By the numbers: Columbus State to celebrate 1,000-plus graduates during fall commencement

December 3, 2025

Four graduation-related ceremonies on Thursday, Dec. 11, and Friday, Dec. 12, will celebrate the 1,060 Columbus State University students comprising its Fall 2025 graduating class. The festivities will include three college-specific ceremonies throughout the day on Friday, marking the university’s 130th commencement exercises.

Each of the Dec. 12 commencement ceremonies will spotlight young alumnus and Columbus native Curtis Walker, who will address graduates on resilience and timing. Walker is a 2022 political science graduate, a two-term Student Government Association president, and a current Mercer University School of Law student.

Columbus State conducts commencement exercises and related events at the end of each fall and spring semester. Since its founding as Columbus College in 1958, the university has bestowed degrees and certificates on more than 43,000 students. As alumni, they become automatic members of the CSU Alumni Association upon graduation.

The graduation website provides additional information for graduates and guests attending these events. The website will also provide links to the livestreams of the Dec. 11 Graduate Hooding Ceremony and each of the three Dec. 12 commencement ceremonies. The recorded live streams will be archived on the site for future viewing. The website also provides parking information, Lumpkin Center admission policies and security procedures.

Commencement Facts & Figures*

Ceremony Firsts and Lasts: This fall’s ceremonies will be Dr. Dustin Anderson’s first as provost and chief academic officer since his appointment in July 2025, and Undrell Walker’s first as president of the Student Government Association. It will be the last for Dr. Gina Sheeks, who is retiring in December after a 32-year CSU career—including the past 18 years as vice president for student affairs.

Distribution of Graduates by College: This fall’s 1,060  graduates include 104 students representing the College of the Arts, 229 from the D. Abbott Turner College of Business & Technology, 375 from the College of Education & Health Professions, and 352 from the College of Letters & Sciences.

Distribution of Graduates by Degree: The 1,060 graduates will receive a total of 1,078 degrees and certificates, including 16 doctoral degrees, 30 education specialist degrees, 352 master’s degrees, 11 graduate certificates, 501 bachelor’s degrees, 21 associate degrees, 19 nexus degrees and 128 undergraduate certificates.

Most Popular Areas of Study: When grouping all undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates into their respective areas of study, the top five areas of study are education, public safety, nursing, business, and cybersecurity.

Academic Honors: Honors status is awarded to baccalaureate degree recipients based on their final grade point average. Among this fall’s graduates, more than 41 will graduate summa cum laude with GPAs ranging between 3.8 and 4.0; 51, magna cum laude with GPAs between 3.6 and 3.79; and 67, cum laude with GPAs ranging between 3.4 and 3.59. Baccalaureate honors graduates will be denoted by wearing gold, silver or bronze medallions, depending on their level of academic honor, as part of their regalia. In addition, five associate degree graduates will graduate with high honors for having GPAs ranging between 3.8 and 4.0, and five with honors for having GPAs between 3.5 and 3.79.

Athletics: This fall’s graduates include 46 student-athletes representing Columbus State’s 13 NCAA Division II sports teams. During the ceremony, they will be indicated by wearing student-athlete stoles as part of their regalia.

First-Generation College Student Representation: As many as 61% of this fall’s graduating class identify as first-generation college students.

Graduates’ Age Range: The average age of the Fall 2025 class is 31.8 years. Its “most senior” graduate is 68-year-old David Cottrell, graduating cum laude with a bachelor of business administration. Its youngest is 19-year-old Jordan Currie, receiving a cybersecurity practitioner certificate.

Geographic Representation: More than 80% of the fall’s class hail from Georgia—representing 111 of Georgia’s 159 counties. After Muscogee County, the top five Georgia counties with the greatest number of graduates are, in order of total graduates, Harris, Gwinnett, Fulton, DeKalb and Henry counties. The remaining graduates represent 19 other U.S. states and territories, with Alabama topping that list, based on the total graduates hailing from those states.

Honors College: Ten students who completed the Honors College curriculum are among this fall’s graduates. During the ceremony, they will be indicated by wearing shoulder cords with the Honors College seal as part of their regalia.

International Student Representation: More than 2% of this fall’s graduating class hail from outside the United States.

Marshals: Faculty marshals serving during their respective Dec. 12 commencement ceremonies will include:

• Dr. Rajeev Dabke, professor, Department of Chemistry (12:30 p.m., College of Letters & Sciences)
• Armando Fernandez, cybersecurity lecturer, TSYS School of Computer Science (9 a.m., College of the Arts and Turner College of Business & Technology ceremony)
• Dr. Chandler Padgett, APRN, FNP-C, assistant professor, School of Nursing (4 p.m., College of Education & Health Professions ceremony)

Military-Connected Graduates: Active-duty soldiers and veterans comprise more than 14% of the fall graduating class.

Scholarship Beneficiaries: More than 46% of this fall’s class of graduates benefited from institutional scholarships.

Servant Leadership Program: Five students who participated in the William B. Turner Center for Servant Leadership program are among this fall’s graduates. During the ceremony, they will be indicated by wearing blue and white cords as part of their regalia.

Teaching Contract Guarantee: As many as 10 of this fall’s graduates have signed teaching contracts with the Muscogee County School District through the “CSU Teaching Contract Guarantee.” The guarantee ensures a Muscogee County School District teaching contract for any Columbus State teacher education graduate who passes the student teaching component of their degree and who meets Georgia Professional Standards Commission induction certification requirements. Nearly half of the school system’s teachers, counselors and administrators are Columbus State alumni, with many holding two and three CSU degrees.

Tower Traditions: Four “Tradition Keepers” are among this fall’s class and recognized for tracking their campus involvement in traditions that represent their student pride, spirit and engagement. Upon completing 45 of the 58 available Tower Traditions—ranging from taking photos with their orientation leader, Cody the Cougar and the university president, to attending specific activities and events—students receive a special “Tradition Keepers” medal they wear with their cap and gown at commencement.

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*Note: data reflects students applying for fall graduation, pending final clearance to graduate. It also includes students who completed degrees in the Summer 2025 semester.

Media contact: Michael Tullier, APR, Executive Director of Strategic Communication + Marketing, 706.507.8729, mtullier@columbusstate.edu