CSU Magazine vol 30 no 3

CHECK OUT WHAT CSU IS READING INSIDE BACK COVER

LEADERS SERVING OTHERS WITHIN THEIR SPHERES OF INFLUENCE PAGE 10

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Fa ll 2020

On the cover: Richard Esposito captures a unique view of the campus around the Reflection Pond.

© 2020 Charleston Southern University

EDITORIAL STAFF: Jan Joslin ’82, Editor, Director of Publications Richard Esposito, Director of Integrated Marketing Jenna Johnson, Assistant Director of Integrated Marketing Tyler Stokes, Graphic Designer

EDITORIAL ADVISERS: Rev. Tom Clemmons Shari Richmond Dr. Jason Peterson Dr. Scott Yarbrough

CONTRIBUTORS: Aneris Photography Austin Bradley CSU Athletic Communications Community Research Institute Jim Killian Beth Myers ‘08 S.C. Research Authority

CSU Magazine is published three times a year by the office of marketing and communication for alumni and friends of Charleston Southern University.

Contact us at magazine@csuniv.edu.

Address changes: csudevelopment@csuniv.edu

contents LEARNING

3 Community Research Institute Established

4

Science and Engineering Growth

5 Reno Phase 1 Student Center

6 Aeronautics Program Launching

7 Cybersecurity’s Prestigious Accreditation

LEADING

8 Creative Coping Continues

10 Gil Truesdale Enjoying Life 12 Kimberly Britt Running The Good Race 14 Dr. Ashley Milner 15 Cliff Marshall 16 Dennis Greene 17 Dan DuPre 18 Diana Saillant 19 Heather Crothers 20 Trey Oakley 21 Dr. Abraham Morrall 2 2 Corteze Morrall 2 2 Angela Morrall 23 Forty Under 40 SERVING 24 From Walk-On to Captain 31 Lessons on Leadership: Strack Center

32 Harvell Named Director of

Chaplaincy Center

SCHOOL TIES 33 Alumni News 33 Alum Interviews Fox’s Bream 34 Class Notes

Design and layout by: Bob Durand Design facebook.com/bobduranddesign

Bucky’s Welcome, a new Sweet 16 event, kicked off the academic year with fireworks on the football field. Most Orientation activities were virtual for the Class of 2024 with a few held outdoors.

35 Ring Returned 36 Baby Bucs 38 In Memory FOREVER CSU

Photo by Richard Esposito

39 Thank You! Printed by: Knight Printing and Graphics knightpandg.com

39 Rosemary Wenchel Honored

40 Morrall Siblings Establish Scholarship

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE LEAD LIKE JESUS

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hen it comes to leadership, nothing speaks louder or longer than results.

Sure, effective leadership presupposes solid character, sound relationship skills, straightforward communication, and strategic vision, but even the godliest of captains is ultimately ineffective if she produces more excuses than results. In God’s economy, results may not be the only thing, but they sure are something.

Vickey and Dondi Costin welcome the Class of 2024 on Move-In Day. Photo by Richard Esposito

On that premise alone, Jesus Christ was the greatest leader in history. His record is unbeaten; the organization He founded, the Church, has achieved results far beyond what anyone imagined at its grand opening. Despite a founder’s stint that lasted just three years almost two thousand years ago, the Church is still blowing and going like nobody’s business. With branches in every nation, a current membership numbering over two billion, and millions more signing up every year, the Church’s lasting legacy makes Jesus the undisputed leadership champion of the world.

Without question, anyone bent on winning at what matters most should lead like the Lord.

Simply put, effective leadership is inspiring a team to accomplish its mission for the good of others and the glory of God. Since nobody has ever run that gauntlet better than Jesus, you don’t have to be a Mensa member to realize that there is no match for the Master’s method.

For starters, Jesus was a servant leader Who embodied this classic principle: If you take care of the people, the people will take care

2 CSU magazine

By Dr. Dondi Costin

of the mission. What’s more, Jesus expected The Twelve in His own leadership academy to lead like that too.

If the Gospel writers had been among The Twitterati, these lines from Jesus’ lips would have rocked the retweets back in the day: “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be servant of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:42-45).

Four powerful words: Not so with you.

So much for keeping up with the Joneses.

If you want to lead well, better to keep up with Jesus instead. If barking orders doesn’t work, try washing feet (John 13:14-17).

Then be grateful that Jesus already took care of dying on the Cross.

The best leaders rally support for a cause their teammates would never have pursued so passionately without those leaders’ influence and example. They avoid overreliance on the power of their position. They seldom lean on their title as a crutch. Rather, they lead with a towel and point to the Cross.

No one in history carried a more impressive duty title than Jesus, the Messiah. As titles go, Christ is infinitely more intimidating than Caesar. Yet His title was so misunderstood and misconstrued that it provided little practical power to crack the hard heads and soften the harder hearts of even His closest followers.

Just as it seems the apostle Peter has a breakthrough with his well-timed “You are the Christ” revelation (Matthew 16:16), he blows it so badly that Jesus throws down a “Get thee behind me, Satan” to put Peter in his place (Matthew 16:23). From top of the heap to bottom of the barrel in seven short verses. Remedial training, here we come.

No sweat for the Savior. Like any good leader, Jesus trafficked in influence and inspiration as the impetus for impact. He demonstrated routinely that the only way to achieve lasting results is by training your teammates to succeed in the work so they

can eventually succeed at the work. He developed His team by developing His teammates and equipping them to do the same.

Good leaders always leave the place better than they found it.

Repeatable processes yield predictable results. “He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach” (Mark 3:14). There it is in living color: If you take care of the people, they’ll take care of the mission. In other words, right relationships lead to real results.

Despite betting the farm on the ragtag battalion who hung in there only as long as it was safe for them to do so, Jesus rallied His bedraggled troops with a parting shot (Matthew 28:18-20) so mind-blowing that we still call it the Great Commission two millennia later.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” (You go, Jesus!)

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Wait. What?)

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Sounds promising, but I’m still stuck on that whole I’m-supposedto-go-and-do part.) I did not see this coming.

Too bad, because people are His mission, and our Redeemer is all about results. So much so that He had the audacity to make the you-gotta-be-kidding-me claim that His teammates—the whole lot of us—would do more than He did. “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father” (John 14:12-13).

No wonder that leadership definition a few paragraphs ago sounded so good: Effective leaders inspire their teams to accomplish their mission for the good of others and the glory of God. “Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).

Or, its leadership corollary, if you prefer: “Come follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you leaders of men.”

Lead like Jesus sounds like this in Charleston Southernese: Preparing servant leaders to pursue significant lives. It’s what this edition of the CSU Magazine is all about. Go and do likewise.

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

LEARNING

PARTNERSHIP FOCUSES ON UNCOVERING LOCAL DATA TO BENEFIT LOWCOUNTRY COMPANIES

By Jan Joslin

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ommunity Research Institute, launched in May, grew out of a partnership between Abbey Research and the CSU College of Business.

Dr. David Palmer, dean of the College of Business, said the partnership came from the relationship the College of Business has with alumnus Roger Nielsen ’72, a member of the COB board of advisors. He said, “Roger’s daughter, Dr. Kristen Donnelly, and her brother, Brian Nielsen, are an integral part of their family-owned business, the Abbey Companies.”

Donnelly said, “As I’ve spent time on campus, and my business partner, Dr. Erin Hinson, has joined me, we started to feel a strong connection to the community at CSU. The passion of the faculty and staff to both empower students to be the best versions of themselves and to serve the local and global community aligns with our values.”

The first research project was conducted virtually over the summer, but the longterm goal is to send interns to Philadelphia, where Abbey Companies is located, for fullsummer internships. Donnelly said, “Our first project centered on COVID responses, but we learned quickly that there is significant COVID fatigue - people are just sick of talking about it to researchers!”

Switching gears, the Community Research Institute has turned its work toward learning more about multigenerational workspaces. “The average American workspace has employees from four generations and that average is moving into five,” said Donnelly. “That is a lot of worldviews and experiences and different perspectives in one place attempting to work toward one goal.”

Donnelly said, “For the future, we hope to continue asking questions that are relevant to business owners, community leaders, students, and the wider public, and we are absolutely open to requests. CRI is here to serve the community, and we are excited about all the different avenues that can take.”

The Community Research Institute will

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

Dr. Erin Hinson and Dr. Kristen Donnelly are social science researchers who offer consultations, workshops, and teaching engagements to a diverse range of clients discussing such topics as diversity and inclusion, conflict management, and various workplace situations. Donnelly is the founder and executive vice president of Abbey Research and also serves as COO of Abbey Companies. Hinson is vice president of research development for Abbey Research. photo provided

provide Charleston and the Lowcountry with localized data about community opinions, behaviors, and beliefs so that organizations can make informed decisions about their futures, and neighbors can potentially understand each other better. “A lot of data quoted in studies come from national surveys conducted by multinational firms or large think tanks,” said Donnelly. “Abbey Research’s mission is to bring specific answers about specific places, and we’re excited that CSU has joined us in that vision.”

CSU students will have the opportunity to learn to ask questions and seek answers through data-directed research. “They’ll be able to carry those skills into whatever profession they choose, serving the Kingdom however they feel called to do. Leaders are listeners, and listeners know how to ask exceptional questions. Our hope is that CRI will provide a training ground for students

to do just that,” said Donnelly.

Research summaries and in-process findings will be shared at communityresearchinstitute.org, and students will write blogs, film videos, and disseminate the research in as many ways as possible. For up-to-date information, people can sign up for CRI’s newsletter on the website.

Donnelly said, “Between the two of us, Dr. Hinson and I have over 20 years of research experience in a variety of fields and contexts.

This has created in us both a posture of knowing how little we know and a hunger for knowledge. We’re armed with skills and training from world-class research institutions and a passion for students, and we’re honored to be able to employ both of those at a place such as Charleston Southern.”

For more information about Abbey Research, visit abbey-research.com/who-weare/.

CSU magazine 3

LEARNING

SCIENCE, ENGINEERING PROGRAMS GROWING

By Jenna Johnson/Photos by Richard Esposito

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harleston Southern broke ground this summer on a new science and engineering building to house its growing academic programs. The 17,500-squarefoot space will be completed in phases and includes labs, office space, and work rooms.

CSU plans to expand the building in future phasing to 28,000-square-feet total.

The project is a result of the launch of CSU’s 2020-2025 strategic plan in January.

CSU President Dr. Dondi Costin stated that the plan was designed to guarantee that everything CSU does helps students become the servant leaders God wants them to be.

“Regardless of job title or position on the organization chart, servant leadership is influencing your team to accomplish its mission for the good of others and the glory of God,” he said. “One of our goals is to ‘attract and engage a vibrant student body.’ This means developing programs that meet marketplace needs.”

Programs such as cybersecurity, aeronautics, and engineering reflect that commitment.

See pages 6 and 7 for more updates.

Cybersecurity The first to do so in the Lowcountry, CSU launched a Bachelor of Science in cybersecurity in fall 2017 with the support of area companies to meet industry demands. A Charleston Metro Chamber study estimated that 243 IT security analyst positions will open within the decade, yet only 16% of those jobs would be filled by local college graduates.

Todd Lant, vice president of IT at Blackbaud, said that he was encouraged to see focus placed on developing industry-prepared, qualified graduates in cybersecurity. “This degree program is an important step in developing critical talent to support the growth of competitive businesses in our region,” he said in a 2017 interview with CSU. “We want students who graduate from CSU to still be relevant in this field 30 years later,” Dr. Valerie Sessions, affiliate professor of computer science, said.

The cybersecurity program experienced exponential growth. In just three years, the first class of eight students has rapidly

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Future science and engineering building rising on west side of campus.

grown to over 30. “The U.S. Bureau of Labor predicts that in the next 10 years, the job market related to cybersecurity is going to raise 28%,” Dr. Yu-Ju Lin, director of graduate studies in computer science, said, “If a student comes to our program, they definitely have a lot of jobs waiting for them.”

Recent graduates of CSU’s cybersecurity program have pursued careers in the defense sector, finding employment at the Naval Information Warfare Center. One of Lin’s students was recently hired at J.P. Morgan, reportedly selected over Yale and Harvard grads.

CSU maintains support from and partners with companies and organizations such as The Palmetto Roost, Charleston Women in Tech, NIWC, The Next IT Girl, Blackbaud and Benefitfocus. Learn more about this growing program at charlestonsouthern.edu/ cybersecurity.

Engineering Last fall, the College of Science and Mathematics launched a Bachelor of Science in engineering degree program due to the growing demand of prospective and current

students. Prior to fall 2019, CSU offered an applied mathematics/engineering program in cooperation with Clemson University, University of South Carolina, and The Citadel.

Students would complete a three-year liberal arts program at CSU before transferring to one of those partner institutions for two years to complete the engineering courses.

Upon completion, those graduates are awarded a BS in applied mathematics from Charleston Southern and an engineering degree from the partner institution.

Two degrees in five years—not a bad deal.

Current student Keara Walsh is in the 3+2 program and will transfer to The Citadel for her final two years to achieve an electrical engineering degree. She plans to work in the medical equipment field upon graduation and said CSU has prepared her well for the engineering aspects of the program.

“CSU is the perfect fit for me. Not only has this school pushed me to work harder than I ever have, CSU also greatly improved my confidence and my work ethic,” Walsh said.

Even with the benefits, Dr. Andrew Blauch, chair of CSU’s Engineering Depart-

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

LEARNING

ment, said there are two primary disadvantages: the cost and hassle of transferring.

“Students need to pay for at least five years of higher education since it is a 3+2 program, and students must transfer to another institution,” Blauch said.

Despite the disadvantages, the number of students in the applied mathematics/engineering program has been growing. Thus, the primary reason to begin a new program.

Blauch said, “Charleston Southern is now able to provide students an opportunity to receive a Bachelor of Science in engineering in four years without having to transfer to another institution. They will be able to receive the full benefits of a small Christian liberal arts education that CSU has to offer.”

In fall 2019 the new four-year program offered two concentrations: computer and electrical engineering. By fall 2021, students will choose from three with the addition of the mechanical engineering concentration.

Mechanical engineering courses began this semester.

According to Blauch, the engineering degree prepares students for a variety of careers in many different industries such as automotive, aerospace, manufacturing and power distribution. The possibilities are vast.

“Engineers design, develop, test, install, inspect and maintain a wide variety of products and systems,” he said. “They propose new products and processes, supervise manufacturing and construction, conduct tests and perform failure analysis, provide consulting services and teach courses.”

Engineering- and technology-related companies in the Charleston area—such as Boeing, Bosch, Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo—have been growing at a rapid rate. The degree program will rely on these business relationships for support and service as well as provide the talented workforce needed as those companies continue to grow.

And growth is certainly the buzz word for this program.

“As the program develops, we plan to incorporate additional concentrations into the program,” Blauch said. Mechanical was the first addition for next fall, and manufacturing and biomedical are on the short list for consideration.

