Leadership Programs

By Ian WesselhoffUp until May 30, junior Anna Schofill had never boarded a flight in her life. In fact, nobody in her immediate family had ever left the country. But by the next morning, she was living in an 18th century French château.Schofill, a nursing major from Valdosta, Georgia, was awarded a U.S. Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad in Strasbourg, France.“I never thought I would do study abroad. It was just not in my head,” Schofill...

By Margaret SchellEighteen Georgia College & State University students spent just over two weeks in May administering free healthcare to approximately 1,000 residents of San Ignacio, Belize — and gaining life-changing experiences in the process.Through a unique study abroad program, students offered free health assessments, dental hygiene care, workshops on teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease-prevention, as well as First Aid, CPR and physical therapy clinics.“Many of the...

By Kylie RoweInterning over the summer in Washington, D.C., is a coveted opportunity for many young people, and Georgia College & State University students Kassie Arps and Sam Paton aren’t wasting the opportunity. The two rising seniors — Arps a mass communication major and Paton a political science student — met their freshman year, became roommates in Milledgeville and are now both working on Capitol Hill. Kassie Arps, Scott Circle CommunicationsA reference from the “Hamilton” musical...

By Margaret SchellRecent graduate Madison Marcinkowski has always been reserved, but that was before her tenure at Georgia College & State University changed her forever.“I hated talking to people,” said the Canton, Georgia, native, who toured six SEC universities after high school before finding GCSU. There, she remembers, something felt different.“I loved the community feel,” she said of Georgia College. “I could see myself involved in different campus organizations. This meant a...

By Amanda RespessBrigitte Rivard knew early on that she wanted to pursue a career in advocacy. Georgia College & State University showed her the many different paths she could take to achieve her goals, and now the class of 2025 graduating senior has been accepted to the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.“The faculty at Georgia College is so special because they're so willing to support and communicate and connect with you on a personal level, which honestly...

by Kylie Rowe, photos by Maggie ForresterPaige Blakemore – a senior Mass Communication major from Flintstone, Georgia – is the 2024-2025 Usery Fellow at Georgia College & State University.The Usery Fellowship is named for W. J. Usery, Jr., the 15th United States Secretary of Labor, and is dedicated to recognizing students who exemplify excellence in leadership for the public good.Blakemore is a member of the John E. Sallstrom Honors College, the 2024 Omicron Delta Kappa Emerging Leader...