September 10, 2025

Six of this year’s cohort of Columbus & the Valley’s “5 Under 40” and “Rising Stars” have ties to Columbus State University. The group includes one current undergraduate student along with several others who wear multiple hats as alumni, volunteers, educators and community partners.

Four of the publication’s 5 Under 40 honorees have Columbus State ties: Shane McDougall ’12, Anthony Montgomery ’18, Denise DuBois Phelan and B. Ryan Willoughby ’08. Their Rising Star counterparts are recognized as the leaders of the future and include current psychology undergraduate student Marika Bell and alumna Brittany Santiago ’18. According to Columbus & the Valley, all of this year’s honorees “are carving the path toward a better future for all of us, and they’re making the difference in the lives of many.”

Campus involvement, service common themes

Local real estate professional Anthony Montgomery ’18 found his community in campus organizations while a communication student—especially in Fraternity & Sorority Life. The founding father of the university’s Phi Kappa Tau chapter, who is now a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Kennon, Parker, Duncan & Davis, said those early relationships continue to serve him in his professional life.

“My experiences [as a student] helped me tremendously with job opportunities right out of college,” he said, explaining that his involvement in Phi Kappa Tau and the Baptist Collegiate Ministries gave him opportunities to serve the community, and those opportunities were “great for networking and meeting people in the professional world.”

Columbus State runs in B. Ryan Willoughby’s family. The 2008 history graduate is a second-generation alumnus: his father Michael and mother Catherine both earned undergraduate degrees in 1980 at then-Columbus College, and his sister-in-law completed her graduate studies at CSU. Now the chief executive officer of Muscogee County School District’s Jordan Vocational High School College & Career Academy, he traces his service mindset to his days as an undergrad.

“Columbus State is where I really began to learn the value of service to others,” Willoughby (pictured) said, crediting volunteerism with “open[ing] my eyes to the joy of service.”

With his civic service roots being planted while an undergrad, Willoughby encourages current and future students to embrace the university’s core value of servant leadership during their studies.

“Take advantage of every opportunity available to participate in clubs, volunteer days and extracurricular events. Take advantage of what Columbus has to offer,” he advised. “This is a very generous and philanthropic city, so take the time and invest your energy in volunteering at local nonprofits and the like. Getting a holistic view of our community will help you to better understand your role in it.”

Shane McDougall ’12 (pictured) sees students’ community involvement in action through his role as executive director of Spring Harbor at Green Island, a retirement community affiliated with Piedmont Regional. There, he works firsthand with students and faculty in Columbus State’s music and nursing programs to the benefit of his residents.

“[O]ne of [Columbus State’s] many great academic standouts is its nursing program. Being that the industry is in such [demand for nurses], it is important to have such a successful nursing program [in our community] to support our healthcare organizations,” he observed. “We [also] partner with the Schwob School of Music to have student talent here throughout the month for our residents as a part of our wellness program.”

Volunteerism, internships opened doors to career opportunities

Studying English and professional writing at Columbus State led Denise DuBois Phelan (pictured) to a leadership role at the East Alabama Chamber of Commerce as its director of membership and marketing. She echoed Willoughby’s views of how civic involvement, along with networking, benefits students’ personal and professional growth.

“Get involved early—don’t wait until you feel ready to step into leadership. Start by showing up, volunteering and saying ‘yes’ to opportunities that put you in the room with people who are doing the kind of work you admire,” she recommended. “Ask those same people to be your mentors. Relationships are everything... the connections you build, the reputation you develop for being dependable and having excellent character, and your willingness to work hard will open more doors than you might expect.”

McDougall found his civic involvement to be a catalyst for his professional and leadership success, as well as his continued service to the Chattahoochee Valley.

“My experience at Columbus State was foundational in shaping both my professional growth and my civic engagement commitment,” he said, crediting his student experiences with equipping him with critical-thinking, communication and leadership skills that were essential in navigating his professional journey. “Beyond the classroom, CSU fostered a powerful sense of community responsibility. I learned the value of contributing to causes greater than myself to try to make a positive difference.”

Montgomery (pictured) pointed out that connections you make as a student through campus organizations, volunteering and internships can continue to open doors throughout your career.

“Volunteer or seek internships when you can. I was one of the first interns [Coldwell Banker KPDD] ever had. They didn’t have a marketing department back then. Now, years later, I work for the company where I interned as an agent and have been thriving there ever since. The operations manager who hired me as an intern is now my broker,” Montgomery said.

Phelan parlayed her English and professional writing studies into a newspaper internship that led to, first, a career in journalism and media management, and now, her current chamber role. In hindsight, she can’t say enough about the value of those early-career experiences on her success today.

“Having studied professional writing and journalism at Columbus State myself, I knew firsthand the strength of the program and how talented its students could be,” she said of the opportunities she’s had to mentor Columbus State students, interns and graduates. “Welcoming them into the newsroom reminded me of my own college experience. Watching them gain hands-on experience in a real newsroom [as their internship supervisor] was rewarding for all of us, and we were always so glad to have them on board.”

She also emphasized the relevance of Columbus State’s new River core curriculum program, which aims to foster first-year students’ community connections, career competencies and career-readiness skills.

“The connections you build, the reputation you develop for being dependable and having excellent character, and the willingness you have to work hard will open more doors than you might expect,” Phelan said. “Also, never underestimate the value of your communication skills. Speaking to a group, writing clearly and listening well are skills that set you apart in leadership roles.”

Like Phelan, Brittany Santiago ’18 (pictured) made the transition from the news industry to working in public relations, now serving as the Columbus Police Department’s director of community affairs and as its public information officer.

“I began working on my MBA while still working in news, looking for ways to advance both professionally and personally. The [master of business administration] program pushed me outside my comfort zone, taught me how to think more strategically and gave me the confidence to take on leadership roles,” she explained, adding that her classmates representing diverse career fields exposed her to different perspectives—something she still carries into her professional work today.

Her fellow Rising Star and current psychology major Marika Bell (pictured) agreed. The Keller Williams Realty River Cities Relator already sees how her classroom studies are preparing her for the next phase in her career.

“I’ve experienced how intentional the [psychology program] is about preparing students for life beyond the classroom,” she said. “The department challenges you to think critically and apply knowledge in ways that translate directly into real-world impact. That approach has shaped how I balance my career, education and community work—pushing me to grow in ways that will last beyond graduation.”

Santiago, whose younger sister and cousin both attended Columbus State, is also among the newest alumni appointed to the CSU Alumni Association Board of Directors. To her soon-to-be fellow alumni, she advises: “…bet on yourself daily. Even if you fall short, stay committed to getting back up, learning from the experience and giving it everything you’ve got. Confidence and resilience are just as important as skills and knowledge, and it’s that persistence that will carry you forward.”

Bell’s advice for her current classmates echoes Santiago’s.

“Show up consistently and be intentional about the spaces you enter. Success isn’t defined by titles; it’s about the value you bring wherever you go. Challenges will come, but if you pick up the pieces, keep moving forward and stay open to growth, the opportunities will follow,” she said.

Read the digital version of Columbus & the Valley’s “5 Under 40” September/October 2025 edition (pictured) on the magazine’s website.

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Main image: (left to right) McDougall, Montgomery, Phelan, Willoughby, (top) Bell, (bottom) Santiago; photos courtesy of Columbus & the Valley and/or the honorees

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