For additional information about the engineering program at CSU, visit charlestonsouthern.edu/engineering.

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

PHASE 1 OF STUDENT CENTER RENOVATION UNDERWAY

There’s plenty of buzz around the Student Center as Phase 1 has started to make more student-centered spaces available.

The Tree of Life bookstore and post office are already operating in a renovated space. The Tree of Life plan makes textbooks part of students’ tuition.

CSU magazine 5

LEARNING

SOUTH CAROLINA’S ONLY COLLEGIATE AERONAUTICS PROGRAM COMING TO CSU

By Jan Joslin

S

outh Carolina is one of only two states without a collegiate aeronautics program, but not for long. Charleston Southern will offer a Bachelor of Science in aeronautics (professional pilot) beginning in fall of 2021.

Students in the program will eventually be able to choose between three main tracks: commercial, military, or missionary aviation.

“As we look to the future, Charleston Southern will maintain our presence at the leading edge of innovation and impact,” said CSU President Dr. Dondi Costin. “Our Aeronautics program is a natural extension of the university’s vision of integrating faith in learning, leading and serving as we prepare servant leaders to pursue significant lives.

By preparing pilots to impact their spheres of influence as commercial, military, or missionary pilots, we extend our reach into every corner of the globe.”

Col. Christopher “C.J.” Will, U.S. Air Force (retired), is the founding chair of the Aeronautics Department, which is located within the College of Science and Math-

C.J. Will, photo by Richard Esposito

6 CSU magazine

ematics. Will is also the founder and CEO of Lowcountry Aviation Association, a nonprofit dedicated to educating, empowering, and inspiring students interested in pursuing aviation careers.

Will is no stranger to aeronautics. He is a combat command pilot, military instructor pilot, and holds FAA Airline Transport Pilot, Commercial Pilot, Flight Instructor (Single and Multi-Engine) and Remote Pilot Operator certifications and ratings. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and served as a Judge Advocate (JAG) for the U.S. Air Force prior to earning his wings. Will has practiced as an aviation attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice and most recently was the Commander of The Citadel’s AFROTC program. He has taught aviation safety, ethics, business and aviation law at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University since 2001.

Will said he and his wife have enjoyed living in Charleston and feel called to inspire and empower area youth through mentoring, teaching, coaching, and outreach.

He said the area is a perfect match for an aeronautics program, especially when that program is built on faith from the ground up. “Charleston has some of the best flying weather in the U.S., and the demand for professional aviation education and flight training is sky-high,” said Will. He is looking to grow the CSU program and plans for the first diverse group of Professional Pilots to graduate from the program in 2025.

Professional Pilot program students will conduct flight training each semester at either Summerville or Charleston International airports in safe and modern Diamond aircraft. Flight safety will be built into the program at a foundational level. “Everything we do will be part of an overarching and fully integrated safety program. From the first class to the last checkride, the safety and security of our students will always come first,” Will said.

Dr. Todd Ashby, dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, said, “I’m highly

C.J. Will in an F16, photo provided

confident that the Lord sent us the perfect director in C.J. Will. His background as an aviation attorney, his impressive career as an accomplished aviator, and his love of aviation are all packaged in the heart of a teacher. That’s what I call a winning combination.”

The Professional Pilot degree will be complemented by an Aviation & Space Management degree, an Aeronautics Science minor, and an Aviation Maintenance Management technical degree. A three-credit-hour aeronautics course—Introduction to Pilot Training—is currently being offered.

“We are building on CSU’s commitment to finding needs in the community and meeting them,” said Costin. “The downturn in airline activity right now due to COVID-19 does not mitigate the looming pilot shortage as older pilots reach mandatory retirement age in the next few years. On the other side of this pandemic, the world’s economy will demand a significant uptick in flights, so the market will need more pilots. And in terms of sharing the gospel to the ends of the earth, the need for missionary pilots will always exist. Lord willing, Charleston Southern will be there to help meet those needs.”

Final approval of the program must be made by SACSCOC. To learn more about the program, visit charlestonsouthern.edu/ aeronautics.

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

LEARNING

CYBERSECURITY PROGRAM RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS ABET ACCREDITATION

By Jenna Johnson

T

he Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Computing Accreditation Commission accredited Charleston Southern’s cybersecurity program in October, making it the only higher education institution in the South with the designation.

CSU is also only one of 18 cybersecurity programs with this accreditation in the world “The ABET accreditation validates our cybersecurity program objectives, where graduates are deployed with confidence to pursue lifelong learning, leading, and serving by applying their skills in cybersecurity effectively and ethically,” Dr. Sean Hayes, associate professor and chair of computer science, said. “Our graduates can take pride in knowing that the quality of their education is so respected by others.”

ABET-CAC is considered a prestigious recognition with only a select top schools accredited internationally. According to Dr. Valerie Sessions, professor of computer science, the accreditation process gives CSU another method of continuous improvement for this program—noting further access to cybersecurity professors and practitioners who can help ensure that CSU’s programs are offering students a quality learning experience.

“It further validates the degree and shows potential employers that our graduates have what

Growing cybersecurity program receives elite accreditation. Photo by Richard Esposito

they need to enter the workplace,” Sessions said.

Since its inception three short years ago, the Bachelor of Science in cybersecurity has experienced a surge in growth. Starting with just five students, it now has 34 Buccaneers eager to pursue careers in an industry hungry for prepared, qualified talent.

President Dondi Costin said that this designation proves that CSU is on the leading edge of innovation and academic excellence.

“God’s hand is clearly on this program and

this university as we run hard to meet the needs of our community and equip students to glorify God by being world class at what they do,” said Costin. “Prospective students can be more confident than ever that they are in great hands at Charleston Southern, where they can receive personalized preparation in small classes by faculty—now recognized by ABET as among the best in the business.”

Learn more about CSU’s cybersecurity degree at charlestonsouthern.edu/cybersecurity.

News Briefs BS IN HR ALIGNED WITH SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGMENT

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he Society for Human Resource Mangement (SHRM) announced that the CSU Bachelor of Science in human resources program within the College of Adult and Professional Studies is aligned with SHRM’s HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates. The HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates were developed by SHRM to define the minimum HR content areas that should be studied by HR students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The guidelines are part of SHRM’s Academic Initiative to define HR education standards taught in university business schools and help universities develop degree programs that follow these standards.

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

TD AMERITRADE AWARDS GRANT TO CSU

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SU received a $15,000 grant to enhance its financial planning program in the 8th annual TD Ameritrade RIA NextGen Scholarships and Grants program. CSU is one of six universities receiving the award.

TD Ameritrade Institutional is committed to raising awareness among college students about the financial planning career opportunities with registered investment advisors.

CSU magazine 7

LEADING

CREATIVE COPING CONTINUES FOR FALL SEMESTER

By Jan Joslin / Photos by Richard Esposito

A

ll summer Charleston Southern leadership joined the thousands of other university leaders across the country in wrestling with whether to return to campus or stay completely online for fall 2020.

A new normal – being flexible, fluid, and creative – helped CSU open the campus early with the plan to cancel Fall Break and finish the semester completely right before Thanksgiving, giving students a longer Christmas break and hopefully minimizing the flow of students between home and campus.

“While leading in the midst of a pandemic is not where we wanted to be this year, it has served as an excellent reminder of how blessed we are to be part of this campus community, one where we can rely on the smarts of our colleagues and the wisdom of our Lord,” said President Dr. Dondi Costin.

Here’s just a glimpse into the hours of work that went into reopening.

University Infection Control & COVID-19 Coordinator Senior leadership named Laurel A. Glover to a newly created position, University Infection Control and COVID-19 Coordinator. Glover, DHSc(C), MPH, RCP, RRT-NPS, is assistant professor of public health. After training as a Respiratory Care Practitioner, she continued her education with a Master of Public Health from Liberty University. She is currently a Doctor of Health Sciences in Global Health candidate at A.T. Still University.

Glover has worked with community- and hospital-based health programs throughout the U.S., Central America, the Caribbean, and Asia, providing education and consultation services along the way. Adding to her years of experience in the clinical environment, Glover spent time in the spring serving at NYU in support of COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts in New York City. Her expertise in the pandemic environment has only increased her passion for healthcare, specifically educating others in the importance of preventive measures. As the point person on campus for all COVID-19-related

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Dr. George Metz teaches a class in the Doctor of Education program in a socially distanced classroom.

activities, Glover has put in hours and hours answering questions, evaluating possible symptoms, and answering emails from students, employees, and parents. #BUCSAFE Campaign The University Pandemic Task Force, led by Dr. Jackie Fish, vice president for academic affairs, has put in countless hours alongside Glover. The task force and its multiple subcommittees represent personnel from the Physician Assistant program, Public Health, Nursing, Kinesiology, Athletics, Student Life, and Academics.

In order to provide cohesive and encouraging communication around campus, the task force launched a #BUCSAFE campaign featuring a #BUCSAFE pledge that demonstrates our shared responsibility and mutual commitment to the health of every student, faculty, and staff member. The Marketing

and Communication department developed posters, signs, and other tools to help promote the campaign. These reminders were installed around campus to encourage everyone to be proactive in keeping others safe. Loving your neighbor as yourself is more than a motto on our campus. It is a way of life. Face coverings and maintaining six feet of distance are a way of life, too.

LiveSafe App and Screening Protocols CSU entered into a contract with LiveSafe, an electronic platform which provides mobile health screening capabilities, reliable and effective two-way safety communications, and the ability to provide resources in response to rapidly changing health conditions, guidance, and regulations. The app is used by students and employees before leaving their dorm rooms or homes each day.

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

Bucs Win masks and social distancing are the norm in the classroom.

Classroom Instruction Under the leadership of Fish and the academic deans, the task force created a plan that is allowing for as much in-person classroom instruction as possible. All classrooms were reconfigured to accommodate six feet of social distancing whenever possible, as recommended by SCDHEC in their guidelines for Institutions of Higher Education.

While a few courses are completely online, all coursework is recorded for students who do not feel comfortable participating in on-campus activities and for those who may be sick or may have been exposed.

Student Life Members of the Student Life team and auxiliary services such as food services have adapted and worked to maintain as normal a semester as possible despite the pandemic.

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

No more than two people are living in each dorm room; the dining hall has a distanced seating arrangement; Chapels are all online for now; and outdoor gathering spaces are available for distanced interacting outside of class.

Plans include isolation rooms for any students contracting COVID-19, and quarantine plans put in place for those who were exposed to someone positive. The number of cases went up after classes started but has continued to come down as the campus was encouraged to remain diligent.

Survive and Advance Costin likes to say we first started dealing with COVID in the middle of what should have been March Madness. He has adopted the March Madness motto of survive and advance. He has viewed fall semester in two

week increments – survive two weeks and advance – to make it to semester’s end.

Costin said one of the things he has most appreciated during the pandemic is the collegial sharing of ideas among college presidents, chief academic officers, athletic directors, and more. “I have a whole new appreciation for collegiality,” said Costin.

During COVID-19, Costin still maintains his practice of talking to students every day.

Despite the difficulties, students have been mostly positive. He said a recurring theme is students who say, “I’m excited to be here because this is really better than living in my high school bedroom.”

And in the midst of a drastically different fall semester, the task force is busy working out a plan for spring 2021.

CSU magazine 9

LEADING

TRUESDALE FINDS

BALANCE

By Jan Joslin / Photos provided

I

t was Christmastime 2016 when Gil Truesdale’s youngest daughter, in her early 20s, said, “This is the longest you’ve been home since I was born.”

Truesdale calls it a gut-wrenching moment. He was at home for a 10-week stretch across 2016 and 2017, not because he took a break from traveling for his corporate job but because he was named foreman on a jury.

Later, Truesdale realized there are things that happen in life that alter the way you think. It may be something you did, or it may be divine intervention, but either way you have no choice. “From that point forward, I have been trying to work my way out of that lifestyle,” he said.

In the years since Truesdale graduated from Charleston Southern in 1986, he earned 10 million flight miles, taking about 260 flights a year. His rise on the fast track had him migrating from operations to national then global sales, selling safety products, and then five years in, he began working on diversity-focused spending. He spoke to massive corporations about trickle-down spending, and asking, were their corporate purchasing and global spending practices helping the people at the bottom of the chain who made the products.

“In hundreds of global meetings and talks, I was the only white guy in the room, and it became very normal for me,” said Truesdale.

He worked with Fortune 500 executive committees for years on diversity.

He also stepped up to became a leader to middle managers. He said, “A lot of people are leaders by title, but if you don’t have experience, it is tough.” By 2005 he was tired of the global travel and limited his Gil Truesdale on the road for Martin Technical in his role as Chief Revenue Officer. Photo provided

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Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

travel to North America. “I had a very space shuttle view before, but once I got back to North America, I got into the weeds more,” said Truesdale. He became fascinated with mentor-protégé process. He didn’t want those working for him to make the same mistakes he had. He said, “I helped them expand on the stuff they were really good at and helped them find the stuff they needed assistance with.”

Little did he know that his experiences were about to help him through the toughest experience of his life.

His travels kept him from closely following the news at home in Charleston. When he was one of 3,800 people asked to present a bio and fill out 150 questions for a judge for jury duty, he did so. “We had no idea what the trial was going to be about until the last physical day of jury selection,” said Truesdale. There were between 70 or 80 jurors still present from the original 3,800.

He said, “They had called 17 people, the 12 jurors and five of the alternates. I thought we were finished and was getting ready to leave, and the elderly African American lady sitting beside me said, that’s your number, 102.”

With the addition of Truesdale, No. 102, the judge said, “We have a jury.” And Truesdale’s life has never been the same.

In a federal trial, the jury and the judge each select a foreman. “I didn’t know that,” said Truesdale, “and the jury and judge both selected me.” Truesdale was suddenly thrust into leading the jury through one of the most brutal trials in U.S. history – trying Dylann Roof for the hate crime of murdering nine people at a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in 2015.

Truesdale’s corporate training kicked in as he took notes through the proceedings and attempted to manage the process for the jury.

A meticulous person, he is used to checking all the boxes. That served him well during the 10 weeks of the trial and sentencing.

At the end of the 10 weeks, the jury found Roof guilty on all 33 federal charges.

Truesdale has put in requests to visit Roof in prison but has been denied. He wants Roof to know what a hard time the jury had.

He said, “I want to let him know it was painfully tough to deal with.” Truesdale knows most people can’t understand why he wants to visit Roof. He said, “He’s somebody’s son, somebody’s grandson; he deserves the respect he didn’t give anyone else.”

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Truesdale quit his job and took a sixmonth sabbatical, giving himself space to process and finally beginning to listen to his family about his nonstop work life. During his sabbatical time, he said the cream rose to the top. He learned that people he thought were friends were just acquaintances, and that people he had mentored for 10 years didn’t keep in touch.

A hidden blessing from the trial is the good friends he made on the jury. They still keep in touch, and he said they have helped him get involved in some good things. “I now look at things from a perspective of when I wake up in the morning, my first thought is, what am I going to do for someone before I do something for myself,” said Truesdale.

Currently the Chief Revenue Officer for Martin Technical, Truesdale still travels a good bit, but he’s learned work-life balance.

He compares working all the time to holding your breath under water. “You can only do it so long, no matter who you are,” he said. You have to stop, breathe, recharge, get spiritually refocused, because the tasks are never going to stop.”

He and his wife live in Charleston, and he has two grown daughters. His youngest daughter lives outside Charleston, is working and is engaged. His oldest daughter is married to a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant, and they have five children aged seven to one.

Her husband is currently deployed.

The new balance has changed the way he spends his time. “The work I was doing, while I think it was very positive; there’s a lot more I can do at home,” he said. Truesdale has started a few LLCs, one of which is his own. He is chairman of the board of THRIVE Saves Lives, a group that combats domestic violence and advocates for women, children, and pets. He started working with THRIVE after connecting with an acquaintance from high school and helped put together a business plan and raised funds. He is also on the board of directors for The Charleston Forum, which provides a dialogue on race.

After being the mentor for all these years, he now finds himself on the learning end and finds he likes giving back. “I’m learning to be a silent leader,” he said.

It comes back around to giving me an opportunity to make a difference. It’s the blessing of all blessings.

Not a lot of people get that opportunity; it’s very humbling for sure.

– Gil Truesdale One thing he has learned in the corporate world is no one likes to listen. Everyone wants to talk.

He finds the listening rewarding. It has changed the way he interacts with people.

“If I see someone going through something, I will definitely ask how they are doing,” he said. He meets people for coffee, and has started a hobby of sorts – helping people find different careers. He said he has learned over his career that he likes helping people get to new places and especially helping people develop a career rather than a job.

As horrible as the time was serving on the Roof trial, Truesdale said it has been a blessing for him. He said, “It comes back around to giving me an opportunity to make a difference. It’s the blessing of all blessings. Not a lot of people get that opportunity; it’s very humbling for sure.”

On a recent visit to his father’s grave, who died when Truesdale was a young man, his eyes focused on a phrase at the bottom of the tombstone: Ever mindful to the needs of others.

For Truesdale, reading that about his father started to tie some things together.

“People can make some changes. We just need to shut up and listen more.”

He is finding it therapeutic to do as much good as he can – following in his father’s footsteps.

Emanuel AME Church

CSU magazine 11

LEADING

FOSTER KID TO COLLEGE VP

KIMBERLY BRITT RUNNING THE GOOD RACE

By Jan Joslin / Photos provided

Southern University because she knew she needed a smaller school if she had a chance to make it. “I was admitted to CSU on a provisional status and had to meet a certain GPA to remain,” said Britt. Her foster mother, Emmogene, encouraged her to go to college and drove her down for the tour.

Experiencing the changes as a student is one thing, but Britt says looking back at it as a college administrator and seeing what happened is quite another. She said, “Higher education can be a tremendous source of healing when done well. My time at CSU transformed my soul.”

P

ulling up to the dorm at Stanford University as a member of the Aspen Presidential Fellowship was a watershed moment for Dr. Kimberly Britt ‘94. Britt is in a community college presidential leadership program run by Stanford University and the Aspen Institute.

Britt qualified for the program as the vice president of academic and student affairs at Reynolds Community College in Richmond, Va., a school with 10,000 students and three campuses. The Fellowship trains community college leaders to lead community colleges and build success strategies for students.

Arriving at Stanford, Britt sensed, “It’s not about me - it’s about all these students who are like me. We’re not that different,” she said.“I just kept on and kept on. I wanted to see if I could do it, if I would make the cut.”

Britt, who earned a PhD, was told by a high school guidance counselor she wasn’t college material. She chose Charleston

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Shelter Home to College Freshman As a senior in high school, Britt would avoid the cafeteria and hide out every day in a bathroom that students weren’t supposed to visit. “I was so shy, so shame filled from physical and sexual abuse, it was hard to blend in with my peers,” she said. Used to hurt and isolation, Britt hid the fact that she was a foster kid from most of her CSU classmates, only sharing the fact with her college sweetheart and her roommate.

She remained in the South Carolina foster care system until she was 21 and graduated from CSU. While she was at CSU, the state would have Britt and a young man from the College of Charleston, also a foster student, talk with social workers. “I didn’t really process it at the time,” said Britt, “but we really were rare – there were only two of us in the state.”

Nationally, 10% of foster children earn a college degree, with 90 percent being left behind. Britt, who went on to earn a master’s and doctorate degree, is an anomaly.

Her freshman year, Britt went to work in the university’s purchasing office for the late Linda Parker. Christmas break of Britt’s

freshman year she was sent to a foster home in Horry County for two weeks where the woman was a raging alcoholic because of a paperwork glitch that kept her from going to her usual foster home. Over time, Parker learned the realities of Britt’s life. Parker appealed to then-president Dr. Jairy Hunter, and a plan was worked out where Britt could stay on campus during breaks and work.

“It is the role of a president to put strategies in place to help students to succeed,” said Britt. “That’s what Dr. Hunter and Linda Parker did for me,” she said. Parker found a dental professional who did all Britt’s dental and orthodontic work for free. “She and her husband, Mike, kept up with me all these years. She was always there for me. You don’t forget the people who mentored and supported you. Every time I visit campus, the joy and peace is still so strong. CSU changed my life.”

Britt remembers having 35 cents in her pocket for a holiday weekend. Able to stay on campus, she bought a bag of chips from the vending machine and ate them throughout the weekend on a timed schedule. She remembers the poverty and the pain. She remembers the greatest rejection, when her mother stayed with the man who abused Britt. “She chose him over me,” said Britt.

“That’s a pretty strong rejection. It makes you a different type of leader with a different type of purpose. Is it to make you great or to help others?” But she had a family who also encouraged and supported her.

A Great Run Her sophomore year, Britt walked on to the cross country and track teams. She did it for the money. “I found out you could get a scholarship which I used to buy clothes, books and

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LEADING

go to an occasional movie with friends.

“Coach Jim Settle was really the person who transformed me from a victim to a survivor. He told me, you either remain a victim or decide you are going to be a survivor,” said Britt. “Everyone else on the team had run in high school. I told him, I want to race, and he said, ‘Well, you’ve got to be faster.’”

Team members were required to run eight miles every Sunday. Britt marked out a fourmile route that would take her through the neighborhoods across from campus to come out on Rivers Avenue at the Baskin-Robbins ice cream store. She would enjoy an ice cream and sometimes Arby’s, which was on the opposite corner, and run the four miles directly back to campus. “I was so happy I was able to run that far and was able to get ice cream,” said Britt.

In foster care, there weren’t trips to McDonald’s or Burger King, especially when she lived in the group home in Conway. She said, “I loved being on the cross country and track teams. I got to travel and got the treat of fast food on road trips.”

Britt also joined the concert choir and traveled to Washington, D.C., with the choir and Dr. David Cuttino. “It opened my eyes to what there was,” said Britt. “I thought, I’m not hiding in the bathroom stall anymore.”

She credits Settle with developing her resiliency. “He just knew how to get under my skin and convinced me I could do anything I wanted to,” said Britt. At the end of her senior year, the team gave Britt the women’s team sportsmanship award. Patrick van Boden, the male sportsmanship winner the same year and close friend, passed away halfway through Britt’s PhD, and she dedicated her dissertation to him.

“CSU lifted those life barriers from my soul,” said Britt. “If I hadn’t gone there, I would not be doing what I do today.”

Becoming Dr. Britt Britt was an English major and planned to become a high school teacher until she started student teaching and knew it wasn’t for her. Having to adjust quickly after dropping secondary education, she picked up a history minor.

After spending time in Linda Gooding’s History of England class, Britt decided to earn a master’s degree in English and become a professor. “Professor Gooding was a

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

Kim Britt makes time to visit with retired track coach Jim Settle.

gifted story teller and really inspired me to be a college professor,” she said. She knew teaching college students was her calling.

Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, told Britt if she would teach while getting her master’s degree, they would provide her with in-state tuition. She finished her master’s in English in three semesters and worked as a lecturer and ran the writing program for NSU for two years and bought her first car. “I thought I was on my way,” said Britt.

She went on to teach English at HorryGeorgetown Tech in Conway for 16 years. At Horry-Georgetown, Britt looked for the marginalized students and convinced them they could succeed. She said, “You can make it with the right supports. That’s the theme through every leadership position I have held.”

She pursued her PhD in higher education administration at the University of South Carolina just to see if she could do it. “I shouldn’t have finished high school, much less gone to college,” said Britt. In the pressure-filled situation, she tapped into the nuggets of wisdom that others had poured into her. She learned the first rule of leadership, know yourself. “Coach Settle helped me get to know myself and find the strength within me. That’s what I tap into when the going gets tough. What we learn when we’re

younger helps us as we grow if we build upon it,” she said.

During her dissertation research, the committee suggested she interview the chancellor of the Virginia community college system. Britt said, “The chancellor challenged me to finish my doctorate and come serve in the Virginia system.” She took him up on the offer and worked at several Virginia community colleges before accepting her current position. Virginia has studied equitable outcomes and has put programs in place to help the marginalized be successful.

Now in the Aspen Presidential Fellowship, all the lessons Britt has learned are coming together. She said, we are studying how to help the most underserved be as successful as those not coming from behind.

The partnership between Stanford and Aspen is about closing the achievement gap.

“The moments when you know you have gotten it right is when students come by to say you inspired me to make it,” said Britt.

“Everything you have been through prepares you to help that one student in a way. Happens again and again and again. If I lose that humility, that servant heart, I can’t help them.” She has learned that if she helps the most marginalized to be successful, then others will rise under her leadership also.

Britt called on the strength she learned on the track team when she faced her biggest challenge yet early this year – losing her oldest daughter, Hunter, to suicide. She started running every day, pushing herself physically in order to heal emotionally. “I used the quiet time to process and to heal. The whole time, I heard Jim Settle’s voice screaming in my head.”

Though difficult, she’s been able to come out on the other side in the healing process.

Britt is focused on finishing the Aspen program, taking next steps to serve as a college president to build teams and strategic initiatives to help all students be successful.

She enjoys time with her youngest daughter, a junior at the College of William and Mary, and traveling with her closest friend.

Britt is fond of saying, “Ive had a good run. I tell people, despite all the challenges, even with losing Hunter, my oldest daughter who passed away in 2020, that I do not hold on to anger, bitterness, and hurt,” she said.

Life has challenged her, but she never gave up and remains at peace. “I have had a tremendous life with much happiness. To come out and not be hardened – praise God.”

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PROFILES IN DR. ASHLEY MILNER ’89 Dr. Ashley Milner is an Assistant Professor of Education at the University of Mobile in Mobile, Alabama. She is also an Early Childhood Specialist and is a National Board Certified Teacher.

Photo provided

Teaching and Learning I love working with children because they are curious, uninhibited, genuine, and enthusiastic about life and learning. I thrive on knowing that I have made a difference in the lives of my students, and I cherish the relationships I have developed with children and families. In my current position, preparing future teachers, I am blessed to be able to share my enthusiasm for teaching and learning with our future teachers.

Motivating Future Teachers Providing future teachers with field experiences in the schools early in their coursework gets them motivated and keeps them motivated because this is where the real learning takes place for them. Sharing stories of student success, presenting lessons that are relevant, interactive, collaborative and engaging helps my future teachers see what CSU GOLD it takes to keep their future students motiPantone ® 7503 C or 10124 Metallic vated and engaged.

CMYK: 10,15,50,29 RGB: 168,153,104 HTML: #A89968

Coping with Remote Learning We have participated in many Zoom class meetings, discussion forums, and video presentations during the pandemic. We have also integrated resources such as The Teaching Channel, NAEYC Virtual Institute, Cox Campus, and others to provide virtual field experience and professional development opportunities for our students.

A Changing Educational Landscape In the coming years, I feel that teachers will be presenting learning experiences virtually on a regular basis; families will continue to be given the virtual school option, and we will all be much more conscientious about being in close proximity with others.

These things in combination may contribute to a society that is less affectionate and compassionate which is concerning. I do feel that students, parents and other stakeholders have become much more aware of the value of school and the importance of personal human contact that takes place within schools since we have been forced to quarantine and maintain social distancing.

Best Advice I’ve Been Given “Remember why you teach.” We teach for the joy of being with children and making a difference.

Instilling in Future Educators I hope to instill a passion for teaching and learning in my future teachers. I hope that I model and instill positivity, encouragement, and enthusiasm for life itself and for helping children become happy, productive citizens.

I hope that my future teachers see and cultivate the strengths and assets of each child.

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LEADERSHIP CLIFF MARSHALL ’91 Cliff Marshall is Team Leader for the Start Team (church planters) for the South Carolina Baptist Convention. He has a background in student ministry. In 2004, he worked on planting a church, Freedom Fellowship in Greer, South Carolina. He served as pastor of Freedom Fellowship until joining the SCBC in 2015. He and his wife, Sherry Mathis Marshall ’89, have two daughters, Emily, a 2017 CSU graduate, and Grace, a current CSU student.

Sherry and Cliff Marshall . Photos provided

Growing Church Planters Right now my role is leading leaders, leading the team as they influence church planters out in the field. Our big thing, we try to be more coaches than consultants.

The church planters in Goose Creek, Myrtle Beach, Seneca, etc., they are the experts on that area. We coach, try to lead them to think differently, stretch them to take on more challenges, and do things that will make them a better leader.

Our team sees ourself more as encouragers than experts. What church planters are trying to do is difficult, challenging for them and their families. It’s hard, but they are making a difference and an impact.

Really, every church is a church plant.

At one point that church didn’t exist. In the 1980s, 90s, early 00s, church planting became contentious, but for the most part that has gone away. South Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the country, and existing churches need to plant churches.

There is a better culture of cooperation for planting churches than there used to be.

Restarting Churches When churches are needing a restart, we rely a lot on local leadership and on the local association. As state convention workers, we want to partner well. We’ve got church planters working all over the state.

dent minister and loved it; God used me and Sherry during that time to do neat things. It was such a rewarding thing to take the risk when I felt like God challenged me to plant a church.

Working During a Pandemic This year has been the strangest time.

Church plants that were meeting in schools can’t meet now, and they wonder, are we going to survive? Our team tries to be in contact as close as we can, through texting, phone calls, as a voice that comes into these guys’ lives. We try to tell them God hasn’t forgotten you and provide a voice of reason.

Sometimes we all need an outside voice to say let’s look at it and find things to celebrate together.

