Turner Business

Turner College alum Julissa Santoyo recently joined the Young Leaders Council with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. The Young Leaders Council  is a board of young professionals dedicated to supporting and empowering Atlanta’s youth through mentorship and community impact. "I am honored to be part of an inspiring group and excited for what’s ahead," Santoyo stated. Julissa is a commercial banker at Synovus.

University of Wyoming business school dean Scott Beaulier recently discussed the closure of Hampshire College and the fact that Central Michigan University's enrollment has fallen to levels not seen by the institution since the 1970s. This occurred at the same time that this blog, Turner Business , reported that CSU's enrollment fell by 2.4%, representing the only headcount drop across the USG for spring semester 2026. It is in response to data like these that Substack essayist ( Sacred Cow BBQ ) and higher education enthusiast Kyle Saunders used  eight indicators drawn from federal data — IPEDS, College Scorecard, O*NET, WICHE projections, the Anthropic Economic Index — to position every four-year institution in the country along two dimensions: how resilient the institution itself is, and how well-positioned its graduates are in the labor market. In reading the map, i nstitutions above the median on both axes are "High Capacity" while those below both are "High...

The TSYS School is rolling out a new plan for senior capstone education. The new plan is an industry-sponsored research-focused program for senior computer science majors aimed at designing solutions to defined business challenges related to information technology, computer science and cybersecurity. According to the details of the new program, teams of students and a faculty mentor will be available to provide about 400 hours of engagement over the course of the semester on a business problem applicable to the fields listed above. Prospective industry partners will provide $5,000 investment to support a team's work, which will be based on bi-weekly meetings and capstone projects related to the business problem. Students, faculty and businesses involved in the program will gain (1) knowledge of how problems are solved cost effectively, (2) new ideas and perspectives from use of cutting-edge technologies, (3) a pipeline of talent from networking connections, and (4) access to brand ...

Get ready for a fun night at the ballpark as the CSU Alumni Association has set Alumni Night with the Columbus Clingstones for Friday, May 1 at Synovus Park.  Come connect with fellow alumni, show your CSU pride, and enjoy an exciting matchup as the Clingstones take on the Montgomery Biscuits.  Gates open at 6:00 pm, with the first pitch set for 7:00 pm. Ticket prices are  $35, which covers f ood and drinks, and a ccess to the 3rd base picnic area.  Plus, the first 50 attendees will receive a complimentary drink ticket, so be sure to arrive early.

The CSU Center for Career Coaching and JC Penney are co-sponsoring the 2nd Annual Suit Up for Success Event from 3:00 pm through 7:00 pm today at the Peachtree Mall. As part of the event, the Suit Up for Success Fashion Show will begin at 5:00 pm. Throughout the event, Turner College students can save up to 45% on select clothing in-store. Last year Turner College students were able to purchase  career wear, shoes and accessories at the discounted price. The list of eligible items included suits, pants, dresses, sport coats, dress shirts, ties, shoes, handbags, wallets, watches, jewelry, belts, luggage, briefcases, undergarments and shapewear. The Columbus JC Penney is located in the Peachtree Mall on Manchester Expressway.

Acting Turner College Dean Tesa Leonce announced at the College's April 2026 faculty and staff meeting that the Turner College is reviving its Executive Speakers Series, beginning fall semester 2026. The renewed series will be led by MIS professor Jennifer Pitts , who informed those in attendance that she will be partnering with industry and community leaders in order to build the series as an opportunity for students to network with area professionals and for area professionals to offer guidance on the business and computer science curricula offered by the Turner College and TSYS School. Pitts informed Turner Business that she already has leads on speakers for the next academic year and that a high percentage of them will be CSU alumni.

Columbus State University was barely into its annual CSU Gives 24-hour online giving campaign on Monday, April 6, when donors surpassed its 250-donor goal. Twelve hours later, the campaign surpassed 500 donors. By its official close on Tuesday, April 7, 894 donors had given—more than 250% of the campaign’s original goal. Although campaign planners did not set a dollar goal, donors contributed $84,407 to support the university. Campaign donors represented seven countries and 34 U.S. states: Georgia accounted for more than 70% of all donors who made a gift, followed by Alabama, with 87 donors. “Our alumni and friends stepped up in an incredible way,” said Karen McCauley, CFRE, CSU’s chief advancement officer. “From scholarships and support for our academic programs to athletics and the campus experiences that make CSU a special place to study and succeed, our donors are the true champions of our CSU Gives annual giving campaign.” The annual campaign allows alumni and philanthropic friend...

