Students, campus organizations recognized for outstanding leadership, service

July 21, 2023

At a reception on April 27, representatives of Columbus State University’s Office of Student Life & Development honored more than 35 students and registered student organizations for their demonstrated leadership and service to the university and the community.

As part of the Division of Student Affairs, the Office of Student Leadership and Development serves the CSU student body. It coordinates the work of 88 active registered student organizations and 10 student boards that collectively include 150-plus student leaders, 600-plus annual organization-hosted events, and 100-plus events planned directly by the office.

Student organizations and campus engagement programs allow Columbus State students to create a sense of community. Both allow students to connect iwth others who share their same interests and passions, as well as gain valuable leadership skills, experience through volunteerism and a broad network through social and community programs.

Award honorees for the 2022-23 academic year included:

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT

Jonathan Kreyling-Hoag, Graduate Student of the Year. Kreyling-Hoag is a 2023 master of public health graduate from New Jersey. His record 20 nominations for this award validate his commitment to the growth and development of others as he makes himself available to others and brings out their strengths and talents. He was described as hard-working, committed, supportive, and reliable — among other attributes.

Mariah Lewis, Charles R. Eason Leadership Award. Lewis, a junior elementary education major from Lawrenceville, Georgia, has demonstrated exemplary leadership and a passion for CSU in the spirit of the award’s namesake, Charles Eason. Eason was the first recipient of the Thomas Y. Whitley Distinguished Alumnus Award and a past director of planned giving. He was widely known for his love of CSU as a student, alumnus, sports fan and employee. 

Rolo Lopez, Outstanding Graduating Senior Award. Lopez is a 2023 CSU entrepreneurship degree graduate from Canton, Georgia. In honoring him for outstanding achievement and demonstrating leadership across the university, he is known for giving 150% to everything he does. He was cited as being passionate, kind, and intelligent in a wide range of campus involvement — from Residence Life to International Education.

Giovanni Thompson, Outstanding Graduate Senior Award. Thompson is a 2023 computer science-web development graduate from Covington, Georgia. In honoring him for outstanding achievement and demonstrated leadership across the university, he was cited as someone who has instilled a legacy of service at Columbus State — through his involvement in organizations that include Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Collegiate 100, Student Activities Council, Student Government Association, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and the Office of Admissions. 

REGISTERED STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Individual Awards

Tyler Brown, President of the Year. Brown is a junior cybersecurity of fin tech major from Riverdale, Georgia, and president of Collegiate 100. Through his leadership, community service and philanthropic efforts, he continues to motivate his fellow members to strive for excellence as they work to advance new initiatives, acquire new skills, and prepare themselves for leadership and ongoing success. 

Kenedi Gadsden, Emerging Leader of the Year Award. Gadsden is a sophomore elementary education major from Marietta, Georgia. Through her efforts, she has significantly benefited ROAR Orientation’s orientation leaders by exhibiting a high level of participation and volunteerism. She is credited as outgoing and possessing an energy that draws people toward them in a positive way. She exhibits a level of professionalism and a strong moral compass that encourages others to follow her lead.

Distenze Holmes, Student Activities Council Committee Member of the Year. Holmes is a junior kinesiology major from Fortson, Georgia. The award is presented to the Student Activities Council committee member who has shown outstanding dedication and commitment to the program through volunteerism and who has represented the organization in a professional manner.

Dr. Troy Keller, On-Campus Advisor of the Year Award. A professor in the Department of Earth & Space Sciences, Keller advises Students for a Sustainable World, has been diligent in his focus on student success and helps them find the best version of themselves. He constantly goes above and beyond for every one of the students in his RSO. The award is bestowed on advisors with at least two years’ experience in their advising roles. 

Rakaiya Martin, Student Leader of the Year Award. Martin is a junior biology pre-med major from Martinez, Georgia, and president of the Future African American Healthcare Professionals Society (FAAHPS), in which she’s had an integral role building up the organization and its membership. She has inspired growth and development among its membership and has provided the organization with exemplary service and leadership.

Organization-level Awards

EPIC’s Street Food Takeover, Event of the Year Award. EPIC, Ethnically Asian and Pacific Islanders Club, seeks to help globalize the CSU campus by bringing together students who are or identify as being of East Asian or Pacific Islander descent, as well as those who are interested in the culture from the region. Its Street Food Takeover event underscored how food has a major tie to cultural identity. This event provided students with a way to connect with one another and find community. Events like these provide opportunities to foster awareness, connectedness and belonging.

Panhellenic Council, Most Improved Registered Student Organization. As the governing body for Alpha Omicron Pi, Delta Zeta and Phi Mu sororities, the Panhellenic Council develops and maintains women's sorority life and interfraternity relations to a high level of accomplishment. It was cited for displaying a significant effort in improving its standing on campus. Its passion, drive and dedication have allowed it to increase its programming, accountability and overall unity.

Student Activities Council, Outstanding Teamwork & Collaboration Award. The Student Activities Council organizes programs and events designed to help CSU students learn from and engage with fellow students, and to build relationships within the university and surrounding communities through teamwork, collaboration and quality programming. Specifically, the Student Activities Council partnered through 15-plus collaborations during the 2022-23 academic year and continues to provide the student body with high-quality events that ensure students continue having a positive CSU experience.

