Eighteen GSW students selected for prestigious President Jimmy Carter Leadership Program

AMERICUS (June 8, 2022) — Georgia Southwestern State University has named eighteen incoming freshmen to the President Jimmy Carter Leadership Program, established to honor the legacy of GSW alumnus and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. These students from Georgia, Florida and South Carolina are the fourth group to enter the program since its creation in 2019.

“I am excited to see how this dynamic and diverse group of students comes in and impacts the program, the University, and the community with their passion for and commitment to leadership and service,” said Mikela Barlow, interim coordinator for the President Jimmy Carter Leadership Program. “The newest cohort members were selected through an application and interview process. The group commits to program requirements that include a two-year residency, 240 service hours, a leadership certificate, and a senior research or service project. It is an honor for me to work with these future leaders in this prestigious program.”

The 2022-2023 members of the Carter Leadership Program are:

• Chloe Ard – Miller County High School, Colquitt, Ga.
• Katelyn Cade – Clarke Central High School, Athens, Ga.
• Caroline Carver –Lee County High School, Albany, Ga.
• Makayla Chavous – Ola High School, McDonough, Ga.
• Allie Dalton – Tallulah Falls High School, Baldwin, Ga.
• Madison Griffis – Cook County High School, Adel, Ga.
• Colby Howard – Marion County High School, Buena Vista, Ga.
• Trinity Johnson – Venice High School, Englewood, Fla.
• Jade Lewis – Midtown High School, Atlanta, Ga.
• Ansley Little – T L Hanna High School, Anderson, S.C.
• Peyton Namyslowski – Venice High School, Englewood, Fla.
• Lillian Peppers – Lee County High School, Vienna, Ga.
• Katie Plummer – Loganville High School, Loganville, Ga.
• Boone Prince – Cairo High School, Cairo, Ga.
• Eli Prince – Cairo High School, Cairo, Ga.
• Cassidy Ware – Woodland High School, Stockbridge, Ga.
• Abigail Williamson – Mary Persons High School, Forsyth, Ga.
• Matthew Wilson – Cairo High School, Cairo, Ga.

“I have always had a close attachment to Georgia Southwestern, and I am honored to be associated with the University’s leadership program,” said President Carter. “They invested in me as a student over 75 years ago, and I want to do the same for the future leaders in our region.”

The program consists of two pathways, an Undergraduate Research Track and a Service Track, that exemplify Carter’s lifetime of leadership in education, politics and community service. Guided by the evidence-based “The Social Change Model of Leadership Development,” the four-year Carter Leadership Program allows students to develop their leadership skills both individually and within a group.

Students who score a minimum 1100 on the SAT or an ACT composite score of 22, hold a high school curriculum grade point average of 3.0 or greater and have been admitted to GSW are eligible to apply for the program. Additionally, students who hold a leadership role in high school, whether on a sports team, a student club, or community organization, also qualify.

During their first year, students will focus on individual growth and development, working to understand their own beliefs and values. The second year will explore the role of the group, how to build trust with others and how to work collaboratively towards common goals. 

In year three, students will choose between the academically-focused Research Track and the service learning-focused Service Track. In the fourth and final year, students will develop a senior research or service project dependent upon their track.  

The Carter Leadership Program provides students with academic scholarships ranging from $1,500 to $3,500 each year they are in the program. The program is made possible thanks to generous support from the Charles L. Mix Memorial Fund. 

The deadline to apply for the program for fall admission is February 1 of each year.