New Degrees Go OnlineCSU is expanding its emphasis on distance education,

offering or preparing to launch four new online degreeprograms related to information technology, teaching andleadership.

This fall, CSU launchedits first online bachelor ofscience degree program ininformation technology,preparing students for oneof the nation’s fastest grow-ing occupation areas.

“This program will be ideal for parents and full-time work-ers, or, for example, the TSYS employee working from six-to-sixthree days a week or the enlistee at Fort Benning waiting to beshipped out,” said Wayne Summers, chair of CSU’s TSYSDepartment of Computer Science.

CSU’s computer science faculty are working with counter-parts from other University System of Georgia schools to offerthe totally online bachelor’s degree, known as WebBSIT.

All three of the other new offerings are master’s degreesadministered locally by CSU’s College of Education, but thenewest program, a Master of Education in Leadership, aims to

serve students not necessarily following an education-relatedcareer path.

Designed for teachers or business professionals, leadershipdegree classes will begin in spring 2009. For more information,visit www.csuleader.com.

Also new in spring 2009 will be a Master of Arts inTeaching that offers degree-seekers teacher certification ineither mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics or earth/spacescience. The 39-semester-hour program is specifically aimed atcareer-changers as part of a University System of Georgia effortto address the need for 4,500 new science and math teachersby 2010, including 1,700 equipped to teach high school math.

“If you ever thought about becoming a math or scienceteacher, here is your chance,” said CSU College of EducationDean David Rock. “CSU is excited and committed to helpingthe state and region with the critical shortage of quality mathand science teachers.”

The fourth degree, a Master of Education in AccomplishedTeaching, aims to recognize the need to further develop theskills of veteran teachers. Like all other M.Ed.programs at CSU, interested educators holding a current teach-ing certificate can apply for admission now without beingrequired to take the GRE. Both the new M.Ed. in AccomplishedTeaching, already under way, and the Masterof Arts in Teaching are being coordinated by the universitysystem’s new distance education initiative, GeorgiaONmyLINE.For more information, visit www.georgiaonmyline.org.http://academics.colstate.edu/classes/distedu.asp

Columbus State produces an annual economic impact ofalmost $212 million, up nearly $38 million since 2005, a statestudy estimates.

The June report puts the University System of Georgia’sannual economic impact on the state at $11 billion – andrising.

For 2007, total spending by all USG institutions was $7.3billion. The remaining $3.8 billion in total economic impact isattributed to the “multiplier effect,” which traces the flow ofmoney re-spent in the region. The regional area influenced byCSU encompasses Muscogee, Harris, Chattahoochee, Marion,Talbot, Stewart, Troup and Meriwether counties.

The study, which spanned fiscal year 2007, was conductedby the Selig Center for Economic Growth in the University ofGeorgia’s Terry College of Business. Figures have just beenupdated again to show a $1.3 billion increase in the system’seconomic impact since 2005. Researchers found that, on aver-age, for every dollar of initial spending in a community by aUniversity System institution, an additional 52 cents was gen-erated for the local economy hosting a college or university.

In addition to the $11 billion in “output impact” generat-ed by the USG, the study found that public higher education is

University’s Economic Impact on Region Nearly $212 Million

responsible for 106,267 full- and part-time jobs or 2.6 percentof all the jobs in the state, or about one job in 39. For all insti-tutions combined, 14.6 jobs were generated for each milliondollars of initial spending in 2007.

In Columbus, 2,436 jobs in 2007 were attributable toCSU, including 1,022 full- and part-time jobs on campus and1,414 off campus. The report also says the university and itsstudents spend more than $150 million directly in the region.For each job created on campus, 1.4 off-campus jobs existbecause of spending related to the university.

http://www.icapp.org/pubs/usg_impact_fy2007.pdf

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byRoger

Hart

Fall 2008 Focus on Columbus State University 3

Columbus-area employers, CSU students and alumni cannow tap into CSU Career Center services online.

CougarLink, accessible at http://career.colstate.edu/, hasattracted thousands of student and alumni jobseekers andhundreds of Columbus-area employers since it launched May 1.

Employers can post jobs and schedule campus recruitingsessions while managing company profiles. Student and alumnijobseekers, likewise, can add their résumés into a database thatcan be searched by keywords.

“An employer can instantly access a list of prospects froma search that’s narrowed, for example, to finance majors with3.5-or-higher GPAs and skilled in Oracle (software),” said CSUCareer Center Director Kimberly Mullen.

The service also covers the center’s Cougar PAWS(Partners at Work and Service), through which agencies recruitvolunteers.

“Many students prefer to focus their time during the dayon their studies and prefer evenings for tending to extracurricu-lar matters — such as checking for internship, volunteer andjob opportunities,” Mullen said.

CougarLink orientation sessions this fall are targeting stu-dents, as well as faculty and staff, who can use the service tofill internships and work-study positions in their departments.The service is affiliated with NACElink, the National Associationof Colleges and Employers’ suite of Web-based recruiting andcareer services. Subsequently, CSU-based users also can searchfor jobs and job candidates nationwide.

Before May 1, employers e-mailed position notices to thecenter, where they were subsequently printed and posted in a“jobs room.”

“There’s a ‘green’ element to this also, as we’re eliminatinga lot of paper,” Mullen said. “The jobs room now is renamed

CSU displayed national dominance in intramural basketballby capturing both the men’s and women’s titles of the NationalIntramural-Recreational Sports Association’s National CampusChampionship Series for basketball in April at Ohio StateUniversity.

CSU is the first school in the tournament’s 20-plus-yearhistory to capture both the men’s and women’s championshipsin the same year.

The men, who captured CSU’s third national title in fiveyears, topped Ivy Tech (Ind.) 72-52 in the championship gameafter defeating California of Pennsylvania (67-36), theUniversity of Florida (75-52) and the University of Texas atSan Antonio (65-53).

In the women’s title game, CSU defeated Miami of Ohio62-43 following victories over Central Michigan (51-39) andOhio University (53-52).

Coached by CSU Coordinator of Intramural Sports Michael

CSU Dominates Intramural Basketball National ChampionshipsSpeight, both teams qualified for the final round bysweeping divisional competition. The men topped OhioUniversity (60-42) and Cleveland State University (65-36).Meanwhile, the women swept Iowa (47-30), the Universityof Florida (48-39) and Ohio University (49-34).

For CSU individually. the national tournament’s MostValuable Player honors went to Nicholas Malinowski (men)and Phebe Smith (women), while Ronald Robinson (men)and Trelanne Moore (women) were named First Team All-American.

The CSU teams competed in fields of 24 men’s and16 women’s squads that qualified for the national finals bywinning regional or state tournaments.

The CSU squads qualified by winning a Feb. 29-March2 state tournament at Georgia State University. The winsmarked the third straight Georgia title for the women andthe second in three years for the men.http://nirsa-nibc.org

CougarLink Delivers Services 24/7 to Employers, Jobseekers

the ‘resource room,’ where students can check out career-building resource materials or log on to CougarLink from oneof six computers.”

Mullen said CougarLink complements the center’s face-to-face services during weekday operating hours. “The customerservice capability is unlimited, as we’re now balancing hightech with high touch,” she said. “Technology is important,but our foundation is the face-to-face interaction by which ourstudents get guidance on career planning and job searchtechniques.”

http://career.colstate.edu/

Sonia Lazar, career coordinator for CSU’s Career Center,assists Arris Ford, a senior communication major, as hebrowses the new CougarLink site in search of a part-timejob.

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byGregMuraski


A $100,000 grant is helping CSU develop more computerscience courses to provide local defense contractors withemployees skilled in computer modeling, simulation andgaming.

The grant is CSU’s second from the University System ofGeorgia’s Intellectual Capital Partnership Program. CSU’s firstICAPP grant, in 1996, established a pipeline of computer-savvyemployees for TSYS from what is now known as the universi-ty’s TSYS Department of Computer Science.

The current Project STEADI, short for SimulationTechnology Education Assisting the Defense Industry, is build-ing its efforts on a CSU computer science degree track thatteaches students the theory, design and programming tech-niques to produce games software. That knowledge is used tocreate popular video games, as well as more-serious training,simulations and modeling scenarios.

