James November-December 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 27
Southwestern is not only changing
their lives; we are changing the trajectories of their families for generations.
In addition to the direct impact of
our talented graduates, our economic
impact in this region has been almost
half a billion dollars over the past five
years. But the difference we make is
even bigger than that and is accomplished through partnerships we have
with business, industry and non-profits;
with health and medical centers, South
Georgia Technical College, our regions’
school districts; with our city and
county governments, Development Authority, and Chamber, and with many
organizations where students complete
internships and service projects.
JAMES Tell readers about the athletic
programs at Georgia Southwestern,
and what are some recent accomplishments by the student athletes?
JOHNSTON We have achieved record
success in athletics. In the classroom,
GSW placed a school-record 111 student-athletes on the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Presidential Honor Roll
in 2023-24 and captured a record-setting fourth PBC President’s Cup— the
highest academic award presented in
the Conference. We also led all NCAA
Division II institutions in community
service hours generated during the
2023-24 academic year. This marks
the second time in four years that
we have finished atop the national
standings.
Competitively, we’ve experienced
a continued upward trajectory as the
women’s basketball team advanced
to the Elite Eight last year for the first
time in program history, and the men’s
golf program made its fifth straight
NCAA Super Regional appearance and
extended it streak to 43 consecutive
appearances in the Golf Coaches Association of America Top 25 coaches poll.
Finally, our baseball team produced
the conference Pitcher of the Year for
the fifth straight season.
N OV EM B E R /D EC E M BER 2024
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