TURNER COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

Marvin Wayne Starks Scholarship Endowment

Local businessman Wayne Starks is not a graduate of Columbus State University, but he may know better than most about what CSU and its students can do. “Coming from the private sector and in human resources, I’ve had the pleasure of hiring a lot of CSU graduates,” said Starks, a business owner, angel investor and entrepreneur. “Firsthand, I’ve seen the caliber of talent that comes out of CSU. It’s impressive.” Starks’ admiration for CSU cultivating a workforce of impactful business professions inspired him to give $250,000 to establish the Wayne and Stella Starks Scholarship Endowment within the university’s D. Abbott Turner College of Business. “The college did an awful lot for my wife and me, and this was a good way to give back,” he said. “There’s no comparison to what the college was back then to the university that’s there today. The quality of the education there – you cannot beat it. We thought it would be fair to give back and maybe help some other students who might one day contribute to the community.” The scholarship assists undergraduate students pursuing degrees in business with preference for the entrepreneurship and human resource management tracks. “My philosophy: the best gift I can give to my kids and grandkids is to show them that giving makes a difference,” Starks said, “and if I’m going to talk the talk, I have to walk the walk.” Originally from White House, Tennessee, Starks earned an associate of arts degree from Cumberland University and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Middle Tennessee State University. Before settling in Columbus and taking on active roles in local medical staffing and real estate management ventures between Georgia and Alabama, he served as a human resources director for various Fortune 100 and 500 companies. “First and foremost, I want to help those who want to work hard and go to school,” he said. “This scholarship is an opportunity to attract those who may not have considered CSU and is a way to ensure the university continues to produce great employees. Outside of the Turner College main office is a marker noting that Wayne and his wife Stella established the endowment in May of 2017 to provide funds to recruit high achieving and high potential students into undergraduate business programs within the Turner College.

Note: Much of this Turner Business entry comes from CSU’s The First Choice Campaign report.

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