“The defense industry said they were having a difficulttime attracting people to help do simulations for them,” saidWayne Summers, CSU’s computer science chair. “We got agroup together to brainstorm ideas.”

Launched in 2007, Project STEADI has attracted involve-ment from Fort Benning, the Greater Columbus GeorgiaChamber of Commerce, the Columbus DevelopmentAuthority and several local defense contractors, includingsome based in the technology incubator at CSU’sCunningham Center.

John Fuller, a former Fort Benning chief of staff, is leadingthe first phase of the project, working with local defense con-

Grant Helps CSU Prepare Students for Computer Modeling

Wayne Summers, right, discusses CSU’s most recentICAPP grant during an April 2 news conference tointroduce the initiative. Looking on, from left, areCunningham Center Director Carmen Cavezza, ColumbusChamber President Mike Gaymon and then-CSUPresident Frank Brown.

tractors to define their needs. Modeling, gaming and simula-tors are used extensively by the military in training for combat.

“The reality for the military and the defense industry isthat, with the proliferation of training devices, comes theneed for more people educated in the technology disciplinesthat support these systems,” he said.

Fuller estimates the demand for individuals with thistalent will grow dramatically when the Armor School, now atFort Knox, relocates to Fort Benning.

http://cs.colstate.edu/steadi/

CSU has won the PeachBelt Conference’sCommissioner’s Cup for thethird straight year.

The annual award signi-fies CSU as the conference’stop overall athletic program.The 2007-2008 award comes on the strength offour conference championships: baseball, men’sand women’s cross country and soccer.

CSU totaled 69.6 out of a maximum 94points to out-distance second-place ArmstrongAtlantic State by 10 points. Points are based onregular-season conference standings in all sportsexcept for cross country and golf, for which con-ference tournament results applied.http://www.csucougars.com

Athletic Program EarnsCommissioner’s Cup

College of Business LaunchesEntrepreneurship Journal

CSU’s Turner College of Business has helped launch theSouthern Journal of Entrepreneurship to “increase knowledgeof entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs in the many ways theymanifest themselves in the global economy.”

CSU’s Associate Professor of Management Kirk Heriot iseditor of the journal, which is owned by the nonprofitSouthern Academy of Entrepreneurship, Inc. The TurnerCollege of Business sponsored the first volume (March 2008)of the journal. Brynn Dillon, assistant to the dean of theCollege of Business, assisted Heriot as copy editor.

Heriot, also CSU’s Ray and Evelyn Crowley EndowedChair of Entrepreneurship, said the journal targets a broadaudience, including policymakers, researchers, teachers andsmall business owners who think broadly about issues inentrepreneurship. “This is a cross-disciplinary journal thatwelcomes participation from anyone with an interest inentrepreneurship in any of the many ways in which it isstudied and practiced,” he said.http://southernjournalentrepreneurship.com/

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byBill

Sutley


CSU’s College of Education has inducted Owen Ditchfield,Ann McDuffie and Dan Trotter into its Hall of Fame, recogniz-ing the alumni for “extraordinary contributions to the teachingprofession.”

Ditchfield, media specialist for Fort Benning’s WhiteElementary; McDuffie, headmaster and principal of St. LukeElementary in Columbus; and Trotter, principal of Ellerslie’sPine Ridge Elementary, were honored at the annual College ofEducation and Alumni Association Awards Banquet in May.

Ditchfield, now in his 19th year at White Elementary,holds a master’s degree in secondary English education fromCSU and completed advanced courses in middle grades educa-tion, library media and classroom technology. In 34 years withFort Benning schools, he has held leadership positions, pio-neered innovative techniques and initiated numerous projects

McDuffie joined St. Luke in 2003 after 30 years in theMuscogee County School District, including work as a mathand science teacher at Rothschild Junior High from 1973-1986; a district-wide elementary science consultant from1986-2001; and principal of Edgewood Elementary, where sheearned a Milken Foundation National Educator Award in 1996.In 2000, she became principal of Midland Academy, where shehelped secure a Georgia Humanities Council grant leading to apublished book of local oral histories by students. At St. Luke,she has guided the school’s growth in enrollment from 75 tomore than 450 students. She earned a master’s in middlegrades education (’79) after completing her undergraduatestudies in biology at CSU.

Trotter, the 2007 Georgia Elementary School Principal ofthe Year and a CSU College of Education Distinguished

College of Education Inducts Three Alumni into Hall of Fame

Dan Trotter, from left, Ann McDuffie and OwenDitchfield were honored by the College of Education.

CSU is starting to build a tradition of environmentallyfriendly practices.

“We’ve been doing little things over the past severalyears,” said Eddie Woodhouse, assistant vice president forfacilities. “When CSU opened its RiverPark campus in 2006,we really ramped up these efforts.”

Recent efforts by Plant Operations include:• Using recycled paper products, “green-certified” handsoaps and water-saving devices in campus bathrooms.(That led to CSU receiving a “Certificate of Achievementin Recognition of Accomplishment in Developing andImplementing a Green Campus” in a May ceremony.)

• Partnering with Goodwill Industries of the SouthernRivers to substantially re-energize the university’srecycling program, saving money for CSU andbenefitting Goodwill.

• Converting all RiverPark water cooling systems to units

Alumnus, graduated from CSU in 1972 with a bachelor’s insocial studies. His 36-year career includes coaching basketballfrom 1976 to 1987 in Tennessee at Martin College andCleveland State Community College. A sports Hall of Fameinductee at Martin, he coached the men’s program to eightconsecutive winning season and 147 victories — more thanany coach in the school’s history.

Returning to Georgia, he became assistant principal in1988 at Carrollton High School. He earned a specialist degreein education, leadership and administration in 1991 fromWest Georgia College. He joined Pine Ridge in 2000 afterfour years as principal at Park Elementary in Hamilton. Herecently retired.

http://coe.colstate.edu

Campuses Going Green with Series of New Environmental Effortsthat extract impurities from the chillers before the watermoves through the air conditioning system, improvingindoor air quality.

• Switching to environmentally safe cleaning chemicals.• Installing energy-efficient lighting.• Cutting the number of cleaning chemicals at CSUfrom 68 to eight, all now environmentally friendly.

Meanwhile, CSU has joined the Environmental ProtectionAgency’s Energy Star Low Carbon IT Campaign. That meansthat, as of Oct. 1, computer settings will put monitors andcomputers to sleep after 15 minutes of inactivity. Savingscould reach $60,000 annually. Estimates were that about 40percent of all non-lab campus PCs were left on after hours,and many remain on all day, even when not in use.

“The potential power savings is immense and it helps CSUto become a more environmentally friendly campus,” saidAbraham George, CSU’s chief information officer.

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byMikeReg

nier

Keep up with campus news at www.colstate.edu/news/


By John Lester

CSU’s Fourth PresidentBrings Energyand Excitement toHis New Post

Timothy S. Mescontakes a breakwith Cody onMove-In Day.

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byJohnLester


And so began the tenure ofPresident Mescon, a 53-year-oldidea-fueled management professorwho starts each morning with a runand ends each day with a finalcheck of his e-mail.

Before he became CSU’s presi-dent on Aug. 1, Mescon served asdean at the Michael J. Coles Collegeof Business at Kennesaw StateUniversity in metropolitan Atlantasince 1990.

He said the time was right toexplore a presidency.

His wife, Lauren, was ready fora break from her successful lawpractice, he had achieved most ofhis goals at Kennesaw, and theirfour kids were out of the house –the last headed for his sophomoreyear at Boston’s Berklee College ofMusic.

“We have four kids at a stagewhere if there was a time to take aleap, this was it,” he said.

The day Timothy S. Mescon was named Columbus

State University’s fourth president, one of CSU’s vice

presidents sent him a list of key CSU supporters and

suggested he call each of them if he had a chance.

She hoped he would find time to connect with

them over the next few days.

Less than 30 minutes later, Mescon e-mailed. He

was on the road, he reported via his BlackBerry, and

had already called each person on his list.

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byMikeCulpep

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Associate DeanEarl Colemanintroduces Mesconto RiverCenter'sLegacy Hall.


