CofC Momentum Spring 2019

m o m e n t u m -SPRING 2019-

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A Valuable Lesson

C ELEBRATING PHI LANTHRO PY AT THE CO LLEGE OF CHARLESTON

Former nontraditional student Ben Brownlee '01 knows the value in what the School of Professional Studies offers

READY TO TAKE FLIGHT

On November 28, 2018, the Board of Trustees elected Andrew T. Hsu to be the 23rd president of the College of Charleston. A rocket scientist by training, a top scholar in academia and a model leader embodying our campus' core values, President-elect Hsu represents an exciting new chapter in the College’s story.

The College welcomes President-elect Hsu, First Lady Rongrong Chen and their four daughters into our Cougar Nation.

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Thank you for reading Momentum, the Scholarship Edition!

We enjoy sharing stories about the impact of your generous support, and Momentum is just one way for you to keep engaged and informed about what you're making possible for our students, faculty, staff and campus.

We also publish the annual Donor Digest, post stories on our College of Charleston Giving Facebook page and highlight donors and beneficiaries on our website, giving.cofc.edu. If you have feedback or story ideas, please contact Carin Jorgensen at 843.953.5859 or jorgensencl@cofc.edu. We'd love to hear from you!

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, table of contents <

EBONY T. VENSON ’18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 BEN BROWNLEE ’01 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 HAPPENINGS & HIGHLIGHTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 GERALD “JERRY” POLIS ’62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 GEL LABORATORIES LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 JAMES MULVANEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 MOMENTUM SPRING 2019 1

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Young Alumni Graduate Scholarship Empowers Students to Keep Learning Graduating from the College of Charleston affords alumni far more than a hard-won degree. It also provides them with a lifelong network of fellow alumni, who serve as friends, colleagues and supporters of each other’s dreams.

Since 2001, the Young Alumni Graduate Scholarship has provided funding toward tuition at the College of Charleston Graduate School, University of Charleston, South Carolina.

A first-generation college student from Hartsville, S.C., Venson fell in love with the College after a tour her senior year of high school. Once enrolled, she hit the campus running.

She majored in political science while serving in numerous leadership roles, including president of Alpha Kappa Alpha, treasurer of the Black Student Union and president of Student Ambassadors.

At the same time, Venson was active in the Political Science Club and part of the national political science honor society, Pi Sigma Alpha. She was also a member and secretary of Omicron Delta Kappa, a leadership honor society.

The scholarship that Venson received will help her pursue a Master of Public Administration at the College. Her career goal is to use that expertise to focus on urban planning.

“For a while I’ve been very interested in housing policy and potentially bettering some of the policies we have here in

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Charleston,” says Venson, who saw some of the housing The situations in the city during her studies and thought of RSHIP SCHOLA potential ways to fix them.

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Ebony T. Venson ’18 discovered the power of Cougar Nation before she crossed the Cistern for commencement. As the recipient of the Young Alumni Graduate Scholarship, Venson had harnessed the power to help her attend graduate school at the College.

While at the College, Venson worked on the Race and Social Justice Initiative, a program out of the College’s Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture.

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“My biggest focus has been to work toward racial equity in Charleston."

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“My biggest focus has been to work toward racial equity in Charleston,” she says, adding the she was inspired in particular by having seen firsthand how people are discriminated against in housing.

With her limitless energy and growing expertise, and the help of fellow alumni through scholarship support, Venson is perfectly primed to help make her Charleston community all the more equitable, and, in doing so, to make her Cougar community deeply proud. – Maura Hogan ’87 ebony t. venson ’18 is pursuing a master of public administration with the support of the young alumni graduate scholarship.

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North Campus = Educational Opportunities As a Charleston native, Ben Brownlee ’01 loves all things about his historic hometown and always knew he’d attend CofC one day. But when that day finally came in 1994, it wasn’t the idyllic experience he had imagined.

Not long after enrolling, his dad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and spent the next two years in and out of hospitals, including the final one in Columbia, S.C. “When you have those levels of medical bills and that level of distraction, it’s safe to say I wasn’t the most focused student,” says Brownlee, who was working full time to help pay the bills while also traveling back and forth frequently to Columbia. “Those years were rocky both financially and emotionally.”

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After his father passed away in 1996, Brownlee had to hit the pause button on college and focus on his IT support job in Charlotte, N.C. “On the positive side, it’s how I got started in my line of work,” he says. “It was great exposure to what I do today.”

With the opportunity to work remotely, Brownlee moved back to Charleston in the late 1990s. He reenrolled in the College in 2000, attending night classes at the School of Professional Studies (SPS) at the College of Charleston North Campus.

