AMERICUS, Ga. — Meg Croft, a graduate of Colquitt County High School in Moultrie, was among 20 incoming freshmen from across Georgia and Florida named to the new President Jimmy Carter Leadership Program at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus.

The program was established to honor the legacy of GSW alumnus and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

 “Because this new leadership program is endorsed by President Carter himself, it was very important to GSW to select only the finest students from those who applied,” said Lynda Lee Purvis, GSW vice president emerita for Academic Affairs and program director. “After a thorough review of the 39 applicants by the Applicant Review Committee, 20 were selected. These students not only achieved outstanding high school grade point averages and admission test scores, they demonstrated exceptional leadership in their high schools and contributed significantly to their communities.”

The program consists of two pathways, an Undergraduate Research Track and a Service Track, that exemplify Carter’s lifetime of leadership in education, politics and community service. Guided by the evidence-based “The Social Change Model of Leadership Development,” the four-year program allows students to develop their leadership skills both individually and within a group.

Students who score a minimum 1100 on the SAT or an ACT composite score of 22, hold a high school curriculum grade point average of 3.0 or greater and have been admitted to GSW are eligible to apply for the program. Additionally, students who hold a leadership role in high school, whether on a sports team, a student club, or community organization, also qualify.

During their first year, students will focus on individual growth and development, working to understand their own beliefs and values. The second year will explore the role of the group, how to build trust with others and how to work collaboratively towards common goals.

In year three, students will choose between the academically-focused Research Track and the service learning-focused Service Track. In the fourth and final year, students will develop a senior research or service project dependent upon their track.

The Carter Leadership Program will provide students with academic scholarships ranging from $1,500 to $3,500 each year they are in the program. The program is made possible thanks to generous support from the Charles L. Mix Memorial Fund.