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GSW contributed $115.4 million to the regional economy in fiscal year 2024, a 14.5% increase from the previous year, according to a new report from the University System of Georgia (USG). The report also shows GSW supported 1,195 full- and part-time jobs — adding 68 more jobs than last year.
The increase is largely driven by GSW’s record-breaking Fall 2024 enrollment of 3,704 students, up 8.5% from the previous year. Higher enrollment impacts all three factors that shape economic impact — the number of employees and personnel budget, operational spending, and student spending. More students have led to additional positions, larger operational budgets, and increased student spending in the region.
“Over the past five years, Georgia Southwestern’s economic impact has exceeded $500 million,” said GSW President Michelle Johnston, Ph.D. “We are proud to see this growth continue year after year, reflecting the hard work of our dedicated faculty, staff, and students. This financial impact is further amplified by the achievements of our exceptional graduates—about 84% of whom remain in Georgia—contributing their talents to the workforce and communities across the region. Coupled with our strong partnerships with local businesses, government, and community organizations, we are collectively shaping an incredibly bright and prosperous future for Southwest Georgia.”
Read more about GSW's economic impact.
On August 28, Americus Mayor Lee Kinnamon signed a proclamation announcing Thursday, September 18, 2025 as the seventh annual Day of Giving for Georgia Southwestern.
GSW faculty, staff, and students turned out on Gold Force Thursday to witness Mayor Kinnamon sign the proclamation for the upcoming Day of Giving alongside GSW President Michelle Johnston, Ph.D. Kinnamon also presented his own personal contribution and expressed his gratitude for GSW and the impact the University has on the community.
“It’s appropriate for us to give to GSW because GSW gives so much to Americus and Sumter County,” stated Mayor Kinnamon. “We have institutions here without which, we wouldn’t be nearly what we are today, and GSW is clearly one of those institutions.”
GSW’s Day of Giving is a yearly challenge to raise essential funds and support for the University. This year, the goals are to rally at least 600 individual donors and secure contributions from all 50 states in a quest to “turn the map gold.”
Learn more about the Day of Giving proclamation.
Georgia Southwestern won its third straight Peach Belt Conference Presidents' Academic Award presented by Barnes & Noble College on Tuesday night at the league's annual awards dinner. This is the fifth overall award for GSW, marking the most of any institution since the conference founded the award in 2006. The three wins in a row is also tied for the longest streak in conference history.
The award recognizes excellence in academics concerning all of an institution's student-athletes.
At the end of the academic school year the Peach Belt Conference asked each of the league's 11 members to submit an average GPA for the undergraduate student body and a GPA for all student-athletes. These two numbers were used to determine each institutions' GPA ratio that identifies which school's athletes are performing most ahead of the curve in comparison to the student body. The schools are not measured against one another, just their athletes to their students.
Georgia Southwestern student-athletes carried an average GPA of 3.21 for the academic year while the undergraduate student-body had a 2.71. That ratio of 1.1845 was the highest among all conference members for the year. The GSW student-athlete GPA is also the highest it has been in the last 10 years.
Read more about the Presidents' Academic Award.
GSW has received $16.1 million in state funding for the construction of a new Natural Sciences Building, following Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s signing of the $37.7 billion Fiscal Year 2026 state budget (House Bill 68) on May 9.
“This is a transformational investment in the future of Georgia Southwestern,” said GSW President Michelle Johnston, Ph.D. “We are deeply grateful to Gov. Brian Kemp, our dedicated legislative delegation for championing this project and the University System of Georgia for their support. Sen. Freddie Powell Sims, Rep. Mike Cheokas, and Rep. PattyMarie Stinson were instrumental in securing this funding, and we thank them for their steadfast support of higher education and rural Georgia.”
The new 23,000-square-foot facility will provide state-of-the-art laboratory and instructional space for students studying biology, chemistry, nursing, and pre-engineering. It will be located adjacent to the Rosalynn Carter Health and Human Sciences Complex, strengthening GSW’s growing footprint in STEM and health sciences.
Read more about the Natural Sciences Building project.
GSW honored 45 Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) students during a Pinning Ceremony held Wednesday, July 29, in the Storm Dome.
Courtney Ross, DHA, dean of GSW’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences, welcomed the audience with a message of pride and purpose.
“Tonight, we gather to celebrate a tradition rich in pride, meaning and heartfelt significance,” Ross said. “These 45 extraordinary students will be pinned, each one taking a transformative step into the noble and demanding profession of nursing. The pin you will receive is far more than a piece of jewelry. It symbolizes your resilience, growth and readiness to serve. You have mastered the science, refined your clinical skills and shown compassion to those in need.”