Taking a Risk When I finished at CSU in 1991, I knew I wanted to go into ministry. I felt God’s call to be a youth minister. I never envisioned planting or pastoring a church. I was a stuSherry, Grace, and Cliff Marshall

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CSU magazine 15

PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP

LEADING

DENNIS GREENE ’86 Dennis Greene spent 32 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a Colonel. He is finishing a second career as a Federal Investigator with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Denver, retiring Oct. 31, 2020, and serves as Executive Director of the Denver Technological Center/Greenwood Village Chamber of Commerce, located in one of the USA’s top 30 economic zones in south suburban metro Denver. He is currently being recruited for an executive corporate position in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Photo provided

He earned an Associate in administrative management from the Community College of the Air Force, a Bachelor’s in business management from CSU, a Master’s degree in human resources management from Troy State University, and a Master’s in strategic studies from Air University at Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.

Interest in the Air Force Leads to Career I wanted to be in uniform from the time I was seven and read about the Cub Scouts in World Book Encyclopedia but never mentioned it to anyone because I knew we could not afford it. This desire continued at age 11 being named “Top Camper” during a youth City (Savannah, Georgia) Social Program, Summer 1971 at Fort Stewart, Ga. I wanted to go into the Air Force right out of high school along with a childhood friend, but my mother resisted and since I was still only 17, she would not sign for me as a minor. My stepfather is a double Purple Heart recipient, Marine Corps, Vietnam, 1965 who almost died in combat. Mom was having nothing to do with me following in his footsteps.

Coming from a strong Southern Baptist background, I attended Chowan College, running varsity track and secretly enlisted in the Air Force May 24, 1979, when I was old enough to sign for myself at 19. Mom was not happy. A pastor, she did pray for me daily, which helped immensely. My first assignment was at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base in September 1979.

It was there several of us Airmen met Major Turner Wilford from Det 772, Bap-

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tist College at Charleston, who often made recruiting trips to the base. Several of my friends and I made a pact to become Officers, a few of us through Det 772, including Anthony “Tony” Mattox ’84, Curtis Jones ’83, and Nick Demarco ’86.

Nick and I even won the campus intramural basketball championship for ROTC the year we graduated and were commissioned in 1986. I was proud to have been named one of three ROTC Distinguished Graduates. Tony became a pilot and retired as a Major; Curtis became a navigator and retired as a Major; and Nick and I retired as full Colonels, way beyond our wildest dreams as Airmen at Myrtle Beach. I retired from the Air Force June 30, 2011.

The lessons learned over my 30+ year Air Force career prepared me well for the corporate world. My proudest Air Force career moment was being the officer who ordered helicopters rescue citizens stranded on their rooftops after the levies broke in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, during my first day on the job as Director of the Air Combat Command Operations Center. That is a story in itself.

Insider Tips for Success as a Leader Always be true to yourself, especially when you’re tempted with an opportunity that’s just a little bit out of your lane. The best that can happen is that you perform well in constant mental anguish, with failure looming for the worst. Also, always remember, nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care!

My Motivation Moving forward toward goals for my family, my community and for myself. Having lost several close friends recently, knowing tomorrow is not promised motivates me to make the most of each day.

Favorite Books that Inspire John Maxwell’s Leadership Bible, and Colin Powell’s autobiography, My American Journey.

I contributed to a book published in late September, Paradoxes of Power. For more information see my blog, “Why We Wrote This Book, Part II” at www.paradoxesofpower. com. [Follow Dennis on LinkedIn to read more of his recent articles.]

Methods for Motivating Your Team Transparency is key, fueled by core values I learned in the Air Force of integrity, service before self, and excellence in all you do. Always remember, a leader without followers is simply taking a walk.

Passing on Values To always get up after being knocked down. My life on paper looks pretty good. However, I’ve been knocked down more than once, starting life over following divorce, being a single father, and finding redemption through God’s love, grace, and mercy. I’m happy to say that redemption includes Jacqueline, the love of my life, my 36-year-old (step) son Durell, and my 32-year-old son, Darryl. We go by 3D – Dennis, Darryl, and Durell. So always know that God is a forgiving God, and that when things look bleak, He’s always got your back.

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DAN DUPRE ’98 Dan DuPre is Special Events Coordinator for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and oversees the Palmetto Sportsman’s Classic and Camp Wildwood. He was selected SCDNR Employee of the Year for the Executive Division in 2018. Dan and Jill Weigle DuPre have been married 18 years and met at CSU. She transferred to Gardner-Webb after 1.5 years at CSU to earn a degree in American Sign Language and Interpreting and is now the Minister to the Deaf at First Baptist Church, Columbia. They have two daughters in 5th and 7th grades. Dan was SGA president and the leader of the Orientation Team while at CSU. Photo provided

Department of Natural Resources My career path was picked prior to coming to CSU. I attended a camp, Camp Wildwood, in the summer of 1989, and through that experience, I knew natural resources education and outreach is where I wanted to be. I landed at DNR nine months after graduating and knew I was a lifer. Our mission is to protect and conserve our state’s natural resources, and what better way than to instill that mission in the youth of South Carolina?

Refocusing Your Team in a Global Crisis This year has definitely been a different year. Due to the pandemic, I had to cancel

several programs, but the importance of them never changed. I believe that understanding our goals and objectives and knowing how important the programs are gave me the motivation to stay motivated and motivate my team. We look at it as a pause, and it gives us more time to plan for a better year in 2021.

Advice for Your Younger Self Your career is not a sprint but a marathon. Relationships are important, regardless if they are personal or professional. Listen, listen, listen! Don’t be afraid to take more initiative.

Finding Ideas for Events For me, the best ideas are from my team. I like to create an atmosphere that is safe for everyone to share their ideas and that they have ownership of the program. With ownership, there is buy-in, and they care about the goals and objectives. I guess my role is one of a facilitator of ideas.

Favorite Team Building Ideas Too many to choose from, but what is interesting is I still use many of the icebreaker activities that we used during the orientation of new students at CSU.

Serving as director for Camp Wildwood is one of DuPre’s passions. Photo provided

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CSU magazine 17

PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP

LEADING

DIANA SAILLANT ’06 Diana Saillant is CEO of Saillant Language Consulting which offers the Healthcare Interpreter Training course at CSU. Three cohorts have completed the course, and many participants have gone on to complete national certification. Diana is the founder and president of the Hispanic Business Association of Charleston. She has three daughters, five grandchildren, and is happily married.

Photo provided

Creating Saillant Language Consulting I always wanted to own a business. During my MBA capstone course we had to create a business plan. I thought, “Why not create it on something that I may do in the future?” Since I already had years of experience as an ESOL instructor, I decided on the name Saillant Language Learning. The company started offering ESOL and Spanish language instruction. Soon after, organizations began requesting cross-cultural training.

Years later, I pursued my Healthcare Interpreter Certification. There was a 40-hour prep course requirement. Unfortunately, the nearest class was in Greenville. Once completed, I promised myself that I would find a way to bring the program to Charleston. Upon obtaining my national certification, I contacted the company that offered the class and convinced them to train me to instruct the course.

I wanted to give my alma mater the privilege of becoming the first to offer this opportunity to the community. The training is now part of CSU’s catalog.

According to the Department of Labor, interpreters and translators’ employment will continue to grow by about 29%. I am grateful for the partnership between CSU and Saillant Language Consulting to serve and create opportunities for the increasing non-English speaking community.

Addressing Cross-Cultural Needs in Companies Organizations must seek leaders who lead by example. Are they focusing on the obligation to comply or because it is the right thing to do? How is leadership getting behind di-

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versity and inclusion? Do they have the right resources? Do they have a vision of what the organization will look like once the needs are met? Have they created a well-thought-out plan and the metrics to assess its progress?

Relationship-building is at the core of addressing cross-cultural needs. Servant leadership goes a long way. Creating an environment where individuals feel safe and confident about asking any question is critical.

Fostering relationships requires trust, and building trust demands time. Companies need to understand that it may take some time before noticing any progress. The good news is that, although change may go undetected, a cultural transformation is slowly taking place.

Fallacies about the Necessity of Cross-Cultural Training One of the biggest fallacies is that a yearly workshop will take care of an organization’s cross-cultural needs. A mandatory class does not do it. You can’t build relationships by going to training once or twice a year. What happens after the training? Are there action steps to be taken? Are employees being held accountable? Are relationships continuing to grow? How is leadership tracking progress?

Organizations must find ways to foster genuine interest among employees of diverse cultures.

Companies must understand that properly addressing cross-cultural needs takes time, effort, and money. The question organizations should be asking is “How can we, or who can help us, provide avenues in which our multicultural employees can build relationships with each other?”

Understanding Others It may sound cliché, but as humans, we have more similarities than differences.

We’ve heard it time and again. Thoughts lead to feelings. Feelings lead to actions.

Knowledge (in the head) leads to feelings (in the heart), which then generates the wisdom to act. As the wisest man that ever lived succinctly put it, “Wisdom is before him that hath understanding” (Proverbs 17:24).

Wisdom is the ultimate goal. However, before wisdom, we need understanding, and understanding requires desire. The missing link is understanding. The average person can come to better understand those from other cultures by desiring to understand different cultures.

Biggest challenges as a Business Woman During the first few years in business, it was not easy to get people to pay attention to what I offered. It was not until I understood the profoundness of St. Francis of Assisi’s words, “It is through giving that we receive” that things began shifting. I started volunteering on targeted boards of directors and founded the Hispanic Business Association. I gave, gave, and then gave.

Staying Current in a Rapidly Changing Business World Be flexible. Constantly innovate while thinking outside of the box. Listen to what is going on and what people are saying. Listening to what’s going on not only helps you recognize a need; it sometimes creates one.

Keep in mind that out of every misfortune, a need is born. COVID-19 has created many new opportunities for entrepreneurs and business owners.

Do your homework. Research your target market. What are your client’s three major problems? How can you solve them? Be ready and pitch your deal thoroughly and succinctly.

Favorite Part of Being a Business Leader?

Enabling others to discover their uniqueness and achieve what they thought was impossible is my favorite part. People often tell me how much they’ve always wanted to own a business, not realizing that they can do it. Sometimes, just pointing them in the right direction or making them aware of their resources takes them to the next level.

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LEADING

HEATHER CROTHERS ’09, SHRM-SCP Heather Crothers is Vice President and Human Resources Innovation Manager at South State Bank and holds SHRM-SCP, senior certified professional status. She and her husband, fellow 2009 CSU alum Scott Crothers, have two children, a 3-year-old son and an 18-month-old daughter. Scott is an athletic trainer with the Clemson University football team and is a CSU Alumni Association board member.

Photo provided

Human Resources Innovation HR Innovation is a unique area of Human Resources focused on developing creative solutions to ensure HR is operating as effectively and efficiently as possible. We accomplish this through HR technology, project management, process improvement, and HR communications. Currently, my team is comprised of two HR Technology Analysts and an HR Project Manager.

In the role of HR Innovation Manager, I have the opportunity to constantly ask the question “How can we do this better?” I then coordinate a team to creatively solution the issue and lead the implementation of the project plan. These solutions are fueled with the purpose of improving our applicant and employee experience at South State. It’s challenging and fulfilling work.

Best Advice “Don’t forget your why.” It seems so simple and yet is somehow so easy to forget in the midst of the bustle of daily life. Remembering your why challenges you to take a step back and consider how each of your demands and focuses align with God’s will in your life. This ultimately has the power to change your attitude towards your daily responsibilities and will drive and inspire you to keep moving forward on the good days and bad.

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You Never Stop Learning As quickly as industries are evolving today, taking ownership of expanding your professional knowledge is critical to a successful career. I originally joined the bank as an Intern recruited by Jerry Gazes, an adjunct professor in the CSU School of Business. When my internship ended, the bank created a new role for me in the Human Resources department. One of my first projects was to help the bank find and implement a new HR Information System. HRIS systems are used to recruit new employees, process payroll, facilitate benefits enrollment and performance reviews, etc. At that time, HR Technology was still a somewhat new concept to the industry. Needless to say, the project required me to complete extensive research and self-initiated learning. It has been a nonstop, self-learning journey ever since as we continue to expand the HR Innovation area.

Keeping Your Team Focused During a Pandemic Maintaining connectedness and placing additional focus on clear and frequent communication has been key. My team and I meet as a group and within one-on-one meetings several times a week. In these meetings we not only discuss key initiatives and status updates but also connect on how everyone is doing personally.

As a manager during this time, it is important to remain compassionate and flex-

ible to the needs of your team members.

Making a cognizant effort to work with your employees to afford work flexibility and support during these unprecedented times is incredibly important. It is my experience that when you go the extra mile to display genuine care for your team members, it creates a level of trust, engagement, and loyalty that results in a healthy, productive team.

Positioning for the Future Interestingly, our company, South State Bank, announced a merger with CenterState Bank just weeks before the COVID outbreak. This merger is the largest in our history, doubling our employee population to 5,400 employees. In order for the HR Innovation team to be prepared for this extremely rapid growth, we must be in a constant state of evolution through continuously expanding our knowledge and skill sets.

My team is passionate about continuous learning through the means of training/certifications, maintaining awareness of external developments in our field and the industry, asking questions and sharing creative solutions, and working closely with individuals who are willing to share their knowledge and wisdom. This helps to ensure that my team is not only aware of future trends but also that they possess the skills needed to support a growing company.

Advice for Your Younger Self Like many, I face a daily struggle to balance work and family. With this in mind, my advice would be to give yourself grace, live a life with limited regrets, and step back and let God take control. We live in a society where we receive heavy demands from every direction. We are then challenged with prioritizing and responding to these demands.

Pressure to be the perfect employee, spouse, friend, parent...I would encourage myself to take time to frequently evaluate the demands of others and those you place on yourself. To consider these demands prayerfully, and understand that there may be days when you may botch a presentation at work or that you’ve had to feed your children pizza three nights in a row, and that’s ok. You don’t have to be perfect! The important thing is that you continue to place your primary focus on fulfilling the demands that best align with God’s purpose in your life.

CSU magazine 19

PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP

LEADING

TREY OAKLEY ’09 Trey Oakley is the CEO of Williams YMCA of Avery County, North Carolina. In recent years the Williams YMCA of Avery County has been voted Fitness Center of the Year twice and Business of the Year once in Avery County. Trey currently serves on the Board of Directors for the N.C. State Alliance of YMCAs, the Avery County Chamber, the Mitchell County Chamber and is on the Advisory Board for the Lees McRae College School of Nursing.

Photos Provided

He and his wife, Hillary met at CSU. She was an Athletic Trainer, and Trey was a physical education major. They have been married since 2012 and have two children, daughter Parker, 6, and son Paxton, 4.

Why the YMCA? I’m a Y kid. I started playing tee ball at the Clinton, South Carolina, YMCA at age 4. I made friends on that tee ball team that I remain friends with today. Athletics of course were my favorite, but also hanging out with friends afterschool as I got older. My involvement at the Y as a kid led to one of my first jobs as a lifeguard for the Y when I was 15.

