University status achieved, Middle Georgia State officials looking to the future

WARNER ROBINS -- As Middle Georgia State moves through its first year since earning university status, school administrators are exploring the institution's role in the community.

To do that, the school is holding a series of sessions at its various campuses to inform community members -- and get feedback.

"We are responsible for the next generation," Christopher Blake, the university's president, said during a Wednesday forum on the Warner Robins campus. "We are stewards of that next generation."

Part of that stewardship is providing support for students to get through the university with degrees. While academic support is a part of that goal, Blake also said keeping costs low and offering degrees that lead to careers are crucial.

"Getting students here is the first half of the equation," he said. "The other half is getting them out."

The cost of an MGSU education should be "unbelievably persuasive" for prospective students, he said. The average cost for a four-year bachelor's degree is $20,000 without factoring in scholarships and other aid, making it one of the least expensive options in the state.

Blake has a son in college at another state school, where the cost is higher.

"I really wish he would come here," Blake joked. "He has other plans."

That relatively low cost for a degree has already made MGSU a major job-creator in the Middle Georgia area. Since 2012, the university has produced more than 700 nurses, 500 aviation professionals, 585 business professionals and 285 workers for the information technology field, according to Blake's presentation.

And the university has plans to add more career opportunities for students.

One path is through a proposed partnership with Savannah State University. It would couple MGSU's aviation program with an emergency management degree from Savannah State to create a degree that would encompass elements from both programs to fill a specific need.

"So we think it's a good time ... to put something very unique together," said Kevin Cantwell, interim dean for the university's College of Graduate Studies.

In addition, the catalog of graduate degrees is also expected to grow in the coming years. Master's degrees in information technology and nursing are already in the works, with officials hopeful that classes can begin next semester after a hitch in the accreditation process. The university also plans to add master's degrees for teaching and management.

The teaching degree would cater specifically to those who have bachelor's degrees from other fields but want to get certified to enter the classroom.

"Many people come to teaching and want to be teachers after they have had other degree experiences and other career experiences," Blake said.

The expansion of graduate programs is key to the perception of the university, said Tom McMichael, a Houston County commissioner and secretary of the university's board of trustees. Colleges that offer master's degrees are viewed with higher regard, he said.

"It just expands what you can have, ... which in turn offers more opportunities," he said. "I think prestige is very important."

McMichael was complimentary of the direction Blake expressed for the university.

"I think under his leadership, we're looking at bigger and better things," McMichael said.

The remaining forum dates are Nov. 16 in Cochran and Dec. 1 in Macon.

To contact writer Jeremy Timmerman, call 744-4331 or find him on Twitter @MTJTimm.

This story was originally published November 7, 2015 at 9:30 PM with the headline "University status achieved, Middle Georgia State officials looking to the future ."