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With the philanthropic mindset that Blackbaud instilled in him, Brownlee was very open to the idea of volunteering on the SPS board when Dean Gibbison approached him in 2015. Brownlee wanted to help students who attempted to go to college but were never able to complete it due to unforeseen circumstances.

Brownlee also makes a yearly donation – matched

by Blackbaud – to the Dean’s Excellence Fund, which is often used to help meet students’ needs.

“We need to reach those in the community who are equally passionate about education – and not necessarily just those College of Charleston alumni.”

“My GPA was much better the second time around,” he says. “The North Campus was such a blessing. I don’t think I could have done it otherwise. It reaches a whole demographic who can’t afford to get downtown.

“What I remember most are the advisers and professors who helped me along the way. In fact, one of the reasons I was drawn to the North Campus was the passion Dean Godfrey Gibbison and his staff have for their students – the nontraditional students like I was.”

After graduating in 2001, Brownlee went to work for Blackbaud, the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good. He now serves as a vice president of the customer support division.

“There is something very rewarding about working for a company whose vision is to build a better world – and one that empowers its employees to, as well,” he says.

“The School of Professional Studies does not have a lot of graduates yet, given its relative newness to the community; therefore, we don’t have a historical base of alumni to fund scholarships as one might think,” says Brownlee. “We need to reach those in the community who are equally passionate about education – and not necessarily just those College of Charleston alumni. We need donors who want to help, for example, working parents trying to better an aspect of their lives by getting their degree while somehow juggling the rest of their life and financial obligations. The School of Professional Studies’ Dean’s Excellence Fund offers that helping hand – and, if enough people give a gift, we can really reshape the Charleston community.”

And help people like Brownlee, who, along with his brother, were the first of their immediate family to graduate from college.

“My dad was very passionate about us completing our degrees,” says Brownlee. “He was adamant about it. I know he’d be proud I was able to do – Tom Cunneff it, especially at CofC.” pictured at blackbaud�s daniel island headquarters, brownlee likes working for a company whose goal is to build a better world – and one that empowers its employees to do so, too.

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HAPPE N IN G S & HIG HLIG HTS

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Endowment Fund Donor Celebration November 15, 2018 Hill Exhibition Gallery

This celebration acknowledges donors who have established an endowed fund and the important role they play in helping our students and faculty achieve their goals. The 2018 celebration also included members of the College of Charleston Foundation Board and Alumni Association Board. cofc foundation board chair jeff kinard ’77 addressing guests interim president stephen c. osborne ’73 and charlie way  anastasia maria palaska ’20 (silcox tennis scholarship recipient) and billy silcox ’65  rachel bates ’21 (mattox family scholarship recipient), lashanda minermurphy, ranise gillespie, bartina edwards ‘87 and kayshawn mccoy ’21 (mcconnell scholarship recipient)  ronald keller, rachel kim ’20 (keller scholarship recipient) and kaye keller  jim anderson ’55, peggy cieslikowski, carolyn anderson ’70 (m.a.t. ’78), john king and jeff foster

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Alumni Awards Gala November 17, 2018 Belmond Charleston Place

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The Alumni Awards Gala was established in 1983 to recognize alumni who make significant contributions to their professions or their communities and thus reflect favorably on the College of Charleston. The awards given are Howard F. Rudd Jr. Business Person of the Year, Alumni Award of Honor, Alumna or Alumnus of the Year, Young Alumna or Alumnus Award, Outstanding Service Award in Medicine and Distinguished Alumna or Alumnus. john nix ‘16, isaac waters ‘20, patty scarafile ’66 (distinguished alumna), wood marchant ’89 and alicia caudill sharon

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kingman ’80 (howard f. rudd, jr. business person of the year), jerry casselano ’08 (young alumnus of the year), johnnie ’92 and michelle baxley (alumni award of honor), gary thomas ’83 (pre-medical society’s outstanding service award in medicine recipient), patty scarafile, michael renault ‘95 and interim president stephen c. osborne �73  sebastian van delden, interim president osborne, gary thomas, peyton russell �19 (president ofaed, the pre-medical society) and michael renault

Receptions honoring President-Elect Andrew T. Hsu January 23, 2019 6 Glebe and Rivers Green

The College of Charleston community welcomed Andrew Hsu; his wife, Rongrong Chen; their daughters, Jennifer Hsu, Emma Hsu and Carol Crawford; and their son-in-law Daniel Crawford to campus on January 23. The day included a welcome event and campus meet-andgreet, as well as private receptions at the President’s House and Rivers Green.

