Page 6 - MGATODAY-Spring2019

Two years later, the merged institutions “The University
became Middle Georgia State University (MGA) with a small-
with campuses in Macon, Cochran, Dublin, town feel is
Eastman, and Warner Robins. epitomized in
Although now part of a university, the the Cochran
Cochran Campus preserves something of a Campus.”
self-contained identity. Unlike students who take
classes on Middle Georgia State’s other large
campus in Macon, most Cochran Campus
students live in residence halls. Many of their
leisure or outside-the-classroom learning
activities are hosted by the University’s Student
Life program. Most of Middle Georgia State’s
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
teams – including soccer, basketball, baseball, and
softball – are based in Cochran, as are football,
cheer and equestrian clubs.
“Our mission is to foster meaningful engage-
ment outside the classroom, but that means
different things to different campuses,” said Dr.
Corey Guyton, director of Student Engagement.
“In Cochran, it means more nighttime program-
ming because most of the students there live on
campus. They need things to do at night.”
Guyton said that a recent shift toward
more student-driven programming is reshap-
ing student life on all the campuses, particularly
in Cochran. In the recent past, University staff
generally planned activities for each campus and
encouraged students to attend.
“Students are now taking the lead in
planning and putting on programs,” he said.
“When students plan events, they talk them up
more. They want their peers to attend the events
they’ve planned.”

Seeing the Difference

With guidance from a new Student Life
coordinator, Gernisha “Shay” Parnell, 25, Cochran
Campus students planned more than 35 major
activities last fall. They included a glow-in-the-
dark skate night in the wellness center, “Screen
on the Green” movie nights, staff versus students
kickball, Fright Fest for Halloween, fashion and
talent shows and karaoke.

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6 MIDDLE GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY