Dear students and alumni,
Fall is a favorite season of mine. Not only is it a welcomed shift from the heat of summer, but it signifies our most exciting event of the year: Commencement.
This is an electrifying time for everyone at CSU. Each October, we welcome hundreds of graduates and their families to beautiful Orange Beach, Alabama, to celebrate a milestone that many have waited decades to achieve. I have been working at CSU for 17 years and I never tire of hearing your unique stories of triumph and success. Understanding your struggles, your challenges and obstacles are what drives us to do what we do.
This year, we have planned Commencement activities that are as unique as the graduates themselves. In fact, we had a graduate from every single U.S. state during last year’s ceremony, and we expect the same next month.
As a university that serves our military men and women and their families, we are proud to host a service project this year to benefit the USO. This year’s service project will take place during open house on Oct. 17. We are pleased to welcome Lisa Leslie, 4-time Olympic gold medalist and 3-time WNBA MVP, as our keynote speaker this year. You may find all the details about Commencement on our website.
I am excited to announce that CSU has partnered with the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) to offer pre-exam training through examCORE. This will be available for safety, health, and environmental practitioners through our Department of Continuing Education. Our partnership with BCSP and this new pre-exam training is a welcomed addition to CSU’s unmatched offerings. For more information, visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu/CE.
While some students are preparing for graduation this fall, many people are considering enrolling in their first course. Whether you are a returning student, first-time student, Learning Partner, or first responder, there are a number of scholarships available to you during this time of year. Learn more and apply on our website.
During a changing season, it’s easy to jump right into what’s next. I hope you take some time to reflect on the accomplishments you have already achieved and the goals you have for the future. Whether you are just starting your college journey or have earned several degrees from CSU, the fact that you are investing in your education means you have already achieved success.
Sincerely,
Ken Styron
Disclaimer: These testimonials may not reflect the experience of all CSU students.
Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography, and degree field, affect career outcomes.
CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.
For years now I’ve seen this university seemingly pay favorable attention to the safety curriculum. All other programs just seem to be an after thought as simple academic programs. If you want to become known for nothing more than the university that is focused primarily on its safety program at the expense of others…then you’re well on your way, unfortunately! Just keep in mind…not everyone looking to better themselves academically are as concerned with your Safety curriculum. It’s as if every communicator received is heavily Safety oriented! It’s tiresome to see itnussue after issue!
Hello, Michael.
Thank you for your feedback; we appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. We are proud of the start of our university and how far we’ve come in more than 25 years. In 1993, our university started by Robert G. Mayes with two certificate programs in safety. Since then, we have grown and added many successful degree programs in twelve fields, spanning from associates to doctoral level.
I encourage you to check out The Link, our university blog, where you can read about a plethora of topics from CSU. https://www.columbiasouthern.edu/blog/all-topics/
Thank you again,
Libby Reilly
Communications Coordinator
CSU Marketing