Turner Business

Columbus State University graduate Scott Swafford  recently a career milestone with his promotion to President/Chief Operating Officer of United Bank in Forsyth, Georgia. Swafford joined United Bank in 1997 as a lender in the bank’s Griffin division. In his 26 years with the Company, he has held numerous leadership roles, including Senior Lender, Division President, Director of Special Assets, Chief Credit Officer and since 2016, Chief Operating Officer. “We are excited to add the title of president to Scott’s current role as Chief Operating Officer. It is an honored achievement, recognizing his impactful leadership throughout his tenure with United Bank,” said John Edwards, chairman of United Bank. “Scott has a reputation as a solid, thoughtful visionary and is responsible for leading us through much of the Bank’s growth and evolution over the last 15 years.” United Bank is a closely held Georgia community bank chartered in 1905. It is based in Zebulon and has $2.3 billion in assets.

Columbus State University's Office of Alumni Engagement is offering CSU alumni a chance to meet CSU's newly appointed President, Stuart Rayfield, at its First Thursday event to be held at Scofflaw Brewing Co. on Thursday, September 7th at 5pm. During the event, attendees will mix and mingle with fellow alumni and friends and CSU faculty and staff over complimentary appetizers and a drink. For questions about the event, please contact Alumni@ColumbusState.edu or call (706) 507-8946.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of publication of Servant Leadership: Theory & Practice , the Turner College-sponsored academic journal.  SLTP is currently edited by Kevin Hurt , associate professor of management.  Stay connected to Turner Business  for entries on the contents of volume 10 of the journal.

TSYS School cybersecurity nexus students once again benefitted from the expertise of Josh Mason, who co-authored the curriculum for the eJPT certification course from INE, the premier provider of technical training for the IT industry. According to Patrick Aiken , Director of the TSYS Center for Cybersecurity, "For the last few cohorts, Josh takes the time every semester to jump on a video conference to give a pep talk to our cybersecurity nexus students . . . right before they take the eJPT certification exam. Josh has a big presence in the cybersecurity community and is undoubtedly a busy guy, but he still takes time to inspire and pass on his knowledge to the ones coming into the industry." The eLearnSecurity Junior Penetration Tester exam (eJPT) validates that an individual has the knowledge and skills needed to fulfill a role as an entry-level penetration tester. The eJPT is designed to be the first milestone for someone with little to no experience in cyber security, si

Turner College Dean Deb Kidder recently spoke to Columbus Rotarians about the history of the Turner College, its efforts in cybersecurity education, and the strength of local partnerships with private companies and individuals. A video recording of the event is available on YouTube.

Little did recent Turner College graduate Sebastian Nunez know that taking dual-enrollment courses while a high school student would lead him to earn, not one, but two bachelor’s degrees — from two different Georgia universities. The 2023 finance graduate was among Columbus State’s nearly 950 graduates who earned more than 580 bachelor’s degrees this past spring. Just a week prior to walking the stage in Frank G. Lumpkin Jr. Center to receive his CSU degree, Nunez did the same at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he completed and was awarded a mechanical engineering degree. Nunez began his college studies in 2015 at the age of 16 and as a junior at Harris County High School in Hamilton, Georgia — 35 minutes outside Columbus. After first taking an Advancement Placement (AP) course, he tried dual-enrollment courses as an alternative to AP courses and to completing his last two years of high school. “Most high schoolers who take AP and dual-enrollment classes want to get ahead,”

Representatives of Columbus State University’s Office of Student Life & Development recently honored more than 35 students and registered student organizations for their demonstrated leadership and service to the university and the community. As part of the Division of Student Affairs, the Office of Student Leadership and Development serves the CSU student body. It coordinates the work of 88 active registered student organizations and 10 student boards that collectively include 150-plus student leaders, 600-plus annual organization-hosted events, and 100-plus events planned directly by the office. Student organizations and campus engagement programs allow CSU students to create a sense of community. Both allow students to connect with others who share their same interests and passions, as well as gain valuable leadership skills, experience through volunteerism and a broad network through social and community programs. Among those honored was  Rolo Lopez , who received the Outstandi

TSYS School cybersecurity nexus students benefitted from a recent visit to the Turner College by Alicia Herring, Chief Business Information Security Officer at Cognizant.  Nexus students heard about Herring's professional journey during her presentation in the Synovus Center theater on CSU's main campus. As described by Patrick Aiken , Director of the TSYS Center for Cybersecurity, "Alicia met the students, shared her career story, and gave her advice to our aspiring cybersecurity professionals. What a wealth of knowledge she shared with our Nexus students!"  Prior to joining Cognizant in 2021, Herring spent almost 14 years in various information security posts at TSYS, culminating in her service as Senior Director of Information Security.  In terms of educational training, Herring earned an undergraduate degree in information technology and an MBA, both from Western Governors University.

Based in large part on its productive partnership with the Boys & Girls Club, the Turner College was awarded the BGC's Champion of Youth Award on July 13, 2023. Turner College Dean Deb Kidder expressed the College's appreciation of this recognition, stating, "We are very honored to receive this award . . . [and w]e are looking forward to the Boys & Girls Club Teen Summit this week." The inscription on the award speaks to the Turner College's dedication to area youth, stating "In recognition of your outstanding commitment to our youth, community, and Clubs. The vision, courage, enthusiasm and leadership that you provide is an inspiration to us all."  The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley's 2023 City-Wide Teen Leadership Summit is scheduled for July 20-21, 2023.  

