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Hodhod First-Ever Woman to Speak to Columbus' Candun Club

According to the program of the 50th anniversary of the founding of Columbus' Candun Club, several Columbus men met in 1947 and organized a discussion society they called The Candun Club. The club was meant to provide a sociable environment for intellectual discussion, to create the opportunity to explore contemporary subjects, issues, and problems of common interest, and to contribute to mutual moral and philosophical edification. Membership was originally limited to 12 members, but by 1997 membership had increased to 18. The organizational meeting was held on April 21, 1947, at the Ralston Hotel, where it was decided to meet once a month and that "each member would serve as host in alphabetical order and would present a paper on such subject as he might choose, limited in length to twenty minutes, following which discussion would take place." Occasionally men of prominence were invited to speak, such as Secretary of State Dean Rusk, and Congressman Walter Judd.
     Late last year, CSU's Otis Scarborough was asked to host a future meeting on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI). Scarborough contacted Cindy Ticknor, Dean of CSU's Honor College, who referred him to TSYS School Chair Rania Hodhod for further consultation. Scarborough soon realized how much "over his head" the vast topic of AI was to him, so he invited Hodhod to address the club. As a result, in March of 2024 the Candun Club reached another significant milestone when Hodhod became the first-ever woman to either attend a meeting or address the club. In doing both, she made her mark. Members of the club reported to CSU President Stuart Rayfield that Hodhod "represented CSU superbly and had everyone's full attention." Afterwards, the question-and-answer session had to be brought to a close as the hour was getting late. According to the group, "The discussion could have gone on and on. It was one of our best meetings . . . she faced down 20 men and delivered her wisdom and knowledge without a stumble or a pause. She was most impressive!" The Club reported to Rayfield that it is proud of the fact that CSU has so much talent within, and that the university's impact will only grow and strengthen the more it shares such amazing individuals through different venues around the Columbus community. 

Editor's Note: Turner Business credits CSU's Archives and Special Collections for information on the history of Columbus' Candun Club.
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