My friends and I always said that we were going to “run our Y” one day when we grew up because it seemed like all of the adults just played all day (we were wrong). Little did I know it at the time, but the Y also was my outlet from the day-to-day. My parents divorced when my sister and I were very young. The one place I could always find peace was on the baseball field or at a camp.

Without the Y and the opportunities that were given to me as a kid, there is no telling how life may have been different. I will always remember Ms. Beaufort (front desk attendant) letting me sneak in when finances were a little tight at home. That means a lot more to me now than it did then.

My passion since I was a kid has always been for the Y. My goal now as CEO is that every child that walks in our doors is given the same experience I received or better.

Who knows, my replacement could be in our afterschool program right now!

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Motivating My Team I certainly have no magic wand! When I started my role as CEO in 2013, our staff needed a kick-start. The first thing I did was ask questions, listen, and act on the information I was given. Providing professional development opportunities, developing tracks for advancement, NOT MICROMANAGING, and allowing them to make mistakes and grow, and just let them see that I will fight for them and always have their backs. I’d also say, always follow through on your word. Respect is earned.

Best Leadership Advice Surround yourself with good people and get out of their way! Early on in my career I had to have my hand in everything, and man was that exhausting.

Handling the Unexpected in a Pandemic A lot of prayer, a lot of time in thought, calm, and calculated decisions. In North Carolina, all gyms (the Y is more than a gym!) were closed on March 16 and just reopened at 30% capacity on Labor Day. Since then, my Y has lost over $480,000 in membership, programming, and events revenue. I have had to make tough decisions for the longevity of our organization during this time, but what makes the Y special is our ability to adapt to community needs. We could not control the fact that a pandemic had a stronghold on our country, but we can control our attitudes and how we attack issues. Our Y adapted.

We provided no cost emergency childcare, packed thousands of pounds of food for drive thru pickups; we delivered hundreds of meals and medication to shut in seniors, and we made wellness calls to all of our older adults on our membership roster to ensure that they were well. Although we were hemorrhaging cash from our operating account, we did all of this at no cost and were able to raise every penny necessary to provide the services. Our community, our members, our staff, and our donor base have been and continue to be amazing.

So I would say you assess the issue, assess the health of your organization, develop a plan, rally the troops, and work the plan. We have been incredibly blessed and hope to pass on the good fortune to those around us.

Passing on Values Now more than ever, just love your neighbor. Love each other. Smile more, help a stranger. Leave your community better than you found it.

Williams Y packing meals for the community

Hillary, Parker, Paxton, and Trey Oakley

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

LEADING

DR. ABRAHAM MORRALL ’78 Dr. Abraham Morrall is the CEO of Advance Training and Learning LLC, of Fayetteville, Georgia. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 26 years, retiring as a colonel.

He holds two master’s degrees from Abilene Christian and University of Phoenix, a doctorate from Nova Southeastern University and leadership and management certificates from Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education program. He served an additional 14 years working for the Federal Government.

Photo provided

AFROTC Program and Service in the Air Force The Air Force was always attractive because of my interest in career and academic growth, and AFROTC provided an opportunity to start a career as an officer/professional, serve America, and seek career promotion opportunities.

Career Highlights: • As Assistant Director Military Awards Policy for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, June 1996 – Aug 1998, drafted special congressional legislation to correct military history that allowed seven African Americans to receive the highest military award, Medal of Honor, correcting WWII wrong with awards presentation by President William J. Clinton.

• In August 1998 – August 2000, served as Commander 18th Mission Support Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan, leading approximately 570 assigned and attached personnel providing “Outstanding” support services for a Department of Defense population of 32,000 personnel and family members.

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Teaching Individuals to Serve During an Emergency • Most importantly, individuals working in an emergency management capacity must be adaptive to changing situations and have excellent communication skills to work across different (local community, county, state, military, and federal) cultures.

• Ensure emergency policies, and standard operating procedures (specific procedures for type of emergency incidents) are current.

• Teams should exercise, exercise, exercise with various emergency scenarios and procedures, and conduct an after-action feedback session with lessons learned and draft a final report.

Very grateful for having an opportunity to serve as Chief Domestic Response Operations, Air Force National Security Emergency Preparedness Office coordinating national domestic support during a major crisis, 9-11.

Clients Want to Better Themselves and Teams As CEO of Advance Training and Learning (ATL) Group LLC, I work with clients to identify and solve business process and leadership problems providing training on leadership development and business process tools to improve performance. Clients focus on improving their leadership skills and obtaining promotions by meeting organization goals and creating value for their customers.

Tips for Managing a Remote Team • Basically, companies must emphasize and highlight the importance of their organizational performance goals and objectives; and continue to operate as if team members were in the office with regular staff meetings and check-ins focused on assigned task(s) and status updates.

• Have a remote work site (Telework) agreement approved by management and union(s) that allows employees to work from remote sites with emphasis on completing portable work.

• Organization should have SMART (Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-based) goals that can be drafted into employee performance goals.

• Conduct a monthly business meeting specifically to obtain/discuss business goals/ objectives status.

• Manager/supervisor must have relevant performance measurements in place that ensure the mission and organizational goals are met – data driven system.

Learn more about the Morrall siblings and the scholarship they created in their parents’ memory on page 40.

CSU magazine 21

PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP

LEADING

CORTEZE MORRALL ’86 Corteze Morrall is an Inventory Management Specialist ordering expendable medical supplies for the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Temple, Texas. He is retired from the U.S. Army as a Noncommissioned officer where he trained soldiers and was responsible for requesting and turning in of Class IX repair parts.

Photos Provided

His 20 years in the Army included a combat tour in Iraq from 2004-2005.

Corteze and his wife both have bachelor’s

degrees. Their son is currently working on a bachelor’s degree, and their daughter is in her second year of attaining a master’s degree. Fun

ANGELA MORRALL ’84 Angela Morrall is an Enterprise Architect in the Chief Information Office G-6 at the Office of the Secretary of Defense at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. She has served 33 years in Federal Civil Service. She holds a master’s degree in computer resources and information management from Webster University and has earned numerous leadership certificates.

Photos Provided

Staying current in a rapidly changing world I read books, magazines, laws, policies, regulations, guidance, strategies, procedures, correspondence, memorandums, attend seminars, training courses, etc., pertaining to Information Technology (IT). Also, I Train the Trainer, Train and Retrain.

Insider Tips to Successful Leadership Focus your energy on your employees and other people. Have an interest in your employees’ careers and their contributions to the world.

Provide training opportunities to your employees or have their position descriptions updated in order to get your employees promoted.

Angela’s Leadership Development Plan 1. Leading Change: Develop your leading change strategy. I read The Resilience Factor: 7

22 CSU magazine

Keys to Finding Your Inner Strength and Overcoming Life’s Hurdles by Karen Reivich, Andrew Shattle PhD. 2. Leading People: Develop your ability to lead people by enhancing your conflict management strategy. I read The Art of Managing Everyday Conflict: Understanding Emotions and Power Struggles, by Erik A. Fisher and Steven W. Sharp.

3. Results Driven: Develop your results driven skills by working on your decisiveness and problem solving strategies. I read How Great Decisions Get Made: 10 Easy Steps for Reaching Agreement on Even the Toughest issues,

by Don Maruska, Margaret Wheatley. In all of the jobs that I have held throughout my career, I have made it my business to know and make friends with the janitor on up.

4. Business Acumen: Improve your ability

fact: the Morralls were the featured family during Black History Month at the university both of their children attend.

Values and skills you tried to instill in your team in Iraq Team work, discipline, motivation, character, and integrity.

Proudest about defending your country Serving others. Fighting for equality and justice.

Advice for others making a big career move Use what you have as skills. Just because you start somewhere you don’t have to finish there. Your resume should speak for you.

Your resume should be 3-5 pages.

to manage information technology projects and resources strategically. I read Information Technology Project Management: Providing Measurable Organizational Value by Jack T. Marchewka. I strengthen my business acumen by developing my Information Management strategy. I read Management of Technology: Managing Effectively in Technology–Intensive Organizations by Hans J. Thamhain.

5. Build Coalitions: Improve your alliances with internal and external groups by building coalitions strategies. I was able to sharpen my political savvy and influencing/negotiating strategies because I read a book titled Political Savvy: Systematic Approaches to Leadership Behind-the Scenes, by Joel R. DeLuca.

Keeping Your Team Motivated I empower employees with the resources to accomplish their duties. Stimulate employees to be self-starters who are willing to take the initiative to do any task. Demonstrate excellent followership. Coach employees to be accountable, have high self-esteem and to be very productive. Keep leaders and employees abreast of organizational changes.

One of the tools in my personal leadership philosophy is the chain reaction effect of empowering others with knowledge: I empower you with knowledge; your payment to me is to empower someone else with knowledge.

My quote is that “leaders and employees should always be willing to self-sacrifice for the team and team members.”

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

LEADING

FORTY UNDER 40, 2020

T

hree people with ties to Charleston Southern made the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s 23rd annual Forty Under 40 list.

According to CRBJ, “The annual awards recognize the success and community involvement of 40 professionals under age 40 who are making their mark on the region from a mix of industry, professional, and community sectors.” Individuals and businesses nominate people for the list.

Making the list for 2020 are: • Gabrielle Poole, founding director of the CSU Physician Assistant program • Karriema Calhoun ’11 MBA, senior process analyst for The Boeing Company • Grayson Dorr ’12 MBA, investment finance manager for the South Carolina Research Association

Grayson Dorr, photo by SCRA

Karriema Calhoun, photo by Aneris Photography

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

Gabrielle Poole, photo by Richard Esposito

CSU magazine 23

SERVING

FROM

WALK-ON CAPTAIN TO

A STORY OF PERSEVERANCE AND LEADERSHIP

By Austin Bradley, CSU Athletic Communications / Photos by Jim Killian

Nick Salley, Garris Schwarting, Ethan Ray, and Justin McIntire arrived at Charleston Southern University with the odds stacked against them. Instead of taking advantage of a scholarship offer from another school or hanging up their cleats, these student-athletes took a chance on themselves and their athletic abilities.

The walk-on journey is not a desirable one because there is never a guarantee that a student-athlete will earn a scholarship – they have to go to practice and prove they belong every day with hopes the coaching staff will notice and elevate their role on the team.

For these four players, their abilities were apparent early on when Head Coach Autry Denson and the current CSU coaching staff took over the helm of the Buccaneers’ football program in January 2019.

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Garris Schwarting

SERVING

R

“

ight away what we saw in them (Nick, Garris, Ethan, and Justin) was the ability to lead, and more importantly, the willingness to want to be led,” Denson said. “They didn’t know us from Adam, but they accepted the different things we brought in and the culture we were trying to establish. They embraced our championship habits, our standards and excelled in their ability to apply it. They had what we like to call blind faith.”

Denson recalled an exercise he utilized to get to know the players a little better. Early on, he asked the team if they had to make one phone call to anyone on the team about a life problem, who they would reach out to.

It was unanimous that it would be one of the current 2020 six captains: Nick Salley, Garris Schwarting, Justin McIntire, Ethan Ray, Jack Chambers, or Geoffrey Wall.

For a former walk-on to earn the recognition of his peers is an incredible accomplishment and speaks to the leadership and intangibles each of these players brings to the team.

“As coaches, we look for guys who naturally or intentionally exhibit those Buccaneer championship habits, which is putting the team before yourself, being unified and understanding the bigger picture,” Denson said.

“We are an outreach ministry that has an important football component. It’s important because we use athletics as a platform on which we influence and win lives for Christ.”

He said, “Obtaining the title as a captain of the CSU football ministry means you must live the standards day in and day out which are: Give a God-honoring effort with a Godhonoring attitude. Understanding that we’re champions in Christ so we’re required to do more. They understand that it’s all about being significant - the more they do, the more they can be a blessing to others. Tying all of that together is our pillars which are Faith, Family, and Football and never allowing that order to be distorted for anything.”

Long Snapper – The Unsung Hero For Ethan Ray, the journey to CSU started in Boiling Springs, where he watched his cousin, Matthew Broome, long snap at Coastal Carolina. He grew a love for the position from his interactions with his cousin that continues to this day.

Ray earned both conference and national recognition over the last two seasons as an All-American and a two-time All-Conference

26 CSU magazine

selection, as well as leading the Bucs’ special teams in punts downed. However, when he first came on campus as a freshman, Ray was behind another All-American on the depth chart with no guarantees of playing early.

Joseph Smith was an established long snapper and followed up an All-American season after being recognized by the STATS FCS organization in 2016. He was also a key part in helping CSU earn its first outright Big South Conference championship and the ensuing FCS Playoff bid.

Smith took Ray under his wing, working with him on the ins and outs of CSU football and helped polish his craft early during his time with the Bucs.

This is something Assistant A.D. for Football/Baseball Operations and Special Teams Coordinator David Padilla demands from his older players. He said that he “mentors the mentors” and allows his older players to bring along the younger guys in their own ways.

“One of the expectations of Joseph Smith was to mentor and train Ethan Ray when he first came in,” Padilla said. “It wasn’t something that was suggested. It’s part of what we do in our specialist unit; every person is assigned to somebody else when they come in new, and their job is to mentor them through every aspect of what’s in our room, not just football.”

Ray credits Smith for his early development.

“He taught me how to adapt to be a college athlete and how to manage my time wisely,” Ray said. “Joe went really hard in the weight room, and I always wanted to keep up with him while I was a young guy.”

Another player who played a monumental role in the development of Ray was punter/ holder Kyle Reighard. The long snapper – punter and long snapper – holder exchanges are arguably the most important in football.

The fact the two had such good chemistry made the operation time of the two units elite.

“The dynamic between the two was orchestrated by God because in all my other captains you didn’t have the combination you have with Ethan and Kyle when they were players,” Padilla said. “Kyle was the punter, and Ethan was the long snapper. There is no greater relationship on a football field between anybody other than your long snapper and your punter.

In the punting game, the ball travels the longest on any snap which means it has to be fast, accurate, and concise. So, that relationship

alone creates that dynamic.”

Long snappers don’t usually hear the phrase ‘hey man, good snap’ often. Their job is basically to be unnoticed on the football field.

However, it has not been the case for Ray as he became the first Buccaneer in program history to earn National Special Teams Player of the Week honors by the STATS FCS organization after recovering two fumbles against Gardner-Webb. Games like that led to Ray being a member of the 2019 Phil Steele First Team AllBig South long snapper and 2019 Phil Steele Third Team All-American long snapper.

A huge reason why Ray fits the role of a captain is because of his selflessness and his willingness to put the team before himself.

“The accolades are nice, but I really just want to win football games. I just want to go out and win, that’s what my goal is.”

Earning and maintaining the trust of teammates and coaches may be added pressure for some players. Ray took the responsibility head-on and showed why he was named a captain. “I’m a pretty vocal sideline guy as it is,” Ray admitted. “I bring a calming sense to the sideline because it gets hectic.”

