University News

CSU in Your Community

This December 12th through the 13th, students and alumni will have a chance to connect with CSU staff at the 2007 Power GEN International Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Just stop by booth number 5076 to meet those who’ve helped you along the way, ask questions about some of the newest online offerings, or share your educational experiences with conference attendees.  The world’s largest power generation event, more than 17,000 will be in attendance from 76 countries

Sixth Annual Commencement Ceremony Set for October 2008

October 10th, 2008 graduates will march across the stage of the second largest air and space museum in the world. The sixth annual CSU commencement ceremony is set for the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida. This 300,000 square foot structure of steel and glass attracts approximately one million visitors a year and features more than 150 aircraft.

The ceremony will be held in the 10,000 square foot museum atrium with a quartet of McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk jets suspended above in their famous diamond formation. Vice Admiral Jerry Hoewing is serving as keynote speaker for the event. A graduate of National War College, his professional background includes positions with the Navy Department and Department of Defense. During his sterling 36 year military career, Vice Admiral Hoewing has done everything from commanding the U.S.S. Seattle and U.S.S. John F. Kennedy to assigning more than 370,000 naval personnel.

Graduates are also invited to participate in other activities including an alumni social and graduation reception. We will begin accepting graduation registrations in June 2008. You must have submitted your petition to graduate prior to registering. More details will soon be available on the CSU website.

New Transcript Request Service is Launched

At CSU, we understand that you have a life.  We want to help you live it while accomplishing your dreams of higher education.  That’s why we now offer a transcript request service that allows us to do the legwork for you.  For $10 per transcript request, we will contact the prior colleges and/or universities you’ve attended to secure all the transcripts needed to make sure you receive maximum transfer credit.  Visit us online to learn more!

Partnership News

Delta Awards Employee CSU Scholarship

Delta Air Lines recently awarded employee Tom Blatnik a $2,000 scholarship towards completing his bachelor’s degree with CSU.  CSU joined Delta as one of six academic partners in 2004.

Funded by Delta as part of its commitment to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Safety Administration Voluntary Protection Program, the scholarship is designed to recognize students who engage in occupational safety, health and environmental outreach within their schools, communities, and workplace.  Blatnick, a current CSU student, will use the award to help finance his occupational safety and health degree.

“Earning a degree has always seemed just out of reach,” said Blatnick.  “Our affiliation with CSU has offered me, and other Delta employees, special benefits that make achieving a quality education possible.” 

More than 120 Delta employees have taken advantage of the academic partnership.  Benefits include a 10 percent tuition discount and application fee waiver.  While Delta employees are free to attend any accredited institution of their choice, CSU is second only to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is number one on the list of universities employees select to earn their master’s degrees. 

Delta offers service to a large number of destinations - more than any other global airline.  Including its SkyTeam and worldwide codeshare partners, flights are available to 462 locations in 95 countries.    

Other CSU partnerships include 27 corporations, 21 police departments, and 76 fire departments.  Among these are Boeing, HR for Techs, Sarasota Memorial Hospital, and the New York City Fire Department. 

Please visit http://www.columbiasouthern.edu/learningpartners or call 1-800-344-5021 for more details

CSU Adds American Jail Association to Growing List of Learning Partners

Criminal justice professionals around the nation are jumping on the bandwagon with online education.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, college training can increase earning potential for law enforcement personnel by as much as 30 percent.  CSU recently partnered with the American Jail Association (AJA) to offer educational benefits to the organization’s more than 4,000 members.  

“While criminal justice career opportunities are abundant, the competition for higher wage positions can be intense,” said Gwyn Smith-Ingley, AJA Executive Director. “CSU offers associate, bachelor, master and certificate programs our members can use to enhance their future.”

This partnership allows AJA members and their immediate family to receive educational benefits including a tuition discount and application fee waiver. Partners are also promoted on the CSU website and in marketing materials.

The AJA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting those who work in and operate U.S. jails. It is the only national association that focuses on issues related to the operation of local jails and detention centers. Today, the AJA Annual Conference attracts more than 2,000 jail professionals and those providing ancillary support services.

CSU also holds partnerships with nonprofit organizations including the National Sheriffs’ Association and National Volunteer Fire Council. Organizations such as the International Union of Police Associations, Twin Cities Police Authority, and Federal Protective Services are among the other 20 criminal justice partners. 

If you are a member of the American Jail Association and are interested in learning more about the benefits you can gain from this learning partnership, please contact the CSU Admissions Department at (800) 977-8449 or admissions@columbiasouthern.edu

CSU Gives HR Employees a Competitive Edge

Competition for human resource management positions is heating up, driving employers to recruit college graduates for even entry-level positions.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for human resource managers is expected to rise through 2014 with opportunities in local government, state government, and corporations.  However, a surge of qualified candidates makes this field nearly impossible to break into without at least a bachelor’s degree level education.  Corporations such as HR for Techs, a human resource consulting firm, are using online education to help employees advance their careers. 

A new partnership between HR for Techs and CSU will provide the firm’s employees with the education necessary to contend with other professionals in this field.  CSU offers bachelor and certificate programs in human resource management.  An online MBA is also available with a concentration in this specialization. 

