Columbia Southern University (CSU) marked a milestone in its history last Friday, hosting two commencement ceremonies at the Foley Event Center at OWA, where 993 graduates and more than 4,600 guests gathered to celebrate academic achievements according to a news release.

On Oct. 25, CSU President Ken Styron reflected on the university's journey over the past 30 years at the ceremonies, stating, "Our university's very first graduation ceremony was held 30 years ago and was comprised of seven graduates. As we look around today, I'd say we've grown that number just a little bit. In fact, we have 993 graduates in attendance today — and are on track to have our largest graduating class to date!"

During his address, Styron emphasized the importance of education and the necessity of taking breaks to recharge along the educational journey.

Among the graduates was Crystal Bailey, a local resident from Daphne, who celebrated earning her Associate of Science in health information science alongside her family at the 9 a.m. ceremony.

"I learned a lot about myself while attending CSU," Bailey said. "I learned that I don't give up and I am a lot smarter than I give myself credit for."

The ceremonies also honored 12 CSU faculty and staff members who received their diplomas, highlighting the university's commitment to education at all levels.

The keynote speaker for this year's event was Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force #18 Kaleth O. Wright, who served 32 years in the Air Force and currently sits on CSU's Board of Trustees.

"A great philosopher once said, 'Education is the passport to our future,' and each of you is receiving a stamp on that passport that will allow you to conquer the world in a way that speaks to you, your dreams, your goals and your aspirations," Wright said. "I would like to extend a personal thank you to all the family, friends, bosses, coworkers and anyone else who helped support the graduates … You are the real MVPs."

The commencement festivities included the announcement of the 2024 Robert Mayes Sr. Distinguished Faculty of the Year Awards, which honor CSU faculty for their exceptional contributions to the university's mission of transforming lives through education. This year's recipients included:

• Heidi Sievers, Ph.D., curriculum lead faculty of forensics and criminal justice
• Amy Hakim, Ph.D., behavioral sciences instructor and course writer
• Leana Polston-Murdoch, Ph.D., lead faculty member of organizational leadership
• Chief Master Sgt. (ret.) Wendy Thi, lead faculty for the College of Military Studies and Leadership

Additionally, the ceremonies featured a special presentation of CSU's first honorary doctorate degree in public service, awarded to alumnus and retired Fire Chief Forney Howard. Howard served as the fire chief for Orange Beach for seven years following over three decades in Birmingham's fire services. He is also recognized as the founding chairman of CSU's Board of Trustees.

The commencement ceremonies were live-streamed on CSU's YouTube channel. For those who wish to view the event on demand, recordings are available at ColumbiaSouthern.edu/Commencement.