September 19, 2023

A new initiative by a team of students, faculty and staff now offers Columbus State University students a one-stop website for well-being resources. The new website and newly commissioned Student Well-being Committee are emphasizing CSU’s commitment to holistically champion students’ academic, health, social and financial prosperity.

“The factors that influence well-being are interrelated,” explained Dr. Gina Sheeks, vice president for student affairs. “This heightened focus on student well-being is not a new one, but the way in which we group and centralize access to these services is.”

Sheeks explained that she and the team realized that it can be tough — especially for new college students — to locate the various programs and services designed to help them be successful. That is what led to creating the Well-being at Columbus State University website and making these resources more easily accessible to students.

“Sometimes, college life can be challenging and overwhelming — with well-being taking a back seat to your coursework, social life and health,” noted Lauren Davis, CPT (pictured), fitness coordinator in the Department of Campus Recreation and co-chair of the Student Well-Being Committee, which led these efforts.

“Our new centralized, online hub will more easily connect our students with the resources and support they need — especially in the areas of academics, health, social, spiritual and finances.” added Lashica Thomas, director of Campus Recreation who co-led the effort with Davis. 

Physical and Emotional Well-Being

When you talk about well-being, naturally one’s health immediately comes to mind — a role filled by Student Health Services. There, a team of registered nurses, a nurse practitioner specializing in women’s health and family practice physicians provides a range of healthcare services.

“Many of our students discover that the medical services or testing they would have paid for off campus are already covered by their student fees and therefore free at the Student Health Clinic,” said Victoria Roebuck, MSN, WHNP-BC, CSU’s director of student health services. “For those services, fees and prescriptions that have costs associated with them, our clinic can still provide those below typical retail costs.”

Health services can extend beyond students’ physical needs to emotional and mental health ones. The university’s Counseling Center features licensed psychologists who work with students to overcome issues that may be blocking their personal growth and academic success. Specifically, they help students through mental health and career counseling, learning disorder assessments, and educational outreach.

Both Roebuck and Dr. Dan Rose, director of CSU’s Counseling Center, emphasized that their services are largely free to students and covered by health fees students pay each semester along with their tuition.

“Our Counseling Services team, as well as our counterparts in the Student Health Center, are here for one reason — to serve our students,” Rose noted. “Students have access to the same type of practitioners as they would see in off-campus practices, and we provide the same levels of confidentiality and discretion as [private-practice psychologists] do. What makes us different is that we can offer students the convenience of on-campus care — most of the time at no expense to them.”

Students can be proactive in their health by paying close attention to their diets and scheduling time for physical activity. As for getting physical, there are plenty of on-campus opportunities for that, according to Thomas (pictured).

“Our Student Recreation Center on Main Campus is the perfect place to get in shape and stay fit while having fun with your friends,” she said. “You can go for a run on the indoor track, lift some weights, swim some laps, enjoy a group fitness class, shoot some hoops and tackle the rock wall — all in one place.”

For the competitive types, Columbus State offers organized team sports through its intramural and club sports programs. These are ideal for students who aren’t quite ready to hang up their cleats or high-tops, and range in options from club tackle football to intramural soccer, dodgeball and volleyball — with sports like basketball bridging both options.

“Our Intramural Sports program welcomes all students — there’s no required skill level,” Thomas said. “Playing on an intramural team is a wonderful opportunity for students to connect with other students, socialize, and benefit from both a physical and competitive outlet.”

Academic Well-Being

The ebbs and flows of college life and classroom success heavily influence students’ experience, which is why Columbus State provides a wide array of support programs on the academic front. The most popular of these is the Academic Center for Tutoring, or ACT.

ACT’s free tutoring services span the gamut of the university’s general core courses — including English, writing, mathematics, science and the humanities. The center employs student tutors who are studying in or have demonstrated an advanced level of knowledge and who can provide both in-person and remote help. When live tutoring help isn’t available, students can access support through tutor.com.