"We are always looking for ways to help our members take the next step in their careers,” said Dan Saletta, HR for Techs President. “Our partnership with CSU gives HR for Techs employees a way to achieve personal, educational, and career-minded goals."

The partnership provides HR for Techs employees, their spouses and children with educational benefits including a tuition discount and application fee waiver. The firm will also be promoted on the CSU website, marketing materials, and at conferences and speaking engagements. 

Boeing, Delta Air Lines, New York Fire Department, Commtest, and the National Sheriffs’ Association are just a few of the other organizations on the long list of CSU partners.  In fact, partnerships extend to organizations in more than half of the 50 U.S. states. 

More details and a complete list of CSU partnerships are available at www.columbiasouthern.edu/learningpartners. 

Alumni News

CSU Click Makes National Headlines

The absence of social networking has always been one of the major arguments for online education opponents – until now.  CSU is one of the first completely online universities to launch a social networking platform, the CSU Click, designed exclusively for alumni.  This practice is so new among online universities that the CSU Click is making national news headlines.  Campus Technology News and the DETC Washington Memo are just two of the many national publications that CSU has been featured in since the platform was launched in June 2007. 

The CSU Click allows alumni to connect with more than 9,000 other CSU graduates all over the world.  With Click, CSU alumni can find other graduates with similar interests, share photos, explore job opportunities, and more.  Other special features of the CSU Click include the ability to:

• Network with alumni about career and business opportunities
• Share photos and blogs in a secure environment
• Share information or seek advice by messaging networks
• Hear about events going on in different locations hosted by CSU alumni
• Start groups to find other alumni with similar interests

After alumni register with the CSU Click, it only takes them a few minutes to create a profile, upload a photo and start inviting other alumni to join their network.  Hundreds of graduates are already beginning to take advantage of this opportunity.  

“As a graduate of Columbia Southern University, I’ve spent the last several years trying to create an active alumni association,” said Jamie Gauthier, CSU Alumni Association President.  “Now the CSU Click has sparked worldwide attention from our alumni and we are beginning to see the strongest, most enthusiastic alumni association I’ve ever seen from any online university.” 

The CSU Click is offered at no charge to CSU alumni and can be accessed by visiting http://www.columbiasouthern.edu/alumni/index.asp.  For more information, please contact Jamie Gauthier, CSU Alumni Association President, at jamie.gauthier@columbiasouthern.edu.

People News

Who’s New at CSU

Dr. Michael Findley

Dr. Michael Findley has been named Dean of Safety and Emergency Services for CSU. With 28 years of experience in environment, safety and health programs, he has been involved in everything from mining and construction to nuclear decommissioning and demolition. He has a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Montevallo; a master’s degree in public health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham; and a doctoral degree in occupational safety from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Findley is licensed by Florida as an asbestos consultant and holds professional certifications as a Certified Industrial Hygienist, Certified Safety Professional, and Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant.

Rob Fritts

Rob Fritts recently joined CSU as a Course Technologist and IT Liaison for the Academics Department.  Originally from Chicago, he spent over a decade there as an IT Specialist for Market Day Corporation, a company that raises funds for education.  He attended DeVry Institute of Technology and is also an active member of his church in Bon Secour where he works in the music ministry.

Joe French

Joe French joined the CSU team as a graphic designer last August. He holds a bachelor’s degree in communication arts with a specialization in advertising from the University of West Florida.  While in college, French completed an internship as a graphic artist for the Pensacola News Journal. Before joining CSU, he served as a graphic artist at Sunbelt Lettering in Pensacola and has created designs for different companies in the Southeast as a freelance designer.

Katie Coale

An Alabama native, Katie Coale joined CSU as Communications Specialist in August 2007. She graduated from the University of Alabama in May with a bachelor’s degree in journalism where she worked on campus publications including the Crimson White and Corolla. She has also completed an internship in the communications department at the Baldwin County Board of Education.

Other Newcomers

Spotlight

Brian Edwards
Charlotte, North Carolina

… he accomplished his dreams of higher education on his terms.

A 20 year Army veteran, Brian Edwards knew what he wanted, a quality education he could earn on his terms.  After spending years trying to fit his career and family commitments around the strict classroom attendance policies and rigid course structures offered at traditional schools, he finally found his solution – Columbia Southern University.  Flexible, online programs and maximum transfer credit allowed Edwards to finish a bachelor’s and master’s degree in business administration within four years while maintaining a 3.63 GPA.    

The degrees Edwards earned from CSU gave him the confidence and knowledge to begin serving as a senior guidance counselor with the U.S. Army. He now advises future soldiers on the importance of earning an education and inspires new recruits with his own personal success story.  The diplomas hanging in his office also serve as testimony to future soldiers hoping to earn their degree.

Winner of the Army’s highest recruiting award, the Glen E. Morell Award, he has also won three Meritorious Service Awards and a Southwest Asia Campaign Medal for his service in Desert Storm. 

“I am proof that even those with demanding work schedules and travel obligations can succeed. Online education makes getting a degree convenient and doesn’t have to take over your life.”