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president-elect andrew t. hsu  maureen

and steve kerrigan, chris tobin and presidentelect hsu ➌ david hay �81, interim president stephen c. osborne �73, anita zucker and president-elect hsu ➎ rongrong chen and john rivers  jennifer hsu, boris bohun-chudyniv, emma hsu, daniel crawford, carol crawford, rongrong chen

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Cistern Society Brunch

February 16, 2019 Rita Liddy Hollings Science Center

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The Cistern Society Brunch is held each year to celebrate dedicated alumni, friends, parents, faculty and staff who honor the College through a philanthropic commitment in their estate plans. This year’s faculty spotlight was Sebastian van Delden, interim dean of the School of Sciences and Mathematics. The student spotlight was Victoria Bailey ’19, recipient of the J. Gorman ’43 and Gladys Thomas Endowed Memorial Alumni Scholarship.

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gary thomas �83 and victoria bailey guests before the lunch  bill penney �89,

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interim president stephen c. osborne �73, kathleen penney and hannah penney ➍ interim president osborne, stewart miller and marcia miller ➎ frances welch, gary thomas, andi volpe and jeff kinard �77 MOMENTUM SPRING 2019 7

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Alumnus and Veteran Pays it Forward

When Gerald “Jerry” Polis ’62 attended the College of Charleston, it was significantly smaller, with only a couple hundred students. He was one of only about a dozen students majoring in history, which made it a very intimate but also very conspicuous experience.

His presence – or absence – was not hard to miss. And one of his professors, Elmer Puryear, was determined that he not miss class.

“Any time I did, he knew I was hanging out at Lowry’s Pool Hall on George Street,” recalls Polis, referring to the hangout located where Barnett Garden is today. “He would step across Cistern Yard, enter the pool hall, give me a tap on the shoulder and escort me to class in Randolph Hall.”

Puryear served during World War II, as did Polis’ father. Now, Polis, who served during the Vietnam conflict, is honoring the service of all veterans, including the two men who helped shape his life, by creating the Gerald D. Polis Family Endowed Veterans Scholarship, the College’s first endowed scholarship dedicated to veterans.

“Although most veterans are fortunate to have tuition and fees covered, they often suffer ‘death by a thousand cuts,’” explains Mat Garrison, veteran/ military/ROTC research liaison and director.

“As nontraditional students, they are older and typically have a family, which leads to extra, often unexpected expenses. Jerry Polis’ scholarship will give a veteran student peace of mind.”

Polis knows what it means to have a college scholarship. He attributes part of his success as the first in his family to complete college to being a four-year recipient of the S.S. Solomons Scholarship, which allowed him to take full advantage of all the College had to offer.

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He played basketball, joined the Pi Delta Kappa fraternity and served as president of his senior class. He wants veterans to have the same opportunities.

“I’m still in touch with my frat brothers and teammates from the basketball team,” says Polis, who established the scholarship in gratitude to the donor who supported him. “Even though the College is much bigger, I’m sure that people are still building lifelong relationships at school.”

Polis attended the University of South Carolina School of Law and graduated in 1965, at

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Being regularly bombed and aware that young men my age were dying gave me a whole new perspective on the value of life.”

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the height of the Vietnam War. He received his draft notice and served four years as a judge advocate, including a year in Vietnam, for which he received a Bronze Star.

“I will never forget my time in Vietnam,” says Polis. “Being regularly bombed and aware that young men my age were dying gave me a whole new perspective on the value of life.”

When Polis returned to the U.S., he enjoyed a successful legal career, first as a prosecutor and then as a criminal defense attorney, but he never forgot his fellow veterans.

“I am extremely happy that I am able to endow this scholarship for my alma mater and our military veterans,” says Polis, who is now retired in San Diego. “I am inspired that I have the opportunity to impact young people’s lives, not only the scholarship recipients, but also other students. The life experiences of our veterans will enrich the classroom experience of all CofC students.”

– Darcie Goodwin gerald “jerry” polis �62 established the scholarship for veterans to honor the service of all veterans.

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Strong Ties to Alumni and Community Leads to Chemistry Scholarship

GEL Laboratories LLC has established the GEL Laboratories Scholarship in Chemistry, an annual, non-endowed scholarship at the College of Charleston.

Designed to bolster the number of chemistry graduates at the College, the scholarship is awarded to first- and second-year students who plan to pursue a chemistry degree.

GEL established the need-based scholarship for chemistry majors in the fall of 2018 out of a desire to expand its workforce with talented, qualified professionals.

“We’re excited to announce this partnership with the College of Charleston to create the GEL Laboratories Scholarship in Chemistry,” says Mac Hodgson, CFA and president of The GEL Group.