“Our mission is to help students work toward their goals and develop the ability to be lifelong learners,” explained the center’s director, Hillary Fleenor. “To that end, the ACT offers peer tutoring primarily for core courses and academic writing, but we assist with additional courses as we are able.”

“As a student tutor, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to help my classmates gain the confidence and skills necessary to become active and successful in their education here at Columbus State,” added senior Celeste Grantham (pictured) from LaGrange, an elementary education and psychology double-major who tutors students in psychology courses and on writing.

Ericka King, a first-year student from Columbus majoring in pre-nursing, has benefited first-hand from the ACT’s test-prep tutoring programs.

“I have a busy schedule, but I have been able to still find tutoring times that work for my schedule,” King (pictured) said. “What stands out the most is the quality of ACT’s tutors. My tutors make sure to actively listen to my concerns, and we work together to review areas where I need extra help. I plan to continue using the tutoring services here at Columbus State, as they have helped me prepare and stay ahead for my classes and exams.”

Students with documented physical or learning challenges receive support through the Center for Accommodation and Access. For qualified students, those services range from classroom and test-taking interventions to adaptive technologies that aid students in learning. Sarah Secoy, the center’s director, said assistance can range from short-term needs like navigating campus in the event of a physical injury to long-term options when students need help taking notes or longer test-taking periods.

“We work to turn challenges into opportunities to ensure academic success,” Secoy explained. “That goes beyond finding solutions to helping students with an accommodation feel comfortable in their learning environments. This also includes ensuring instructors are equipped with the information they need to assist our students effectively in their classroom settings.”

Social, Cultural and Spiritual Well-Being

Ask any college student — especially those transitioning from high school to college, or from one college to another — and most will likely say the fear of fitting in can be overwhelming. That is where Columbus State’s lively student activities and organizations come in.

Among the university’s 80-plus student organizations are those ranging from academic organizations and honor societies based in students’ majors, to social ones like Greek fraternities and sororities. In between, students can find clubs around special interests like esports and art, faith and spiritual beliefs, and ethnic and cultural organizations.

“With more than 40 countries represented on our campus, our international student organizations provide a sense of home for students from outside of the United States studying at Columbus State,” said Dr. Eric Spears, the Mildred Miller Fort Foundation eminent scholar and chair of International Education, as well as the executive director of the Center for Global Engagement. “In sharing their cultures, these same organizations share their international perspectives with their native-U.S. classmates.”

In addition to the Center of Global Engagement, Diversity Programs and Services — and its team of student diversity peer educators — plan student-focused programs that celebrate diversity, promote a sense of belonging and community, and provide support to enhance inclusivity and a culturally respectful campus.

“Inclusion and belonging play a huge role in creating community and well-being at Columbus State,” said Torie Hartis (pictured), a diversity peer educator and senior biology secondary education major from Monroe, North Carolina. “As diversity peer educators, we advocate for special populations, start the conversation, and educate the campus community on matters that support our core value of inclusion and better the overall student experience.”

For students who don’t consider themselves “joiners” but still want to get involved in some way, there are student events on both the Main Campus and RiverPark Campus occurring daily — and nightly. While some are planned by the university’s academic colleges and departments, the majority are projects of student-led organizations including the Student Activities Council. 

“Our events are for students, led by students,” explained Student Activities Council director Karmyn Lucas (pictured), a senior special education major from Austell. “We promote the fact that it’s important to have a balance between prioritizing academics and having a social life while at school. We help engage students through a variety of fun events on campus and connect and create community with others.”

Financial Well-Being

Financing a college education doesn’t end on the first day of class. For many students, it’s a delicate balance of financial aid, scholarships and other forms of income. Outside of student financial aid, one of the most popular forms of income for students is employment on and off campus. For many students, the Center for Career Design serves as a clearinghouse for job-hunters looking to earn a paycheck, expand their skills, or both.

