Welcome to the College of Coastal Georgia. The 2011-2012 academic year marks two important milestones in the history of this College: we've become a residential campus and we've adopted service-learning as an academic initiative.

Service-learning allows students to practically apply and test their academic learning through hands-on opportunities that also promote community interests. Through service-learning and community involvement, our students are expanding their horizons while helping to improve and advance individuals and communities.

This year, we became a residential campus with the opening of Lakeside Village, our new student housing, and great amenities and programming at the new Campus Center. The Mariners Galley restaurant, The Lighthouse bookstore, and the Stembler Theatre promise to be great venues for students to enjoy.

Talented and committed new faculty and staff have joined our already great team. All of us are fully committed to your academic success. Through challenging courses and dynamic student programming, our goal is to offer you every opportunity to explore, engage, and achieve. Your college years should be a time to investigate new horizons and experiences. We encourage you to seek new adventures, acquire new knowledge, learn new skills, make new friends, and reach out a hand to someone in need.

This fall, we began new bachelor's degree programs in Psychology and Mathematics. These new degrees, coupled with successful programs in Business, Teacher Education, Nursing, Biological Sciences, Health Informatics, a number of career associate degrees, and many pre-baccalaureate options, are designed to offer you a host of educational and career choices. And each year, we are adding new degrees. Our goal is to ensure that your college experience provides a host of new opportunities and knowledge for you and that you successfully complete your chosen degree program.

Along with unsurpassed academic quality, the College is focusing on quality of student life and healthy lifestyles. We have new student life programming as well as service, faith, and outreach organizations.

Our new women's volleyball and basketball teams and our men's and women's cross-country teams begin competition this year. Our golf and tennis teams, along with our men's basketball and women's softball teams, are expected to have great seasons. For the first time, we will compete only against four-year schools as we begin our entrance into the Southern States Athletic Conference of the NAIA.

We are excited to continue our partnership with the Jekyll Island Authority. All of our full-time students will be provided with a special membership pass for Jekyll Island, giving students full privileges to Jekyll Island for the academic year. Expect to enjoy student life programming, athletic events, and plenty of academic enrichment opportunities on the island, which is known as Georgia's "jewel." Our students have the distinction of being the only students in Georgia with their very own beach!

We are building the College of Coastal Georgia, with a campus transforming before your eyes. More construction projects are underway. Over the year, Academic Commons North and the Jones Science Building will be comprehensively renovated. Construction on our new Teacher Education and Learning Center will begin in the spring. Students are the reason for the College's transformation, and there will be many opportunities for students to shape campus life for the decades to come. In the classroom and the community, on the athletic fields, and with student organizations, you are encouraged to take an active role in building your College of Coastal Georgia.

We are truly an engaged campus. During your years at Coastal Georgia, you will be living in a warm and welcoming community. We hope your time here is enjoyable, enlightening, and memorable. We look forward to supporting your continued success and helping you to put your Dreams in Action.