William B. Turner Center for Servant Leadership
The William B. Turner Center for Servant Leadership houses the undergraduate Servant Leadership Program, the campus’s Food Pantry, and various initiatives intended to reach all CSU students through Campus Collaborations. In 2019, the center was named in honor of Mr. William B. Turner, who brought the philosophy of servant leadership to our campus and the Columbus community.
What is Servant Leadership?
The philosophy of Servant Leadership is that leadership should ultimately come from a place of concern for others. The earmarks of Servant Leadership are love and compassion. Servant Leaders are expected to use their power and authority to encourage individuals to grow and achieve autonomy, which will then benefit the whole organization.
Undergraduate Servant Leadership Program
The undergraduate Servant Leadership Program at Columbus State University is a comprehensive academic program committed to developing future leaders who practice the servant leadership philosophy. The students in our program are called fellows. Our fellows are given the opportunity to develop leadership skills through exciting and innovative leadership classes, hands-on modeling of leadership practices, participation in community service projects, and much more. Scholarship students are competitively selected through an interview process and awarded a $1,250 stipend each semester for their successful completion of the program requirements.
The undergraduate Servant Leadership Program at CSU includes non-stipend students as well. Non-stipend students participate in leadership seminars, participate in community service, and enjoy all the same benefits as the stipend students in the program. The only difference is that they do not receive scholarship dollars on a regular basis. However, non-stipend students can apply for a stipend position when there are openings in the program. Also, non-stipend students can apply for Study Abroad and Needs-Based scholarships through the Center for Servant Leadership when funds are available.
Care Services at CSU
Care Services at Columbus State University provides access to food, temporary housing, and other supportive services. Its mission is to help students feel secure and supported during their time at CSU. The two main avenues through which we serve students are the Food Pantry and the Embark Program.
The Food Pantry at CSU
The mission of the Food Pantry is to support CSU students facing food insecurities. We know college is difficult enough without students worrying about where they will get their next meal. We aim to alleviate these concerns and ensure that all CSU students have access to food. Visit our dedicated Food Pantry website to learn more about getting support from and/or supporting the Food Pantry at CSU.
The Embark Program
The William B. Turner Center for Servant Leadership supports CSU students when unforeseen hardships may hinder their academic progress. Our mission is to offer a wide range of resources and services designed to address students' highest-priority needs related to housing and financial resources. We aim to ensure that CSU students’ most basic needs are met by providing them with the resources they need to succeed inside and outside the classroom.
The Embark Program at CSU is part of a statewide initiative to increase college access and retention for youth who have experienced foster care or homelessness. Visit the Embark Georgia website to learn more about this statewide initiative.
Collaborations
Through our Campus Collaborations, we can reach more members of the CSU community. This is important because Servant Leadership is one of the university’s six core values, and we feel that it is our responsibility to ensure that every member of the CSU family has the opportunity to be exposed to the philosophy of servant leadership. We partner with various departments in the areas of Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Athletics to provide training and workshops on the practices and principles of servant leadership.
