Issue 4: November 2024

GSW sets new enrollment record, awarded for enrollment growth and largest graduation rate increase

GSW marks another record-breaking enrollment with 3,704 students, the highest total enrollment in GSW’s history. This 8.5 percent surge over last year's student population total is the highest increase within the University System of Georgia’s (USG) “State University” sector. As a result, GSW earned the Chancellor’s Cup award by USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue for the fourth consecutive semester.

GSW also earned the inaugural Chancellor’s Award for the largest increase in 6-year graduation rates for first-time, full-time freshmen across the USG. GSW achieved an impressive 7.9 percent increase from the 2017 to 2018 cohort, reflecting the share of students who began at GSW and completed their degree at any USG institution.

Over the past five years, GSW’s enrollment has grown nearly 26 percent. This fall, GSW saw growth across multiple areas including traditional college freshmen, dual enrollment, undergraduate and graduate students.

Read more about Fall enrollment numbers here.

GSW announces 2025 Outstanding Alumni Award recipients

GSW has announced its most outstanding alumni for their professional and personal achievements as well as their contributions to the University. These individuals will be recognized Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, during the third annual Gold Force Gala in the GSW Storm Dome.

"The true measure of Georgia Southwestern’s legacy is found not just in the walls of our campus, but in the remarkable achievements of our alumni,” said Alumni Engagement Specialist Angela Smith. “Each of them embodies the Canes spirit of servant leadership—carrying the pride of GSW into their communities, their careers, and the world. Their success is a testament to the enduring power of education and the profound impact of a GSW degree, and we look forward to celebrating them with our GSW family, friends and supporters.

These awards hold special significance and have different criteria. The 2025 Alumni Awardees are:

• Aeolian Award recipient: Marty McDonald ‘86
• Canes Community Champions: Ann and Bill Harris
• Leewynn Finklea Award recipient: Cheryl Fletcher ’82, ‘91
• Visionary Award recipient: Tiwa Williams (aka Tiwa Works) ‘02
• Young Alumni of the Year: Luke Ellis ’08
• Family Legacy Award recipients: The Murray & Smith Families
• Hall of Fame inductee: Tommy Knight ’87, ’92

Read more about the award winners here.

October gas card winners announced

Thanks to generous donations to the GSW Foundation from Charles Eames and Perry Brothers Oil Co., all currently enrolled GSW students are eligible to win a $100 Gas N' Go gift card each month. The March winners were (pictured L to R, top row) Hayley McCready, Shakira Harvey, Dajanai Downs, (bottom row) Callie Miller, and Janena Merion.

Students can enter the drawing through the link in the Breeze email each month. Winners will be contacted via email by a representative from the GSW Foundation.

Lady Hurricanes rank in preseaon polls

The accomplishments of last season's women's basketball team, that included 29 wins and an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament, were not enough for coaches around the Peach Belt Conference to keep the Lady Hurricanes near the top of the league when it released the 2024-25 preseason coaches poll. GSW is picked to finish fourth of 10 schools.

Yet the Lady Hurricanes opened the 2024-25 season ranked No. 17 in NCAA Division II according to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association preseason poll.

GSW received votes in this season's media preseason poll as well. The Division II College Sports Communicators (D2CSC) publishes both national and regional polls. GSW enters the 2024-25 campaign ranked fourth in the Southeast. The Lady Hurricanes received one of the six first-place votes awarded in each regional poll.

Read more about these rankings here and here.

Brotherhood donates proceeds to CASA

On Nov. 12, members of the Brotherhood donated close to $500 to the Southwest Georgia Court Appointed Special Advocates (SOWEGA CASA). This money was raised from an event that the Brotherhood members participated in back in October and will be used to buy Christmas gifts for area foster children.

GSW Advancement team attends annual GEAC Conference

Members of GSW’s Division of University Advancement attended the 2024 Georgia Education Advancement Council (GEAC) Conference in Jekyll Island, Ga. Nov. 18-20. With over 250 Georgia advancement professionals attending, the conference included track sessions on topics in advancement services, alumni relations, development, and marketing and communications. 

