December 4, 2023

Four graduation-related events on Dec. 7 and 8 will celebrate the 734 Columbus State University students who comprise its Fall 2023 graduating class. The festivities will include three ceremonies throughout the day on Friday that mark the university’s 126th commencement exercises.

These events include the following—all of which will take place in the Frank G. Lumpkin Jr. Center on the university’s Main Campus:

• Graduate Hooding Ceremony: Thursday, Dec. 7, 6 p.m.
• College of the Arts and D. Abbott Turner College of Business & Technology Commencement Ceremony: Friday, Dec. 8, 9 a.m.
• College of Letters & Sciences Commencement Ceremony: Friday, Dec. 8, 12:30 p.m.
• College of Education & Health Professions Commencement Ceremony: Friday, Dec. 8, 4 p.m.

During these ceremonies, Columbus State anticipates* conferring 749 degrees and certificates, representing opportunities for students to earn dual degrees and certificates along with their degrees. These include seven doctoral degrees, nine education specialist degrees, 205 master’s degrees, two graduate certificates, 411 bachelor’s degrees, 15 associate degrees, 15 nexus degrees, and 85 undergraduate certificates.  

Each of Friday’s ceremonies will feature Bárbara Rivera Holmes (pictured) as the university’s commencement speaker. Holmes is one of the 19 regents who volunteer their service to govern the University System of Georgia’s 26 public colleges and universities. Each is appointed by the governor to represent one of the state’s 14 congressional districts or to fill one of five at-large appointments. Holmes, who represents Georgia’s 2nd congressional district, is the president and CEO of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce — one of the state’s largest and most dynamic business advocacy organizations, supporting member business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions and individuals.

Since Columbus State University’s founding as Columbus College in 1958, the university has bestowed degrees and certificates on more than 40,000 students. As alumni, they become automatic members of the CSU Alumni Association upon graduation.

EVENT LOGISTICS

All commencement events are open to the public and do not require tickets to attend. Graduates are not limited in the number of guests who can attend. Those who do attend are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the rules and regulations of the Lumpkin Center, including the university’s clear-bag and bag-check policies. Balloons are not allowed in the Lumpkin Center, and guests should refrain from bringing other items such as confetti, posters or signs, and noisemakers that would disrupt the ceremonies inside the facility.

Free parking for the ceremonies is available throughout Main Campus, with limited accessible parking located in the parking lots nearest to the Lumpkin Center. Parking attendants will direct guests to the available parking locations, and shuttles will also move through campus parking lots to assist any guests with limited mobility.

Additional information for graduates and guests attending these events is online at columbusstate.edu/graduation. The website will also provide links to the livestreams of the Dec. 7 Graduate Hooding Ceremony and each of the Dec. 8 commencement ceremonies, and a PDF of the commencement program. The recorded livestreams will be archived on the site for future viewing.

OTHER COMMENCEMENT FACTS AND FIGURES

Ceremony Firsts/Lasts: This fall’s ceremonies will mark the first over which Dr. Stuart Rayfield will preside as the university’s president. She began her tenure in June 2023 and was formally installed as the university’s sixth president in October 2023.

Distribution of Graduates by College: This fall’s 734 graduates include 75 students representing the College of the Arts; 172 from the D. Abbott Turner College of Business & Technology; 204 from the College of Education & Health Professions; and 283 from the College of Letters & Sciences.

Most Popular Academic Disciplines: Counting all academic levels, the top five disciplines—in order of the total number of degrees and certificates to be awarded—are public safety (College of Letters & Sciences); business administration (Turner College of Business & Technology); nursing (College of Education & Health Professions); cybersecurity (Turner College of Business & Technology); and health science (College of Education & Health Professions).

Academic Honors: Honors status is bestowed on baccalaureate degree-earners based on their final grade point average. Among this fall’s graduates, 35 will graduate summa cum laude with GPAs ranging between 3.8 and 4.0; 35 as magna cum laude with GPAs between 3.6 and 3.79; and 44 as 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, six associate degree graduates will graduate with high honors for having GPAs ranging between 3.8 and 4.0, and two with honors for having GPAs between 3.5 and 3.79.

First-Generation College Student Representation: As many as 54% of this fall’s graduating class identify as first-generation college students.

Graduates’ Age Range: This fall’s graduates range in age from 19 to 71 years of age. The university’s “most senior” graduate is Gwendolyn McIntosh, a Pensacola, Florida, native who is married with two daughters and 13 grandchildren. A nurse for 50 years, she relocated to Columbus after earning a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Florida A&M University. She looks forward to using her master of science in nursing to teach in the nursing field.

Geographic Representation: More than 88% of the fall class hails from Georgia—representing 86 of Georgia’s 159 counties. After Muscogee County, Georgia counties with the greatest number of graduates are, in order of total graduates, Gwinnett, Harris, Coweta, Troup and DeKalb counties. The remainder represents 18 other states and U.S. territories (with Alabama topping the list based on the total graduates hailing from those states).

Honors College Participation: This fall’s graduates include four students who completed the Honors College curriculum. They will be indicated by wearing shoulder cords with the Honors College seal as part of their regalia during the ceremony.

International Representation: The fall graduating class represents 17 different nations of origin.

Marshals: Faculty marshals serving during their respective Dec. 8 commencement ceremony will include Dr. Shamin Khan, professor and department chair for the TSYS School of Computer Science (9 a.m., College of the Arts and Turner College of Business & Technology ceremony); Dr. Kerri Taylor, associate professor, Department of Chemistry (12:30 p.m. College of Letters & Sciences ceremony); and Dr. Ellen Martin, professor, Department of Kinesiology & Health Sciences (4 p.m. College of Education & Health Professions ceremony). This will be among Khan’s final duties as a member of the university faculty, as he is retiring this fall after 17 years of service to the Turner College.

Military-Connected Graduates: This fall’s graduating class includes 23 active-duty servicemen and servicewomen and 85 military veterans. The spring class also includes two ROTC “Cougar Battalion” cadets who will commission as second lieutenants. They will be commissioned separately in a Dec. 7 ceremony beginning at 1 p.m. at the university’s Cunningham Center, as well as participate in their college’s respective commencement ceremony on Dec. 8.

Scholarship Beneficiaries: More than 20% of this fall’s class of graduates benefited from institutional scholarships.

Servant Leadership Program Graduates: This fall’s graduates include four students who participated in the William B. Turner Center for Servant Leadership program. They will be indicated by wearing blue and white cords as part of their regalia during the ceremony.

Student-Athlete Representation: This fall’s graduates include 10 student-athletes representing Columbus State’s NCAA Division II sports teams. They will be indicated by wearing student-athlete stoles as part of their regalia during the ceremony.

Teaching Contract Guarantee: Among this spring’s teacher education graduates, seven will benefit professionally from Columbus State’s partnership with the Muscogee County School District and its “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.

Columbus State conducts commencement exercises and related events at the conclusion of each fall and spring semester. For more information, visit graduation.columbusstate.edu.

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

* note: data reflects the students eligible for graduation, pending final grades.

Notable news coverage:
Columbus State University hosts their 126th Commencement Ceremony (Dec. 5, 2023, WTVM-TV)