Read more about the ceremony.
GSW's Delta Pi Chapter of the Chi Phi Fraternity brought home top honors from the 159th Special Bicentennial Congress in Washington, D.C., earning three national awards, including the fraternity’s most prestigious honor, the Thomas Gehring Award for Chapter Excellence.
The Gehring Award, established in 1980, recognizes Chi Phi’s most outstanding chapter each year for exemplifying the fraternity’s values and setting the standard for excellence. Out of nearly 50 chapters nationwide, GSW’s Delta Pi Chapter was the sole recipient this year.
“This was quite an achievement and honor to say the least,” said Chi Phi Alumni Advisor Tripp Larkey. “The events from that weekend were truly historic for both the national Chi Phi Fraternity as well as our chapter at GSW. Our fraternity is the first to celebrate 200 years of continual existence, and we were a part of that celebration. The Delta Pi Chapter from GSW won three awards on the national level against more than 50 chapters across various other colleges, universities and Ivy League schools. I am proud to be a graduate of GSW, an alumnus of Chi Phi, as well as the active alumni advisor for our chapter.”
Read more about Chi Phi's accomplishments.
Georgia Southwestern ranked fourth among NCAA Division II institutions in documented community service hours generated during the 2024-25 academic year according to the NCAA Community Engagement Report presented by Helper Helper. It's the sixth time in seven years the Hurricanes have finished inside the top five in the national standings.
"We are incredibly proud of our student-athletes and their continued commitment to community service," GSW Assistant Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator Caitlin Downs said. "To be ranked within the top five of DII institutions is a phenomenal accomplishment, but what I am personally most proud of is the character of our student-athletes when it comes to community service."
The NCAA Helper Helper Service Challenge is a national community service competition for NCAA DI, DII and DIII athletic departments and student-athletes. Schools are ranked from a combination of total hours per student-athlete and participation rate of teams. It recognizes schools for their outstanding commitment to volunteerism and community service. Participation in the competition using the Helper Helper platform was open to all NCAA-affiliated schools.
Georgia Southwestern had four of its 10 programs finish in the top 10 of the rankings for their respective sports, including three that finished in the top three. GSW ranked second across all NCAA Division II softball and women's tennis programs. It was the highest finish of all-time for women's tennis while the GSW softball team had matched its second-place finish in 2020-21. The GSW women's soccer program ranked third for the third time in program history. The Lady Hurricanes soccer program has been inside the top 10 in five of the last seven years.
Learn more about the Hurricanes' community service projects.
GSW's Eta Theta Chapter of Sigma Chi Fraternity was recently recognized for their landmark fundraising in the 2024-2025 academic year. With the help of numerous alumni, generous individuals, businesses in the community and GSW’s sororities, over $30,000 was raised in support of the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Utah.
The Eta Theta chapter was recognized as one of the top fundraising chapters among the 244 across North America at a special event in Salt Lake City over the summer. GSW Sigma Chi raised the second-most dollars among Georgia chapters, coming behind only Georgia Southern University.
Read more about Sigma Chi's philanthropy.
GSW is proud to announce that its Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program has received full approval from the Georgia Board of Nursing. This milestone affirms the high standards and continued excellence of GSW’s School of Nursing.
“This full approval highlights the quality education, dedication, and outcomes our ASN students and faculty consistently achieve,” said Courtney Ross, DHA, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. “It reinforces the confidence that the state of Georgia has in GSW’s ability to prepare safe, competent, and compassionate nurses.”
The ASN program, which was revived in 2022 after a 22-year hiatus, is a two-year program designed for students wishing to enter the medical field as registered nurses. It is designed to offer flexibility, enabling working adults to pursue a career in nursing while balancing their professional and personal responsibilities.
Read more about the ASN accreditation.
GSW alumnus Edwin Sammons ’77 recently established the Chi Phi Fraternity Endowed Scholarship to benefit future generations of student leaders.
Fulfilling a longtime dream to give back to his alma mater through scholarship, Sammons began considering where his gift might have the greatest impact. A chance encounter during a visit to Americus helped provide the answer. While staying overnight at the historic Windsor Hotel, Sammons was impressed by the exceptional service and professionalism of Franklin “B.G.” Harris, an employee who also happened to be a GSW student. Their conversation left a lasting impression.
After learning that Harris was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity at GSW, Sammons was inspired to direct his gift in support of the organization. The endowed scholarship will benefit the brothers of Chi Phi who exemplify the core values of truth, honor, personal integrity, and leadership—qualities Harris demonstrated from the moment they met.
Learn more about the new scholarship.
