VSU, CJB Industries Collaborate on Employee Training Initiative
VSU was recently asked to teach a team of five employees from CJB Industries Inc. how to better use high-performance liquid chromatography.
“We enjoy seeing how our training immediately benefits local companies like CJB Industries ,” noted Dr. Kurt Winkelmann, head of the Department of Chemistry and Geosciences with VSU’s College of Science and Mathematics. “An industrial lab can be a little different from our VSU research labs, so it’s interesting to learn about the real-world technical challenges that businesses face and help them solve those problems.”
This type of collaboration supports VSU’s efforts to positively impact regional progress. A thriving manufacturing sector has significant economic and even social impacts across the university’s 41-county service area.
VSU's Alyssa Foskey Joins Statewide Effort to Help Early Care, Education Industry Thrive
Alyssa Foskey, director of the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center at VSU, is on a mission to help childcare businesses across the Peach State thrive.
Foskey will offer four two-hour webinars plus no-cost consulting services this year and next year as part of the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning’s newly launched Thriving Child Care Business Academy.
Because of her unwavering dedication to developing leaders and helping small businesses succeed, Foskey was recently named to the America’s Small Business Development Center 40 Under 40 list for 2023.
VSU hosts its annual Holiday Celebration and Lighting of the Palms at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28, on the West Hall Front Lawn.
Zach Forshee, a V-State alumnus, was recently named a commercial banker with Colony Bank in Sylvester, Georgia.
Forshee has more than three years of experience as a commercial loan officer at AgGeorgia, a role that allowed him the opportunity to support local businesses and farmers and help them achieve their financial goals.
Forshee earned a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership from VSU in 2020.
Elizabeth Vickers, a V-State alumna, was recently named executive director for community relations and fundraising at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College.
Vickers will oversee Wiregrass Georgia Technical College’s Foundation North, Foundation South, and Public Relations offices across the school’s four campuses in Valdosta, Fitzgerald, Douglas, and Sparks. She comes to the college with more than two decades of foundation and fundraising experience from her time with South Georgia Medical Center, where she served as executive director and director of operations for the SGMC Foundation.
Vickers earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Speech Communication from VSU in 1994.
Heather Dorsey, a V-State alumna, was named the 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year for the Valdosta City School System. She teaches art at S.L. Mason Elementary School, a role she has enjoyed since 2017.
Dorsey began her teaching career in the Lowndes County School System where she taught students at Dewar Elementary School and Lowndes High School.
A two-time VSU graduate, Dorsey earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Education in 2004 and a Master of Education in Secondary Education in 2010.
Dr. Johnnie Marshall, a V-State alumnus, was recently named the 19th principal of Valdosta High School in Valdosta, Georgia.
Marshall’s career in the Valdosta City School System began at Valdosta Early College Academy as a student teacher. Over the course of 13-plus years, he went on to become a classroom teacher, assistant principal, and principal. He was named VECA Teacher of the Year in 2013, an Apple Distinguished Educator in 2015, a VSU Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 2019, and a Milken Educator in 2019.
Marshall is a three-time VSU graduate. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education in Middle Grades Education in 2010, a Master of Education in Middle Grades Education in 2013, and a Doctor of Education in Leadership in 2018.
Deborah Davis Recognized for Historic Preservation Efforts
Deborah Davis, director of Archives and Special Collections at VSU, was recently recognized for her unwavering efforts to preserve, organize, and manage historical records and documents — and to help educate new generations of archivists and researchers.
Davis earned the Society of Georgia Archivists Fellows Award for outstanding contributions to archives and archivists in Georgia. She also earned the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award for helping the University System of Georgia-based organization make Georgians of all ages aware of the significant historical records located statewide, enhance the preservation and care of these treasures, and improve access to this information.
Davis will retire from VSU in December after 30 years of service. Her latest project, which she plans to continue as a volunteer following her retirement, involves documenting and preserving some of the more important holdings of small historical societies and community archives across South Georgia.
Community Youth Explore Chemistry, Geosciences at VSU Science Saturday
The College of Science and Mathematics and the Department of Chemistry and Geosciences at VSU recently invited area families to participate in Science Saturday. It was a fun-filled and educational opportunity for everyone to gather in the Hugh C. Bailey Science Center and learn more about the fields of chemistry and geosciences.
Science Saturday is part of an ongoing effort to inspire the next generation to learn more about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Faculty in VSU's College of Science and Mathematics understand that the nation’s future economic prosperity is closely linked with student success in the STEM fields.
Look for more events in 2024.
VSU Partners With South Georgia Communities for Historic Preservation Project
VSU Archives and Special Collections has received a $22,205 grant from the Lyrasis Catalyst Fund to kickstart an effort to make South Georgia history more accessible to everyone.
Through a five-year Community Archives Digitization, Access, and Preservation Partnership project, VSU plans to document and preserve some of the more important holdings of small historical societies and community archives across the university’s 41-county service region. This project involves digitization; metadata creation; making items accessible across multiple platforms locally, regionally, statewide, and nationally; and digitally preserving the materials within VSU’s state-of-the-art digital preservation system.
VSU was one of five institutions of higher education across the United States selected by Lyrasis for a Catalyst Fund award.
VSU Students Mingle With Industry Experts at Filmmaking Expo
A group of Valdosta State University students recently traveled to Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, Georgia, for the 2023 edition of Cine Gear Expo. This annual two-day gathering invited Southern filmmakers and content creators of all experience levels to mingle with industry experts and come face to face with the latest technology, rental houses, guilds, associations, and trade publications that shape the industry.