The Turner College's Butler Center for Research and Economic Development has released a new 2026 study titled  Workforce Profile: Business and Computer Science Occupations in Georgia .  The study highlights the role of business, management, and computer science occupations in Georgia’s economic growth and provides an analysis of trends across these fields. More specifically, the new study employs  BLS and real-time job posting data to examine demand, skills, and geographic trends for these occupations, thus highlighting the importance of education and workforce partnerships in meeting future needs.  These occupations employ nearly 970,000 workers, representing 18% of the total workforce, and they continue to drive job growth while offering high-quality, high-paying opportunities.  This study should serve as a valuable resource for Georgia's business and computer science schools, as well as for workforce development organizations by way of supporting grant applic...

The University Information Technology Services (UITS) Help Desk and Repair Shop has temporarily relocated to Room 121 in the Synovus Center, home of the Turner College on CSU's main campus.  Students and employees may visit the UITS Help Desk in person at this temporary location, contact the team by phone (706-507-8199) or send an email (helpdesk@columbusstate.edu) for assistance during operating hours, which are  8:00 a.m. through 9:00 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, and  Friday from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m.  Thank you for your patience and understanding as they serve you through this temporary relocation. Turner College faculty and staff are invited to CSU's Inaugural Korea-Georgia Dialogue on May 20, 2026.  The Korea–Georgia Dialogue is the premier signature forum hosted by CSU to strengthen strategic, economic and cultural connections between the Republic of Korea and the State of Georgia. As Georgia becomes a key hub for Korean investment from companies...

The April 2026 issue Georgia Trend magazine of includes an article by Jeffrey Humphreys, Director of the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia, arguing that Columbus is set to experience significant job growth over course of this year. Humphreys attributes the current and coming growth to defense-friendly politics favoring Fort Benning, the expansion of magnet manufacturing facilities at BioTouch, the 2024 relocation of Sierra Pacific Industries to Phenix City, the new Micromize facility in Columbus, and the expansion of operations at Pratt & Whitney. Humphreys also includes the opening of the Daesoi Ausys Georgia manufacturing facility in Harris County and the opening of AFB International's new pet food manufacturing facility in the Muscogee Technology Park. A full look at Humphreys' article is provided below.

The TSYS School, led by Rania Hodhod , announced the formation of a new advisory board at the Turner College's March 2026 meeting. Composition of the board includes a mix of industry professionals, academic experts and some of the TSYS School's top undergraduate and graduate students. The professional members of the new TSYS School Advisory Board are Curtis O'Neal , founder and CEO of Cybernetics Global, Victoria Thomas , Director of Career, Technical and Agricultural Education for the Muscogee County School District, Shea Spencer , Business Development Consultant for Global Payments, Jonathan White , Information Security Manager at Global Payments, Jose Canedo , Senior Software Developer at Global Payments, Jaden Jefferson , IT Support Specialist at Aflac, Anita Lawrence , Director of Output Services at FIS, and  Adbdelrahman Arafat , Systems Engineer at Ankerpak. On the academic side of the board are TSYS School computer science professors Yi Zhou , Jianhua Yang , Amjad H...

Twenty-four hours. Dozens of opportunities to give. That’s what awaits Columbus State University alumni and friends starting at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 6, when the university launches CSU Gives. The annual online giving drive highlights how alumni and donors can quickly impact students’ experiences and academic success through their charitable contributions. “Gifts of all sizes benefit our students every day,” said Alexis Gray , Assistant Director of Alumni and Student Engagement and 2018 graduate of the Turner College's MSOL program, who is co-leading the CSU Gives effort. “They make college affordable through scholarships and make learning from outstanding faculty possible in the classroom. They enhance the college experience through unique experiences and leadership development that help our students succeed in their studies and position them for success in their careers.” Gray explained that the 24-hour giving period will feature some competitive online “power hours” designed t...

It has been between two and three years since Turner Business reported on the TSYS Center for Cybersecurity Advisory Board. At that time the Board maintained 10 members and the Center's Director was Turner College alum  Patrick Aiken . Now, Sean Glieberman serves as the Center's Director, and he recently announced that the Board is now comprised of 12 members and has its own section on the Center's website. The Board's current membership is shown in the image below. Transitioning off the Board since our 2023 blog post is Christopher Lovelock , who is now a member of the TSYS School computer science faculty. Joining the Board since our 2023 blog post are Casey Hergett , the Muscogee County School District's Senior Director of Enterprise Technologies, Stacy Hughes , ABM's Chief Information Security Officer and Vice President, and Josh Pauli , Chair of the Department of Cyber, Intelligence and Information Operations at the University of Arizona.   