He said several things attractedhim to Columbus State Universitywhen Frank Brown announced hewould retire June 30 after 20 yearsas president. “I knew a bit aboutCSU,” Mescon said. “This is anincredibly exciting university withtremendous potential. I’ve learnedthat the people here are engaged,enthusiastic and committed to theinstitution.”

He said Columbus StateUniversity is a “great story” in atown that reminds him and his wifeof her hometown, Savannah, but witha “much stronger business culture.”

As comfortable as he felt inColumbus, one of Mescon’s first tasksas president was grim. Actually, itwas even before he took office whenword came down from Atlanta thatCSU must plan for a 5 percent cut instate appropriations. After a frenziedmonth of budget crunching anddebate from all corners of campus,the final cut was announced onMescon’s fourth official day in thepresident’s office. The total perma-nent reduction – so far – in the uni-versity’s budget was 6 percent, whichworks out to more than $2 million.State revenues are continuing todrop, so some officials fear more fis-cal trimming may still be ahead.

Mescon is attacking the challengewith input from throughout campus.There’s no time for looking back. Hehas already engaged a consultant tolead a strategic planning process thisfall, and he’s doing all he can to grow

the student body, which brings inmore tuition.

“The one thing I know – one ofdrivers for the future has to begrowth,” he said. “We’ve got to getto 10,000 students. We want ourfine and performing arts programsto grow dramatically and create avibrancy in the Uptown Columbusarea that pulses with excitement.”

Mescon may be one the mostqualified people in the state to helpdevelop a plan for growing CSU’sstudent body.

In fall 1998, Kennesaw StateUniversity had 12,861 students.Today, the university has 21,000students and almost 5,000 of themare in the university’s Michael J.Coles College of Business, whereMescon was also an eminent profes-sor. The school has Georgia’s largestexecutive MBA program, and the

2008 edition of Princeton Reviewnamed the Coles College one of thebest business schools in the nation.The executive MBA program, amongthe largest in the U.S., was rankedthird in the nation in eBusiness and10th in Teamwork by Business Week.The Cox Family Enterprise Programwas named by Fortune SmallBusiness among the Top 5 in thenation. All business and accountingprograms in the Coles College arefully accredited by AACSBInternational.

Not only does Mescon’s experi-ence at Kennesaw lend itself to grow-ing a college, his expertise will bevaluable also. Mescon is the author ofmore than 200 articles and cases andco-author of four books, includingCases in Strategic Management: AnIndustry Approach, Showing Up forWork and Other Keys to BusinessSuccess, and Memos to Management.His fourth co-authored book,Entrepreneurship: Venture Initiation,Management, and Development, wasjust released. Additionally, he hasco-authored an audiotape seriestitled Management Excellence forNightingale-Conant. He has been acontributing monthly columnist toAirTran Air Line’s GO Magazine andto Delta Air Line’s SKY Magazine.

Mescon’s background and energymade an impact on the committeemembers in Columbus and Atlanta

Mescon chats with senior WhitneyHanlon.

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byBill

Sutley

Mescon meets new students duringMove-In Day Aug. 16.

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byJohnLester

Coleman, Mescon visit new Yancey Center instructional space for creativemovement classes offered by the Theatre Department.

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byMikeCulpep

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who were charged with helping iden-tify CSU’s next president.

Regent Donald Leebern Jr. servedas the chair of the Special Regents’Committee charged with interviewingpresidential finalists submitted by thecampus-based Presidential Searchand Advisory Committee and makinga recommendation to the chancellorand full Board of Regents for finalapproval. “The board was impressedwith Dr. Mescon’s ‘Seize the Day’approach to tackling the challengesof leadership and meeting the needsof target groups with precision. He isa go-getter, and we feel he has agreat deal to offer Columbus State,”Leebern said.

Mescon received his Ph.D. fromthe University of Georgia, MBA fromSouthern Methodist University andB.A. from Tulane University. He hasserved on the faculties of ArizonaState University and the University ofMiami. He was the inaugural dean of

the Perdue School of Business atSalisbury (Md.) University. He serveson the Advisory Board of theKingston University (U.K.) School ofBusiness and Law. Additionally hehas served as a Visiting Lecturer atthe University of Aston inBirmingham, England and NanjingUniversity in China and as a VisitingFellow at The Hebrew University inJerusalem.

Now that Columbus StateUniversity is his main focus, Mesconis moving quickly – of course – tolearn as much as he can about theuniversity’s past, so the plan for thefuture can begin.

“For 27 years, Dr. Brown left animpact on the university, this com-

munity and the field of education.It’s really an honor to me to serve assuccessor to Frank Brown,” he said.

As Mescon builds a blueprintwith input from across the campus,there are a few things he’s alreadypretty sure about. First, growingCSU’s student body is key. He seesopportunities for that through FortBenning’s expansion, growth of theRiverPark campus, and more onlinelearning options. Technology willalso be a priority, both in the class-room and throughout the campus soCSU can keep up with the innova-tions of the day, as well as theexpectations of your average 18-year-old. He is committed to com-pleting the plans to make CSU anentirely wireless campus.

He also sees a great deal ofopportunity to build on the traditionof excellence that’s been created inCSU’s art, theatre and music pro-grams.

As he zipped around campusduring his first days on the job,Mescon introduced himself to every-one he saw and asked questionsabout every place he visited. Eachnew piece of information seemed tocharge his batteries even more.

“There’s an enormous trackrecord of success here at CSU,”Mescon said. “There’s great oppor-tunity here – opportunity to start thenext half-century journey.”

Mescon takes notes while touring anapartment in The Rankin with EventsCoordinator Melody Hyde.

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byMikeCulpep

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Mescon pitches in to snap a housing ID photo on Move-In Day.

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byMikeReg

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Mescon takes in the main campusentrance while touring during one ofhis first days at CSU.

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byBill

Sutley


For Hazel Geissinger, the tough-est part of being a student inCSU’s Schwob School of Music is

“living up to the expectations yourprofessors have for you.”

But she, and a growing numberof other students, administrators andeven state officials, wouldn’t have itany other way.

In October, the University Systemof Georgia Board of Regents officiallyrecognized the Schwob school as the2008 recipient of the Regents’Teaching Excellence Award forAcademic Departments andPrograms.

Schwob School of Music DirectorFred Cohen called the award“tremendous validation.”

“It is an external recognition thatgoes beyond the great music we pro-

school and issued an invitation,topped by a handwritten sticky note,for her to attend a brass symposiumat Columbus State.

“The facilities got me first,” shesaid of CSU’s Saunders Center forMusic Studies in the RiverCenter for

the Performing Arts,the $86 million,240,000-square footcenterpiece ofColumbus’ arts andentertainment dis-trict. “This is theonly school I reallygot excited about.And it has exceededmy expectations.”

Most facultymake it a point tocommunicate theirhigh expectations toSchwob’s 230 stu-dents. That conceptis among sevenwidely acceptedbest practices forundergraduate

education that the school embraces.Schwob also has perhaps the

state’s most extensive voluntary peerreview system, with faculty, workingin groups of three, observing oneanother in their classrooms andteaching studios, talking before andafter about course design and effec-tiveness.

“We talk a lot about good teach-ing and bad teaching,” said Cohen,who took the reins of Schwob in2007. “It really helps bond the facul-ty around the concept of what isgood teaching.”

Shirantha Beddage, who joinedSchwob’s faculty in 2006, said he’sfound a “very supportive environ-ment” and values the faculty peerreview system as an opportunity to“be critical of each other in a posi-tive way.”

He’s currently organizing CSU’sfirst-ever jazz festival, set for April2009, and working with other facultyto develop a new degree track in jazzstudies. Cohen said a degree in audiotechnology is also being planned.

Cohen, a composer and conduc-tor, likes to stress that Schwob –while it produces graduates whohave polished musical skills — is andwill remain “a music school at a uni-versity,” emphasizing other academicareas as well.

That said, the school has had anincredible year of seeing studentsexcel musically:• Two students won their divisionsin the national Music TeachersNational Association competition,a total produced only oncepreviously by any school in thecompetition’s 75-year history.