Those attending from GSW were (pictured L to R) Director of Marketing and Communications Chelsea Collins; Annual Giving Specialist Kim Comer; Development Officer Hunter Peak; Multimedia Specialist Sydney Scott; Assistant Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Director of the GSW Foundation Stephen Snyder; Alumni Engagement Specialist Angela Smith; and Web Content Strategist Krystal Whittaker.

GEAC, Inc is a statewide organization for those at public, private and technical colleges and universities who work in educational advancement including the areas of alumni, development, publications and communication.

Surge turns 15

GSW's mascot Surge celebrated his 15th birthday on Saturday, Nov. 16. On social media, Hurricanes shared their well-wishes and favorite photos with Surge through the years.

Surge was first introduced during a home basketball game in 2009.

GSW Foundation announces re-elected, new board members at November meeting

The Georgia Southwestern Foundation, Inc. (Foundation) convened its semi-annual Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, November 7, announcing the re-election of seven current members and the election of three new members to its 45-member board.

Re-elected members include Sam Adams, Billy King (’81), Beth Ragan, Herschel Smith, Scott Westbrook, Leon Holloway (’73), and Everett Byrd (’68, ’78). Newly elected members include Sandra D. Daniel (’74, ’76), James E. Peel (’80), and Jackson R. Autry (’72). The board, nominated and elected by peers, provides external oversight to the Foundation's operations, supporting its mission to enhance higher education at Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW).

Read more about the new Trustees here.

Canes Spotlights announced for November

Canes Spotlights highlight Georgia Southwestern students who hold leadership roles, are involved in extracurricular activities and/or excel academically in their degree programs.

The November Canes Spotlights were senior psychology major Leigh Bailey (left) and senior information technology major Sophia Aparicio-Malacara (right).

Leigh returned to college as an adult to pursue a degree in psychology. "I absolutely love learning how the mind works and what motivates our thoughts and behaviors," she said. "The psychology department is comprised of professors who care about their students' success."

"I’ve learned that it is never too late to go back to college," Leigh said. She has overcome the challenges of being a non-traditional student, including having two daughters also in school and caring for her mother in hospice. "I was very involved with her care and thought I was going to have to give up going back to school. My professors were incredibly supportive during this difficult time."

As a first-generation student, navigating college was a challenge for Sophia. Now a senior information technology major, she has found her passion in IT, gained experience working in GSW's Office of Information and Instructional Technology, and is looking forward to graduating in the spring.

Sophia credits faculty like Dr. Karen Cook for supporting her during her time on campus. "Dr. Cook genuinely cares about her students and will go the extra mile to ensure that they are on the right track," Sophia said. "This was particularly special to me because I am a first-generation student that had little idea about what it was like to be in college, and she made that experience much more comfortable for me."

Canes Spotlights are nominated by GSW faculty and staff.

Simmons named Preseason All-PBC

Graduate guard Jashanti Simmons has been named to the 2024-25 Preseason Peach Belt All-Conference Women's Basketball Team as announced by the league office.

A native of Eatonton, Ga., Simmons was a first team All-PBC selection in 2023-24 and named to both the 2024 PBC All-Tournament Team and the 2024 NCAA Division II Southeast Region All-Tournament Team as GSW advanced to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight and finished with a record of 29-4.

Read more about Simmons here.

Flag football all-stars compete in championship tournament

The men's all-star flag football team made an impressive debut in the NIRSA Flag Football Championship tournament. The team faced a challenging schedule. They battled through the first playoff round but ultimately came up short in the second round. The dedication and resilience this team showed was outstanding.