Theta Phi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Outstanding Online Presence Award. The university’s first Black Greek letter organization, members of Delta Sigma Theta serve the campus and local community, with a specific focus on improving opportunities for at-risk youth. The chapter was credited with refocusing and building its online brand by creating a social media presence that is inviting, interactive, engaging, uniform and consistently up to date.

GREEK LIFE

Individual Awards

Khyran Bush, Living Your Values Award. Bush is a senior computer science-software systems major from Colquitt, Georgia, and member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. He has exemplified his chapter’s values of academic excellence, leadership, brotherhood and the upliftment of mankind with great pride through his everyday actions. He serves as his chapter’s dean of membership and as vice president of membership intake for CSU’s National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC).

Ryan Conn, Outstanding Fraternity Chapter President. Conn is a junior business management major from Suwanee, Georgia, and member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He was credited by his chapter as being an exemplar for chapter commitment and true brotherhood by following his fraternity’s Four Pillars of the Order — leadership, scholarship, service and fellowship — during his tenure. 

Braxton Greer, Outstanding Fraternity New Member. Greer is a junior communication major from Austell, Georgia, and member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. The award is presented to a fraternity member who has gone above and beyond the expectations of CSU Greek Life and those of his chapter. Greer was cited for representing his chapter at CSU’s annual Greek Retreat and at its many campus and community service events. With his academic success, he is now eligible to be initiated into the university’s Order of Omega chapter.

Caroline Hampton, Outstanding Sorority New Member. Hampton is a freshman Earth and space sciences-geology major from Macon, Georgia, and member of Delta Zeta Sorority. The award is presented to a sorority member who has gone above and beyond the expectations of CSU Greek Life and those of her chapter. Her nominator cited her growth from being a reserved chapter member to a leader and one of the most involved new members.

Marcus Hendrix, Fraternity Member of the Year. Hendrix is a senior human resources major from LaGrange, Georgia, and member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He has helped his chapter grow through his leadership efforts by showing his brothers respect and genuine care, and supporting chapter tasks and issues. Through his academic success, he has been invited to join the university’s Order of Omega chapter. 

Laurina Horack, Sorority Member of the Year. Horack is a senior communication-integrated media major from Columbus, Georgia, and member of Delta Zeta Sorority. She is credited with taking on many responsibilities and tasks and executing them with grace, as well as demonstrating to all what it means to be a supportive and loving sister. 

Kaitlyn Lawson, Outstanding Chapter Advisor. Lawson volunteers her time as Phi Mu Sorority's chapter advisor in addition to her professional duties as a certified hand therapist at Hughston Clinic. She stepped in to fill the chapter’s mid-year advisor void despite having just recently moved to Columbus. She has provided the chapter with her full support since that time by attending many of its events and by exceeding her chapter’s expectations. 

Sarah Morgan, Outstanding Sorority Chapter President. Morgan is a junior general business major from Fortson, Georgia, and member of Delta Zeta Sorority. Her nominator credited her as someone who encourages her fellow chapter members to have a voice and supports them to the best of her ability. 

Council Awards

Council awards are bestowed based on a variety of factors, including meeting chapter expectations and pillars, Greek Week participation, council participation, campus involvement and chapter improvement.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., National Pan-Hellenic Council Chapter of the Year

Delta Zeta Sorority, Panhellenic Council Chapter of the Year 

Kappa Sigma Fraternity, Interfraternity Council Chapter of the Year

OTHER RECOGNITIONS

Tower Traditions

Co-administered by the Office of Student Life & Development and the Office of Alumni Engagement, Tower Traditions was established in 2015. Its compilation of 58 Columbus State traditions honors the university’s founding in 1958 and challenges students to experience at least 45 of these traditions and student experiences — from riding the campus shuttle to studying abroad — before they graduate. Students successfully fulfilling that challenge receive a medal engraved with their name and the numbered order they were added to the Tower Traditions logbook to wear at graduation.

That logbook is nearing 100 students and includes the most recent additions from the 2022-23 academic year: #93, Kesna Bennett; #94, Taylor Parker; #95, Rolo Lopez; #96, Jeremy Green; #97, Samantha Barfield; and #98, Alexis Heard.

President’s Volunteer Service Award

The President's Volunteer Service Award is a civil award bestowed by the president of the United States. First established through executive order by 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush, the award honor volunteers who give hundreds of hours of service each year through the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

Each semester at Columbus State, Community Outreach presents eligible graduating seniors with their medals. This year’s recipients are:

• • Gold medal, for young adults accumulating 250-plus hours of service: Likhita Aluri; Alyssa Barker; Kesna Bennett; Maya Davis; Journee Denson; Tasya Diaz; Joanelys Lamberty; and Kaitlyn Shepherd.
  • Silver medal, for young adults accumulating 175 to 249 hours of service: Cortney Ann Moore.

Visit the university’s Flickr account for photos from the event.

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