The Cathy P. Mooney ’75 Memorial Scholarship Endowment was recently established at GSW by Richard Mooney in memory of his late wife. This scholarship will benefit undergraduate students from Southwest Georgia who are studying business in GSW’s College of Business and Computing.
Richard Mooney, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from GSW in 1974, is an investment manager and advisor residing in Thomasville, Ga. Richard and his late wife, Cathy Mooney, met at GSW in 1971 and later married in 1975. Richard has created this scholarship as a lasting tribute to his beloved wife of 44 years.
“Georgia Southwestern continues to provide all the benefits and advantages of a southern regional college,” said Mooney. “Honoring the memory of Cathy is very important to my family and me.”
Read more about the Mooney scholarship.
Americus native ChaLance Deriso dreamed of one day becoming a teacher, but the odds were not in her favor. Pregnant at 16, she faced daunting statistics: 60% of teen mothers fail to graduate high school, and a mere 2% complete college by age 30.
“I let the dream go,” ChaLance says. “I didn’t think I would be able to do all the things I wanted since I was a child myself having a baby.”
ChaLance continued high school, and when she became pregnant again in her junior year, she decided she would settle on becoming a paraprofessional, a career that would allow her to provide for her two children while still working in the classroom.
With the support of her mother and grandmother, ChaLance graduated high school in 2013 and forged ahead, securing two associate degrees in 2018 in education and business from South Georgia Technical College.
Call it fate or providence, but while working at Bright Beginnings Daycare, two of ChaLance’s students happened to be children of employees who worked at Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW). Chelsea Collins, Director of Marketing and Communications, and Dr. Rachel Abbott, Dean of GSW’s College of Education, both recognized something special in ChaLance, and encouraged her to apply to the Friday-only program at GSW for working adults to finish their bachelor's degrees.
ChaLance was uncertain at first: “I never imagined myself being at a university, let alone GSW. Despite my doubts, I filled out the application and committed to the program. The faculty and staff were so loving and supportive; I just feel like everything happened for a reason and it was the right time.”
Learn more about ChaLance's journey.
This July, three upcoming graduates of Georgia Southwestern State University’s Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program are crossing the stage with more than just academic achievement in common—they share the same last name, the same passion for caring for others, and the same remarkable journey. For Juliet Burge, her mother LaPorsha Robinson, and her aunt Ami Robinson, nursing school has been more than an educational experience—it’s been a family affair.
Together, this close-knit trio from Atlanta has weathered the challenges of nursing school, leaning on one another for strength, motivation, and laughter. “Going through the storm together has been unforgettable,” says Juliet. “We’re stronger because we did it side by side.”
Each week, sisters LaPorsha and Ami made the three-hour drive from Atlanta to Americus for classes and clinicals. Despite the distance, they were drawn specifically to Georgia Southwestern.
“When researching nursing programs in Georgia, I was amazed by GSW’s NCLEX pass rate,” shares Juliet. “The more I learned about the program, the more I fell in love with the School of Nursing.” After touring campus with ASN Support Specialist Jason Wicker, the decision was clear. “GSW felt like home,” says LaPorsha. “The classes are small, the professors are accessible, and everyone—from faculty to staff—wants to see you succeed. It really is a family.”
Learn more about this family's journey into the nursing profession.
The Georgia Southwestern baseball team was named a recipient of the 2024-25 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Team Academic Excellence Award presented by Sports Attack. Teams from every level of college and high school baseball were honored with this year's award, which highlights programs coached by ABCA members that posted a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale for the cumulative 2024-25 academic year.
GSW earned the award for the sixth consecutive year.
Learn more about this award.
Canes Spotlight announced for July and AugustCanes Spotlights highlight Georgia Southwestern students who hold leadership roles, are involved in extracurricular activities and/or excel academically in their degree programs.
The July Canes Spotlight was MBA student Carsen Plumadore.
Carsen played five seasons with Georgia Southwestern State University Baseball, with the highlight being winning the Peach Belt Conference championship in 2023. He sees his teammates as his brothers and encourages new students to make similar connections on campus.
My advice for incoming students is to enjoy every second you have here, because you will never forget the incredible time and the incredible people you meet throughout your journey at GSW," Carsen said. "You will meet people here you will be friends with or mentors you will have for the rest of your life."
Carsen, who graduated with his BBA in December 2024 and finished his MBA this summer, recently signed to play professionally for the Frontier League's Windy City ThunderBolts in Illinois.
The August Canes Spotlight was exercise science major Boone Prince.
Boone has built an extensive list of achievements during his time at GSW. He was voted Mr. GSW in 2024, is a member of the President Jimmy Carter Leadership Program, has served on the Storm Spotter leadership team, and has won several awards including Outstanding University Pride.