• One of two U.S. studentsrepresenting the United States inthe Prague International MusicCompetition came from CSU.

• A Schwob student was theyoungest participant in thesemi-finals of the Paganini ViolinCompetition in Moscow.

• And another student placed firstin the Sarasate InternationalViolin Competition in Madrid.“We always have to remember

that we’re not turning out peoplejust to play the violin,” Cohen said.“We want our students to haveentrepreneurial skills and to work on

Schwob Schoolof Music Director

Fred Cohen.

Music students harmonize near the Saunders Centerfor Music Studies entrance of the RiverCenter.

A Crescendo of SuccessMusic School’s Emphasis on Excellence Recognized By Bill Sutley

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byGregRodriguez/Artworks

duce,” he said. “It is an acknowledge-ment that we are a model for ‘how toteach’ in the state of Georgia.”

Geissinger, a 20-year-old musiceducation major, sees that level ofteaching commitment daily, particu-larly in her primary instructor, BradPalmer, who recognized her talents asan all-state trombone player in high

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byRoger

Hart


basic growth. Their mindset shouldbe that they’re willing to make mis-takes – and learn from them.”

Cohen challenged students to dojust that at the school’s annual con-vocation Aug. 22. “In 2008-2009, Ipromise you the opportunity to makemistakes,” he said. “You have theright, perhaps the need, to failoccasionally.”

The ability to welcome chal-lenges, even if they’re not all dealtwith successfully, is also a strongcomponent of the teaching philoso-phy that permeates CSU’s music pro-gram – a philosophy that’s winningunprecedented praise, successamong its graduates and steadilyincreasing enrollment.

“At the Schwob School, webelieve that talent is important, butthe process by which we develop tal-ent is far more important,” Cohentold students. “We want each of youto become a person who thrives onchallenge and change.”

Time management is one of thebiggest challenges for Schwob stu-dents who had to practice, practice,practice just to make it past theentrance auditions.

“We teach our students to recog-nize it’s impossible to do everythingthey think they need to do,” Cohensaid in an interview. “They have to

become very efficient at practicing, atstudying and in all other aspects oftheir work. Students must learn skillsto practice efficiently and to monitortheir own progress – one of the mostimportant components of artistic judg-ment our students are expected toexercise.”

Theodore Neumeister, a musicperformance major from Roswell, saidhe’s appreciated that his “teachersare always there to help.” He saidteachers also encourage students totalk among themselves about theirtime management challenges – andto always have their schedule bookshandy.

“If you want it to be stressful, youcan make it stressful,” Neumeistersaid.

Geissinger said she’s been so busyat times that she has literally filled

every moment of the day in herschedule book. “You have to havetime management skills,” she says.“Without them, you wouldn’t makeit.”

Palmer, her mentor, helps byrecording her trombone lessons, andthen they go over the recording todecide where she will focus herpractice efforts.

“He’s not horribly mean, but he’sstern enough that you know what hewants,” she says. “Overall, he’s verycaring.”

She said she enjoys the “familyatmosphere” of Schwob, plus theopportunity to learn from the broadvariety of concerts by visiting artists,faculty and other students striving tolive up their teachers’ expectations.

“You’ve got to love it and be will-ing to work hard for it,” she says.

Byron Brown of Steinway Piano Galleries of Atlanta chats with donor Maxine Schiffman and Rex Whiddon, CSU'sdirector of major gifts and university stewardship, during the public debut of CSU’s 67 new Steinway pianos.

Photo

byMikeCulpep

per

NEW DESIGNATIONSchwob School of Musicstudents also got the newsin August that they’re nowat an All-Steinway School,thanks to the donation of67 pianos valued at morethan $2.5 million, as theresult of a gift from theMaxine R. and Jack S.Schiffman FamilyFoundation. The gift givesCSU more of the handmadeinstruments than any otherGeorgia institution. Readmore on the gift in CSU’supcoming Annual Reportof Private Giving.

Violin professorSergiu SchwartzinstructsWhitney Millicanduring a lessonin his studio.

Photo

byRoger

Hart


Do You Remember?First SGA president shares ‘museum of memories’

Marlene Melvin doesn’t haveto think long to recall whatignited her passion for

teaching; the spark was lit by thebest of Columbus College’s earliestfaculty.

Now, semi-retired after 30 yearsof high school teaching, she stillremembers easily the lessons shelearned in the late 1950s as a stu-dent in the college’s inaugural classin the renovated Shannon HosieryMill, before the main campusopened in 1963.

As CSU’s first student govern-ment president, Melvin was a natu-ral choice to help kick off theuniversity’s yearlong 50th anniver-sary celebration. She spoke on Jan.24 to a large crowd of formerShannon Mill classmates, otheralumni, local VIPs and current stu-dents, faculty and staff. Here areexcerpts from her remarks:

When I came on campus lastnight, it was the first time that Ihad been back to Columbus Collegein 50 years. The only thing I couldthink of to say was, “Wow, we’vecome a long way baby!” I’m so

• Dewey Cash. Do you remember(trigonometry) with Mr. Cash –how he would put those problemson the board and say, “Solvethem!” We would go, “Just giveus a step. Get us started;” and hewould put a step on the board, buthe would leave out five steps inbetween. We would say, “Give usa clue.” He’d say, “Figure it out.”We hated that; but when I lookback, I’m so thankful for a teacherlike Mr. Cash, because he taughtus to reason, to analyze, and todepend on ourselves. What afantastic teacher he was!

excited – and I know you are too –to know that we were the beginningclass that got all of this started!

Today, they’ve asked me to takeyou on a brief tour of the museum ofmy memories of the class of 1958 …

Melvin, who was Marlene Elmorethen, asked her audience to recallwith her several influential teachers,all hired within a few weeks beforeColumbus College classes startedSept. 29, 1958, including:

• Philip Battle. Do you rememberMr. Battle, our Spanish teacher,and those infamous FridaySpanish recordings we had tomake? Each Monday morning,he would play them for the class,and the students would critiquetheir classmates’ pronunciations.Every Monday morning – it neverfailed – Mr. Battle played mine,not because it was so good, butbecause I had such an awfulSouthern accent. All the boys onthe front row would fall on thefloor laughing, so I was thecomedic beginning of everyclass on Monday!

Marlene Elmore

Carson Melvin

Marlene Elmore Melvin speaks to for-mer classmates Jan. 24, during CSU'sfirst major 50th anniversary event.

Photo

byAshleyCross

Working together on the Grey & Gold yearbook staff.

Melvin Busy inRetirement

Marlene E. Melvin of Monroetaught law and world history atSouth Gwinnett High School inSnellville before retiring. Amongher teaching honors:• 1993: American Bar Association’sNational Law-Related EducationTeacher of the Year.

• 1995: Coached the first team fromGeorgia to win the National MockTrial High School Championship.

• 1996: Named the national PTAEducator of the Year, an honorthat included a ride on a RoseBowl Parade float.In retirement, Melvin is a mem-

ber of the State Bar’s Review Panel,which oversees lawyer disciplinarycases and serves as the activitiesand curriculum coordinator for theGeorgia Bar Association‘s Journeythrough Justice Program, a program

she helpeddevelop.Melvinteacheslaw les-sons toeach tourgroup ingrades 3-12 thatvisits the

State Bar and museum and, in fullcostume, portrays Edith Wilson, wifeof Woodrow Wilson, describing theGeorgia roots of the attorney-turned-president.

Melvin and her late husband,Carson Melvin, have two sons,Timothy, a high school principal,and John, an attorney and minister.


• Wimberley Brown. I’ll never everforget world history with Mr.Brown. You remember MartinLuther? You remember Louis theXIV? Remember sitting at thesnack bar and reviewing for thosetests? We knew everything aboutthose two but the color of theirunderwear! When I got out of thathistory class, I thought, “I neverwant to hear those two namesagain;” but, for the next 30 years,guess what I did? I taught worldhistory! One day in class thisteenage boy raised his hand andsaid,“ Mrs. Melvin, you sound likeyou knew these people personal-ly.“ I thought, “If you had hadMr. Brown, you would know thempersonally too!”