Padilla said, “I’ve known Ethan for a little over eight years now, since he was a sophomore at high school and came to one of our camps. Seeing the growth he’s made and the consistency he’s maintained over the years brings me a sense of pride as his coach.”

Continuing the Defensive Line Legacy Since Nick Salley’s early days at Colleton County High School, he’s had the heart of a lion. Salley was a relatively undersized 165-pound linebacker/edge rusher at Colleton County, but he was effective for the Cougars, accounting for 83 tackles and forcing four turnovers as a senior.

“I was always smaller than the dudes who were in front of me, but I seem to always be more technical than everybody else,” Salley said. “They had the size, but they weren’t completing the assignments the way that coach wanted them done.”

As an undersized walk-on to CSU, Salley knew his work ethic could never be in question. He learned quickly to take pride in everything he did because he understood he was under constant evaluation from the coaching staff. His success is directly correlated to the underdog mentality he still carries to this day.

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Defensive Line Coach Jason Brooks noticed this mentality and work ethic from Salley when he stepped on campus in January 2019.

“He still carries that chip on his shoulder,” Brooks said. “He still practices and works in the weight room and still carries himself like a walk-on trying to earn a spot for the first time. I’ve never seen him get complacent, take it easy, or back off over my two years of being here.”

Salley, a protégé to one of the best defensive edge-rushing tandems in Big South football history, Anthony Ellis and Solomon Brown, picked up on small details from both of their games to help improve his own.

He focused on the technical side in patterning his pass rush moves from Ellis, a twotime Big South Defensive Player of the Year.

He took the leadership aspect from Brown, a four-time All-Conference selection, and was challenged to focus on the little things like hustling to the ball and doing everything full speed all the time.

“He (Brown) would always harp on the small things,” Salley said. “He was another technician who would always dot his I’s and cross his T’s when it came to technique.”

Salley said, “I was right behind him, and I went in when he needed to come off. He wasn’t really used to that; he was used to always being in the game all the time.”

Salley was constantly adding to his bag of pass rush moves by watching these guys, and he credits his success to learning from a variety of players across the field. It helped add to his versatility and made him an asset to the defense in his early CSU career by being able to take quality, meaningful game reps.

Part of earning a coaches’ trust and earning more game reps includes showing a pattern of working hard every day, taking care of business in the classroom and taking initiative in the film room. Defensive Coordinator/ Linebackers Coach Zane Vance witnessed very early on how Salley was excelling in all three areas daily.

“Nick is incredibly mature,” Vance said.

“You don’t get a bunch of emotional highs and lows and silliness from him. He’s where he’s supposed to be, and he’s another guy that stays off of the negative lists.”

While his athletic ability has garnered him accolades off the field by way of All-American and All-Conference recognition, his leadership ability off the field has also been rec-

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

Ethan Ray

CSU magazine 27

Justin McIntire

ognized by both his peers and the coaching staff. In Salley’s case, he finds his leadership ability comes from voicing the thoughts of his teammates to the coaches and vice versa and providing a clear conduit of communication to both parties.

“It’s not as easy as everybody thinks it is,” Salley said. “Being a captain is having to represent every teammate the right way; you have to present things to administration or the coaches in an articulate way.”

Denson said, “He has the courage to always be the one to speak up when no one else is willing to jump on that sword. He also has worked to have those tough conversa-

28 CSU magazine

tions with us on behalf of his teammates.”

As a former walk-on, Salley feels he would be doing a disservice to his younger walk-on teammates if he allows them to just get by.

Getting by isn’t winning football and more importantly getting by won’t get them a scholarship.

As Salley continues to develop into a stronger leader, his main focus is representing each one of his teammates in the right way and continuing to be a strong voice for and to his teammates.

From Cali to Charleston There aren’t a lot of guys who have had

their faith and love for the game tested like Justin McIntire. Prior to his senior year at East Jessamine High School, McIntire suffered a catastrophic leg injury which left him sidelined for the remainder of the season.

At the time, even though McIntire was optimistic about his return, the doctors felt otherwise. One of the doctors looked the then-17-year-old in the eyes and said that his football career was over and that he would be lucky if he could walk the same after surgery.

McIntire faced a career-defining choice: either listen to the doctors or battle his way through the recovery process to get back onto the field. The injury also left him with

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

SERVING

the unfortunate reality that he was not going to have a scholarship offer waiting for him when he came back.

Because of his love of the game, McIntire took a chance on himself and moved across the country to East Los Angeles College where he lined up under Head Coach Bobby Godine.

McIntire reflected on some of the hardships he faced while pursuing his love of the game. “Rent was $2,000 a month, so it wasn’t uncommon for me and seven teammates to split the rent of a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with $200 worth of EBT a month,” McIntire said. “At one point we had up to 15 guys living in that apartment. It taught me a number of things about myself and how to stay focused on the positives and move forward.”

Coming off of the leg injury and dealing with the housing and food situations at East Los Angeles, McIntire realized that he couldn’t let the bad times define him; he was in control of his own destiny.

This time “taught me how strong I am,” McIntire said. “Mentally, I feel like I’m stronger than most people, and I can utilize that to my advantage throughout life.”

The decision to walk-on at CSU came about because of this internal confidence.

McIntire started out as mostly a special teams player and a rotation player in his first season with the Bucs, but his drive and work ethic led to early success.

Vance realized McIntire was the real deal and would be an impact player for the Buccaneers in the 2018 season when he witnessed McIntire’s first interception against GardnerWebb to ice the game away.

“When McIntire first came on campus, I didn’t know him from Adam’s house cat,” Vance laughed. “However, he made a beautiful drop on a perimeter route against the Runnin’ Bulldogs and stepped in front of a pass and intercepted it to pretty much end the game and solidify a shut out for us. That kind of put him on everybody’s radar.”

McIntire went on to earn conference recognition as the Special Teams Player of the Week in CSU’s 12-7 win over Campbell after blocking and recovering a punt against the Camels. As a linebacker he added 10 tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and an interception in his first season.

In 2019, McIntire’s game continued to develop as he became known as one of the Bucs’ top ball-hawks. McIntire led CSU with

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

three fumble recoveries and added two interceptions in his junior season, while starting all 12 games.

His success on the field and the leadership mentality he brings to the team shines through when he talks about the competition and teaching aspects that happen on the field and in the meeting rooms. Although teammates are often competing against each other for the same position and often the same playing time, McIntire has learned that you also need to be willing to help one another become the best players you can be for the good of the team.

“When I first came in, a former teammate of mine Craig Johnson sat me down and taught me everything about the playbook,” McIntire laughed. “When I came off the field, he would pull me aside and tell me what I need to improve on and what I need to do better.”

McIntire said, “Even though we were competing against each other for playing time, he would kind of be like an additional coach and that really helped me. It set the example of what a real leader should be.”

McIntire’s story isn’t over until he says it is, and he strives to be a leader through his hard work and his willingness to interact with the other players, while providing a standard of excellence across the board.

“Nobody outworks J-Mac,” Denson said.

“His work ethic speaks for itself. He’s the standard other guys look to and try to match.”

Quiet Storm – the Rise of #SchwartingTime The soft-spoken Garris Schwarting certainly has a big personality when he steps between the white lines of the football field.

Known as a “lunch pail guy” by Denson, Schwarting comes across as a player who never wants the credit and always leads by his actions instead of his words.

Coming from small-town Bamberg, Schwarting had the odds stacked against him early in his career at CSU because: 1) he was a walk-on wide receiver and 2) he came from a run-heavy Bamberg-Ehrhardt team.

For those reasons he had early difficulties in learning the ins and outs of the position when he first arrived at CSU. Even coming from a small town, Schwarting never thought playing Division I football was impossible because he saw both his brother Tav Schwarting (Presbyterian College, 2014-15) and his brother’s best friend K.C. Crosby (University of South Carolina, 2014-

18) go on to line up at the highest level.

Having those guys as role models and also seeing other student-athletes from his class go on to play in college assured Schwarting that it doesn’t matter where you’re from, talent and work ethic will be recognized.

As a freshman, Schwarting knew he would have to work twice as hard just to be noticed as a walk-on. One thing he always takes pride in is his knowledge of the little nuances he utilizes to get open.

His knowledge was never more evident than this past season when he led the Buccaneers in total receiving yards (575) and added his first two collegiate 100-yard games.

He also posted a career-high 39 catches and four touchdowns. His ability to get open was especially appreciated by Wide Receivers Coach Antwan Toomer.

“My favorite quality about Garris is he’s so unorthodox especially when getting open that it works,” Toomer said. “You can put that kid in any type of offense or any kind of system and that kid is going to thrive.”

With the loss of Kameron Brown (Finished 22nd in the FCS in receiving touchdowns: 10), Schwarting will be the primary target this coming season. However, that’s not his primary concern. His main focus will be to continue to lead by example in working hard every day to become a better player.

The inevitable mindset of a walk-on is that you always have to be willing to do what the team needs of you. This was the case last year when Schwarting (who never returned a punt before in his career) was thrust into the punt return role against The Citadel. He ended up recording a 54-yard return his first return and finished third in the Big South in punt return average (12.5) in 2019.

“You have to know that this is what you want to do, and it’s going to take time because confidence is key especially as a walkon,” Schwarting said. “It’s important because you know the scholarship guy is going to get the opportunities, so you have to trust that when you get the opportunity you’ll make the best of it” Being a walk-on can make one’s confidence fluctuate. You can’t necessarily depend on anyone telling you to keep your head up after a bad day. In his role of captain, Schwarting looks to be more vocal to the entire team, and as a player, he wants to continue to be the guy the Bucs can go to at any moment for a catch.

CSU magazine 29

SERVING

Nick Salley

Buccaneer Men As a walk-on, your position on the football team is never set in stone. You cannot become complacent, and there needs to be an internal drive to not only better yourself but also better the team and everyone around you.

Vance said, “If you can live without football, you probably shouldn’t be a walk-on because great walk-ons can’t imagine getting up on a day and not be attached to the football program. All four of these players kept the same mindset and grit they arrived on campus with to this day and are currently reaping the benefits from it.”

For Ray, Salley, McIntire, and Schwarting, their desire as former walk-ons led to them earning the trust of their coaches and peers.

Earning trust from one human being is hard enough as it is. Imagine trying to earn the trust of 125 of your peers and 17 of your elders. The only way to earn trust is to

30 CSU magazine

show that you can do the right thing on a consistent basis. These four student-athletes did that and plenty more to not only earn a scholarship but also be seen by their teammates and coaches as captains and leaders of the CSU Football Ministry.

Coach Denson outlines clear criteria in what it means to be a captain when he described the characteristics of what it means to be a Buccaneer man.

“A Buccaneer Man is someone who rejects passivity, accepts responsibility, leads courageously, and expects God’s reward,” he said. “The responsibilities of a Buccaneer man are he has a will to obey which has been outlined in the Bible through scripture; he has a work to do at home, on campus and in the community, and one day God’s going to bless him with a wife to love. These studentathletes exceed these standards consistently and that’s what went into the decision of

choosing them as captains.”

During these trying times, captains have one of the hardest jobs of all which is holding their teammates accountable for helping stop the spread of the coronavirus and helping fight racism in the community. The team took on the mantra We Choose Love, and each one of the captains has made a commitment to be the biggest advocate for it.

All four of these players came to this campus without a guarantee but had confidence in themselves to show why they deserved a chance to positively contribute to the team.

Now that they have established themselves on the field, they focus on upholding their commitment to being model student-athletes, community leaders, and advocates for their teammates on a daily basis.

Austin Bradley is a graduate student at Hampton University and is an intern with CSU Athletic Communications this fall.

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

SERVING

LESSONS ON LEADERSHIP: THE STORY BEHIND CSU’S NEW GLOBAL LEADERSHIP CENTER

By Jenna Johnson

Jay Strack at CSU Commencement 2018, where he received an honorary doctorate from the university. File photo

W

ith a testimony of a life riddled with drug addiction, an abusive childhood, and a learning disability, Dr. Jay Strack ‘75 has shared his story worldwide for more than 30 years. A story that ultimately opened multiple doors of ministry.

“I went from being a victim to a villain. I became the Jesse James of my own life,” said Strack of his days prior to attending Charleston Southern University (then Baptist College). His time as a student proved to have everlasting impact through servant leaders and mentors like Fred Worthy, distinguished professor of computer science.

Worthy and his wife, Susan, discovered that conventional learning was not working nor was it an option for Strack, who later was diagnosed with a learning disability. Worthy and fellow faculty arranged courses and provided oral exams to assist Strack in developing his full potential.

Their actions moved the young Strack, who had already been rejected by other colleges, to see more in himself.

“I was so sensitive to being called stupid and dumb, but no one knew about dyslexia back in the day. What Fred Worthy and his wife did, it changed my life,” Strack said.

“Charleston Southern went the third and fourth mile for me. They recognized that

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

maybe there’s some other ways to learn. They gave me opportunities.”

Since his time at CSU and his own personal salvation experience, Strack has made a career out of his mission to provide “edutainment” to young adults and teens.

In 1976, Strack founded Student Leadership University, whose mission is to develop and equip student leaders to think, dream, and lead. SLU offers leadership training via annual conferences—also called “leadership adventures”—where high school students attend workshops and hear from top world and national leaders. SLU 101 begins in major U.S. cities such as Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio. Students then progress to 201 in Washington, D.C.; 301 in Europe; and, finally, 401 in Israel.

“I’ve spent most of my life trying to keep young people from making the choices I made and trying to help young people fall in love with Jesus,” he said.

Strack’s alma mater has been closely involved with SLU for more than 20 years. CSU provides interns each year for SLU 101, and university representatives attend the conference to share information with prospective students. Other Christian universities also send representatives to recruit at SLU events. Each year, more than 100 students choose to attend CSU after participation in an SLU event.

A New Partnership This year, Charleston Southern and Strack launched an initiative that marries SLU’s mission with CSU’s faith-based academics—the Strack Center for Global Leadership and Ministry. Where the Whitfield Center for Christian Leadership focuses on marketplace curriculum and events, the Strack Center will focus primarily on prospective students in high school and offer academic credit.

Nick Ballenger, director of the Strack Center and professional admissions, is excited to see what the future holds for this partnership.

He said that the new center will be a necessary and vital tool to building upon CSU’s sustainable and growing enrollment. “We are looking to partner with high schools and

build online curriculum that is relevant and that leads nationwide,” said Ballenger. “Our faculty, who are passionate about teaching and from a biblical worldview, make an imprint on students—intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.”

The vision for the Strack Center includes offering majors, minors, and certificates in conjunction with the College of Christian Studies and CSU Online. All courses will be offered online in order to best reach students no matter where they are in the world.

The curriculum will focus on three key areas: biblical worldview and apologetics, youth culture and ministry, and global leadership strategies. Strack said he believes these core competencies are the best way to build a generation of leaders, and that Charleston Southern should be the epicenter for that.