Three students ranked among the top in stats out of a pool of 219 players:

• Kristian Bonaparte was first in total interceptions and second in interceptions per game
• Haden High was fifth in passing touchdown per game and in total passing touchdowns
• Freddie Updike was first in receiving touchdown per game and second in total receiving touchdowns

Pictured are (top row, L to R) Brody Walker, Kristian Bonaparte, Dontavious Brown, Tybien Smith, Haden High, Freddie Updike, Antoine Johnson, Jacobe McDonald, (bottom row) Antwuan Price, Anthony Eason, and Cameron Houston.

Men's soccer places trio on All-PBC Team, Bedard named to PBC All-Tournament Team

Sophomore forward Alexander Lozano, senior midfielder Andres Melendez and senior defender Damean Dominguez have been named to the 2024 men's soccer All-Peach Belt Conference second team as announced by the league office.

The Hurricanes have placed three on All-PBC teams in three of the last four seasons.

Biology majors attend, present at conference

On Nov. 9, biology majors Makayla Lashley-Dorough, Maribel Brizendine, and Alexandria Daniel attended the Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference (GURC) alongside faculty Surya Amarachintha, Ph.D., and Anne Jacobs, Ph.D.

GSW pre-vet major Makalya Lashley-Dorough (right), who won first place for her poster at GSW's 2024 Undergraduate Research Symposium, presented her work at GURC. The title of her poster was "Identifying potent drug candidate for kidney cancer," with research conducted under the mentorship of Amarachintha.

Held at Oxford College of Emory University in Oxford, Ga., GURC is a well-known annual premiere undergraduate research and creative endeavors conference in the southeastern region of United States. GURC is a great opportunity for GSW students from all disciplines who are encouraged to present their research at this state level conference and make connections to other institutions for career or graduate school opportunities. GSW is a proud member of the Georgia Undergraduate Research Collective institutions. Funding for the conference registration fee and travel expenses was provided by Thomas Chair Fund and Biology club.

GURC promotes high-quality undergraduate student-faculty collaborative research and scholarship across the state of Georgia and the neighboring states. During the two-day event, students from several institutions presented around 80 posters and 50 talks showcasing research from several disciplines, visual arts, and performances.

Iuliano becomes first women's soccer All-Conference selection, Dunlap named to PBC All-Tournament team

Senior defender Chloe Iuliano has been named to the 2024 women's soccer All-Peach Belt Conference second team as announced by the league office. She becomes GSW's first All-Peach Belt Conference honoree in the 19 seasons since the program was founded.

Sophomore defender Maci Dunlap was named to Peach Belt Conference All-Tournament soccer teams. A two-time PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar from Warner Robins, Ga., she played in all 16 of GSW's matches this season and started 15 contests for a defense that held conference opponents to the fewest goals in school history (1.33 per match) while helping lead the Lady Hurricanes to their most league wins in program history (4).

Read more about Iuliano here and Dunlap here. 

Daniels attends, presents at D.C. conference

From Oct. 24-26, Associate Professor Anne Jacobs, Ph.D., and senior chemistry major and computer science minor K.J. Daniels traveled to Washington, D.C. for the National Science Foundation (NSF) conference. This was a NSF-funded conference through the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minorities Participation (LSAMP) program, which allows ethnic minority students to do research and receive a grant and stipend if the student's GPA is 2.5 or above.

This event allowed LSAMP scholars like Daniels to network for graduate schools or industry occupations and for the students to present research they've worked on through the LSAMP program.

Daniels presented his research titled "Application of UV-Visible Scattering to Vapor Pressure Lowering," which demonstrated a turbidimetric light scattering method that observed and shows the relationship of nucleation and vapor pressure.

Garrett earns two PBC Player of the Week honors

Graduate guard Destiny Garrett was named the Peach Belt Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week twice in three weeks by the league office.

Garrett leads the PBC and is ranked fourth in NCAA Division II with 7.6 assists per game this season. She also ranks second in the conference in scoring (18.4 ppg), field goal percentage (46.0) and free throw percentage (93.9), while ranking fourth in rebounding (7.2 rpg).