As he prepares to graduate this fall, Boone says that the people are what make GSW special. "To me, the heart of GSW lies in its incredible sense of community. I’ve never experienced a more tight-knit, engaged, and supportive environment within a school," he said. "The fact that I can form meaningful connections with so many people—students, faculty, and staff alike—speaks volumes about the values GSW upholds. It’s more than just a campus; it’s a family, a place where everyone lifts each other up and where lifelong friendships are forged."
Canes Spotlights are nominated by GSW faculty and staff.
The Peach Belt Conference released its 2025 Teams of Academic Distinction, presented by Barnes & Noble College, in June. Several GSW student-athletes we named to the lists:
The Teams of Academic Distinction are a part of the PBC's larger initiative to celebrate the academic achievements of PBC student-athletes.
To be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must 1) participate in at least half of his/her team's events and be either a starter or significant contributor; 2) achieved a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and 3) completed at least one full academic year at his or her current institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility. The Peach Belt Conference sports communications professionals oversee the program.
On June 21, 2025, members of the GSW chapter of Alpha Psi Lambda traveled to Columbus, Ohio to attend the 2025 National House of Delegates (NHOD), where they were formally awarded their chapter letters and inducted as the Beta Alpha Chapter.
The NHOD event was hosted at The Ohio State University, home of Alpha Psi Lambda’s Alpha Chapter, originally founded in 1985 by 13 noble men and women. This year’s delegates not only took part in official business sessions and national updates, but also celebrated the organization’s 40th anniversary with a commemorative gala honoring Alpha Psi Lambda’s rich history and continued growth.
During the convention, GSW’s delegation connected with members from chapters across the country, participated in leadership discussions and were recognized for their contributions to expanding the organization’s mission. Their presence marked a significant milestone: the Beta Alpha Chapter is now the first chapter of Alpha Psi Lambda in the state of Georgia and the first co-ed Latino-oriented Greek-letter organization on GSW’s campus. What began as a vision shared by five dedicated students has grown into a vibrant chapter already making an impact at GSW.
As they continue to grow, the Beta Alpha Chapter at GSW looks forward to building on Alpha Psi Lambda’s four decades of success, fostering unity through diversity and inspiring future generations of students. The Beta Alpha Chapter of Alpha Psi Lambda National, Inc. will host its Fall 2025 Recruitment Week from Sept. 15-19. Please be on the look out for more information regarding those events!
Finalists have been named for the 2025 Gary Player International Golfer of the Year Award presented by FlightScope, as announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America in June. The award is given to five outstanding collegiate golfers from outside the United States, one each for NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, as well as NAIA and NJCAA. Georgia Southwestern State University senior Felipe Gomez was named one of the five finalists for the NCAA Division II award.
Read more about Gomez's season.
This summer, biology major Claudine Mae Rodriguez was selected to participate in the Yale Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program, where she spent eight weeks conducting neuroscience research in the Chandra Lab at Yale University. Her research focused on the phosphorylation of α-synuclein at threonine 81 in Multiple System Atrophy—a fatal and rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease.
Under the mentorship of Dr. Sreeganga Chandra and Leah Harmon, Rodriguez gained hands-on experience in protein biochemistry, data interpretation, and the collaborative research process within Yale’s rigorous academic setting. Beyond the lab, she engaged in weekly seminars, social events and graduate school prep workshops alongside students from institutions across the country. Her time at Yale not only strengthened her technical and academic skills but also deepened her passion for neuroscience and her long-term goal of becoming a physician-scientist.
Rodriguez credits her experience at GSW and the support from faculty and mentors back home in Americus for preparing her to take on such a rigorous and rewarding opportunity. She hopes her story will inspire other GSW students to pursue competitive research programs and explore opportunities beyond their immediate environment.
Georgia Southwestern placed 100 student-athletes on the 2024-25 Peach Belt Conference Presidential Honor Roll released Monday afternoon by the league office with 30 receiving the highest distinction, being named Gold Scholars, which was the most in school history.
Georgia Southwestern's previous high for Gold Scholars was 24 in 2018-19. The Hurricanes had 60 percent of their honor roll recipients reach either the gold or silver level this year, which was also a school record, eclipsing the previous high of 53.47 percent set in 2018-19.
The GSW baseball team led the department in 2024-25 with 24 recipients overall, up six from last year. The GSW women's soccer team followed with 17 honorees.
Learn more about the PBC Honor Roll.
Golfers Joao Costa and Nicolas Escobar received 2025 NCAA Division II PING All-America distinction from the Golf Coaches Association of America.
