James January-February 2025 web - Flipbook - Page 27
tion and Training Center, located on
Having lived in Augusta for over
AU’s Riverfront Campus. Also located
26 years, I’ve seen the institution grow in the area is the headquarters of the
from then-Augusta College since the
U.S. Army Cyber Command at Fort
1970s to the modern university it is
Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon).
today. I’ve personally known probably The bottom line is that more and more
dozens of people who have gone on
companies locating in the area are
to find success in job fields as varied
taking advantage of AU graduates in
as the 160-plus academic programs at
the cyber sector.
AU, 40 of which have been added in
At the same time, Keen notes “our
recent years including cybersecurity
undergraduate and graduate resiengineering (the university’s first engi- dence halls are adjacent to the College
neering degree), animation, biomediof Science and Mathematics facility
cal systems engineering, neuroscience, on the Health Sciences Campus.” As
digital/visual storytelling and sports
for what he expects during the 2025
management, among many others.
legislative session, he says “funding
The university has expanded its
for a new $146.2 million translational
academic offerings while the Augusta research building is our top priority.”
area itself has become known as the
“Cyber Center of the South.” That’s
A F FO R DA B L E T U I T I O N
why Keen is particularly proud of AU’s
I asked the president about
School of Computer and Cyber Scienc- student tuition and related college
es— which was recently approved to
costs presenting a big obstacle for all
offer its first doctoral program and saw too many parents and students. He
71 bachelor’s and master’s degrees
replied that “we provide an affordable,
conferred at winter commencement—
high-quality education and offer a
as well as the Georgia Cyber Innovawide variety of scholarships to help
ACADEMIC O F FE R I N G S
with costs. The whole University
System of Georgia is a bargain, and
we keep tuition low thanks to the
governor, the legislature and the Board
of Regents. We are among the very
lowest in the country in terms of what
we charge for in-state tuition. And
it’s worth pointing out that a college
degree is a huge advantage: On average, college grads earn more than $1
million over their lifetime than those
who don’t earn a degree.”
Finally, Keen says, “we want to
continue to grow our student body, so
raising more funds for scholarships and
raising more funds for professors is a
priority. Success attracts more success.”
If the excitement President Keen
projected during our time together
and the determination the university
demonstrated in getting through the
storm are any indication, I would say
that more of that success is on the way.
Phil Kent is the CEO and publisher of James and
James Magazine Online. For more information go
to augusta.edu
JA N UA RY/ F E B RUARY 2025
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