The VSU students had an opportunity to listen to the experts share filmmaking insights and techniques. The students returned to campus with the knowledge and inspiration needed to kickstart their next project — and a renewed passion for the art of filmmaking.
Dr. Jia Lu Wins National Science Foundation Grant
Dr. Jia Lu, a professor in Valdosta State University’s Department of Chemistry and Geosciences, has earned an Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC) grant from the National Science Foundation for her research focusing on experiential learning for spatiotemporal analysis.
The National Science Foundation created the IUCRC program in 1973 to foster long-term partnerships among industry, academe, and government. These partnerships support research programs of mutual interest, contribute to the nation’s research infrastructure base, promote workforce development, and facilitate technology transfer.
Lu earned a Doctor of Philosophy in City and Regional Planning with minors in Geography, Geographic Information Science, Quantitative Analysis, and Urban Economics from Ohio State University. She teaches Regional Planning and Environmental Management, Urban Community Planning, World Regional Geography, Introduction to Land Forms, and Geographic Information System (GIS) Applications in Planning. Her research interests include population and employment analyses, urban modeling, spatial analyses, GIS applications in planning and transportation, geography of China, city planning and urban development, as well as environmental analyses.
Dr. Luke Jones Wins National Science Foundation, CSWEP-SSRC Women in Economics and Mathematics Research Consortium Grants
Dr. Luke Jones, a professor in Valdosta State University’s Department of Economics, Finance, and Healthcare Administration, has earned grants from the National Science Foundation and the CSWEP-SSRC Women in Economics and Mathematics Research Consortium for his “Diversifying Economics in the Undergraduate Classroom: Plug and Play Video Modules with Diverse Role Models, Relevant Research, and Active Learning” project.
Jones aims to improve economics education by developing and evaluating an instructional intervention for undergraduate Principles of Economics courses. His work will add to current STEM education literature, which says that active, engaging instructional techniques, including those using media, improve student performance and provide even greater benefits to students from minoritized groups.
Dr. Jones is a microeconomist with a Doctor of Philosophy in Economics from the University of Tennessee. He has been a member of the faculty at VSU since 2011 and currently teaches Principles of Microeconomics and master’s level Managerial Economics classes. He conducts research in the areas of environmental, transportation, and behavioral economics, specializing in the design and analysis of field and laboratory experiments.
*CSWEP-SSRC is the American Economic Association’s Committee on the Status of Women in the Economic Profession and Social Science Research Council.
VSU Enactus Students Continue to Make a Difference Through Greenhouse Project
VSU invited Kasmira Smith (The Valdosta Daily Times), Brittanye Blake (WALB), and Malia Thomas (WTXL ABC 27) to explore a student-run Greenhouse Project at Lowndes Associated Ministries to People Inc. or LAMP, a homeless shelter serving eight counties in South Georgia.
Operated by VSU Enactus members focused on fighting poverty and food insecurity, the Greenhouse Project provides fresh, healthy produce for residents of the homeless shelter. The VSU student volunteers also teach LAMP residents how to grow their own food, a skill they can use once they transition to independent living.
The Latest Blazer Sports Report
• VSU Football will play the University of West Georgia Wolves at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11. It's the final battle for the Peach Basket in this historic rivalry and the last regular home season game for the Blazers.
• Men's Basketball will play its first home game of the season at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, against the Clinton College Golden Bears.
• Women's Basketball will play its first home game of the season at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21, against the Clayton State University Lakers.
• The remaining November VSU Athletics schedule features more than 20 home and away games for Soccer, Volleyball, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, and Football.
VSU Announces Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule
VSU will be closed Nov. 23-24 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Classes and normal business operations will resume Nov. 27.
We are thankful for this Blazer Nation Family ... the students who chose to pursue an education at VSU this fall ... the many, many alumni who came before them ... the faculty and staff who make this a wonderful place to live and learn, work and play ... and the community members who love and support this university.
We just want to take a moment to tell you how special you are and how much we appreciate everything that you do for VSU.
VSU Opens First Room Dedicated to New Moms
VSU is excited to announce the opening of the campus’s first designated lactation room.
Located on the first floor of Odum Library, the private, clean, and comfortable space supports the needs of VSU faculty, staff, and students who wish to continue their breastfeeding journey during the hours they are on campus. The room features a cozy chair and ottoman, electrical outlets, a mini refrigerator, hand sanitizer, a changing table, and available/occupied signage.
VSU’s Lactation Room was facilitated by the Division of Enrollment and Student Affairs, the Counseling Center, and Odum Library. Student feedback inspired these campus partners to come together to help meet the unique needs of Blazer moms on campus.
VSU Loses 275-Year-Old Tree to Hurricane Idalia
VSU lost more than 200 trees during Hurricane Idalia. This fallen pine tree was one of the oldest on campus and once stood tall at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Patterson Street. Nikki Flowers, a VSU Dendrology student, analyzed a slice from this tree and determined that it was about 275 years old when it fell.
VSU STEAM Center Hosts Interactive Exhibit on Weather
VSU’s STEAM Center for Applied Creativity and Innovation presents the Art and Science of Weather from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11. This experience is free of charge and open to the public.
The Art and Science of Weather is a series of interactive exhibits designed to help learners of all ages gain a better understanding of various types of weather phenomena. STEAM Center guests can interact with a 10-foot-tall tornado, touch a cloud, make a rainbow with prisms, turn a 15-foot-wide Earth to discover the Coriolis effect, and more.
In the coming months, VSU’s STEAM Center team expects to host some 3,000 area students interested in exploring the Art and Science of Weather exhibit.