Melvin also spotlighted twoearly extracurricular activities atColumbus College:

• Harvest Hop. It was the firstactivity Columbus College everhad. We had to drag in all thatstraw and make scarecrows. Wewere afraid no one would come;yet they did! The turnout was justunbelievable …

• The college’s float in the cityChristmas Parade. The event thathappened here at ColumbusCollege that was a turning pointin my life was the Christmas floatwe built. I’ll never forget. Wewere having a student govern-ment meeting, and we were tryingto decide what we were going toput on that float. This real hand-

some hunk in the back of the roomraised his hand and said, “I thinkwe should put a Santa Claus onthe float and have him pass outbeer to the little kids on the sideof the road.” … I was in completeshock! Well, I have to admit Iwound up marrying the guy, andI found out later that CarsonMelvin just made statements likethat to shock me and see how Iwould respond.I learned he was a man of char-

acter, honor, and integrity – one ofthe best that I’ve ever known. Welived together for 47 years untilhis death last February, and Ididn’t know if I would be able tocome back today without him,because this is where it all began.

Melvin, her future husband andmany other early students had start-ed college elsewhere, didn’t like theywere and saw the fledgling ColumbusCollege as an alternative. That abilityto compare the new school to moreestablished counterparts played arole in one of the longer-lasting stu-dent government decisions.

I’ll never forget that your studentgovernment picked the motto for thiscollege. Do you remember what itwas? Primus Inter Pares: Firstamong our equals. Many outside thecollege asked, “Why did you pickthat?” The message we were convey-ing with this motto was that wemight be starting out in the ShannonHosiery Mill, but that didn’t meanthat education wouldn’t be a prioritywith us. Learning was No. 1, and wewere going to be the equal of any-body else in this state. It’s great tosee that we’ve made it!

I have to say that memories suchas these are so precious to me. Iloved every minute that I was atthis college! The instructors herewere incredible. Each one believedin lighting candles and making adifference. I know they made adifference in my life.

My love of the law, my love ofhistory, my love of teaching – startedright here. Those teachers were morethan just educators – they were ourfriends, and they left footprints onour hearts. We’ll never forget them.You know, educators like that – whoreally care and who really make a

difference in our lives – are God’sgreatest treasures. I’m glad theypassed our way.

I want to thank ColumbusCollege for such an awesome begin-ning. As our alma mater says, youtaught us how to live. I want tothank all of you students who cameafter us for picking up the torch thatwe left you and running with it sonobly over the years. After 50 years,it’s great to see that, though thiscollege began in the ShannonHosiery Mill, it has never failed tolive up to the motto that we pro-claimed: First among our equals

Marlene Elmore and Jerry Sewellwere featured as Most IntellectualColumbus College’s first yearbook.

Carson and Marlene, justbefore his 2007 death


The soldiers may be home from Iraq, buttheir families aren’t so sure.

“Recently I’ve had cases in which soldiers,home from combat, have attacked and chokedtheir wives sleeping next to them,” said Maj.Tammie Crews, a 2005 graduate of CSU’s mas-ter’s program in community counseling. “Inanother situation, a wife was waking up nightafter night to her husband pacing back andforth in his sleep.”

Crews, a chaplain stationed nearPhiladelphia, is one of hundreds of Army coun-selors who are battling a record number ofpost-traumatic stress disorder cases. A 2008U.S. Army Surgeon General’s report estimatesthat 15-20 percent of soldiers fighting in Iraqand Afghanistan suffer from PTSD, depressionor other emotional issues. For soldiers on theirthird tour of duty, the incidence of mentalhealth problems rises to three in 10, the reportsays.


But Crews has achieved somesuccess in the war against PTSD byco-developing with Ric Long, profes-sor of counseling at CSU, a peercounseling program that equipsselected soldiers with basic counsel-ing skills. It’s been compared to theArmy’s combat lifesaver programthat prepares soldiers to give basicemergency medical care to othersoldiers on the battlefield.

“Early intervention is the key toalleviating PTSD and its ripple effecton families and communities,” saidLong, whose collaboration withCrews began in 2005, when she wasstationed at Fort Irwin in California.

Initially, the professor and hisformer student devised a reintegra-tion process to guide soldiers moreefficiently through Fort Irwin’shuman services programs. Thateffort, dubbed Deployment andFamily Therapy Planning, includedsessions with drug-alcohol coun-selors, chaplains trained to do diag-nostic and referral counseling, andpsychologists.

Two years later, their interest inpeer counseling gained ground witha Department of Defense Task Forceon Mental Health report that con-

cluded “future combat demands callfor greater resilience among troops.”It also helped that, in May 2008,Defense Secretary Robert Gatesannounced a policy change allowingPTSD sufferers to seek help for com-bat-related mental health problemswithout risking their military careers.

“The Army, with its ‘let’s fix itand move on’ approach to crisisintervention, hasn’t been geared tolong-term care,” Crews said. “Butsince the Pentagon’s report last year,the Army has started adding morecounseling specialists with advancedtraining and technical skill to deliverthat long-term care.”

The peer counseling programdeveloped by Crews and Longincludes 20 hours of training, offer-ing participants a thorough overviewof active listening and other interper-sonal skills, counseling as a process,building the coun-seling relationship,and the nature ofchange and com-mitment to actionand terminationand referralissues. Each peercounselor contin-ues to works incooperation andconsultation with Army chaplainsand other counselors.

Army mental health experts sayPTSD sufferers, including one out ofthree soldiers exposed to heavy com-bat, struggle to move beyond thefight-or-flight mentality that helpedthem survive in combat. A suddenmovement, the sound of a backfiringengine or the scent of sweat can trig-ger symptoms such as irritability,angry outbursts, insomnia, troubleconcentrating, extreme vigilance andan exaggerated startle response.

“I’ve been counseling a veteranof the Bosnian conflict who’s lostthree security jobs,” said Long, whoalso serves as clinical director of theUnited Way’s Family Center inColumbus. “He recently was firedfrom a local store for tackling andpinning a shoplifting suspect to thefloor.”

Before she enrolled at CSU in2004, Crews witnessed the high-

stress conditionsthat spawn theanxiety disorderas an aviation divi-sion chaplain atthe Baghdad air-port. Her primarygoal then was rel-atively simple.

“I essentiallyneeded to makethe soldiers at ease with their sur-roundings and assure them abouttheir families back home,” she said.“With PTSD, it’s a totally differentdynamic that requires more special-ized and long term care.

The peer-counseling conceptoriginated decades ago in budget-stretched high schools around thecountry and was customized by clin-ical psychologist Susan Johnson tocounsel New York City firefighterstraumatized by the 9-11 attacks.

Crews and Long attended aCape Cod Institute presentation byJohnson in August 2007 and brain-stormed how to adapt the concept tothe military in a Massachusetts cof-fee shop the day after Johnson’sworkshop. They regrouped at FortIrwin about six months later tofinalize the plan. “We conducted 23hours of training to prepare 24 non-commissioned officers and companygrade officers to function in the roleof peer counselors,” Crews said.

The effort has been effective,according to retired Lt. Col. RussEno, who documented the project aseditor of Infantry Magazine.

“Tammie has pioneered a realmilestone for the Army,” he said.“It’s been well received at Fort Irwinand has drawn interest from ForcesCommand (at Fort McPherson, Ga.)to evaluate its potential for imple-mentation throughout the entireArmy.”

Crews also was a pioneer ofsorts at CSU as the first female in theFamily Life Chaplain TrainingProgram. The rigorous 15-monthprogram — one of just two of its kindin the country — is CSU’s Army-cus-tomized community counseling mas-ter’s program and a complement totraining by the local PastoralInstitute.

Ric Long

By GregMuraski

Tammie Crews


“Ric treated me then as a trueequal to my male counterparts — toa degree I had not experienced pre-viously in the military,” said Crews,whose Army chaplain career startedin 1996, following 13 years asChurch of the Nazarene chaplain inEngland. “I felt he was in tune towhere I had come from and what Ihad experienced. This helped meexcel through the program.”

The relationship has been mutu-ally beneficial.