A native of Carcavelos, Portugal, Costa earned honorable mention All-America honors to wrap up his junior season. Costa finished the season tied for eighth in the Peach Belt Conference in scoring average (71.8) through 32 rounds and 11 events. He was the PBC Golfer of the Week on March 31. Costa had one tournament win and finished in the top five of three events in 2024-25. He closed out the season ranked No. 35 in NCAA Division II.
Escobar earned an honorable mention for the second time in his career. The native of Guayaquil, Ecuador, matched teammate Felipe Gomez with six top 10 finishes this season to lead the Hurricanes. Escobar posted a scoring average of 72.06 over 32 rounds in 2024-25 and earned his second all-conference award at GSW. He completed his final collegiate season ranked No. 43 in NCAA Division II.
Georgia Southwestern men's golfers Davis Aaron, Sam Brown, Joao Costa, Nicolas Escobar and Mateo Quiroga have been named Cobalt Golf All-America Scholars for the 2024-25 season by the Golf Coaches Association of America. GSW was one of two NCAA Division II schools with five recipients, which tied for the most by a program this season.
To be eligible for the GCAA All-America Scholar status an individual must be a sophomore, junior or senior academically. In addition, they must have participated in 50 percent of their team's competitive rounds for the 2024-25 season, have a stroke-average under 78.0 (NCAA Division II) and maintain a minimum cumulative career grade-point average of 3.2. A recipient must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at his college or university.
Read more about the All-America Scholar Team.
On July 17, Assistant Professor of Biology and Thomas Distinguished Biology Chair Surya Amarachintha, Ph.D., co-published an article in the Nature Communications journal. It is titled "Cellular crosstalk mediated by TGF-β drives epithelial-mesenchymal transition in patient-derived multi-compartment biliary organoids." A summary is below.:
Authors generated multi-compartment biliary organoids (MBOs, three dimensional cellular structures that mimic tissue) using human liver-derived epithelial, endothelial, and mesenchymal cells that replicated bile ducts. However, MBOs generated from biliary atresia diseased livers exhibited defects with activation of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-b) pathway. Potential Impact: This study investigated the development of human bile duct and its susceptibility to Biliary atresia, where infants are born with loss of bile duct and develop a severe progressive liver disease.
Teaching and Learning Librarian Jennifer Griffin recently published an article, "Libraries as a Growing Organism: Librarians at the Intersection of Information and Education" (TechTrends, Volume 69 Issue 4, pgs. 707-710). It discusses the importance of librarians furthering their education in the area of instructional technology. Librarians can use these instructional technology skills not only in information literacy classes and one-shot reference workshops, but also in tandem with other educators on campus.
Associate Professor Jesse Russell, Ph.D., recently published two pieces. "Batman Begins, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and the Taming and the Orient" was accepted for publication in The Journal of Popular Culture. "Lear as Dragon of Discord" was accepted in Renaissance Papers.
Several GSW faculty members participated in the 2025 Chinese-American Academic and Professional Association in the United States (CAPASUS) conference on artificial intelligence. Professor Chu Chu Wu, Ph.D., (Education) moderated two panel discussions, "Academic Integrity in the Age of AI" and "Young Scholars Presentations." Assistant Dean and Professor Christopher Pritchett, Ed.D., (Education) gave a presentation entitled "Developing an AI policy for Graduate Programs at One University." Professor Gary Fisk, Ph.D., (Psychology and Sociology) gave a presentation on "Navigating the Uncertainties of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education." Senior Lecturer of Music Alwen Yeung (Music) performed on the piano in a duet.
Professor of History Susan Bragg, Ph.D., and Director of Library Services John Wilson, MLIS, participated in a joint panel discussion at the 2025 Galileo Annual Conference held at Middle Georgia State University on June 4, 2025. In "Illuminating the Past: Utilizing the Georgia Historic Newspaper Database in the University Setting," Bragg and Wilson commented on the potential for expanding student research skills through this important Digital Library of Georgia resource.
Wilson introduced the panel and shared strategies for utilizing the Georgia Historic Newspaper database in this well-attended session. As Director of Library Services at GSW, Wilson regularly teaches students how to develop their critical thinking skills using a wide variety of Galileo databases. In this specialized panel, Wilson not only demonstrated how to use the Georgia Historic Newspaper database effectively but discussed how relationships between library professionals and college faculty can enhance dynamic learning environments.
Bragg shared her specific experiences using the Georgia Historic Newspaper database in a wide variety of GSW courses. Such explorations allow students to "do" history, breaking up the lecture model and stimulating real conversation in the classroom. An additional benefit of these activities is the centering of Georgia history themes within the lower-division courses—helping to fully meet USG standards for courses like the US History surveys.
