Included in this Issue

• Parent Coordinator welcomes parents
  A message from Mrs. Debbie Callas. more...
  
  
• GCSU hosts annual Parents Day Nov. 3
  The event is open to all parents and their families and culminates in the local Sweetwater Festival. more...
  
  
• Admissions recaps '06-'07
  Get the numbers from another record-setting year. more...
  
  
• Encourage your student to build a foundation
  Programs and initiatives are created to help students keep involved. more...
  
  
• Career Center Director welcome parents
  Mary Roberts wants students to begin using the Career Center during their freshman year. more...
  
  
• Housing Department offers Parents as Partners
  A welcome from housing and information on the Parents as Partners program. more...
  
  
• Meet Larry Christenson
  The executive director of housing oversees University Housing's 2,250 residents. more...
  
  
• Kay Anderson joins GCSU
  Anderson is responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and leadership of the administrative and operational activities of the registrar's office. more...

Contact Information

• Allia L. Carter
  Assistant to the Vice President
  Institutional Research and Enrollment Management
  (478) 445-6293 office
  allia.carter@gcsu.edu
  

Newsletter 002 | Fall 2007
Newsletter Archives 
Current Issue 
www.gcsu.edu/parents 

   A Message from the Parent Coordinator [top]
     Mrs. Debbie Callas

Welcome to GCSU and the new Parents & Families Association e-newsletter. We are excited to have many new families join our Association, and we hope your visits to Georgia College & State University are enjoyable.

As the parent of a GCSU college student, I have experienced many feelings from the day we toured GCSU to the day we brought our son to the residence halls to move in. I can tell you, for the moms, bring a box of tissues. Yes, I survived and we all did actually. Now it's on to the second year, and with that comes all new experiences.

The following are Ladies Luncheon dates for the fall: Saturday, Sept. 29; Saturday, October 27; and Saturday, Dec. 1 (locations to be announced at a later date). I found these lunch dates are invaluable in realizing "you're not the only one." Don't forget Parents Day is Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007, in conjunction with downtown Milledgeville's Sweetwater Festival - including great downtown food, shopping and awesome music.

If you have any suggestions or questions regarding GCSU and the Parent & Families Association, please forward them to me via e-mail at dcallas@mindspring.com.

I wish all GCSU students a great college year 2007-2008 with plenty to learn, people to meet and memories to share.

Debbie Callas

"I am a parent."
I am a parent.
I raised you.
I hugged you.
I taught you.
I helped you on your bike.
I put band aids on you.
I put drops in your ears.
I lit your birthday candles.
I cooked for you.
I listened to you.
I prayed for you.
I learned with you.
I shopped with you.
I laughed with you.
I drove with you.
I watched you walk to the dorm.
I said goodbye.
I cried.
I am proud of you.
I'll always be there for you.
I love you.
I am a parent.

   Parents Day Open to All Families [top]

Georgia College & State University invites all parents and their families to our annual Parents Day Program on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007. The event provides students and parents with an opportunity to meet faculty, administrators and fellow parents.

The day includes a variety of activities and culminates with the Sweetwater Festival with live music, parent information table, museums tours, art exhibits, jazz quartets, ice cream social, and presentations by faculty and staff members.

Parents Day is an opportunity for us to pay tribute to the hard work and sacrifice of the thousands of devoted families who provide guidance, support, and unconditional love to Georgia College students.

We invite you to visit the Parents Day Web site at: www.gcsu.edu/parentsday to register. Your registration for Freshman Parents Day must be received by Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2007, in order to secure a place for you and your family. There is a $25 per person registration fee which will cover food, materials, Sweetwater Festival tickets and a GCSU gift to take home (there is no charge for your GCSU student).

   The Admissions Season '06-'07 - A Recap [top]

The dust is beginning to settle from the flurry of admissions activity for the 2007 freshman class. It was another exceptional record-setting year for Georgia College. As of Aug. 1, GCSU received over 3,549 applications for freshman admissions. Approximately 2,000 freshmen received offers of admission. We currently have 1,120 freshmen students and 350 transfers that are expected to arrive in August.

As the freshman Class of 2011 arrives for the Fall, the Office of Admissions works diligently to recruit the next freshman class. We know that a majority of our applicants tend to apply because they hear about the advantages and value of GCSU from our current students and parents. If you happen to know current high school students, or college transfer students, that you believe would be an asset to the academic community of Georgia College and benefit from our liberal arts environment, be sure to encourage them to explore GCSU. Admissions information is available online at www.gcsu.edu/admissions or by contacting an admissions representative at (478) 445-1283.

   Building a foundation around your students' success [top]

The beginning of each new academic year brings a tremendous amount of excitement and energy. We spend our summers getting ready for our new entering students preparing for early registration, Orientation, tours and visits and ongoing communication to help make the transition to GCSU a smooth one. While this scenario is taking place on campuses across the country, what truly sets a university apart are those institutions that create programs and initiatives that maintain a high level of engagement and assure the persistence and success of their students.

In keeping with the national trend of increased attention to the freshmen year experience, GCSU has created a myriad of services to attract some of the best and brightest students to our campus, but we don't stop there. We simply lay the groundwork for assisting our students as they develop the necessary skills to be successful at an institution of higher learning. What worked in high school rarely works in college, and when asked, students readily report that the two biggest challenges they face in the transition to college are time management and proper use of available resources.

The Center for Student Success, conveniently located on the second floor of Lanier Hall serves as a "one-stop shop" for all GCSU students. While the Center provides advising for students that are undecided about their academic major, it also provides assistance to students that are experiencing academic difficulty and serves as a referral source for the many academic and student success services on campus.