Garrett becomes the second player in GSW women's basketball history, joining Ava Jones (2021-22 and 2022-23), to earn multiple PBC Player of the Week awards during their career.

Read more about Garrett's honors here.

Hall earns PBC Player of the Week honors

Sophomore forward Tim Hall, Jr. was named the Peach Belt Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week by the league office.

Hall posted a double-double in each of the Hurricanes three games last week, finishing with an average of 15.7 points and 15.3 rebounds per contest. The Charlotte, N.C. native led all players in rebounds each game, culminating with a career-high 18 boards against Barton College. His 19 points at Mount Olive was also a career high.

Read more about Hall here.

UPE inducts new members, recognizes graduates

GSW's Eta Chapter of Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE) recently held its 21st Induction Ceremony Nov. 14. Five new members were inducted into GSW's Eta Chapter. They are undergraduate students Jennifer Baltazar, Alexander DeYoung, Christopher Hickman, graduate student Austin Bercume (not pictured), and faculty member Shannon Perry, Ed.D. (not pictured).

Graduating members also received their graduation stole and honor cords. George Banketas (Master of Science in Computer Science) received his stole and Jazmin Aparicio-Malacara and Amanda Green (Bachelor of Science in Information Technology) received their honor cords.

Following the ceremony, a reception was held in honor of the new members. To be eligible for membership in UPE, undergraduate students must rank in the upper 35% of their class, have a minimum GPA of a 3.0, and have completed at least 45 semester hours including 15 semester hours in the basic courses in the Computing and Information Disciplines. Graduate students must be in the upper 35% of their class, have a minimum GPA of a 3.5, and have completed at least half of their required course work in the degree program. UPE is the first and only, existing international honor society in the computing and information disciplines.

GSW’s Eta Chapter of Upsilon Pi Epsilon was founded Fall semester 2001. Senior Lecturer Karen Cook, Ed.D., is the founding faculty advisor.

Banerjee publishes research

Associate Professor of Management Soumendra Banerjee, Ph.D., has had a productive year in terms of research, with five peer-reviewed journal articles published in 2024. His work explores how CEO characteristics, e.g., gender, turnover, overconfidence, and narcissism, and company features like strategic changes and financial performance impact corporate consistency in non-market strategies. Overall findings suggest that female CEOs improve consistencies, narcissistic and/or new CEOs tend to differ from existing industry norms, and poor financial performance or strategic change hampers corporate non-market performance.

"Our faculty members are at the forefront of groundbreaking research that not only enhances our academic reputation but also makes a tangible impact on society," said Dean of the College of Business and Computing Gaynor Cheokas, D.B.A. "Dr. Banerjee’s dedication to innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and pushing the boundaries of knowledge is a testament to our institution's commitment to excellence in scholarship.”

Banerjee's research has appeared this year in Group and Organization Management, Journal of Management and Organization, Journal of Business Ethics, International Review of Financial Analysis, and British Journal of Management. Four of the five journals are ranked A on the prestigious Australian Business Deans’ Council (ABDC) list and the fifth is ranked B.

"I’m grateful to my department, the provost’s office, and the entire GSW community at large for providing me with a conducive environment that motivates and allows me to nurture and continue my professional passion, i.e., scholarship," said Banerjee

FYE and Admissions staff attend, present at GACRAO

Director of First-Year Experience and Student Success David Jenkins, Ed.D., and Assistant Director of First-Year Experience and Student Success Courtney Ellis (right) presented at the Georgia Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (GACRAO) 70th Anniversary Conference in Young Harris, Ga.

Their presentation, titled "Recruit to Retain: Fostering Student Success Across Teams," highlighted how GSW's recent administrative and organizational changes have been made with intentional efforts to promote student engagement and success, retention, and social belonging.

Jenkins and Director of Recruitment and Admissions Jonathan Scott recently served on the Past President's Panel during the conference. Jenkins served as the GACRAO President in 2015-2016 and Scott served as President in 2020-2021.