Overall, the Galileo session stimulated great discussion amongst all panel participants about how we can utilize new digital resources to help students interpret the past in new, meaningful ways. Bragg and Wilson look forward to continuing to work together in Fall 2025, enhancing HAIL initiatives supporting integrated learning and deepening campus connections to academic resources at GSW.
Associate Professor of Communication Jonathan Carter, Ph.D., presented his paper titled "Generative AI and the reconfiguration of public memory" with co-author Jamie Downing (from GCSU) at the Rhetoric and Society Conference in Zagreb, Croatia (June 18-21). It is one of the first works looking at the intersections of cutting edge generative Large Language Models and their impact on the memory of WWII and the Holocaust.
Professor Alexander Yemelyanov, Ph.D., D.Sc., of the College of Business and Computing, chaired the 16th International Conference on Neuroergonomics and Cognitive Engineering, held in Orlando, Florida, from July 26-30, 2025. At the conference, he presented his recently published research paper titled "Enhancing Decision-Making in Risk and Uncertainty through OpenAI API Integration." This paper, co-authored with Harikrishnan Nairi, a 2025 GSW Outstanding CS Graduate Student and former intern under Dr. Yemelyanov's supervision, highlights the continued development of Express Decision (ED2®), an AI-powered decision-making augmentation system designed to support reasoning under conditions of risk and uncertainty. Their research discusses the integration of OpenAI technologies into the ED2® decision-making system, offering a real-world application in a medical decision-making context. Yemelyanov also served as a co-editor of the Conference Proceedings: "AHFE International: Neuroergonomics and Cognitive Engineering."
The College of Business and Computing’s Accounting Club is committed to serving the community by promoting financial literacy. In alignment with this mission, the club recently partnered with the Methodist Home for Children & Youth to host a series of interactive workshops for its residents on key money management topics—budgeting, debt, savings, and contracts.
Each session welcomed 8 to 10 residents and featured lively, hands-on conversations led by faculty and club members. Lecturer of Accounting Danielle Taylor guided participants through practical budgeting strategies, Professor Robert Bennett, Ph.D., explored smart approaches to debt and savings, and Associate Professor John Stovall, Ph.D., and Senior Lecturer of Management Amber Stovall led an engaging discussion on understanding and navigating contracts. Assistant Director of Recruitment & Admissions Luke Ellis rounded out the program by sharing insights about student life and guiding a campus tour.
Since 1872, the Methodist Home has provided residential care for abused, neglected, and abandoned children across Georgia, preparing at-risk girls to become successful, independent adults. By equipping these young women with real-world financial skills, the Accounting Club’s workshops directly supported the Methodist Home’s mission—helping residents build the knowledge and confidence needed to take control of their futures.
Professor and Chair of English and Modern Languages Michael A. Moir, Jr., Ph.D., presented a paper titled "White Worms, Black Servants, and Anglo-Saxon Disgust: Abjection and the Weird in Bram Stoker's 'The Lair of the White Worm'" at the Canadian Association for Irish Studies' annual conference in Toronto, Canada on June 12. Moir is a member of the CAIS Executive Board and helped plan the conference as well.
Dearmin presents on Flannery O'Connor at London conferenceIn London on June 7, Penny Dearmin from the Department of English and Modern Languages presented her paper titled "Grotesquerie: Finding O'Connor in Today’s Crime Storie" at Flannery Abroad: A Conference in Celebration of Flannery O'Connor's Centenary.
As part of the "Flannery and Film" panel, Dearmin argues that Ryan Murphy's recent television production, "Grotesquerie," is influenced by O'Connor's short stories, which are known for their deliverance of grace through violence, strong matriarchs, and grotesque characterization. Utilizing clips from the show, each crime scene is shown as its own form of short story. There are hints of O’Connor’s dark humor as well, with a true-crime obsessed nun and Father Charlie’s "spin to stop sinning" livestream.
Dearmin joined O’Connor scholars from all over the world for her third International O’Connor conference. She enjoys sharing the reach and impact of O’Connor’s work with her students as she aims to demonstrate the legacy of literature long after an author has written her last word. This conference concludes last academic year’s focus on bringing O’Connor to the GSW campus through the department’s contribution to Investiture Week titled "O'Connor at 100 Roundtable," as well as taking students to visit O’Connor’s home, Andalusia, where she wrote most of her fiction.
In keeping with GSW's commitment to innovative teaching, Dr. Joseph Comeau (PI), Mr. Bob Slenker, Dr. Debaleena Ghosh, and Dr. Jamie MacLennan recently completed work as part of an Affordable Learning Georgia, Continuous Improvement Grant. The Continuous Improvement Grant is intended to support educators as they create ancillary materials for existing open educational resources.