“Collaborating with Tammiekeeps me in tune to the military cul-

Our newlandmark

Capture your‘Kodak moment’

the next time youvisit campus

ture and strengthens my ability torelate to the 15 chaplains I presentlyhave in the program,” said Long,who plans to reconvene with Crewslater this fall to help her integratepeer counseling and possibly otherinitiatives at Tobyhanna Army Depot,where his former student overseescounseling services for about 5,500civilian contractors, active duty andreserve personnel, military retireesand their families.

“Tammie’s a perfectionist, butshe was always after more than anA-grade,” Long said. “She has a lot of

compassion for these (military)families and carries a strong senseof purpose to equip herself to bestserve them.”

Crews also impressed her FortIrwin colleagues, said Lt. Col. DougPeterson, a chaplain who workedwith her there.

“Folks appreciated the personalcare she demonstrated and thebroad range of family systems skillsthat she brought to some difficultand complex cases,” he said. “Shemade a powerful contribution to thesoldiers and families of the FortIrwin community.”

CSU cheerleaders, from left, Danielle Graves, AshleyShort and Brittney Shackelford strike a pose.

PhotosbyGregRodriguez/Artworks

Recovery Warriors continued from Page 15

When workers beganbolting down a 270-pound, life-size bronzestatue of a cougar, CSU’smascot, outside theLumpkin Center in June,many motorists driving by the intersection did adouble-take.

“Many faculty and students over the years havenoticed that, although we’re the CSU cougars, we don’thave any cougar statues around campus,” said TerryNorris, associate vice president for academic affairs.

That made it easier to sell the idea of a cougar statueas a way to permanently commemorate CSU’s 50thanniversary. Putting the cougar in front of the LumpkinCenter “gives it high visibility and shows our ‘CougarPride’ to everyone attending sporting events or juststrolling around campus,” Norris said.

After a yearlong search, the 50th AnniversaryCommemoratives Subcommittee, which Norris led,recommended a $13,000 limited-edition statue createdby Jesse Homoki of Prescott, Ariz.

The statue will serve as the focal point for many“Kodak moments,” Norris said, because the boulder’sflat surface makes it possible for people to sit beside andstand around the statue. The cougar is also accessiblefor photos of people who use wheelchairs or have othermobility limitations.

“Icons can provide a focus for any university,” Norrissaid. “The Whitley clock tower is our best-known icon,but it is a challenge to photograph an individual and theclock tower together. We hope that Cougar pride willincrease over the years, and past, present and futurestudents will grow to love this icon.”

The new cougar statue provedto be a popular distraction foryounger participants in CSU’ssummer cheerleading camps.


50th FarewellConvocation concludes anniversary observance

� Freshmen enjoyed their traditionalconvocation, in which incomingstudents learn of their responsibilities,in a special setting, the downtownRiverCenter for the Performing Arts.

� The pomp and circumstance offaculty in full regalia took on an airof pageantry as they led freshmen,also in gowns, through the streetsof downtown Columbus into theRiverCenter’s cavernous Bill HeardTheatre.

� Leading the processional wereceremonial banners known as gon-falons, representing academic collegesand CSU libraries, and the music of akilt-wearing bagpipe-drum trio thatincluded percussion professor PaulVaillancourt.

� Pulitzer Prize-winning historianDoris Kearns Goodwin offered theannual Hunter Lecture on “LeadershipLessons from Lincoln,” mixing anec-dotes from her latest best-seller withrecollections of LBJ, whose memoirsshe helped prepare, and historicalobservations on other modern-daypresidents.

� Timothy S. Mescon, who becameCSU’s fourth president on Aug. 1, paidhomage to recently retired PresidentFrank D. Brown and awarded himemeritus status on behalf of thestate Board of Regents.

Photos by Seth Grant

CSU’s Wind Ensemble, conducted by Robert Rumbelow, performed during the ceremony.

Gonfalons for each academiccollege lead faculty.

Frank Brown, left, becomes CSUpresident emeritus.

Doris Kearns Goodwin offerslessons from Lincoln.

University College Dean Beverly Davis, from left,Academic Affairs VP George Stanton, President Mescon and

President Emeritus Brown react to one of Goodwin’s observations.

Faculty and freshmen enjoy choiceBill Heard Theatre seats as hundreds of

other observers watch from the balconies.

Freshmen in CSU’s Class of 2012 – plus hundredsof others – got a special treat Sept. 25 in the form ofthe 50th Anniversary Convocation, the final signatureanniversary event, which combined several elements:

For more photos of thisevent and others, visit

http://photos.colstate.edu/events.


Class Notes1966

John G. Nix was recently promoted toanalytical lab manager with ContinentalCarbon’s Research and Development unitin Houston.

1970Joe Whitley has joined the GreenbergTraurig law firm’s offices in Atlanta andWashington, D.C. His practice focuses onwhite-collar defense, including internalinvestigations, fraud, compliance andcorporate governance matters, as well ashomeland security, customs andimmigration enforcement issues.Previously, Whitley served as a U.S.Attorney and in other Department ofJustice roles. Most recently, he served asgeneral counsel of the federalDepartment of Homeland Security.

1971James A. Gill Sr. has retired fromColumbus Bank & Trust after 49 years ofservice. He is the chairman of the boardfor River City Bank of West Georgia inCarrollton.

Brian P. Heshizer, an associate professorof management at Georgia SouthwesternUniversity in Americus, has earned hisPh.D. from the University of Wisconsin atMadison. Earlier, he earned his master’sfrom Florida State University.

1973David Hay has joined Valley HospitalityServices, LLC, a Columbus-based hotel andfood management company, as its humanresources director.

1976Sandra A. Howard has been named thebroker in charge of Keller Williams Realtyin Fort Mill, S.C. She recently completed amaster’s degree from the University ofGeorgia.

1977Alice Howard is now the community plansand liaison officer at Marine Corps AirStation in Beaufort, S.C., working withlocal governments on land use, easementsand related issues in the area. She hadpreviously served as the installation’senvironmental director.

Barbara F. McKnight has been named vicepresident and chief nursing officer at theColumbus Regional Medical Center.

1978Carolyn J. Chaney received the 2008 JeanHartin Nursing Excellence Award in May asRN of the Year at Columbus RegionalMedical Center.

Dena Ann Clarke has retired as assistantdeputy director of the South CarolinaDepartment of Probation, Parole andPardon Services after 30 years of service.

Debbie Ridings Lane has retired as vicepresident of human resources after 23years at Georgia Blue Cross Blue Shield inColumbus. Lane is now owner of TheLeadership Edge LLC, a consulting companyfor leadership development and executivecoaching.

Janice K. Ledford of Franklin, N.C., has justpublished the second edition of The LittleEye Book: A Pupil’s Guide to UnderstandingOphthalmology, bringing to 20 the totalnumber of books she has authored, mostlyin the field of eye care.

1979Col. Lyle R. Metzler has earned his Masterof Divinity degree from SouthwesternBaptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth,Texas. Although retired from the Armyafter 33 years of active and reserve duty,including two tours of Vietnam, Metzlerhas been serving in recent years as avolunteer chaplain for the Army’s 145thMedical Battalion, a reserve unit based inSeagoville, Texas that lacked a chaplain.

Jones Wright Jr. is now a professor ofbiology at Georgia SouthwesternUniversity in Americus.

1981Judy Hawkins, now living in Roswell, hasretired after 27 years in public and churchpre-schools.

1983Johnny M. Hanson Jr. of Kissimmee, Fla., isnow employed at Walt Disney World aftercompleting a Master of Arts degree inbusiness and organizational securitymanagement at Webster University.

1984Jennie Walker was quoted this year inTime magazine, the Philadelphia Inquirerand the Boston Globe in reports about thepresidential bid of Hillary Clinton. Inspiredby Clinton’s primary win in NewHampshire, Walker, a New York-basedsinger-songwriter, co-wrote It’s About Time,which was featured on several Web sitescreated by Clinton supporters. Hear thesong at http://www.jenniewalker.com.

1987Cheryl A. Brown is now an assistantprofessor of political science at MarshallUniversity in Huntington, W. Va. She and acolleague, Robert Behrman, are the co-authors of “Capstone for Political ScienceMajors: The Content is the Service” in theJournal of Public Affairs Education. Shegot her Ph.D. at Georgia State University.