COBAC faculty present in Tampa

College of Business and Computing faculty Becca Jones, John Stovall, and Amber Stovall presented in Tampa, Fla. at the annual Society for Marketing Advances Conference this month. Their presentation, titled "B Corp Certification: Is is Worth the Headache?," is abstracted below: 

The presentation explored the motivations and outcomes for small companies, particularly in the coffee roastery industry, that pursue certifications that are intended to signal that a company is committed to social and environmental responsibility. Specifically, the research investigates how marketing strategies of small corporations may shift due to policy changes that negatively impact small organizations bearing those certifications. This concern highlights that these type of policy changes may also negatively impact small companies across different industries.

While at the conference, Jones and the Stovalls were able to catch up with two former students, Quincy Mayer '24 and Geraldine Alvarez '23.

Abbott and Pritchett present on teacher recruitment and retention in rural areas

On Oct. 31, Assistant Dean and Associate Professor Chris Pritchett, Ed.D., and Professor and Dean Rachel Abbott, Ph.D., presented alongside Heather Finley of the Georgia Department of Education at the National Forum to Advance Rural Education 2024 National Conference in Savannah, Ga. Their presentation was titled "Fostering Rural Teacher Recruitment and Retention: A Collaborative Approach."

This was a collaborative presentation between the Georgia Department of Education's Rual Education and Innovation Team and Georgia Southwestern State University. It explored recent data on teacher retention and discuss the importance of partnerships between school systems and regional colleges and universities.

Watson and Pritchett present on classroom management

On Nov. 14, Assistant Professor Jessica Watson, Ph.D., and Assistant Dean and Associate Professor Chris Pritchett, Ed.D., presented at the Georgia Association of Colleges of Teacher Education 2024 Fall Conference in Atlanta, Ga. Their presentation was titled "Practicing Educators' Perceptions on Classroom Management: Implications for Teacher Recruitment and Retention."

The presentation was an overview of a research study on the perceptions of graduate education students at one university concerning classroom management preparedness was provided including actual survey questions and results. A discussion on the implications for colleges who prepare teacher educators was also held.

Smith presents on alumni travel program

On Nov. 19, Alumni Engagement Specialist Angela Smith presented at the 2024 Georgia Education Advancement Council (GEAC) Conference in Jekyll Island, Ga. She co-presented with Kate Petty, Director of Alumni and Constituent Engagement at the University of West Georgia.

Their presentation, titled "Surfing the Travel Wave for Engagement and 'Fun'draising: Creating and Growing an Alumni Travel Program," discussed the successful alumni travel programs that both GSW and UWG have developed in recent years. Other alumni professionals from across the state learned about the benefits of such travel programs, including increased alumni engagement and fundraising/commission opportunities.

October Employees of the Month recognized

The Department of Human Resources has launched an Employee of the Month program with the purpose of encouraging recognition of GSW faculty and staff who have significantly benefited the University and made contributions beyond the usual expectations or their employment.

Nominations can be made online each month here.

The November 2024 Employees of the Month were:

• Kearston Holtzclaw, Advancement Services & Operations Manager in the GSW Foundation
• Chelsea Collins, Director of Marketing and Communications in the Department of University Relations
• Bonnie Gary, Senior Lecturer in the School of Nursing

Scott recognized for Excellence in Communications and Marketing at GEAC Conference

Sydney Scott, Multimedia Specialist in the Department of University Relations received the Outstanding Excellence Award in Communications and Marketing at the 2024 Georgia Education Advancement Council (GEAC) Conference in Jekyll Island, Ga.

Scott was nominated by her GSW colleague Chelsea Collins and voted on by fellow board members. Her nomination read, in part:

"Sydney’s role may often take place behind the scenes, but her impact on the University’s marketing and communications efforts is profound and far-reaching. Whether she’s capturing campus life through her camera or creating stunning visuals that reflect the heart of GSW, Sydney’s creativity and dedication consistently shine.