The team was awarded a grant of $8,000 to support the creation of instructional videos for use in SOCI 1101 Introduction to Sociology. Comeau, Ghosh and MacLennan began preparing scripts and notes in summer of 2024, and from fall 2024 through spring 2025 recorded content for 23 videos. Slenker oversaw all technical aspects of the recording sessions, which were held after hours in the common area of the Carter II. He also provided support and assistance to Comeau, who did the video editing.
Comeau managed all aspects of publishing the videos, including ensuring that closed captions were accurate, and creating video descriptions and thumbnails for YouTube. This grant was a part of Comeau’s continuing scholarly pursuits in new media content creation. Comeau began podcasting and YouTube content creation as a hobby and has over 500,000 lifetime views across multiple YouTube channels. In recent years, he began creating content in sociology, including a podcast series that examines independent horror films through a sociological lens, and a sociology YouTube channel.
Crawford inducted into Hall of FameSenior Associate Director of Athletics Eric Crawford will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at Northeastern State University.
According to Northeastern, Crawford left a lasting legacy during his time at the University from 2011 to 2015:
"Eric Crawford headlined a defensive back line for the Northeastern State men's soccer team that recorded the three best defensive seasons in school history. In NSU's first season (2012) as a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), Crawford and the RiverHawks earned their first NCAA postseason berth in seven seasons, claiming a Central Region Championship and reaching the National Quarterfinals for the first time in program history. For his efforts, Crawford was named by the United Soccer Coaches (formerly known as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)) as an All-American. He earned a second nod following his senior season in 2015, becoming at that point just the third NSU men's soccer player to earn the recognition twice. Crawford was a seven-time All-Region First Team performer, a three-time All-MIAA First Team honoree, and an NSCAA Academic All-American. For his work not only in men's soccer, but in the classroom and community, Crawford was NSU's first finalist for the MIAA's Ken B. Jones Award, which recognizes the league's top female and male student-athletes from the academic year. Following his playing career, Crawford served on the NSU men's soccer coaching staff for two seasons (2016-17) and was part of a staff that earned the program's second NCAA National Quarterfinal appearance."
Robins named Georgia Author of the YearChair and Professor of history Glenn Robins, Ph.D., has won the Georgia Author of the Year Award in the History Category for his most recent book, "A Debt of Gratitude: How Jimmy Carter Put Vietnam Veterans on the National Agenda." The honor was awarded by the Georgia Writers Association.
Judge Elizabeth Giddens wrote:
"This work meticulously traces the policies, initiatives, and rhetoric Jimmy Carter employed first as Governor of Georgia and subsequently as the 39th President of the United States in regard to the generation of young people who were called to serve their country during the Vietnam War—including veterans, draft resisters, and deserters. Robins shows that well before the war’s end Carter grasped veterans’ need for recognition, healthcare, employment assistance, educational support, and honor for their service to a cause that divided society and tarnished the nation’s image. Carter attempted to move the country forward after the war with healing policies such as amnesty for resisters and to separate the Americans' feelings about the war from their treatment of its veterans. Carter compassionately asked the nation not to confuse 'the warrior with the war.' Robins' deep archival research shows how challenging this agenda was in a fraught political age. During the 1970s, the US struggled through economic stagflation, a cold war with the Soviet Union, the Iran hostage crisis, social discord surrounding the Equal Rights Amendment, as well as veterans’ difficult reintegration into society. Robins reveals that Carter was often attacked from all sides—activists, party allies, and opponents alike—for what he believed were well reasoned decisions. This work tells a fresh story about complex times and a leader under challenge. It offers insights into multiple levels of historical significance: Jimmy Carter as a veteran himself who was sensitive to veterans’ needs, Carter as a career politician, the gradual emergence of veterans’ activism throughout the 1970s, and the capricious outcomes of political gamesmanship. Presented by the Georgia Writers Association, the Georgia Author of the Year Awards celebrates the best literature by Georgia writers. Prominent winners of the GAYA include Malcolm Tariq for his poetry collection Heed the Hollow (2019); Ruby Lal, for her biography Empress (2018); Nic Stone for her novels Dear Justyce (2020) and Jackpot (2019); Natasha Trethewey for her memoir Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir (2020); Judith Ortiz Cofer, for her essay collection Woman in Front of the Sun (2000); Kaitlin B. Curtice for her inspirational book Native: Identity Belonging, and Rediscovering God (2020); John Lewis for his graphic memoir March: Book Three (2016); poet Sharan Strange won a lifetime achievement award from the organization in 2018.