The July 2023 meeting of the Columbus chapter of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) promises to be an interesting. Joining the group will be Travis Durham, Sr. Security Engineer @ Accenture, who will speak on cybersecurity detection and why it is a critical component of an organization's security strategy. The meeting will be held on Thursday, July 20, in the TSYS Center for Cybersecurity , which is located on the first floor of the Synovus Center on CSU's main campus. A social event at Sapo's will follow the meeting. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP at https://lnkd.in/gwNG7x93 .

Turner College associate professor of economics Fady Mansour spoke recently with WRBL's Hannah James about the cost of higher education. According to James' report, this October 43 million Americans will resume payments on their federal student loans with no debt relief on the way. The Supreme Court struck down President Biden’s plan to forgive up to $20,000 per person. That plan would have completely erased nearly 20 million students' debts. “It is more expensive to be a student now because the cost of education went from $4,000 in 2003 to $11,500 in 2023,” Mansour told WBRL's James. “Even if you account for inflation, it goes from $6,000 [2003] to $11,000 [2023]. So, it’s double.” Not only is obtaining a degree more expensive, but Dr. Mansour also says more jobs require workers to have a degree. “It’s not just about the cost of education 20 years [ago] and now, it’s the importance of education. It’s imperative now to have an education. So, if you look at 20 year

The TSYS Center for Cybersecurity has become a model for similar institutes at other colleges and universities. In one such example, Michael Ramage, Director of the Cybersecurity Center at Murray State University, recently visited the Turner College and Patrick Aiken , the Director of the TSYS Center for Cybersecurity. According to Aiken, "It was a super time of sharing ideas, interacting with students, faculty and administration, [and] seeing the Synovus Center for Commerce and Technology . . . [Michael's visit] sparked several ideas for improving our cybersecurity programs."

The decision by prospective NBA players to bypass collegiate play and enter the NBA Draft was always highly controversial. Indeed, even the U.S. Supreme Court joined the controversy in 1971, with its ruling in Haywood v. National Basketball Association striking an NBA requirement that players delay entry into the NBA for four years after high school graduation. The Supreme Court’s decision in the case allowed for a de facto prep-to-pro pipeline, provided high school stars could establish evidence of financial hardship. However, roughly 35 years later, in 2005, the prep-to-pro pipeline was closed when the NBA and its players union negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement that established the minimum age of 19 for all players entering the league, while non-international players were also required to spend at least one year post-high school graduation before being eligible for the NBA Draft. This meant that effectively all potential prep-to-pro caliber U.S. high school stars w

The Turner College is teaming with StartUP Columbus to present the Fall 2023 BizPitch Columbus Competition. StartUP Columbus focuses on cultivating a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem to support entrepreneurs and successful startups. It supports entrepreneurs through mentorship programs and increased accessibility to human, financial, and professional resources. In 2022, CSU alumna Rashmi Jain Hudson , who earned a BBA in marketing and an MBA, both from the Turner College, won over the judges and the crowd with Alltimate Luggage, her versatile 3-1 travel set featuring a garment bag that wraps around a generous duffle for a single carry-on bag. In claiming the top spot, Hudson collected the grand prize of $15,000. Stay tuned to Turner Business  for more details on the 2023 competition. 

The confiscation of private property by the state that has been prevalent throughout world history continues to the present day. For example, the government of India recently confiscated the property of Indians who have emigrated to and established citizenship in China and Pakistan. In another example, a 2018 law that has been promoted as an urban planning measure allows the Syrian government to confiscate and redevelop residents’ property without due process or compensation continues to create a major obstacle to returning home for displaced residents. These and other examples like them form the backdrop of new research by Turner College economist Frank Mixon and his colleagues Steven Caudill and João Faria of Florida Atlantic University, and Elliott Young of Smith & Nephew. Their study, which was recently accepted for publication by Empirical Economics , addresses the undertheorized nature of the academic literature by developing a formal model of expropriation, wherein indi

Turner College Dean Deb Kidder recently announced that finance professor Gisung Moon has accepted an offer to serve as Chair of the Turner College’s Department of Accounting and Finance. Moon has been an important member of the Turner College community since 2003. He holds an MBA and Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Missouri, as well as a BA in Economics from Dankook University. In making the announcement, Kidder stated, “Throughout his tenure, Dr. Moon has made significant contributions in teaching, scholarship, and service. His dedication to excellence in education earned him the Turner College On-line Teaching award. Additionally, he has served as the Finance Discipline Coordinator, so he has knowledge and experience with both SLO assessments and course scheduling.” Moon has published regularly throughout his time at CSU. His most recent paper was published in the Journal of Financial Planning. He also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Finance Issues. M

Turner College Dean Deb Kidder announced on July 3 rd that economics professor Tesa Leonce has accepted an offer to serve as the Turner College’s Associate Dean.  In making the announcement, Kidder stated, “ Dr. Leonce has been an invaluable member of our institution since 2014, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to our community.  Her dedication to academic excellence and commitment to the success of our students and faculty make her the ideal candidate for this important leadership role.”  Dr. Leonce holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Wyoming and a BBA in Finance and Computer Information Systems from Midwestern State University.  Her training in computer information systems will be an asset as she works closely with our business and computer science students and faculty.  In addition to her impressive academic background, Leonce has demonstrated her leadership abilities through various roles and responsibilities within the university.   She serves on the