Since joining GSW in early 2018 as a part-time Public Relations Assistant fresh out of college as a GSW graduate, Sydney has rapidly grown into a pivotal force within the Division of Advancement and the University. Her calm demeanor conceals a creative and innovative mind that consistently elevates the University’s brand, communications, and outreach efforts. By the end of 2018, she secured a full-time position, held various titles over the years, and in 2024, was promoted to Multimedia Specialist—a role that more accurately captures the scope and impact of her contributions."

Scott previously won the Outstanding Newcomer Award at the 2020 GEAC Conference. Pictured (L to R) are University Relations staff Krystal Whittaker, Scott, and Collins. 

Coombs selected to represent PBC at Truist Leadership Institute

New Hires

Farewells

Jacob Peed, multicultural admissions counselor in the Office of Recruitment and Admissions, left that role on Nov. 5.

Lois Oliver, who had returned after her retirement to serve as a consultant in the Office of the Registrar, left that role on Nov. 8.

Madison Wilson, human resources specialist in the Department of Human Resources, left that role on Nov. 13.

Nan family welcomes baby Satvika

Assistant Professor of Computer Science Satyaki Nan, Ph.D., and his wife Priyanka proudly welcomed their daughter on Wednesday, Sept. 18. Satvika Nan was born in Americus, Ga. weighing six pounds and five ounces.

"She is filling our lives with love, joy, and endless possibilities," said Nan. "We chose the name Satvika because it represents a calm, pure spirit—values we hope to nurture in her as she grows. Thank you all for your love, blessings, and support as we begin this new journey together as a family. and I are beyond grateful and look forward to introducing Satvika to you all in the days ahead."

Congratulations to the Nan family!

Larkey marries Grodzki

Tripp Larkey, Dual Enrollment and Student Success Coordinator in the Department of First-Year Experience and Student Success, married Isabelle Grodzki on Saturday, Sept. 28. The ceremony was held at First Presbyterian Church in Albany, Ga. and officiated by Rev. Jim Barton.

Tripp earned his bachelor's degree in history from GSW in Spring 2022 and has worked at GSW full time since Feb. 2023.

Isabelle is also a GSW alumna, having earned her bachelor's degree in nursing in Fall 2022. The couple resides in Americus, Ga.

Humanities Symposium continues to grow

The Humanities Symposium at GSW, held on Nov. 1, saw record participation, with 60 students from Georgia Southwestern, Valdosta State University, and the University of West Georgia. In addition to talks and research panels, the event introduced a poster session featuring mostly first- and second-year students from GSW Composition I and U.S. History classes, who showcased projects on visual expression and identity as part of a HAIL collaboration supporting GSW’s new QEP

The lunch session included a keynote address by Professor Matt Jennings, Ph.D., of Middle Georgia State University. His talk, titled "American Antiquity to Native Modernity: Reframing and Reclaiming Ocmulgee's History," explore the history of the Macon area and the possible future of Ocmulgee as a national park.

Find photos from the symposium here.

Students tour Phoebe IS

Senior Lecturer Karen Cook, Ed.D., recently took her computer science and information technology students from the GSW Computer Club to tour Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital’s Information Services Department and Data Center. Ross Youngdale, Director of Technical and Security Services and also an Advisory Board member for GSW’s Department of Computing, led the tour. Managers from each of the IS departments shared their department's responsibilities and answered student's questions about the different careers available.

College of Education hosts Special Olympics

On Nov. 3, GSW welcomed 248 athletes from Crisp, Dooly, Lee, Schley, Sumter, and Worth Counties as well as Furlow Charter School for the Area 11 Special Olympics. Faculty and special education teacher candidates in GSW’s College of Education organized the event as an opportunity to learn how to support students with disabilities in our area. Over 150 volunteers from across campus facilitated each skill station, including student-athletes, Athletics staff, faculty, members of the President Jimmy Carter Leadership Program, and members from several student organizations.

Find more photos from this event here.