“We chose the College due to our strong ties to the Charleston community. In addition, we have nearly 50 College of Charleston graduates working at GEL. We’re proud of the hard work of all of our employees who have made this commitment possible.”

Not only will GEL Laboratories Scholarship recipients receive funding for their education, they will also have the opportunity for a paid internship with the Charleston-based company.

As part of The GEL Group, GEL Laboratories is a full-service, comprehensive analytical testing laboratory, offering organic, inorganic, wet chemistry, radiochemistry and radiobioassay testing services.

“We strive to connect our students and alumni with area industries and offer courses and cofc alumni who work at gel laboratories (not in a particular order): tom hutto, joanne harley, sherri peterman, kat (catherine) cates, robert gardner, barbara bailey, jennifer jones, lindsay fabra, annaliza johnson, alan stanley, andrew harlan, amanda fehr, virginia (hoffman) clauser, madison (howell) blair, kevin gainey, denni grunstra, monica mullis, scott moreland, terry phillips and kimber amweg. (photos courtesy of gel laboratories)

training relevant to employment in industry,” says Pamela Riggs-Gelasco, chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the College of Charleston. “Currently, about 30 percent of our graduates seek employment in the chemical industry right after graduation. Internships benefit the College and the company. Our students get important real-world experience that helps

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“We strive to connect our students and alumni with area industries and offer courses and training relevant to employment in industry.”

– pamela riggs-gelasco

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them compete for positions after graduation, and companies get an opportunity to screen a potential future employee. We look forward to partnering with GEL to extend these opportunities for students.”

Sebastian van Delden, interim dean of the College’s School of Sciences and Mathematics agrees: “With experiential learning being a top priority at the College of Charleston, I am excited about this partnership with GEL Laboratories.

Collaborating with a leader in analytical chemical testing located right here in Charleston will help us to grow our chemistry program and provide excellent hands-on experiences for our students.” – Darcie Goodwin MOMENTUM SPRING 2019 11

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Scholarship Promotes Diversity in Teaching If there is a clear constant for James Mulvaney and his family, it may likely be a commitment to education. After all, the Mulvaneys count among their ranks career educators, such as James’ wife Carol and his daughter Christine, and other family members, like his late father William and son Patrick, who have demonstrated a deep interest in teaching those around them.

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The Mulvaney family established the William and James Mulvaney Family Endowed Scholarship to support a declared education major at the College of Charleston in the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance.

James Mulvaney first came to appreciate the importance of education from his father. A renowned urologist in Cincinnati, William Mulvaney developed two drugs to dissolve kidney stones. He then placed the proceeds from that work in a charitable trust, which is managed by James Mulvaney and his siblings, who donated $150,000 to create the endowed scholarship.

“He felt that everyone should be treated the same and have the same opportunities,” says Mulvaney, recalling how he had observed his father treating everyone at the hospital with equal respect.

William Mulvaney also championed diversity, often breaking new ground in his hiring of minorities.

In light of this, the scholarship endeavors to provide support in particular to minority, male undergraduate students at the College who are majoring in middle grades education.

“This generous gift by James Mulvaney and his family supports one of our major objectives in the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance, which is to prepare and produce exceptional minority teachers,” says Dean Frances Welch. “Assistance through the Mulvaney Scholarship will provide much-needed funds so that our minority students are able to continue their academic pursuits in order to make an impact in classrooms across South Carolina and beyond.”

Scholarship recipient Rodrick Bellamy understands the importance of students finding a mentor with whom they can identify. As an African American 12 COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON

jim mulvaney, james “patrick” mulvaney �10, christine mulvaney �16, carol mulvaney and hyeyoung mulvaney

high school student in Conway, S.C., he came upon few educators who shared his background.

“I had one black male teacher in middle school,” says Bellamy. That teacher nurtured his love of math. What’s more, his very presence in the classroom illustrated to the young student that he, too, could cultivate a career from his favorite topic.

Now, the middle grades education major plans to teach in that school level in the tri-county area after graduating in the spring of 2019.

“It’s a really important part of our development,” he says of this key period in a person’s educational journey. “A teacher can have a really big impact on that part of a student’s life.”

By furthering the dreams of a new generation of educators, the Mulvaneys are vouchsafing a bright future for us all. – Maura Hogan ’87

Mark your calendar!

FALL ALUMNI WEEKEND November 22-24, 2019

PRESENTED BY

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66 GEORGE ST. | CHARLESTON, S.C. 29424-0001

interim president stephen c. osborne �73 and board of trustees chair david hay �81 unveil the theme for the college's 250th anniversary.