“We believe that youth ministers and educators are the gatekeepers for a generation,” he said. “We live in an ever-changing world, and we have got to be the place where they receive an education that is intuitive and adaptive, that allows them to go anywhere in the world—inner city, rural church, mega church, nonprofit.”

The partnership also includes a 10-year sponsorship exclusivity for CSU at SLU events—which means the university will be the sole higher education institution represented. Currently, approximately 95% of SLU participants choose to go to Christian colleges and universities.

“We would love our SLU students to begin taking courses from an accredited, online university,” Strack said. “I believe Charleston Southern can become one of the leaders in the nation for dual enrollment.”

President Dondi Costin believes that this partnership is a global opportunity. “We think that the opportunities here are limitless. The Strack Center is a key element in preparing servant leaders to pursue significant lives, furthering CSU’s founding principle of The Great Commission. I’m thrilled that Jay has decided to come home, and I look forward to the Lord extending Jay’s legacy in the lives of today’s students at his alma mater.”

CSU magazine 31

SERVING

DR. RON HARVELL NAMED FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE DEWEY CENTER FOR CHAPLAINCY

By CSU Marketing and Communication

F

ollowing the announcement of the new CSU Dewey Center for Chaplaincy this summer, Dr. Ron Harvell joined the CSU team as founding director of the center.

Harvell recently retired from 34 years as a North American Mission Board missionary to the U.S. Air Force. He was promoted to Brigadier General and served as the Air Force’s Deputy Chief of Chaplains. Following the Air Force, Harvell and his wife, Marsha, were looking to where the Lord would have them serve next. They were thrilled, thankful, and surprised God called them to CSU and Charleston.

Chaplains are a vital part of God’s work in the world. A chaplain is often the only person of faith people who are unchurched know. A chaplain is also often the only person who brings faith, who represents the Lord, during times of crisis. For people who do not have a pastor, the chaplain becomes their pastor, helping them in their journey.

There are many types of chaplains such as medical, military, prison, first responders, corporate, government (nonmilitary), educational, disaster relief, community, sports, and organizational. Harvell said, “Having a wide variety of chaplains is a good thing because this expands ministry opportunities.

Chaplains are insiders to their organizations and a part of the lives of the people in their company, base, or hospital. They have access because they are one of the team.”

The recent pandemic illustrates why there is an increasing value for chaplains in the world. Medical chaplains move toward those in need, the sick, their families, and the caregivers. Moving toward those in need is a common reaction for chaplains dealing with crisis.

The Dewey Center’s purpose is to prepare chaplains and ministry-minded people to be able to perform their ministries more effectively. The two rails CSU will use for equipping are academic courses and formal training.

On the academic rail, the Dewey Center, as a part of the College of Christian Studies, has developed the first chaplaincy course, Introduction to Crisis Ministry: What Do I Do When? which will be taught in the spring of 2021. This course fulfills an experiential learning requirement for current

32 CSU magazine

Dr. Ron Harvell/photo by Richard Esposito

CSU students by creating learning events for providing ministry in hospitals, prisons, first responders’ locations, military bases, educational environments, and industrial sites.

The second course, once approved, will be in advanced chaplaincy ministry and will be launched in the fall of 2021. Biblical counseling and chaplaincy internships will complete the initial chaplaincy core as the College of Christian Studies is moving to approve a chaplaincy ministry major and minor. The long-range vision is to offer a master’s degree and a doctorate in chaplaincy ministry.

The center’s training rail will provide certifications, continuing education credits, and conferences such as the inaugural Dewey Center Conference in May 2021. This conference will have the Rev. Rob Dewey, the center’s namesake, as a participant and Senior Mentor.

With the Lord’s power, the Dewey Center’s training capacity will be exceptional, international, and vital, making an eternal difference as we equip ministry-minded people to care for themselves and others better.

With the long-range vision in place, the next steps are to discover needs and opportunities as they develop. “We have gone from zero to 200 miles an hour in three months in both the academic and training rails,” said Harvell. “With the Lord’s help, we are figuring this out as we go.”

“For Ron Harvell to be ‘figuring it out as he goes’ is like Boeing’s chief engineer build-

ing an aircraft while it flies,” said President Dr. Dondi Costin. “That the Lord would send the most experienced, highest-ranking active duty Southern Baptist chaplain to serve as the founding director is evidence aplenty that God’s hand is all over the Dewey Center for Chaplaincy. I can’t wait to see what God’s hand does through Ron’s hands as the center takes flight.”

In addition to a bachelor’s degree and three master’s degrees, Harvell holds a Doctor of Ministry from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Asia Graduate School of Theology in Transformational Leadership for the Global City. He has pastored numerous churches, and his military career includes specialty ministry opportunities such as serving as the Senior Pastor at Dover Air Force Base, where he supervised the ministry for the Dover Port Mortuary, worked with the International Mission Board providing mission support to Kenya and Somalia, worked with the United Nations Somalian refugee camps, and served as hospital chaplain for the trauma center at Baghdad International Airport in Iraq.

While in their youth, Ron and Marsha independently felt called to be foreign missionaries. When they were in seminary that calling became refined as a missionary to the military people group, specifically, the Air Force. The Harvells have lived overseas for 11 years and ministered and/or visited 56 countries.

Marsha is an author and conference leader.

The Harvells lead a ministry called God’s Greater Grace Ministries (godsgreatergrace. com) which features their work in praying for families and discipling new believers. The Harvells have authored numerous books, including The Watchman on the Wall devotional series, volumes 1-4, The Covenant Maker: Knowing God and His Promises for Salvation and Marriage, and 50 Steps With Jesus: Learning to Walk Daily With The Lord.

Harvell said, “The Lord has let us do some amazing things. Getting to come to CSU has to be on or near the top of the list. We pray that we will get to see eternal things take place as we launch the Dewey Center for Chaplaincy and have the honor of ministering with the CSU family.”

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

SCHOOL TIES

Alumni News

JOIN US FOR BUCTALKS!

F

amiliar with TED Talks? We are excited to launch BUCTalks. BUCTalks premiered Oct. 1 and can be seen biweekly on the CSU Alumni Association Facebook page at facebook.com/charlestonsouthernalumni and on CSU’s YouTube channel.

ALUMNI CAN ACCESS HANDSHAKE FOR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES You can use Handshake to discover employers and career opportunities, submit applications, and attend career fairs and other events.

Register for an account on bit.ly/CSUBucCareerNetwork - and complete your profile to make the best impression.

A team member from the Career Center office will approve your alumni request and then you can explore thousands of opportunities that are tailored to your interests. You can register with your CSU email address (@csustudent.net) or a personal email address.

CSU ALUM INTERVIEWS FOX’S SHANNON BREAM

W

CBD News 2 reporter Danielle Hensley recently interviewed Shannon Bream, Fox News at Night anchor and chief legal correspondent for Fox, about media coverage in presidential elections for the WCCL’s Biblical Worldview Institute.

Bream said this year’s election coverage has been different because of COVID-19 procedures. Reporters would normally be on the road during an election and establish relationships with the candidates. Like so much else, most interviews are virtual.

“It’s not my duty to sway their [viewers] thinking,” said Bream about the role of journalists. “You have to keep your personal bias out of it. When I am criticized by both sides – I feel like I’m doing my job well.”

Bream said she uses social media but follows all kinds of people so she isn’t in an

echo chamber. She reads a couple dozen newspapers, follows multiple websites and TV stations and fact checks everything.

Bream has made no secret that she is a Christian. She said she has learned to keep her faith the number one thing and to do a reset when she gets stressed. She has been impressed to find out that the solid believers on Capitol Hill hold bipartisan Bible studies where they can find common ground with other believers.

Her advice for believers in following media about presidential elections is to take notes and pay attention to what questions are asked and the answers that are given.

Hensley is a 2018 CSU alumnus and graduated with a major in communication studies.

View the entire interview at youtube.com/ watch?v=dkK2S7yBvYQ.

Did you know?

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

Shannon Bream

Danielle Hensley

You can view digital issues of CSU Magazine at charlestonsouthern.edu/magazine.

Current and past issues are available from issuu.com.

CSU magazine 33

SCHOOL TIES

Class notes 1970s

Albert Doria Jr. ’94, former CSU Student Body President, recently married Jennifer Karen Lucas ’93.

Albert and Jennifer and their five Ray Snyder ’75, ’92, ’01 (honorary), children live in Gilbert. Jennifer was named 2019 Educator of the recently retired from teaching in Year in the Southern United States Lexington District 1 after 25 years, by the American Association of and Albert is the owner of Gulf Community Colleges. He received Coast Insurance in Naples, Florhis BS, MBA, and an honorary ida, and First Carolina Insurance doctorate from CSU and is a Busi- in Lexington, South Carolina. ness Technology Instructor at Trident Technical College. He is Christie Wallace ’97 was named pictured here with his wife, Kathy 2020 Teacher of the Year at PiedSnyder ’77, receiving the award in mont Academy in Monticello, San Francisco.

Georgia. She teaches middle school math.

Terdell Mealing ’02 has joined the staff of G. L. Brightharp & Sons Mortuary and serves as Manager for the Aiken and Edgefield locations. He has taught in the public schools across South Carolina for the past 18 years until making a career change. He is licensed as a Funeral Director and Notary Public for the State of South Carolina.

Terdell holds memberships in the National Funeral Directors and 1990s Jim Shuman ’98, head football Morticians Association, the South coach and science teacher at Carolina Morticians’ Association, Allendale-Fairfax High School, and the Sixth District Morticians’ was selected as the 2020-2021 Association. He has served in the Allendale County Schools District roles of Assistant Secretary and Teacher of the Year in addition to Secretary for the Sixth District being chosen as the Teacher of the Mortician’s Association and is curYear for Allendale-Fairfax High rently the Governor of the Sixth School. He has also been selected District Morticians’ Association. as a member of the coaching staff for the South squad for the upArleen Kennedy ’03 MEd is superSteve Strickland ’92 is the Middle coming 2020 Touchstone Energy intendent of the Balsz Elementary School Pastor at First Baptist Bowl North-South All-Star football School District No. 31 in Phoenix, Church of Indian Trail. He and his game to be played in Myrtle Beach Arizona. She holds a doctor of wife, Dr. Tracy Vassar Strickland in December. education from Morgan State Uni’90, and their two sons live in versity and previously worked in Monroe, North Carolina. Tracy is the public schools in Louisiana. the Union County Public School 2000s Director of Student Support.

Matthew Alexander ’04, cofounder of OneWorld Health, has Jason Usry ’00 and his wife, Shir- been named Vice Chair of the Suley Law Usry, announce the birth pervisory Committee of the South of a daughter, Marigold Usry, born Carolina Federal Credit Union.

June 4.

34 CSU magazine

COMPILED BY JAN JOSLIN

Jason Brewer ’04 and his band, The Explorers Club, released two albums in June with Goldstar Recordings. “The Explorers Club” album features original music, and “To Sing and Be Born Again” features covers of some of the bands who have influenced the group.

The Explorers Club is based in Nashville.

Drena Smith Hazel ’05, and her husband, Kevin Hazel, announce the birth of a daughter, Palynn Quinn Hazel, born Nov. 5, 2019.

Drena said, “God’s little miracle to us!”

2010s Amanda Shaw Dukes ’10 and her husband, Taylor Dukes, announce the birth of their third child, Rhett Otis Dukes, born June 20.

Kimberly C. Ford ’10, ’17 MA is a graduate of the Charleston Metro Chamber’s spring 2020 Leadership Discovery class. Leadership Discovery is an innovative, skillsbased leadership development program that allows participants the opportunity to learn from experienced executives in the Charleston region.

Cori Hustedt ’11 is the new principal of Pleasant Knoll Middle School in Fort Mill. She was assistant principal at Pleasant Knoll for three years. She completed the Foundation of School Leadership Program and serves at the district level on the science curriculum and SLO development teams.

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

Jaime Morris ’12 and her husband, Ryan, announce the birth of a daughter Bryar Lee Morris in March. Bryar was welcomed by big sister Mila Grace.

April Sanders ’12, ’16 MEd has been named Principal of Clay Hill Elementary School in Ridgeville.

For the past three years she was Assistant Principal/Curriculum Specialist of St. George Middle School. She began her teaching career at Williams Memorial Elementary School, where she was named Rookie Teacher of the Year and Teacher of the Year.

Krina Patel-Pressley ’15 MEd is an assistant principal at Concord Middle School in Concord, North Carolina. She was a teacher at R. Brown McAllister STEM Elementary School prior to being named assistant principal.

Ashley Melson Gresham ’17 MS was named Teacher of the Year at Odyssey Charter School in Newnan, Georgia.

STAY CONNECTED! Send us news about family additions, job changes, etc. To include a photo, email a high resolution jpg. (If you send a professional photograph, please include permission to print from the photographer.)

Brianna McNeal ’17 and Zachary Blake ’17 were married May 3.

Brianna said, “With the help of amazing coworkers (including the Roper Hospital Nursing Supervisor who married us) and family, our seemingly postponed wedding was able to happen after all.”

Courtney Atkins ’19 is a physician assistant at HopeHealth Pediatrics in Manning.

2020s

Class Notes: Email your news to magazine@csuniv.edu Address change: csudevelopment@csuniv.edu Name change: register@csuniv.edu Follow the Alumni Association on Social Media:

Ryan Stoudemire ’20 has been Kayla Dellinger Needler ’17 and added to the Athletic Wall of Andrew Needler ’18, are living in Fame at Mid-Carolina High Rock Hill, where Kayla is a nurse School in Prosperity. He played and Andrew is a stay-at-home dad baseball at CSU. for now. They have one son, Noah Briggs Needler. Andrew writes, “Cannot wait to see what path the Lord lights for his future.”

alumni_csu

alumni_csu

Correction: The summer issue of CSU Magazine incorrectly listed the wedding date of Teri Kearns ’17 and Sean McGarity ’16. They were married January 4. The couple lives in Atlanta, where Sean is an operations manager for the Georgia Section of the PGA, and Teri is a teacher with Fulton County Schools. Please accept our sincere apology.

RING RETURNED TO MEMBER OF CLASS OF ’72

By Beth Myers

E

arlier this summer I was contacted by Beverly Golden. While Beverly was going through her late mother’s belongings she found a 1972 Baptist College class ring. She assumes her mother found it on a beach in the Miami area years ago. No one in Beverley’s family had attended BCC or CSU, so she reached out to the Alumni Office to see if we could find the ring’s rightful owner.

The ring was engraved REH. After some research through our old yearbooks, I found that only one member

of the Class of ’72 had those initials, Ronald E. Hickman. The only problem was that we had no current phone number, address, or email address for Ron. Luckily, after a few phone calls and Google searches I found him. His wife’s family regularly visits the Miami area, and he has no clue when he could have lost the ring.