Retirees return to campus for annual luncheon

On Nov. 6, over 40 retired faculty and staff and their guests gathered for the Annual Retiree Luncheon in the Marshall Student Center. The group enjoyed lunch, fellowship, and door prizes. The program provided retirees with updates on GSW and recognized those who have recently retired and retirees who passed away in the last year.

Find more photos from this event here.

HR students hear from professionals in the field

Students studying human resources recently had two opportunities to hear from professionals in the field.

Executive HR Leader Marcello Brown discussed the importance of performance management to organizations with the Introduction of Human Resources class, led by Assistant Professor of Management Melinda Chatham, Ph.D.

Members of the HR Club also heard from Clay Thornhill, an HR executive of Mercy Health Systems out of St. Louis. Thornhill discussed his career and gave students advice.

Teacher candidates participate in mock interviews

The College of Education recently hosted its annual mock interview process for traditional and online pathway senior teacher candidates. 45 interns and online teacher candidates participated virtually on Wednesday, Nov. 6, and 35 traditional teacher candidates participated at the Education Center on Friday, Nov. 8.

Faculty and staff welcomed in-person and virtual volunteers to conduct these mock interviews with teacher candidates. Volunteers included GSW colleagues from various departments, partners from Chattahoochee Flint RESA, partners from the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, partners from the Georgia Department of Education, and business members in the community.

This mock interview process was an opportunity for teacher candidates to practice and gain valuable interview skills before upcoming career fairs and interviews with school districts. During the interview process, volunteer interviewers gave feedback to teacher candidates on their resumes, first impressions, professionalism, interview content, interview skills/techniques, etc.

Computer Club volunteers at Magnolia Manor

The GSW Computer Club recently visited the independent living residents at Magnolia Manor to assist them with their technology needs. Senior Lecturer Karen Cook, Ed.D., and the Computer Club have been assisting the residents with their technology needs since 2017. Both the residents and the students really enjoy their time together!

Counseling hosts Domestic Violence Awareness event

In October, the Office of Student Health and Counseling Services promoted Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Mark Laughlin, D.M.A., led two self-defense classes for students and community members, aiming to empower individuals to "be their own hero." Both classes had a solid turnout and feedback from participants was very positive.

One student shared, "I enjoyed learning how to defend myself because it can feel overwhelming to be on your own, and this class helped me feel more prepared." Another student appreciated "not only learning self-defense moves but also gaining awareness of how to be more situationally aware."

Laughlin brought invaluable expertise to the classes, emphasizing that "the biggest threat to individuals often comes not from strangers but from people we know and interact with daily." He encouraged participants to keep practicing the techniques and offered to continue holding classes if there was sustained interest.

COE hosts induction support event

The College of Education (COE) hosted their GSW/DKG Induction Support event on campus on Thursday, Nov. 8. A total of 39 new teachers, GSW interns, GSW faculty/staff and DKG members were in attendance. In this group, the COE welcomed 17 interns and eight new teachers.

Facilitators were Rebecca Bidwell, Ph.D., Kathy Early, and Amber Ward. They presented on "Conferencing Tips and Expectations" and challenged participants to think through scenarios and ways to handle working with parents during conferences. Attendees learned a new strategy of using student-led conferences. The next event will be held on Feb. 6, 2025 with a focus on Assessment Strategies.

"Thank you to Andrea Kromminga for coming to guest speak to the Senior Seminar in Psychology course! She was so kind to share her educational experience in becoming a mental health counselor. She also helped students by sharing valuable resources for mental health and getting connected with the mental health organizations as they get ready to graduate and embark on their career journey. She does so much for our GSW community in taking care of the mental health of our students, but we also learned all that she does in the wider community to try to improve mental health systems in and around GSW."

– Dr. Sally Merritt

"The College of Education’s Clinical Office would like to thank our colleagues from across campus, Dr. Jill Drake, Dr. Suzanne Conner, and Dr. Jim Aller for volunteering to interview teacher candidates during our mock interview process. We would also like to thank the full-time and part-time faculty in the College of Education who helped make our event a success."

