Dear Students and Alumni,
I hope this finds you well as we begin to wrap up a very successful 2015. As always, this is a very special time of year for all of us here at CSU for several reasons.
As many of you know, we celebrated a tremendous commencement ceremony and alumni reception here in Orange Beach, Ala on October 22 and 23. There were nearly 1,200 attendees at our Thursday evening reception on the beach, which made this our largest event by far. The following day, 700 graduates and more than 3,000 guests shared the excitement of two graduation ceremonies. Retired United States Army General Dan McNeill delivered the keynote address with encouraging words of how graduates can do their part in making this nation continue to be great and the important role that education plays. You can view his speech on our YouTube channel if you weren’t able to join us.
In the spirit of General McNeill’s speech, as well as last year’s speech by Colonel Oliver North, who are both decorated veterans, CSU is so proud of the United States military, as well as the brave men and women who proudly serve. We are honored to have both active members and veterans comprise a high percentage of our student and alumni population. With that, we want to recognize all of you, not just on Veteran’s Day, but every day, for your sacrifice and service to this great nation. I also encourage you to join our Student Veterans Association (SVA) for additional information and benefits.
Finally, I hope the Thanksgiving holiday is as special to you and your family as it is to my family. In the early days of CSU, my father, Dr. Robert G. Mayes, Sr., began the practice of not only closing Thanksgiving Day, but also the day before and after. It was a special time that he wanted to spend with family. But, he also wanted the few employees that started with us, to also have that same opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with their families. That practice has evolved into tradition we continue to observe. It is a time to show our gratitude for the blessings that have been bestowed upon us, including our employees, faculty, students, and alumni who make up this wonderful CSU family.
I hope that you have a blessed holiday wherever you may be and as always, thank you for being a part of our CSU family!
Robert Mayes
2015 Commencement- http://www.columbiasouthern.edu/commencement/video
CSU Student Veterans Association-http://www.columbiasouthern.edu/military/veterans/student-veterans
Thanksgiving Closure Schedule- https://communicator.columbiasouthern.edu/2015/11/2015thanksgiving/
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