Ron is retired from a staffing agency he founded and lives in Marietta, Georgia. He had not been in touch with CSU for over 40 years.

Photo: Ron Hickman with his class ring.

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

CSU magazine 35

SCHOOL TIES

Baby Bucs 1

2

3

5

4

1. Luca Byrd, son of Julie Byrd ’11 and Eli Byrd ’10

4. Ava Mae Ross, daughter of Charmis Ross ’11

2. Maribelle Cruz-Savinon, granddaughter of Dr. Scott A. Ostrow ’84

5. Bryar Morris, daughter of Jaime Morris ’12 and Ryan Morris

3. Palynn Quinn Hazel, daughter of Drena Smith Hazel ’05 and Kevin Hazel

36 CSU magazine

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

SCHOOL TIES

TO ORDER A SHIRT

TO SUBMIT YOUR BABY BUCS PHOTO:

CSU graduates, if you have a child under the age of 2, let us know at alumni@ csuniv.edu, and we will send a CSU onesie for your Baby Buc. The shirt is free; all we ask in return is a photo of your Baby Buc for the magazine.

Email a picture of your Baby Buc wearing the shirt to alumni@csuniv.edu. Pictures should be IMB in size or larger, in jpg format.

6

7

8

11

9

10

6. Levi Sayegh, son of Landon Sayegh ’19

9. Noah Briggs Needler, son of Kayla Dellinger Needler ’17 and Andrew Needler ’18

7. Rhett Otis Dukes, son of Amanda Shaw Dukes ’10 and Taylor Dukes

10. Carter Drake Christly, son of Katie Mixon Christly ’04 and Matt Christly

8. Marigold Usry, daughter of Shirley Law Usry and Jason Usry ’00

11. Grayson Lee, daughter of Brittany Lee ’16 and Jimmy Lee

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

CSU magazine 37

SCHOOL TIES

in memory Josephine B. Abney, age 101, died July 23 in McCormick. A philanthropist, she was a founder of Charleston Southern University.

Ronald S. Banks Sr., age 83, died Aug. 9 in in Summerville. He worked for the family business, Banks Construction Company.

He was a lifetime member of the CSU President’s Club and contributed funds in memory of his father, Gary Clark Banks Sr., to the tennis courts at CSU.

Dr. Ronald Bryan Jackson Sr. ’70, age 77, died June 4 in Spartanburg. He was pastor emeritus of East Gaffney Baptist Church and the founder of Parson’s Pantry Ministry, which raised money for pastors, widows of pastors and married ministerial students.

Judy Cromer Kirkland, age 74, died Aug. 8 in Inman. She owned Sandbox Daycare Center and previously worked in the CSU business office for 20 years.

Jay Rodney Beasley ‘70, age 72, died Sept.

14. He was a retired media specialist for Allendale School District and had served as organist for many churches, including Barnwell First Baptist Church.

Lona C. Lacour ‘79, age 90, died Oct. 2 in Mount Pleasant. She was retired and had several jobs throughout her career including serving as a supervisor with Southern Bell Telephone Company.

Harold Thomas “Tony” Beauford Jr. ’69, age 73, died June 12. He was the pastor of Mission Baptist Church and was a youth coach and umpire. He was a member of the baseball team while at CSU.

Lecius Laverne Moorer ’00, age 56, died July 4 in Goose Creek. She was a former member of the CSU Alumni Board and served as president of the board. She was a member of the CSU Board of Visitors and the CSU Legacy Society. She received the Alumnus Service Award from the Alumni Association in 2019.

Thomas H. Boyd III ’72, age 76, died Sept.

24. He was a former director of Short Stay recreational facility and was a U.S. Marine veteran.

Dennis Edward “Ed” Causey ’68, age 75, died Sept. 5 in Summerville. He owned Mr. Corvette Parts and Sales.

Rex McKinnley Divine ’85, age 57, died July 20 in Savannah. He was a former member of the CSU Alumni Board and had served as president of the board.

Janna Grooms ’75, age 73, died Sept. 7 in Charleston.

Bobbie Littlefield Hennet ’80, age 91, died June 26 in Summerville. She was retired from the Naval Weapons Station as the head of communications. She also held the Certified Master Gardener designation.

38 CSU magazine

Susan Browning Nichols ’84, age 57, died July 18, 2019, in Orlando, Florida. She was a music therapist and worked at Community Health Centers.

Caleb Robert Perkins ’17, age 26, died July 15 in Norwich, Connecticut. He was working on a second degree in electrical engineering from Arizona State University.

Hazel M. Stewart, age 93, died summer 2020. She was a CSU professor emerita of mathematics.

Harold Walter Syfrett, age 96, died April 13 in Walterboro. He was a former campus minister for the colleges in Charleston, including Charleston Southern University.

Robert “Micky” Strickland ’69, age 72, died July 27 in Walterboro. He worked for the South Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation for 30 years.

Ann S. Taylor, age 93, died Aug. 18 in Heath Springs. She was the retired mayor of Heath Springs. She was a longtime member of CSU’s Board of Visitors, contributed to endowed scholarships, was a life member of the President’s Club and received a Distinguished Service Award from CSU in 2005 and an honorary doctor of public service from CSU in 2014.

John William Waddell ’71, age 73, died Sept. 7 in Atlanta.

Pamela Watson ’72, age 71, died August 17 in Monetta. She was a teacher for more than 30 years in Berkeley County and was the office manager for family businesses, Watsonia and Peaches N’ Such. She was a former member of the CSU Alumni Board.

Jeff C. Whittington, age 92, died August 4 in Myrtle Beach. He was the owner of Coastal Crane Service and a longtime CSU supporter. He and his late wife, Bernice, established the Jeff C. Whittington Family Endowed Scholarship in 1977, donated significant funds to capital campaigns for Lightsey Chapel Auditorium, Rivers Library, the Science Building and Whitfield Center for Christian Leadership. Whittington Hall is named in Jeff and Bernice’s honor. He was a frequent contributor to the Annual Student Scholarship Fund and was a founding member of the CSU Board of Visitors. CSU awarded him the honorary doctor of business administration degree in 2003.

Wallie Stovall Witte Jr., age 71, died Oct. 5.

He was a former vice president of advancement and marketing for CSU. Most recently, he was the chief executive officer of the Coastal Educational Foundation at Coastal Carolina University. He was a retired Lt. Colonel with the U.S Army and served as chief of staff to Congressman Henry Brown before arriving at CSU. Witte served on multiple community boards and organizations and was a member of CSU’s Board of Visitors Scholarship Program.

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

FOREVER CSU

THANK

YOU! W

e are grateful for the alumni, friends, businesses, organizations, and churches who generously donated during our 2019-2020 fiscal year. Because of your commitment to our students, over $1 million for student scholarships was raised, with a 33% increase in overall giving. These dollars directly impact and encourage thousands of future servant leaders to pursue significant lives.

Your financial support during these challenging times sends a strong message that you believe in what God is doing through CSU and is a blessing to our students! We want to share some highlights that YOU made happen: • More than $2.9 million was given to CSU during FY19-20 • The COVID-19 Student Emergency Care Fund was launched for students facing dire circumstances. The student care committee distributed over $38,000 to nearly 200 students.

• CSU Giving Day was May 1, raising over $208,000; 882 gifts were received which is a 58% increase from gifts on Giving Day 2019.

• The All In campus community campaign was an overwhelming success and reached a record participation rate of 98% of full-time faculty and staff!

• Gifts from the Board of Visitors Scholarship Program and its members impacted over 800 students.

• The annual Women’s Council Auction raised a record $56,500 for student scholarships.

• Ten new Endowed Scholarships were established.

Every gift, large and small, was important in achieving these goals. Charleston Southern University continues to thrive because of you. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our students. View the 2019-2020 Honor Roll of Donors online at charlestonsouthern.edu/giving.

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP HONORS MEMORY OF NATIONAL ICON

By Jan Joslin

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he Rosemary Wenchel Memorial Scholarship has been fully funded and will be available to a female cybersecurity student seeking a career in supporting national security.

Wenchel was known to many as a “national cybersecurity icon.” Palmetto Roost, a frequent supporter of CSU computer science and cybersecurity programs, initiated raising funds to establish an endowed scholarship in Wenchel’s memory. The Young AFCEANS, a defense contractor organization, raised an additional $3,300, and Wenchel’s husband, George Wenchel, contributed the remainder of the scholarship funds.

Wenchel had been on campus several times to speak with CSU cybersecurity students and hosted a luncheon to congratulate the first cybersecurity graduates. George said, “Rosemary felt strongly about education in general. She was a stay-at-home Navy wife and mother until she was 40. She then entered the computer/cyber workforce and quickly rose through the ranks. She was a strong proponent of mentoring because she had never had a mentor.”

She encouraged women to consider STEM degrees and worked to show them technology was a viable career option. When she retired in 2009, she was the senior civilian

Rosemary Wenchel, far left, honored the first graduates of CSU’s cybersecurity program in 2019. Photo by Richard Esposito

in Navy intelligence. During her career she worked for the U.S. Navy, the Department of Defense, and was the Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security Policy at the Department of Homeland Security. She loved Cyber Warfare as opposed to Cybersecurity, taking the offensive rather than being on the defensive.

At her memorial service, George said several young Naval officers came up to him, separately, to say that Rosemary always made time to talk to them. “People respected what she had to say,” George said.

The Rosemary Wenchel Memorial Scholarship will allow Rosemary’s influence to continue for future cybersecurity professionals.

LEAVE A LEGACY THROUGH PLANNED GIFTS

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ach member of The Legacy Society has remembered the university through a bequest intention, charitable trust, life income plan, life insurance, or other estate planning technique. By joining The Legacy Society, your values will pass to future generations, and providing a planned gift may financially benefit you and your family by offering immediate or deferred tax advantages.

Contact Bill Ward for additional information about The Legacy Society at 843-863-7514 or wward@csuniv.edu.

For a complete list of Legacy Society members, visit: charlestonsouthern.edu/planned-giving.

CSU magazine 39

FOREVER CSU

MORRALL SIBLINGS ESTABLISH SCHOLARSHIP

by Jan Joslin/photo provided

“[Be] that type of person that has your hands open.

If you can do something for a person, do it and be finished with it. It’s about if you can help that person. And that’s all it is.”

- Irene Morrall The late Abraham Sr. and Irene Morrall

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he Morrall siblings, Abraham Jr. ’78, Angela ’84, Corteze ’86, and Lloyd ’85, are passing on the legacy of helping others that they learned from their parents.

The four, all graduates of Charleston Southern, recently established The Abraham Morrall Sr. and Irene Greene Morrall Memorial Scholarship in appreciation of their parents’ dedication and motivation of placing an emphasis on obtaining a college or professional education and contributing to their childrens’ and others’ success.

The Morralls view the scholarship as an opportunity to give back to the community where they grew up. Priority will be given to a minority student from the Burton/Beaufort area of South Carolina.

As parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, Abraham and Irene encouraged everyone to strive for academic excellence and graduate from college. The Morralls had nine children. Because of their love and support, their children are military veterans, nurses, teachers, business leaders, public policy analysts, and government employees.

Abraham and Irene were blue collar workers who worked hard to provide their children

with opportunities to use education to elevate their lives. “My mother placed a premium on getting the best education available, and my father saw education as an opportunity to gain knowledge to acquire a job and earn an excellent living,” said Abraham Morrall Jr. The Morralls believed that education was important to development and personal growth leading to a productive person in society. The siblings said their parents were dedicated to the academic success of their children and grandchildren, consistently complimenting them on academic achievements. Irene especially encouraged individuals in the community to pursue higher education. She also encouraged her children’s high school classmates to pursue higher education, and they listened to her wise counsel.

Angela Morrall ’84 said, “My parents are deceased but they provided their children with spiritual guidance. Throughout my whole life my mother has been the driving force in my life. My mother was my earthly ROCK. My mother nurtured, cooked, cleaned, washed clothes and attended to her family’s needs. My parents raised their children up in the church, to read the Bible

daily and taught us to believe in God and he will get us through any storm. She taught my siblings and me at an early age that a try is just a failure. If you get knocked down today, get up and go back fighting the next day. She was a very humble person that I never wanted to be because I thought it was a sign of weakness. However, several years ago when I was in Sunday School the lesson was about being a humble person. After that lesson, I could not wait to get home and apologize to my mother because being humble is a sign of humility and that’s the person God wants us to be.

“My mother’s grandchildren called her Angel Irene because she truly demonstrated the characteristics of an Angel,” said Angela.

“Her favorite chapters of the Bible are Psalm 27 and 37, and she would point you to those chapters in the Bible for encouragement while you go through your storm.

My father was the one that helped out with the homework and checked the homework although my mother had an 11th grade education level. He made sure that we had the resources to complete our homework. For a man with a sixth grade education he was a very smart man. His favorite chapter in the Bible was Psalm 150.

“My parents were big advocates for education, and they made sure that all of their children were given the opportunity to go to college. My parents taught their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and greatgreat grandchildren to serve others; Matthew 20:28 says “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and gave his life as a ransom for many,” said Angela.

Read more about the Morrall siblings and their accomplishments in the Leading section of the magazine on pages 21 and 22.

USING AMAZONSMILE HELPS CSU STUDENTS When you are shopping for the holidays, remember the AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of your purchase to CSU student scholarships. Just select Charleston Southern University as your charitable organization and get started at bit.ly/CSUsmile.

40 CSU magazine

Fall 2020, vol.30 no.3

CAN YOU GUESS WHICH CSU FAMILY MEMBER GOES WITH WHICH LEADERSHIP BOOK? Post your guesses on social media using #csubucslead, and one lucky reader will receive some CSU swag.

Dr. Heather Chadwick

Saah Nimley

Assistant Professor of Economics

Assistant Coach, Men’s Basketball

Richard Esposito

Dr. Dustin Ousley

Director of Integrated Marketing

Assistant Professor of Music

Dr. Tonya Houston

Betty Palmer

Assistant Professor of Education

Assistant Athletic Director for Academics

Cady Nell Keener

Dr. Jacob Thorp

Assistant VP for Development & Special Gifts

Director of Program & Professor of Physical Therapy

Shallon Mims

Dr. Jonathan Watson

Career Services Advisor

Chair & Assistant Professor of Christian Studies Photos by Richard Esposito & CSU / SportsBook covers provided

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage

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Charleston SC Permit #1202

Charleston Southern University P.O. Box 118087 Charleston, SC 29423-8087

INTEGRATING FAITH IN LEARNING, LEADING, AND SERVING

BUCKY FOR HIRE! Bucky, CSU’s beloved mascot, is available for hire for community events, birthdays, weddings, and more.

Fill out the request form at charlestonsouthern.edu/bucky.

To see what Bucky is up to this semester, follow him on Instagram and Twitter: @bucky_csu.

Photo by Richard Esposito