News
Holiday season brings opportunities to give back to GSW and community
This holiday season includes a number of ways to give back to GSW and the community. You can make a difference for GSW students by shopping with the GSW Foundation AmazonSmile account during the holidays.
Giving Tuesday falls on December 1 this year, and GSW is asking members of the community to give back $20 in 2020. Please consider donating $20 to the Southwestern Annual Fund to provide immediate support for our students and campus needs! Donations may be made online at gsw.edu/give, via PayPal to @gswedu, or via Venmo at (229) 931-2014.
You can also give back to our regional community by supporting SOWEGA CASA's Secret Santa program and purchasing gifts for foster care children to help make their Christmas extra special. Last year, the Secret Santa program served over 550 children in foster care in southwest Georgia with your help along with others in our loving community. Visit the online registry to view a ll the items the foster children put on their individual Christmas Wish Lists. Please place all registry orders no later than Saturday, December 5. Santa’s elves will need a little time to sort gifts and double-check lists. SOWGA CASA staff and volunteers will deliver gifts in the early weeks of December. For more information, contact SOWEGA CASA at 229-931-4488.
Marketing class welcomes speaker
On November 9, 2020 the class of Principles of Marketing with Dr. Irina Toteva welcomed a special guest speaker - Brian H. Huff, President North America, Merisant Company (Whole Earth Brands, Inc), via Microsoft Teams. Brian delivered a powerful talk discussing his transition from college to the real world and the importance of marketing and professional skills in the context of his 30-year unique and dynamic professional experience. Fortunately, Brian was able to fit this meeting into his busy schedule. Right after talking with our class Brian proceeded to finalize the acquisition of a $80-million dollar company, adding another brand to the Whole Earth Brands’ strong portfolio of sweeteners.
Aller works with nonprofit to solve HR needs
Dr. James Aller, assistant professor of Human Resources Management, recently partnered with Los Angeles Conservation Corp to solve HR needs.
Los Angeles Conservation Corp is a nonprofit organization that provides at-risk young adults and school-aged youth with opportunities for success through job skills, training, education and work experience with an emphasis on conservation and service projects that benefit the community. The organization transforms the lives of disadvantaged youth and communities through education and work with projects like building parks and community gardens, planting trees, refurbishing hiking trails, removing graffiti and cleaning alleyways.
LA Conservation Corps was seeking HR Consulting over the summer when Aller saw an ad regarding their needs on LinkedIn. “Their story resonated with me, and I could not get their needs out of my mind,” he said.
Aller connected with the organization’s Director of Administration Tamara Muzac-Bravo and HR Manager Ingrid Marroquin. “The team just worked,” Aller said. “For me it was as if we had all worked together for years.”
The nonprofit’s needs included a review of their employment handbook to include the implementation of a few policies to include a more robust policy around handling Social Media, Attendance Management, ADA Accommodation, California LOA Compliance, and a Violence in the Workplace policy.
“I thoroughly enjoyed working with the team and will certainly make myself available for future projects or HR needs they may have,” Aller noted. “ I am so impressed with their organization and learning it through Tamara and Ingrid just further secured the admiration I have for LA Conservation Corps.”
Fill-a-BUS-ter drive supports food pantries
Ahead of the holidays this month, the Fill-a-BUS-ter drive collected items for local food pantries. A school bus was parked on campus to collect items, which were then distributed to the Canes Harvest food pantry on campus and the Harvest of Hope food pantry in Americus. A number of student organization volunteered to man collection tables in the MSC throughout the drive.
AAMI program features alumni speaker
Christopher Fedderick, a 2013 graduate of GSW with a B. S. in Computer Science, presented a workshop, "Go Your Own Way," to the members of the AAMI Program on October 27, 2020. Fedderick is an original member of the first class of the GSW AAMI high school students that started in 2008. He gave advice on being successful, strategies for academic excellence and planning individual futures. He is currently employed with Total Systems of Columbus Georgia as a Software Engineer. Fedderick also provided information for AAMI Computer Science Majors to obtain internships at Total Systems. The workshop was a total success. He is pictured below with two of AAMI members.
