GSW freshmen selected for prestigious President Jimmy Carter Leadership Program

AMERICUS, Ga. (Sept. 11, 2026) — Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) has named 18 freshmen to the President Jimmy Carter Leadership Program, which was established to honor the legacy of GSW alumnus and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. These students are the eighth cohort to enter the program since its creation in 2019.

The newest cohort members were selected through a competitive application and interview process. Participants commit to rigorous program requirements, including maintaining a 3.0 GPA, living on campus for two years, participating in campus organizations, completing a minimum of 288 service hours, earning an 18-credit-hour academic leadership certificate, and completing a senior research or service project.

The 2026-27 members of the Carter Leadership Program are:

• Ace Betsill – Griffin, Ga.
• Javis Bennett – Vienna, Ga.
• Alice Davis – Monroe, Ga.
• Jolee Farrow – Sylvester, Ga.
• Akeelah Fletcher – Covington, Ga.
• Morgan Lewis – McDonough, Ga.
• Trinity Logan – Riverdale, Ga.
• Jocelin Ramoz-Gonzalez – Cairo, Ga.
• Madison Randall – Griffin, Ga.
• Makayla Reed – Atlanta, Ga.
• Landon Samples – Leesburg, Ga.
• Haley Solan – Ottawa, Ill.
• Kennedy Soltau – Opelika, Ala.
• Addison Smith – Lawrenceville, Ga.
• Taelyn Townsend – Dillsburg, Pa.
• Jaden Turner – Mt. Vernon, Ga.
• Megan Whitt – Buford, Ga.
• Skylar Young – Tallahassee, Fla.

“I am thrilled to welcome the Fall 2026 cohort members for the President Jimmy Carter Leadership program,” said Courtney Ellis, assistant director of the President Jimmy Carter Leadership Program. “It is a privilege to walk alongside the program students throughout their leadership journey. I am excited to see the meaningful impact each of our students will make at Georgia Southwestern and the local community.”

The program exemplifies Carter’s lifetime of leadership in education, politics and community service. Guided by the evidence-based “The Social Change Model of Leadership Development,” the four-year Carter Leadership Program allows students to develop their leadership skills both individually, within a group, and in the community.

Students who hold a high school curriculum grade point average of 3.0 or greater and have been admitted to GSW are eligible to apply for the program. Additionally, students who hold a leadership role in high school, whether on a sports team, a student club or community organization, also qualify.

The four-year program curriculum focuses on instilling leadership, professionalism, community involvement, and collaboration skills to the cohort members. During the fourth and final year of the program, students complete a capstone project, based in either research or service, in the community to spark change to an issue in society and their field of study they are passionate about.

The Carter Leadership Program provides students with an academic scholarship of $2,000 for each year they are in the program for up to four years. The program is made possible thanks to generous support from the Charles L. Mix Memorial Fund.

“I have always had a close attachment to Georgia Southwestern, and I am honored to be associated with the University’s leadership program,” said the late President Carter in 2019 when the program was announced. “They invested in me as a student over 75 years ago, and I want to do the same for the future leaders in our region.”

The deadline to apply for the program for fall admission is February 1 of each year. Learn more about the program and find all current members at gsw.edu/CarterLeadership.

Front row, from left: Jaden Turner, Alice Davis, Jocelin Ramoz-Gonzalez, Taelyn Townsend, Skylar Young, Megan Whitt, Addison Smith; middle row, from left: Ace Betsill, Trinity Logan, Morgan Lewis, Landon Samples, Kennedy Soltau, Madison Randall; back row, from left: Haley Solan, Jolee Farrow, Javis Bennett, Makayla Reed, Akeelah Fletcher.