Karen M. Clarke, a registered nursemanager in the Emergency Department,received the 2008 Chairman’s Award ofExcellence in May at Columbus RegionalMedical Center.

Gordon W. “Bill” Hamilton III, a ColumbusCollege assistant baseball coach in 1985-1987, has been head baseball coach atPensacola (Fla.) Junior College for 19 yearsnow and athletic director for 10 years. Hefinished the 2008 season with a 43-8 record,a conference championship and a No. 1ranking for six weeks in the national juniorcollege poll, a school first. He now has 561career wins.

1988Michael Lee Hunt is enjoying life as fatherof his first child, Zoe Marie Hunt, born June28, 2007. Hunt is employed by theDepartment of Defense Dependent SchoolSystem and moved this year from Hanau,Germany to Ansbach, where he’s teachingjazz band and coaching the girls varsitybasketball team.

1989The Rev. Daryl Brown is now the associatepastor at St. Paul United Methodist Churchin Columbus.

1991Laura Lowe is currently working withThe Family Center of Columbus as a FAST(Families and School Together) teamcoordinator.

1992Tammy L. Graves received the 2008 JeanHartin Nursing Excellence Award in May asNurse Leader of the Year at ColumbusRegional Medical Center.

Rebecca Swindal is currently director andacademic advisor II for the College ofApplied Arts at Texas State University SanMarcos, Texas.

1993Maj. Thomas Porter, a patientadministration officer for the U.S. ArmyMedical Command in San Antonio, Texas,recently graduated from the University ofthe Incarnate Word in San Antonio with aMaster of Business Administration.


2004William Doerr has been named thedevelopment director of the AndrewYoung School of Policy Studies at GeorgiaState University.

2005Michelle Garner has been named the 2008RN of the Year at St. Francis Hospital.

Nikea Patterson is pursuing her doctorateof physical therapy degree at AlabamaState University in Montgomery.

Katherine Santos-Perez has completedU.S. Navy basic training at Recruit TrainingCommand in Great Lakes Ill.

2006Allison Jones, now a graduate student atEast Carolina University, joined currentsenior Carrie Beth Barnett during thesummer to participate in the vocal programat the American Institute of Musical Studiesin Graz, Austria, where they sang in amaster class led by internationally knownDanish baritone Bo Skovhus, a SonyClassical recording artist.

Meaghan McGurgan graduated in Mayfrom Louisiana Tech University in Rustonwith her master’s degree in theatre. She’snow employed as a drama teacher at theDramatic English School and Studio inHong Kong, which utilizes many techniquesof professional actor training in teachingEnglish as a Second Language.

Erica Wilson married Timothy Wilsonon July 3 in Crown Point, Ind.

2007Brooke Wilson was named the 2008Outstanding First Year Teacher for theMuscogee County School District.

2008Michael Johnson, who graduated lastspring with a bachelor’s in chemistry, hasbeen accepted into the astrochemistrygraduate program at the University ofHawaii. Johnson, also a staff memberwith CSU’s Coca-Cola Space Science Center,will enter “one of the most prestigiousastronomy-astrophysics universities in thecountry because its Institute for Astronomyoperates the world-famous Mauna KeaObservatories,” said CSU astronomyprofessor Shawn Cruzen, executivedirector of the space science center.

Update us on your life at: http://alumni.colstate.edu/update_form.asp

1994Dorothy Jean Bush is now the owner ofJulington Music Studio in St. Johns, Fla.She also serves as the music director forPonte Vedra High School in Ponte VedraBeach, Fla.

Leanne K. DeFoor recently received herJuris Doctor degree, graduating cum laudefrom Georgia State University College ofLaw. She is now an associate attorneywith the international law firm ofMcKenna Long & Aldridge, LLP in Atlanta.

Jacqueline Scott was recently appointedprincipal of MacIntyre Park Middle Schoolin Thomasville. Scott received the 2007-2008 Outstanding Doctoral Student Awardin the Educational Leadership Departmentat Valdosta State University.

1995Linda P. Johnston was named the 2008Teacher of the Year for Harris County’sPine Ridge Elementary School in Ellerslie.

1996Gary Rothwell, a Georgia Bureau ofInvestigation special agent and a CSUadjunct instructor, was interviewed as partof a 48 Hours broadcast by CBS News thataired July 2. The “Stolen Beauty” episodefocused on the October 2005disappearance of an 11th-grade historyteacher from Ocilla, Ga., and its similarityto the case of a young Florida womanwho vanished three months later.

1999Lisa Whitaker was named the 2008Teacher of the Year for Midland Academyand went on to become the MuscogeeCounty School District’s overall Teacher ofthe Year. She was the first elementaryschool teacher to win the districtwidehonor since 2002.

2000Melissa Wilks was named the 2008Teacher of the Year for Wynnton ArtsAcademy in the Muscogee County SchoolDistrict.

Tamu Taylor is now a senior qualityassurance analyst at Aflac in Columbus.

2001April Long was named the 2008 Teacherof the Year for Harris County’s ParkElementary School.

Maureen McKay took a break in Februaryfrom a busy schedule performing as asoprano, often as the lead, in operaproductions across the country to visitColumbus and talk to Schwob School of

Music students. Based in New York, whereshe lives with her music teacher husband,Jesse Tennyson ’99, McKay was in Georgiato portray Lightfoot McLendon in theAtlanta Opera’s production of Cold SassyTree. Follow her performing schedule athttp://maureenmckay.com.

Andre Ribeiro of Buford, Ga., is nowthe director of marketing andcommunications for North and SouthAmerica at Leica Geosystems, whichproduces precision products and systemsfor surveying and other forms ofgeographical measurement.

2002Nicolas Gracey, a Columbus-based artistand graphic designer, in March launchedan exhibit of his artwork, titled Prelude, atthe Embassy of Peru in Washington, D.C.Gracey, a native of Peru, also was invitedto display his paintings at the Ico Galleryin New York City in September.

Huberta Gunn is now employed at Aflac,where she’s an application developer.

Katie Hamilton was named the 2008Teacher of The Year for Harris CountyCarver Middle School in Hamilton.

2003Mohamed Radhouane Chouchanegraduated from the University ofLouisiana at Lafayette on May 24 witha Ph.D. in computer science aftercompleting a dissertation on“Approximate Detection of Machine-Authored Malicious Programs.” He joinedCSU’s TSYS Department of ComputerScience as a temporary faculty memberin the fall.

Kevin Guthas is currently a high schoolcounselor at Oconee County High Schoolin Watkinsville, Ga. He is also pursuing hiseducation specialist degree in schoolcounseling at the University of Georgia.

Find out how to get yours:http://alumni.colstate.edu/

Calendar of EventsNovember 2008 - April 2009

November

19 CSU Men’s Basketball. Carver Bible. 7:30 p.m.Lumpkin Center.

20 Schwob School of Music. Wind Orchestra.$5 Admission. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

20-23 CSU Theatre Department. Boy Gets Girl.Psychological chiller about romance gone wrong. CSUTheatre on the Park.

21 Schwob School of Music. Wind Ensemble.$5 Admission. 7 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

24 CSU Women’s Basketball. West Georgia. 6 p.m.Lumpkin Center.

24 Schwob School of Music. Flute and Guitar StudioRecital. Free Admission. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall,RiverCenter.

December

6 Schwob School of Music. Empire Brass Concert withCSU Vocalists. $20 Admission. 2 p.m. Legacy Hall,RiverCenter.

9 Schwob School of Music. CSU Philharmonic.$5 Admission. 7:30 p.m. Bill Heard Theatre, RiverCenter.

11 Schwob School of Music. 10th and Broadway.Clarinet Quartet. Free Admission. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall,RiverCenter.

12 Schwob School of Music. Horn Choir and TromboneChoir. Annual performance of holiday music. FreeAdmission. 12:30 p.m. Grand Lobby, RiverCenter.

