James September-October 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 76
TAKING A SELFIE WITH DR. RAYFIELD . . . A STUDENT TRADITION.
One portion of the new strategic plan focuses on
strategies to promote student enrollment and growth, including efforts to expand and diversify program offerings,
expansion of online programs, and a focus on retention.
Columbus State is working with a national higher education consulting partner, to thoroughly analyze what academic programs and degrees are needed in the region.
This includes examining labor statistics, future trends
and input from people who might be considering college
in the future.
“This research will guide us in what kinds of programs
we might want to offer and how we should deliver them
(for example, in-person, online or hybrid formats),” she
RAYFIELD WITH GOV. BRIAN KEMP AND FIRST LADY MARTY KEMP.
explains. “The whole goal is to provide the kinds of educational opportunities that students want and that will help
them achieve their goals— for most, that is a job or admission to graduate school. We have room to grow at Columbus State, and we think we have an incredible opportunity
here to help people discover why we are special.”
In addition to focusing on what degrees are offered,
the president emphasizes that “one of the most important
things we need to do to grow our enrollment is to keep the
students we already have. That is often overlooked as we
look to recruit new students. With demographics shifting
regarding traditional-age college students, we must ensure
we enable every student to succeed.”
Academic Excellence and Innovation
CSU continues to support initiatives to enhance the
university’s academic offerings, including the expansion of
online programs and the introduction of new courses that
align with current job market demands. These efforts aim
to ensure that CSU graduates are well-prepared for successful careers in their chosen fields. After all, the university serves as a major educational hub for Columbus and the
surrounding regions by offering more than 90 degree and
program options— from a certificate to a doctorate.
“We have traditional undergraduates who live in our
residence halls. We have music students so talented they
could be admitted to any program in the world, but they
chose to study and share their talents here in Columbus. We
also have a large percentage of local working adults studying to advance their careers,” Rayfield said. “We have graduate students who are taking classes in the evening. We have
military students from all over the country earning their
master’s degrees online. We have students from each of our
five border states who receive in-state Georgia tuition.”
Furthermore, she says, “We have international students here, including a host of student-athletes from all
over the world to compete on Columbus State’s behalf,
“This combination of students is invigorating and underscores our role in taking students from wherever they
are and whatever their goals might be and helping them
transform their lives through education.
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JAMES
SEPTEM B E R/O C TO BE R 2 0 2 4
