Company Profile
Columbus State University
Company Overview
About the Center
As a multidisciplinary Center for art and creativity, the Bo Bartlett Center is a dynamic, creative learning laboratory that is part community center, part gallery/museum, and part experimental arts incubator. Based on the belief that art can change lives, the Center has a twofold mission: grassroots community outreach programs to the local public schools, disabled adults, the homeless and prisoners; and a national mission to partner with other institutions and collectors to provide innovative exhibitions and programming that deepens our understanding of art in America, both past and present through exhibitions, publications, and public programming. One of the newest and most unique cultural institutions in the country, the Center is poised to take a leadership role in art, community, and creativity, one that creates a new paradigm for leadership, innovation and service.
About Columbus State University
Columbus State University provides a creative, deeply personal and relevant college experience. The University aspires to have faculty and staff reflect the rich diversity of its student body and the Columbus region. Serving the Southeast while attracting students from around the world, Columbus State thrives on community partnerships to deliver excellence for students who want to achieve personal and professional success in an increasingly global environment. Students at Columbus State University find success in a learning environment that both challenges and mentors them. Our academic mission is to engage students in acquiring the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to thrive in, and contribute to, a pluralistic, complex world. Just 100 miles southwest of Atlanta, Columbus State University is a proud member of the University System of Georgia, with an enrollment of nearly 8,000 students in a wide variety of degree programs, from online degrees to a doctorate in education. Among public regional universities in the South, Columbus State University recently ranked No. 46 in the “Best Colleges” rankings by U.S. News & World Report and No. 1 in the “Best Online Colleges in Georgia” for providing the best opportunities and value for students seeking online training and educational programs by the Affordable Colleges Online.
Columbus State University has a nationally recognized track record of partnership and outreach through efforts such as the Cunningham Center for Leadership Development, Coca-Cola Space Science Center, Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center, and its own residence – the Spencer House – in Oxford, England. The University has two primary campus locations in Columbus, Georgia: the original campus on 150 acres in midtown Columbus and a beautiful campus in historic downtown Columbus overlooking the Chattahoochee River. The Columbus region, with more than 350,000 residents, is home to world-class enterprises such as Aflac, Synovus, W.C. Bradley Company, TSYS and Ft. Benning, the U.S. Army’s Maneuver Center of Excellence headquarters. For additional information about the University visit our website at www.ColumbusState.edu.
Inclusion is one of Columbus State University’s values. The 2018-2023 Strategic Plan specifically states that we will work “to attain a level of diversity among faculty and staff that more closely reflects the student population." The range of diverse students at CSU is reflected by the diverse student organizations, including Collegiate 100 Men of CSU, Collegiate Women of Columbus State University, Minority Association of Premedical/Prehealth Students, Pride +, CHispA, and others.
Company History
The history of Columbus State University is closely intertwined with that of Columbus. The idea for a junior college was first proposed by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce in 1949. Efforts by local citizens kept the idea alive by raising money to purchase the college's current site and developing plans for its administration. In 1958 when the law provided for the establishment of junior colleges in Georgia, Columbus State University opened at the renovated Shannon Hosiery Mill on Talbotton Road with 15 faculty members and nearly 300 students.
A move to our present location in 1963 ushered in a period of rapid expansion. In 1965 the Regents approved the college's application to become a four-year institution, and the first four-year class graduated in 1970. Master and specialist degrees were soon added. Community support continued and supplemented state funding to provide modern facilities and state-of-the-art equipment. The college now offers more than 70 programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Several of our academic programs have achieved national recognition.
Also, national attention is frequently focused on our athletic program. In NCAA Division II competition, our teams often achieve national ranking. Our baseball team has participated in the College World Series, and our golf team has won the national championship five times. Many of our athletes are named All-Americans, and last year, three of our golfers were named All-American Scholar Athletes, a testament to the idea that our athletes are scholars first.
As the only four-year institution in the governor's 17-county Economic Region 5, the university provides cultural enrichment, educational opportunities, and economic development assistance to the citizens, businesses, and industries located in the region. This regional perspective offers numerous opportunities for our students to become involved in research and community projects. It also has resulted in several off-campus sites being established to better serve our students.