14 Oxbow Meadows. Second Sunday Series. TBA. 2p.m. Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center.

19 CSU Men’s Basketball. Mars Hill. 7 p.m. LumpkinCenter.

20 CSU Men’s Basketball. Montevallo. 4 p.m. LumpkinCenter.

30 CSU Men’s Basketball. Valdosta State.4 p.m. Lumpkin Center.

January

3 CSU Women’s Basketball. Lander. 2 p.m. LumpkinCenter.

3 CSU Men’s Basketball. Lander. 4 p.m. Lumpkin Center.

5 CSU Women’s Basketball. Georgia Southwestern. 5:30p.m. Lumpkin Center.

5 CSU Men’s Basketball. Georgia Southwestern.7:30 p.m. Lumpkin Center.

7 CSU Women’s Basketball. Clayton State. 5:30 p.m.Lumpkin Center.

7 CSU Men’s Basketball. Clayton State. 7:30 p.m.Lumpkin Center.

10 CSU Women’s Basketball. Francis Marion. 2 p.m.Lumpkin Center.

10 CSU Men’s Basketball. Francis Marion. 4 p.m.Lumpkin Center.

11 Oxbow Meadows. Second Sunday Series. TBA. 2p.m. Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center.

15-18 CSU Theatre Department. Alexander and theTerrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Delightfuladaptation of Judith Viorst children’s book. CSU Theatreon the Park.

22 CSU Women’s Basketball. Armstrong Atlantic State.5:30 p.m. Lumpkin Center.

22 CSU Men’s Basketball. Armstrong Atlantic State.7:30 p.m. Lumpkin Center.

25 Schwob School of Music. Wind Ensemble. $5Admission. 4 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

31 CSU Baseball. West Alabama. Home Opener 1 p.mand 4 p.m. Ragsdale Field.

February

1 CSU Baseball. West Alabama. 1 p.m. Ragsdale Field.

2 CSU Women’s Basketball. Augusta State. 5:30 p.m.Lumpkin Center.

2 CSU Men’s Basketball. Augusta State. 7:30 p.m.Lumpkin Center.

5 Schwob School of Music. Sergiu Schwartz & Friends.Performances by Mozart, Brahms, and Mendelssohn. $20Admission. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

8 Oxbow Meadows. Second Sunday Series. TBA. 2 p.m.Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center.

9 Center for International Education. World WithoutBorders International Film Series: “Moolaade.”7 p.m. International House.

12Schwob School of Music. CSU PhilharmonicOrchestra. Annual concerto winners concert. $5Admission. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

12-15 CSU Theatre Department. The Cripple ofInishmaan. Martin McDonagh’s darkly comic tale is writ-ten in the great tradition of Irish storytelling. CSU Theatreon the Park.

13Schwob School of Music. Jazz Band. $5 Admission.7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

15Schwob School of Music. Voice Studio: An Afternoonof Arts Songs and Arias. Free Admission. 4 p.m. StudioTheatre, RiverCenter.


16Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians. 2009Guest Composer in Percussion, Derek Bermel. CarsonMcCullers House.

18Columbus State University. CSU Blood Drive.10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Lumpkin Center.

19Schwob School of Music. CSU Wind Orchestra. $5Admission. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

20Schwob School of Music. Guest Artist Performance:David Singer, clarinet. $10 Admission. 7:30 p.m. BillHeard Theatre, RiverCenter.

20-21 CSU Theatre Department. The Cripple ofInishmaan. Martin McDonagh’s darkly comic tale is writ-ten in the great tradition of Irish storytelling. CSU Theatreon the Park.

24CSU Women’s Basketball. North Georgia. 5:30 p.m.Lumpkin Center.

26Schwob School of Music. Choral Concert. $5Admission. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

March

4 Career Center. Careers Expo. 1 p.m. Lumpkin Center.4 CSU Softball. University of North CarolinaPembroke. 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Lady Cougar Field.

4 CSU Baseball. West Georgia. 4 p.m. Ragsdale Field.

5 Schwob School of Music. Wind Ensemble.$5 Admission. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

8 Oxbow Meadows. Second Sunday Series. TBA. 2 p.m.Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center.

12 CSU Softball. Carson-Newman. 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.Lady Cougar Field.

14 CSU Softball. Lincoln Memorial. 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.Lady Cougar Field.

14 CSU Baseball. UNC Pembroke. 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.Ragsdale Field.

15 CSU Baseball. UNC Pembroke. 1 p.m. Ragsdale Field.

16 Center for International Education.World WithoutBorders International Film Series: “Paradise Now.”7 p.m. International House.

18 CSU Baseball. Auburn-Montgomery. 5 p.m. RagsdaleField.

21 CSU Softball. University of South Carolina-Aiken.1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Lady Cougar Field.

25 CSU Baseball. Faulkner. 5 p.m. Ragsdale Field.

27-29 Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians.Carson McCullers Film Festival. Columbus Public Library.

28 CSU Baseball. USC Aiken. 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. RagsdaleField.

29 CSU Baseball. USC Aiken. 1 p.m. Ragsdale Field.

29 Schwob School of Music. Shanghai String Quartet. $20Admission. 4 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

April

2 Schwob School of Music. CSU String Orchestra. $5Admission. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

2-5 CSU Theatre Department. Machinal. A 1928 Broadwayhit, Machinal is an expressionistic modern age tragedy ofisolation turned to murder. CSU Theatre on the Park.

5 Schwob School of Music. CSU Philharmonic. $5Admission. 4 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

10 CSU Softball. Augusta State. 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. LadyCougar Field.

10 CSU Baseball. GCSU. 5 p.m. Ragsdale Field.

11 CSU Baseball. GCSU. 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Ragsdale Field.

12 Oxbow Meadows. Second Sunday Series. TBA.2 p.m. Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center.

13 Center for International Education. World WithoutBorders International Film Series: “The OfficialStory.” 7 p.m. International House.

13-14 Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians.2009 Guest Composer in Guitar, Michael Nicolella.Carson McCullers House.

14 CSU Softball. Albany State. 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. LadyCougar Field.

15 CSU Baseball. Valdosta State. 5 p.m. Ragsdale Field.

16 Schwob School of Music. Wind Orchestra. $5Admission. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

20 Schwob School of Music. Columbus Brass. FreeAdmission. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

21 CSU Baseball. LaGrange College. 4 p.m. RagsdaleField.

22 Columbus State University. CSU Blood Drive. 10 a.m.-4p.m. Lumpkin Center.

23 Schwob School of Music. Wind Ensemble.$5 Admission. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall, RiverCenter.

25 Schwob School of Music. CSU String Orchestra. $5Admission. 7:30 p.m. Bill Heard Theatre, RiverCenter.

30 Schwob School of Music. CSU PhilharmonicOrchestra. $5 Admission. 7:30 p.m. Legacy Hall,RiverCenter.


Math Site Bucks TrendCSU’s online Math Contest is on track to record 1 million hits this year.More than 564,000 visits were logged last year at www.colstate.edu/mathcontest/, where

visitors vie to solve up to four new problems each week, and the counter is on track to doublethat mark in 2008.

College of Education Dean David Rock co-founded the contest in 1996.“Too many of our kids lose interest in math as they become older,” Rock said. “Perhaps it’s

because it’s not cool or because they don’t think it’s relevant. But whatever the reason, we’ve gotto do what we can to change that perception.”

The site also has reached the coveted No. 1 spot on Google when someone searches for“math contest.” Hundreds of thousands of people from over 213 countries find the site each month.

4225 University AvenueColumbus, Georgia

31907-5645

Parents: If this issue is addressedto a son or daughter who nolonger lives at home, please sendthe correct address to the AlumniOffice at the address above.Thank you.

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 10Columbus, Georgia 31908

Building on CSU’s futureWorkers deep into the details of what will become CSU’s Schuster

Student Success Center enjoy unique perspectives on CSU landmarks.Above: Earl Applewhite looks out the front of the building, at the maincampus entrance. Left: Sam Harrison works on a steel frame, with theWhitley Clock Tower in the background, at the rear of the $9 million,37,700-square foot building still on schedule to open by fall 2009.

Photos by Bill Sutley

volume15no.2 meettimothys.mescon,csu ...ur.columbusstate.edu/focus/pdf/focus_fall08.pdf p h o t o b...

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