Below are select faculty and staff that have joined GSW in the last academic year. Pictured are (front row left to right) Mackenzie Greene, Lauren Ashley Waller, Lucinda Ford, Brooke Stefancik, Tiandra Standford, Jeanne Bolliger, (back row) Toney Duckworth-Chambliss, Jennifer Griffin, Danielle Melvin, Courtney Ross, Keith Derrick, Drew Huey, Timothy Tolbert, David Harrison, Claudia Parker, and Jisun Iafigliola.
Ramona Mulleins-Foreman passed away on July 5. She was an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing. A celebration of life will be held on campus on Friday, Sep. 12.
Charlie James Johnson passed away on August 18. He served as GSW's groundskeeper for more than 25 years before retiring in 2002.
Over the summer of 2025, Professor of Chemistry Nedialka Iordanova, Ph.D., and Associate Professor Benjamin Meador, Ph.D., led a 16-day trip to China as part of UNIV 4000. The program included nine GSW students (Gerona Williams, Brenden Vickers, Temple Williams, Megan Sanford, Fatima Khan, Hailey Boyd, Shamsuddin Nikokar, Grace Layman, Sergio Coellar) from various undergraduate and graduate programs and one high school student (Alexander Iordanov). The program was partially sponsored by the Henan Institute of Science and Technology (HIST), China and GSW funds. The students and faculty participating in the program were able to explore several Chinese cities and historic monuments, learn about the Chinese culture and traditions and even learn several local crafts, a dace and a song. The UNIV 4000 students were also able to tour and learn about the scientific achievements of HIST and create countless unforgettable moments with the Chinese students and faculty.
A fun time was had by all as 46 GSW Alumni and Friends island-hopped around Greece with several days each in Athens, Mykonos and Santorini. The group climbed to the top of the Acropolis, home of the legendary Parthenon, navigated the beautiful labyrinths and viewed the historic windmills of Mykonos, and witnessed the amazing sunsets off the coast of Santorini. The sites, sounds and history of Greece coupled with a group dynamic like no other made for an incredibly memorable trip enjoyed by all.
Upcoming Alumni and Friends travel includes Iceland, Holland and Belgium, South Dakota and Wyoming, Austria and Germany, Northern Italy, and Scotland.
Perry represents COBAC at Dublin eventAssistant Dean of Online Learning and Chair of the Department of Computing Shannon Perry, Ed.D., proudly represented the College of Business and Computing (COBAC) at the Dublin Business After Hours event, an initiative co-sponsored by Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW). During the spotlight session, Dr. Perry highlighted GSW’s expanding suite of online programs, including: eMajor BBA, Online MBA, and MSCS Double Canes pathway, as well as certificates in Entrepreneurship, Project Management, FinTech, and Digital Media She also introduced the newly enhanced IT program, now offering four specialized concentrations: Project Management Multimedia & Mobile App Development Data Science Health Informatics She shared exciting updates about the program’s upcoming ABET accreditation review, marking another milestone in COBAC’s commitment to academic excellence and innovation.
The College of Education (COE) recently conducted a Poverty Simulation for the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 student teaching candidates. The simulation was held on July 15, 2025, at the Education Center where 50 participants experienced the realities of poverty in a unique way. Using the Community Action Poverty Simulation, designed by the Missouri Community Action Agency, participants role-played the lives of low-income families. Some were TANF recipients, some were disabled, or homeless, or were senior citizens on Social Security.
They had the stressful task of providing for basic necessities and shelter on a limited budget during their four 15 minute "weeks." They interacted with human service agencies, grocers, pawnbrokers, bill collectors, job interviewers, police officers, and others. While the upcoming student teacher candidates participated as low-income families, there were about 25 volunteers who made up the community of bankers, grocers, pawnbrokers, police officers, bill collectors, etc.
Along with COE faculty and staff, there were volunteers from other GSW departments, Chattahoochee-Flint RESA and Sumter EMC. The event was a success because of all of the wonderful volunteers. After the simulation was completed, there was discussion with the teacher candidates about how this simulation could help them better understand some of the students they will encounter in their student teaching placements and in their future classrooms. The discussion also included insights they gained and can put into practice in their own lives to make good choices and think through how their decisions affect their future.
"A huge thank you to the following GSW faculty and staff for volunteering their time to assist the College of Education with the Poverty Simulation event held on July 15 for 2025-2026 student teachers: Tammy Carpenter, Angie Christmas, Kimberly Hart, Wade Jackson, Jennifer Ryer, Lillie Taylor, and Jason Wicker."
Find more events on the GSW academic calendar, on Canes Connect, and on the Events Open to the Community webpage.