CSU recently awarded its non-alcoholic beverage vending and pouring rights to Coca-Cola Bottling Company United Inc., making the university a Coca-Cola-only campus beginning April 1.  Under the new agreement, Coca-Cola and its family of products will be featured across all campus vending machines and beverage locations.  The partnership offers several advantages for CSU and its students, including scholarships, contributions to student life programs, and funding for campus marketing initiatives and student engagement activities. The agreement also provides sponsorship support for campus events and athletics, as well as product rebates.  CSU leaders say the partnership aligns with its efforts to foster a more active and engaging environment and will boost campus events, support student programs and create new collaboration opportunities between CSU and Coca-Cola United. Although t he new agreement officially takes effect next week, a wider selection of Coca-Cola products s...

As Lydia Mansel notes in her recent report for Travel + Leisure magazine, t here are many reasons that individuals and families relocate, and some of them depend on one's current stage of life.  Young people , for example, often focus on career opportunities and affordability. Mansel focuses on determining the top  eight young person-friendly spots in the U.S., and in doing so she finds that Columbus ranks sixth, behind Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Raleigh, Denver and Pittsburgh, and just ahead of Austin and Boston. Her summary of Columbus states, " Atlanta isn’t the only Georgia city that young people should consider making their home base. 'Columbus is often overlooked, but that’s part of its appeal. It’s a military-connected city with a steady employment base, which creates economic stability and diversity,' explains [Danielle] Andrews, [a realtor with Realty One Group Next Generation ]. 'The presence of military, healthcare, education, and logistics jobs brings ...

A new Employer Advisory Council at Columbus State University is enhancing students’ career prospects with the region’s employers—ranging from internships and co-ops to post-graduate jobs. Its origin is part of a comprehensive university strategy that aligns academics, career coaching and experiential learning to prepare students for the evolving needs of the modern workforce.  According to Patrick Keebler, director of Columbus State’s Center for Career Coaching, the council’s main goal is to foster two-way dialogue that benefits both students and the local economy. It aims to establish a direct communication channel between the university and the region’s most influential recruiters and business leaders.  “The goal of our new Employer Advisory Council is to enhance communication between Columbus State University and the area’s leading employers that hire our graduates,” Keebler noted. “This will help us better understand their workforce needs and create more opportunities to p...

Turner College faculty, staff and students were notified today that Kate Vogel , the College's affiliated Career Success Coach in CSU's Center for Career Coaching, will be leaving her position to serve as the new Director of the  Ralph Puckett Workforce Development Center at Columbus Technical College. As explained by Vogel, " It has been a true privilege to work alongside [Turner College faculty and staff] and to engage with [Turner College] students. Supporting their professional growth, helping them clarify their goals, and preparing them for meaningful careers has been incredibly rewarding. I am deeply grateful for your partnership, referrals, classroom collaborations, and the trust [Turner College faculty and staff] placed in me to work with [Turner College] students." The  Ralph Puckett Workforce Development Center  is named after Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Ralph Puckett Jr., a war hero with strong connections to Fort Benning. Groundbreaking for...

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics students at CSU now have a career fair just for themselves. CSU's Center for Career Coaching is hosting a STEM Career Fair on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm in the Schwob Memorial Library on CSU's main campus. This is an opportunity for STEM students, including computer science students in the TSYS School, to  connect with employers, explore internship and career opportunities, and take the next step toward your future in STEM.  Don’t miss this opportunity to network and level up your career path. See you there.

Communications, mental health services, cybersecurity operations, governmental affairs, medicine, clinical research, data visualization, fine and performing arts, and public health are only some of the disciplines represented by the inaugural group of 27 Thayer Scholars at CSU. Thanks to a new scholarship fund established by John P. Thayer and his wife, Pamela, of Columbus, undergraduate students now have access to additional resources through the university’s Center for Career Coaching to gain invaluable, hands-on field experience as they apply classroom learning in real-world settings. Those internships, research, and service-learning experiences are poised to set them apart from their peers as they pursue postgraduate jobs or continue their studies at the graduate level. A lifelong career construction executive, Thayer recognizes the importance of professional experience to long-term career readiness and success. In 1965, the Columbus native founded what is now Thayer-Bray Construct...

Turner College graduate JJ Tillotson (née Bryan ) recently celebrated her one-year anniversary with the Columbus Convention & Trade Center. JJ, who recently earned a BBA from the Turner College, is the Center's Marketing Coordinator. Regular readers of Turner Business will be familiar with JJ, as she served as the Turner College marketing intern during the 2023-24 academic year.  Her role consisted of creating the weekly Turner Tuesday news videos, traveling to high schools to promote the Turner College, designing graphics and flyers for all sorts of events/notices, shooting photos and videos for the CSU website, and running all Turner College social media accounts including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Congratulations to JJ on this recent milestone.