ASU's Marion Fedrick lauds community in wake of State of University address
Aug. 10—ALBANY — Albany State University's impact on southwest Georgia surpassed $231 million during the past year, an increase of 27% over the previous year, ASU President Marion Fedrick said in her State of the University Address.
"The State of the University Address is an ideal time to share the accomplishments of our past, the expectations for our present, and the vision of our future," Fedrick said as Albany State prepared to kick off the new academic year. "Albany State University is proud to be a member of Albany, Dougherty County and the southwest region of Georgia. The support of this community through partnerships and its willingness to embrace our mission, has contributed to the overall success of ASU.
"With the new academic year upon us, this is an ideal time to share the accomplishments of our past, the expectations for our present, and the vision of our future which can be viewed in the 2022 State of the University Address and e-book. If I had to sum it up, the state of the university is strong and headed in the right direction thanks to our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and you, our community partners. With the strategic plan as our guide, we will keep our students at the forefront as we explore the endless possibilities for ASU."
Some of the points addressed in Fedrick's 2022 State of the University include:
— Expanding the priority on health and wellness by placing a more strategic focus on creating a healthy campus initiative;
— Providing additional opportunities for high school students through grants including a $1.3 million TRIO grant from the U.S. Department of Education, and a $65,000 NASA grant award for the ARTEMIS Pre-College Summer Institute Scholars Program;
— Launching University College and eight Learning Communities to equip students with support, consistent policies, academic advising, tutoring, monitoring and mentoring to promote persistence toward timely graduation;
— Partnering with the city of Albany on a $3.9 million grant to implement Advancing Health Literacy to Enhance Equitable Community Responses to COVID-19;
— Continuing the partnership with Phoebe Putney Health System, which invested $750,000 in a new education partnership designed to create interest in health care careers among high school students and significantly expand ASU's nursing and emergency medical technician programs to accommodate additional students;
— Partnering with the U.S. Department of Natural Resources, the Georgia Water and Planning Policy Center under the Rescue Plan Act through a $49.8 million preliminary grant to fund surface water irrigation in southwest Georgia to deep groundwater resources;
— Realizing major economic recovery post-pandemic, adding more than $231 million to the southwest Georgia region, the University provided employment in the region of more than 2,000 jobs, including on-campus positions and jobs related to providing services directly to the institution;
— Receiving $93 million in Higher Education Emergency Rescue Funds that expand the University's resource base by cultivating new avenues for innovation, student retention, containing cost, and optimizing efficiency across the institution.
"Our academic and financial achievements, reaffirmation of SACSCOC accreditation, and a steady interest in ASU for enrollment and partnerships are just a few examples of what makes our position strong," Fedrick said.
The university's priorities are outlined in its 2025 strategic plan, Excellence is the Standard. The four tenets of the strategic plan — student access and success, institutional sustainability and responsible stewardship, partnerships and economic competitiveness, and leadership development and employee engagement — are the foundation of ASU's work in academic excellence and student success.
"With the strategic plan as our guide, we will keep our students at the forefront as we explore the endless possibilities for ASU," Fedrick added. "Excellence will be the common thread that permeates everything that we do in achieving our goals and characterize every interaction we have with how we serve our students, our colleagues, and the community."
ASU is creating a culture of excellence to help support how the university carries out the strategic plan. The combination of the strategic plan, the culture of excellence, and focus on the students and mission, will allow the university to thrive as a premiere academic institution.
For additional information about ASU, visit www.asurams.edu. Fedrick invites the community to view the 2022 State of the University Address video, which can be found on the University's social media platforms.