Please encourage your students to get involved and take advantage of all the wonderful resources that make GCSU such a special university.

   A Letter from the Director of Career Center [top]

Dear Parents,

On behalf of the Career Center, I would like to welcome you and your student to GCSU. As the new director of the Career Center, I will also be starting my first year at the university. We are already planning programs and services that will make a significant impact on your student's first year of college as he or she considers academic majors and career goals.

Beginning the career planning process during the freshman year is an important part of a successful college experience. Students who begin to use the Career Center during their freshmen year are more prepared to conduct an effective job and/or graduate school search during their senior year. The Career Center provides a variety of services to help freshmen start the career planning process:

• Major and career exploration
• Assistance with the internship search process
• Resume critiques and interview skill development
• Career fairs for exploring internship opportunities
• Wonderful Wednesdays Career Development Seminar Program

Once your student has settled into life as a college freshman, he or she should visit the Career Center, located with the Center for Student Success on the second floor of Lanier Hall. The Career Center staff and I look forward to meeting your student this fall.

Sincerely,
Mary J. Roberts
Director of the Career Center

   University Housing [top]

On Saturday, Aug. 11, the doors of the residence halls and The Village apartments will open, welcoming a new group of students. The housing department is proud to have such an important role in the lives of your sons and daughters.

We encourage you to be involved in the housing decisions your student will make. The best way to be informed is to join our Parents as Partners program. In its third year, Parents as Partners offers you e-mail updates on important housing information. If you are not yet a member, please visit www.gcsu.edu/housing and click on the "For Parents" link on the left.

Check-in details are being mailed to your student and will soon be posted on our Web site. Please visit www.gcsu.edu/housing or give us a call at (478) 445-5160.

   Christenson named executive director of housing at Georgia College [top]

Larry Christenson has accepted the position of executive director of University Housing at Georgia College & State University, announced Dr. Bruce Harshbarger, vice president for Student Affairs. Christenson began work June 18.

The executive director of housing oversees University Housing which provides service to 2,250 residents at Georgia College. Among his duties are providing overall program direction; supervising employees and overseeing all personnel functions; coordinating housing administration, marketing, facilities, and programming; leading the development of residential life to provide unique value to the campus living experience; and integrating key campus programs and services into housing.

The executive director of housing also monitors facilities for maintenance and enhancements, coordinates renovation and construction planning with key administrators, helps supervise residence assistants' selection and training, and maintains contacts with students and student groups.

Prior to accepting the position at Georgia College, Christenson was director of housing in the Department of Residential Life at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, a position he held since 2004. He previously held the same post at the University of Minnesota - Morris. He also held positions as associate director of administrative operations, Kent State University; area coordinator, Kent State University; and international admissions/program specialist. He served five years as a residence hall director at Western Michigan University.

"We're delighted to have Larry join our administrative team at Georgia College," said Harshbarger. "He's a renowned leader in the field of campus housing with an extensive background in both the business and educational aspects of residential life. He comes to us from a major university with a large and complex campus housing program, and has also led the housing program at one of our top peer public liberal arts universities."

Christenson received his Master's Degree in Educational Leadership in 1993 from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Mich.; a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1989 from Moorhead State University in Moorhead, Minn.; and a Technical Broadcast Degree in 1983 from Brown Institute in Minneapolis, Minn. He spent his senior year of high school in Thailand as an AFS International Student and has lived and traveled extensively throughout Asia and Europe.

He is a member of the Association of College University Housing Officers, where he has served on various committees and made presentations at conferences. He has been active in the Lion's Club in the communities in which he has lived.

"The Georgia College housing program is not merely about providing students a place to study and sleep - it's about creating a residential learning environment that is an extension of the classroom," said Harshbarger. "Larry's training and expertise provides us with an experienced leader who understands this and knows how to keep the educational mission of the university at the forefront of our housing priorities."

Christenson replaces Dr. Paul Jahr who has become associate vice president for student affairs.

   Anderson is registrar at Georgia College & State University [top]

Kay Anderson joined Georgia College & State University in May as university registrar. She came to Georgia College from Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., where she had served as registrar since 2001.

At Georgia College, Anderson is responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and leadership of the administrative and operational activities of the registrar's office. The registrar is responsible for the implementation of procedures and new technology for student records, registration, veteran affairs and certification, classroom scheduling, degree audit, graduation, and NCAA athletic certification.

"Kay brings with her vast experience with the Banner Student Information System, including degree audit as well as a strong background in student service," said Suzanne Pittman, assistant vice president for enrollment management and director of financial aid. "She will be a strong addition to our university."

Anderson received a Master of Arts in Counseling in 2001 and her Bachelor of Arts in English and German, cum laude, in 1994 from Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo. She is pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Education with a Higher Administration concentration at the University of Missouri, St. Louis, and is currently completing a graduate certificate in Institutional Research.

While at Truman State University, Anderson was faculty/staff campaign co-chair for 2006 and served on a number of planning and policy, technology, governance, enrollment management and curriculum boards and committees across campus, including being a member of the SCT Banner Implementation Team from 2001-2004. She was co-chair of the university's United Way Campaign for 2003-2004 and was Staff Council chair from 2004-2005.

Anderson was Student Senate advisor from 2004-2007, Alpha Sigma Gamma Service Sorority Advisor since 2004 and won the E.M. Violette Organizational Advisor of the Year award in 2005. She was vice president for programs, 2006-2007, for the Missouri Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and served as president of the Truman State University Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi. She is a member of a number of professional organizations, including the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and Association of Institutional Research, and is a National Certified Counselor.