CSU Magazine - Fall 2022

On the cover: The early morning sun rising over the Reflection Pond showcases the growth of the campus. The campus may look different as time passes, but one thing doesn’t change – the love students have of hanging out with friends or spending some solitary time around the Pond.

EDITORIAL STAFF:

Miranda Asson, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communication

Ty Cornett, Multimedia Producer

McKenzie Hagwood, MBA, Digital Content Specialist

Jenna Johnson ’21, MBA, Executive Director of Marketing and Communication

Jan Joslin ’82, Editorial Director; Editor, CSU Magazine

Tyler Stokes, Creative Director; Brand Manager

Daniel Taylor ’22, Junior Graphic Designer

Hunter Gatling ’24, Graduate Assistant

Samantha Arp ’24, Intern

Catalina Duran-Ballen ’23, Intern

CONTRIBUTORS:

CSU Athletics

Tom Clemmons

Arthur Ellis

Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce

CSU Physician Assistant program

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: magazine@csuniv.edu

Address changes: csudevelopment@csuniv.edu

Photo by Ty Cornett

Members of the Class of 2026 gathered on the football field for a photo the first week of classes. The Class of 2026 is the largest freshman class since 2016, and overall enrollment increased 5%.

Photo by Ty Cornett

PRESIDENT’s message

Accelerate Out of the Curve

From the global pandemic’s onset throughout its painful onslaught, we Buccaneers adopted the March Madness rally cry of “Survive and Advance” to keep our team in the tourney from beginning to end. Come tournament time, you can’t play tomorrow unless you win today, so you do whatever it takes to be a bracket buster until the final buzzer sounds.

You’re in as long as you win. But losing means you watch others play on the court while you plop down on the couch. Do or die. Now or never. Win or lose. Survive and advance.

This harsh reality explains how Goliaths go down, how Cinderella stories are made, and how Charleston Southern’s faculty, staff, and students persisted in the face of great difficul ty to climb the ladder and cut down the nets.

Because of God’s faithfulness and our col leagues’ resilience, we survived and advanced on multiple fronts during the pandemic. New facilities, new academic programs, new academic centers, launch of a major fund raising campaign, the university’s first named

By Dr. Dondi E. Costin / Photos by Ty Cornett

college, a $1M Giving Day record, a one-year fundraising record, pace-setting enrollment, the largest number of students living on campus in university history, five Big South Conference championships, two consecutive Operation Christmas Child national records, and winning the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year award pro vide evidence aplenty that Bucs win. Student by student, syllabus by syllabus, semester by semester, together we survived and ad vanced. Thanks be to God.

Glad that’s over. Now what? Good question.

A friend of mine recently shared advice from one of his board members who is a professional racecar driver, which is not a bad gig if you can get it. Reflecting on how healthy organizations should compete when coming out of the global pandemic, this roadster encourages leaders to take their cues from drivers who skillfully balance risk and reward at breakneck speeds on their way to victory lane.

Racing fast cars for a living sounds like fun until you remember how violently the laws of physics work against you on the track. I don’t drive racecars for the same reason I never jumped out of a perfectly good airplane: Force equals mass times accel eration. Straightaways are bad enough when the speedometer registers triple digits, but negotiating hairpin curves at high speeds is next-level scary.

If you think tailgating is bad on I-26, you’re not wrong. (In my experience it could more accurately be called trunk-gating on that speedway. In fact, I once saw the driver behind me so clearly in my rearview mirror that I could have done her makeup if I knew how.) But I-26 has nothing on the twists and turns racers face for hours on end. One wrong move, and mayhem ensues. No sud den movements, especially in the curve.

Winners know how to win, though, which they do by making physics their friend. Rather than fighting the laws, they masterfully leverage them for competitive advantage. Experienced drivers and physics professors alike agree that maintaining con sistent speed through the curve is the way to go. Whatever you do, don’t slow down, and don’t speed up. But when the time is right, the best drivers accelerate out of the curve in hot pursuit of the checkered flag.

The same is true for organizations like Charleston Southern. And your family. And your church. And yourself. Now that the

He had me at “Drivers, start your engines.”

President Dondi Costin speaks at Chapel.

Vickey and Dondi Costin

pandemic curve is behind us, having survived and advanced for more laps than I care to count, it’s time to accelerate out of the curve. Every single one of us. In almost every way.

Completely unaware of fuel injection as a wonder of the modern world, the apostle Paul might say it like this: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24). Whether pedestrian or pedal pusher, there is a right way to run the race, and to the victor goes the spoils.

While what happens in our university and our families and our churches has almost nothing to do with the laws of physics, ac celerating out of the curve has everything to do with the laws of Providence. “Without faith it is impossible to please God, for any one who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who dili gently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Faithfully accelerating out of the curve rests on our desire to please the One who promises to reward our diligence in seeking Him. Run in such a way as to get the prize.

