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Turner College News & Notes ― November 21, 2025

CSU will have no classes during Thanksgiving week, which runs from Monday, November 24 through Friday, November 28. Both the main campus and the RiverPark campus will remain open from Monday, November 24 through Wednesday, November 26. Normal operations will return on Monday, December 1, which is the last day of classes for Fall 2025. The next day, Tuesday, December 2, is Study Day, and final exams are set to begin on Wednesday, December 3. Fall 2025 Graduation is scheduled for Friday, December 12. 2026. 
Congratulations to all of the Turner College and TSYS School finalists for the 2026 CSU Faculty Awards. This list includes Charles Boster (2026 Chappell Graduate Award), Joshua Brooks (2026 CSU Excellence in Teaching Award), Armando Fernandez (2026 CSU Faculty Service Award), Linqiang Ge (2026 CSU Scholarship of Teaching & Learning Award), Amjad Hossain (2026 CSU Online Teaching Award), Yoon Lee (2026 CSU Faculty Research & Scholarship Award), and Wen Shi (2026 CSU Teaching Innovation Award). Check recent posts at Turner Business on each of these nominees for details from their successful award portfolios. Overall winners will be named at the end of Spring 2026 semester. Good luck to each of these awards finalists.
The first semester of CSU's new River courses is wrapping up and TSYS School Director Rania Hodhod is lauding the new program. In her course, co-taught with Mohammad Jafari, students engaged in research, built meaningful connections, and developed strong community leadership. According to Hodhod, "What truly set this class apart was its interdisciplinary mix — students from computer science, health sciences, and biology working and learning together. Their final projects reflected this richness, featuring creative hands-on demonstrations, public showcases, and impressive displays tied to their future career goals." A major highlight was the students' visit to Fort Moore, where they learned from professionals, explored real-world applications of technology, and gained valuable insight into how interdisciplinary skills can serve community needs. "It was also a real pleasure co-teaching this course with Dr. Mohammad Jafari who did a fantastic job introducing drone technology to our students, opening their eyes to new tools and possibilities. Our students were fully engaged, eager to explore emerging technologies, and embraced every opportunity to innovate. Watching them grow, collaborate, and bring their visions to life was truly rewarding. [I am p]roud of this amazing group. A special thank you to Libby McFalls for her leadership and unwavering support for the RIVR initiative at Columbus State University," Hodhod concluded.
This was a bit of a tumultuous week in the Turner College, with Provost Dustin Anderson's November 19 e-mail communication to Turner College and TSYS School faculty and staff informing them that Dean Deborah Kidder will be stepping down on December 12. Since that announcement, Turner Business has received several inquiries for additional information. Dean Kidder briefly addressed the situation at the beginning of the College's meeting on Thursday, November 20, noting that (1) she did know, before receiving the e-mail communication, that CSU's central administration wanted to remove her as dean, (2) she did not know the November 19 e-mail communication was coming prior to receiving it, and (3) she did not know, until receiving the e-mail, that December 12 would be her last day in the position. Stay connected to Turner Business as more information becomes available.
Lastly, with December graduation approaching the Turner College's traditional end-of-semester graduate profiles have begun appearing on the organization's social media. One of these congratulates Brailyn Denay Evens, who is graduating next month with a B.B.A. in Accounting. After graduation, she plans to obtain her Certified Public Accountant licensure and become a tax professional at the firm where she is currently employed. Brailyn shared, “I’d like to thank my friends and family for supporting me through this degree and encouraging my independence. To my past self, 'keep moving forward.'" Congratulations Brailyn on your accomplishments and we wish you the best in all of your future endeavors.
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