– Amber Ward and Christi Kendrick

"Thank you to everyone who generously contributed to the Staff Senate’s CASA fundraiser for local foster teens! Your support makes a real difference in our community—thank you for being part of this meaningful effort."

– Chelsea Collins, Staff Senate philanthropy chair

Associate Professor of Human Resources Management and Associate Dean of Graduate Program Jim Aller, Ph.D., was recognized by ASN UNIV 1000 students during their QEP Project. Students were instructed to take various pictures around campus of faculty or staff that go above and beyond their day-to-day job duties. One of the students pictured is Kayleigh Cox, student worker in the College of Business and Computing.

"I wanted my group to meet Dr. Aller and see how great he is. You can tell he truly loves what he does and doesn’t hesitate to help any student, business major or not. He is a very sweet person who goes above and beyond to help students feel welcomed and supported."

– Kayleigh Cox

"[Nov. 1] was an amazing day for which we should all be proud. Without the support of the GSW community, special Olympics would not be possible. I believe we should be most proud of the leadership skills our GSW student volunteers gained today. We had 248 P-12 Student Athletes competing in 3x3 basketball games and basketball skills events!

If you looked around today, the smiles on the athletes from Crisp, Dooly, Lee, Schley, Sumter, Worth, and Furlow Charter were priceless. That is what this event is all about! Please check out the photos posted on Facebook. I know the College of Education and Athletics are posting!

Thank you, Lanie, Mackenzie, Heidi, and Hannah for the work you did leading up to today’s event and working alongside me to learn how to host this event. We have amazing special education teacher candidates who were there today helping to problem solve!  To our COE faculty and staff, we really appreciate the support you provide to us to volunteer and help management Area 11 special Olympics prior to the games and during the games. Each of you worked hard to make sure we had teacher candidates there, ready to work , and provided so many answers to questions today! It is so wonderful knowing we have faculty and staff who show up to work alongside our GSW students and athletes and the P-12 school districts.

Thank you, Coach Eric Crawford, for your wonderful ideas and organization of all the teams to serve as score keepers, cheer squads, and set up and break down of the gyms. I appreciate how you worked with your coaching colleagues and over 150 athletes to ensure they have schedules to follow, know where to go, and when to be there. I look forward to us working together in the future to continue this amazing tradition!

To each of our Athletic coaches and assistant coaches – your dedication to working during the event is so valuable. I appreciate your mentorship of our men’s and women’s teams. Today when I sat back to watch your interactions with your teams, it was wonderful to see how you each also interacted with our P-12 athletes. Your facilitation of and scoring of these events were such a support to making this event occur.  Thank you, Coach Leeder, for finding a donor to support our event. Coach Crawford and I are working to determine how this money will be used to support our programming!

To Keith – FANTASTIC announcing as usual!! We truly appreciate the excitement you bring to the event and announcing awards!! I told Coach Crawford you are so good at what you do!

To all our volunteers who came out from the College of Education as faculty, staff, and students, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, the Administration Office, along with our Greek organizations, Jimmy Carter Leadership Program, and other GSW students who were recruited to help today, THANK YOU! I know we had many students who were juggling this event along with participating other volunteer opportunities today. We have a great community at GSW!

Thank you to Plant and the GSW police department! We truly appreciate your support with setup, parking, and buses! Thank you to the Americus Fire Department and Gold Starr for being there in case of emergencies. Thank you to Sydney and Mrs. Allison Tarrer for taking photos!!! You always do great work!

The support shown by our GSW community is inspiring and I know not only will our surrounding community remember today, so will our students.

I look forward to working with you all again this spring!"

– Dr. Michele McKie

• Dec. 3: Pancakes with the President
• Dec. 5-10: Final exams
• Dec. 12: Graduation

Find more events on the GSW academic calendar, on CanesConnect, and on the Events Open to the Community webpage.