Dear Students and Alumni,
May is a very humbling month in our country.
At CSU, we celebrate Military Appreciation Month by honoring the men and women who have and are currently serving our great nation. I am so proud to be surrounded by many employees and students who are active duty and veterans. I am always amazed to hear stories of our students and graduates who earn their degree in the midst of obstacles.
We have students at CSU who complete their studies while on deployment, while a spouse is deployed and they are operating the household, or while dealing with debilitating circumstances as a result of their service.
No matter your circumstance, if you are one of these brave men or women, I cannot thank you enough for your service.
This month on our campus, we have displayed an Honor Wall, which shows the photos and names of employees and their family members who have served in the armed forces. It is so moving to see all of these photos and the sacrifices that these images represent.
Another group of individuals being honored this month is mothers. Sunday, May 10 was Mother’s Day. For all the mothers who attend CSU while juggling other responsibilities, I know I speak for all of CSU when I say how proud we are of your accomplishments. Personally, I would not be where I am today without the love, support, and prayers of my mother, Mimi Mayes.
In March, Chantell Cooley, my sister and the senior vice president of CSEG and CSU, had the opportunity to speak to military spouses at Fort Bragg in North Carolina on finding their purpose and dressing for success.
While there, Chantell also presented two scholarships: the Chantell Cooley Military Spouse Scholarship and the Living Legacy Scholarship. Chantell will be presenting an additional Living Legacy Scholarship at the end of the month in front of the Pentagon. We are so honored to be able to gift these scholarships to worthy individuals who display patriotism every day.
A great way we get to know some of our military students and alumni is through the CSU Student Veterans Association. This club currently has more than 200 members from all branches of the military and walks of life. If you would like to be a part of the CSU SVA, you may join online and also like them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CSUSVA.
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of joining some of my team members in Chicago for the Distance Education Accrediting Council annual conference, where we also held a Student and Alumni reception. It was a great opportunity to speak face to face with students and alumni and hear their incredible stories. I had the honor of recognizing Craig D’Souza as CSU’s DEAC Outstanding Graduate and Tracy Barnes as CSU’s DEAC Famous Alumni. CSU is so proud of these graduates and their accomplishments, as we are of our many other graduates and students who make a difference in their field and community.
2014 and 2015 have been very busy as CSU has been launching exciting new degree programs to offer our students. If you would like information on our newest degree programs, I encourage you to visit these links and contact your academic advisor.
- Associate of Science in Health Information Science
- Bachelors of Science in Emergency Medical Services Administration
- Bachelors of Science in Homeland Security
- Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice Administration, Arson Investigation Concentration
- Bachelors of Science in Fire Administration, Fire Investigation Concentration
There are great things happening in May and each one fills me with pride and gratitude. I am blessed to be surrounded by hardworking and dedicated individuals who have served their country and their families while bettering themselves and their career. To each of you, thank you for all you have done for our country.
God Bless,
Robert Mayes
