[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 107 (Thursday, June 23, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E661]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING DR. CHRIS MARKWOOD

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 23, 2022

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, it is my honor and pleasure to 
extend my personal congratulations and best wishes to a gifted educator 
and devoted community leader, Dr. Chris Markwood, on his retirement as 
the President of Columbus State University (CSU). Dr. Markwood's 
retirement from three decades of work in higher education will be 
celebrated at a reception on June 23, 2022, at the Cunningham 
Conference Center in Columbus, Georgia.
  Dr. Markwood earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science and 
History from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. He then 
returned to his native state of Texas to earn his doctorate and a 
master's degree in Political Science from the University of Missouri-
Columbia.
  Before beginning his tenure as President of Columbus State 
University, Dr. Markwood ascended to several distinguished higher 
education positions across the United States, including the inaugural 
Dean of the University of Central Oklahoma's College of Arts, Media & 
Design; interim chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Superior; and 
provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Texas A&M 
University-Corpus Christi.
  In June of 2015, Dr. Markwood joined Columbus State University as the 
institution's fifth president, where he implemented an ambitious plan 
to reconnect the university with the greater Columbus community of 
fostering ``communiversity.'' During seven years of dedicated service, 
Dr. Markwood not only led CSU to achieve outstanding academic success 
but also oversaw the growth of community events such as Winter Fest, a 
holiday festival that brings thousands from the surrounding Columbus 
area to CSU's Main Campus every year for a celebration of the many 
religions, cultures, and traditions that live in the hearts of the 
people of the Chattahoochee Valley. Dr. Markwood's philosophy of 
``communiversity'' has certainly paid off, expanding the reach of the 
University into the greater Columbus area and forging bonds that have 
created new opportunities for students, graduates, and the businesses 
that serve as the economic backbone of the community. This includes CSU 
being among the inaugural group of University System of Georgia 
institutions offering the system's new nexus degree programs--designed 
to aid more Georgians in accessing careers in high-demand areas and to 
help employers identify highly qualified talent.
  Under Dr. Markwood's leadership, Columbus State University has 
remained a mainstay in the U.S. News and World Report's ranking of 
regional public universities and the publication's mobility index. 
Other publications and websites have lauded the university's academic 
strengths in business, communication, nursing, and online degrees, as 
well as its military-friendly environment. Additionally, CSU has 
introduced nearly thirty new undergraduate and graduate degree 
offerings, a nearly equal number of new certificate programs, and 
modernized more than a dozen academic programs to better serve its 
students. This transformation was exemplified through several 
corporate-community-academic partnerships, such as the creation of new 
cybersecurity and robotics engineering programs in collaboration with 
TSYS, Fort Benning, and Pratt & Whitney. Moreover, under Dr. Markwood's 
tenure, CSU demonstrated its preeminence in the arts by launching a new 
film production degree in partnership with the Georgia Film Academy, 
and created Flat Rock Studio, a state-of-the-art film and television 
production campus, with support of Columbus' own W.C. Bradley. These 
robust community partnerships have positioned Columbus State University 
and its students extremely well for successful future careers in an 
expanding field of job opportunities.
  Dr. Markwood has been honored both locally and statewide; in 2021, he 
received the Meritorious Public Service Medal from the Department of 
the Army--presented by Major Gen. Patrick Donahoe, Commanding General 
of the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning. He has 
also been included on Georgia Trend's 2022 list ``100 Most Influential 
Georgians'' which marked his sixth consecutive appearance among the 
handful of university presidents across the state to be included each 
year. Dr. Markwood currently serves as an executive committee member of 
the Peach Belt Conference, a member of the Georgia Council on Economic 
Education's Board of Trustees and the University System of Georgia's 
Comprehensive Administrative Review Steering Committee. He is also a 
longtime Rotarian and current member of the Columbus Rotary Club.
  Dr. Markwood's official service at CSU will soon be coming to an end, 
but his dedication to helping others will continue. As a servant leader 
and man of faith, Dr. Markwood has shown a strong commitment to both 
serving students and improving the quality of life in the Chattahoochee 
Valley. Dr. Chris Markwood has accomplished much in his life, but none 
of it would have been possible without the grace of God; the love and 
support of his wife, Bridget, and their daughter, Reagan.
  Nelson Mandela once said that ``education is the most powerful weapon 
which you can use to change the world.'' Dr. Chris Markwood has 
dedicated his life's work to educating scholars who will turn their 
passions into thriving careers that will improve our communities and 
change the world.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to 
join my wife, Vivian, and me along with the more than 730,000 residents 
of the Second Congressional District of Georgia in extending our 
sincerest appreciation and best wishes to Dr. Chris Markwood, and his 
family, upon the occasion of his retirement. Throughout his career, Dr. 
Markwood has done so much for so many for so long and we wish him the 
very best as he embarks upon the next chapter of his life.

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