Columbia Southern University and The Original Oyster House Partner for Education

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – Columbia Southern University (CSU) recently entered a Learning Partnership with local seafood favorite, the Original Oyster House. Through the partnership, employees of the Original Oyster House will be able to pursue their educational goals at CSU with a 10 percent tuition discount and gain access to exclusive scholarship opportunities. Benefits of this Learning Partnership are also available to spouses and children of restaurant employees. 

“We are all family at the Original Oyster House and we are excited when anyone has an opportunity to enhance their career,” said Joie Sullivan, the restaurant’s human resources generalist. “By partnering with CSU, we hope this becomes a great asset to help our employees and their families reach their educational goals.”

CSU works with more than 3,000 Learning Partners (businesses, organizations and municipalities) nationwide. In Alabama, the university works with approximately 372 Learning Partners with 68 in Baldwin County.

“CSU is happy to welcome the Original Oyster House to our family of Learning Partners. This relationship is another example of our commitment to invest in our community by offering quality education to area adult learners,” said Tony Atchley, associate director for CSU Corporate Relations.

The Original Oyster House, which opened in 1983 in Gulf Shores, seats 300 and employs approximately 130 people. It is a member of the Alabama Coastal Foundation's Green Coast Council, and became the first restaurant in Alabama to recycle oyster shells through the Alabama Coastal Foundation. The Original Oyster House has a second waterfront location on Battleship Parkway, between Spanish Fort and Mobile.

Based in Orange Beach, CSU employs more than 1,000 faculty and staff, many of whom live in and around Baldwin and Mobile counties. The university is an active corporate neighbor in South Alabama as it has sponsored and participated in various food drives, back-to-school programs, Relay for Life, Feeding the Gulf Coast, Toys for Tots and other community projects.