“Our team in the Center for Career Design helps students explore what’s next in their journey, and then helps them develop their competitive edge,” said Dr. Mariko Izumi, the center’s executive director. “Whether the goal is an internship or job, we can help students explore and test out their career interests, build a resume, practice for job interviews and even dress for success with clothing from our Career Closet.”

That’s been especially true for Nathaniel Petallar (pictured), a sophomore from Columbus majoring in political science and aspiring to attend law school.

“The Center for Career Design has consistently delivered top-quality service and an abundance of opportunities to assist students like me find career-related internships and shadowing opportunities to build my resume and help me secure a job,” he said. “Internships and a student job working in CSU’s Office of Legal Affairs, Ethics and Compliance is giving me valuable experience and extra financial help — thanks to the support and guidance from the Career Center.”

Even with a job and financial aid in hand, some students find on occasion that they need some additional help — especially with the basics like groceries. That’s where the Food Pantry @ CSU can assist students on an emergency basis. Like many community-based food pantries, Columbus State’s food pantry accepts donations of and distributes to students in need non-perishable food items and personal hygiene products on a short-term basis.

“The Food Pantry @ CSU is here to support our students experiencing food insecurities brought about by emergency or short-term situations,” explained Cortney Wilson, director of the William B. Turner Center for Servant Leadership, which administers the Food Pantry. “We don’t want our students worrying about where their next meal will come from. Through the Food Pantry, we help meet our students’ basic needs in times of trouble by providing them with as many food and personal hygiene items as possible.”

Well-Being in Times of Crisis

“Our well-being programs don’t just address urgent or emergent situations,” Sheeks said, “but times when classmates, professors or staff members at Columbus State see a student struggling and want to help. Programs like Create Care CSU include faculty and staff members who can assist students or members of the campus community who need assistance.”

Sheeks said Create Care is the university’s frontline intervention program and reporting system. The system is so vital to ensuring student success that a Create Care referral link appears at the bottom of every page on the Columbus State website.

Submitted as a request for assistance or services to support academic, non-academic, health or well-being needs, a referral immediately activates a team of Columbus State professionals who promptly and confidentially work behind the scenes to connect the person in crisis with the care required to mitigate those circumstances.

Sheeks underscored that referrals can be made on someone’s behalf or by the actual person in crisis — and referrals are not limited to caring for students. Students have referred employees, and employees have referred their coworkers, when circumstances warrant intervention on behalf of others.

Assistant Dean of Students Dana Larkin, who serves as a Create Care team member, added she and fellow team members immediately go into action upon receiving a Create Care report. They research and connect appropriate campus resources with what a student or employee might needs to be successful. Concerns can range from homelessness and food insecurity to academic, emotional or physical distress.

“Sometimes just reaching out [to a student or employee] in concern or in need of care is all it takes, and other times, more resources and intervention are needed because each situation is different,” Larkin explained. “No matter if the reporter would classify the matter as routine or emergent, all reports are taken seriously and followed up on.”

To explore the services that comprise Columbus State’s well-being programs for students, visit https://www.columbusstate.edu/well-being/.

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

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A COMMUNITY WITHIN A COMMUNITY: esports teams provide players sense of family (May 23, 2023)
Intramural sports leagues highlight championship-caliber talent among student body (May 11, 2023)
Tunisian study abroad trip becomes passport to participating in the Model UN (May 3, 2023)
Annual student-led Cougarthon exceeds Children’s Miracle Network fundraising goal (April 7, 2023)
Annual art program provides artistic outlet for students to improve mental, emotional health (April 4, 2023)
Military-focused degrees, support programs foster military-friendly experience for CSU students (April 3, 2023)
Study abroad class broadens students’ travel writing, global perspectives (March 18, 2023)
Columbus State to honor annual diversity award winners at March 29 banquet (March 14, 2023)
Columbus State, University System of Ga. provide students with new career-planning tool for pre-, post-graduation success (Feb. 9, 2023)