At Charleston Southern we’re gunning it by intentionally focusing on our core values, culture, and institutional priorities. Because we know He rewards those who diligently seek Him. Maybe the same could happen in our families and our churches and ourselves.

The good news is that the pandemic is in our rearview mirror as we accelerate out of the curve. The bad news is that we have miles to go before we cross the finish line. If the past previews the future, there will be potholes and pit stops and pileups along the way. Chances are that we have not seen our last caution flag on this well-traveled road. The best news is that we are not alone.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perse verance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer, and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before Him, He en dured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Sounds exhilarating. And exhausting. Such is life in the fast lane.

Seth Friend Returns as Campus Minister

By Samantha Arp ’24 / Photo by Ty Cornett

C ampus Ministries at Charleston South ern recently expanded its reach through a new Campus Minister, Seth Friend. Friend and his wife, Connor, are alumni of Charles ton Southern and have one son.

Alongside Jon Davis, associate vice presi dent for spiritual life, and two graduate as sistants, this team is reaching the campus of CSU with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

One of the biggest blessings this job pro vided, according to Friend, was the chance for him to work under Davis. Davis has served in a campus minister capacity for many years and carries valuable wisdom and experience that Friend is grateful for.

Not only is Davis a great resource for Friend

but also he is a mentor and friend. Davis was a pivotal part of Friend’s walk with Christ in college, guiding him through decisions, calling, and knowledge of God’s Word. Now, Friend gets to be a part of reaching students on the same campus that changed his life.

Prior to accepting the job at CSU, the Friends served at a church in Spartanburg in Student Ministry. Now, he is tasked with casting a vision for the students at CSU and finding new ways to connect with them and bring them into the family of God. Friend’s vision for the campus is that students be connected to the local church, spiritually growing in the Lord and His Word, and un locking their God-given potential.

As ministers, Seth Friend and Jon Davis, make themselves available to students on campus.

Ball Brings Varied Experience to College of Nursing

By Jan Joslin / Photos by Ty Cornett and Richard Esposito

Dr. Vicki Ball’s specialty is teaching nurs ing leadership. When the position of interim dean of the CSU College of Nursing came available in January, she realized she needed to be willing to step out and lead.

She planned to go back to her role as director of the Master of Science in Nursing program once a dean was appointed, but God had other plans.

Officially named the dean effective July 1, Ball said she started to see how God could use the platform to have a bigger impact on the profession as a whole, on students, and on faculty.

Dr. Jackie Fish, vice president for aca demic affairs, said, “I am so grateful that God led Dr. Vicki Ball to accept our offer to lead the College of Nursing! Her deep belief in listening to God’s guidance as we serve our students brings a strong Christian leader to take CSU nursing students successfully through the challenging pursuit of a nurs ing degree. Dr. Ball’s former career in the Air Force, combined with her eight years at CSU, and her excellent academic and profes sional credentials ensure our students they are learning from extremely well-prepared nursing faculty.”

Ball’s experience includes 23 years of ser vice in the U.S. Air Force as a nurse officer, and her assignments included Medical Oper ations Squadron Commander, Primary Care Flight Commander, Congressional Nurse Fel low, Deputy Director of Congressional and Public Affairs for the Office of the Air Force Surgeon General, Nurse Manager of inpatient and outpatient units, and clinical nurse in medical-surgical, oncology, multiservice, and emergency care units. Her service also included a tour of duty in Iraq in 2004. She retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2010.

Ball said, “I’ve tried very hard in my pro fessional career and personal life to get a sense of where God was leading. I’ve tried not to do good things when He’s sitting over here with the great things.” She discovered she had a calling to teach and began her educator career at Macon State, now Middle Georgia State University.

Dr. Vicki Ball

In 2014 she accepted a position with the CSU College of Nursing. In 2015 she became director of the MSN program which gave her the ability to impact students at the under graduate and graduate level.

Ball said COVID showed the public what a demanding profession nursing is, physically and emotionally. She said nurses often feel undervalued. “Healthcare is a battlefield right now. We are preparing the next generation of healthcare warriors.”

One of her biggest goals for the College of Nursing is to give the nursing seniors tools for staying healthy mentally and physically. Developing resilience is particularly important and exposing students to as many clinical areas as possible.

Ball said, “We have good relationships with all the major hospitals. Our students get a unique experience with three big hospital systems in Charleston, all with different types of missions, such as for-profit, research, and faith-based organizations.”

Training competitive students is Ball’s goal. “We’re looking at what sets up a student for success,” she said. “We want our admission criteria to be evidence-based. One interesting

thing we are seeing is reading comprehension skills need to be high for nurses because they will do a lot of reading.”

Retaining faculty is a large part of Ball’s job as the dean. She said, “Nurses take a huge pay cut to teach. I work to help them find fulfill ment. It is an opportunity to make an impact on the profession.”

Her plans as dean include creating a culture where faculty, staff, and students feel loved and valued. Ball said, “I never want a student to feel like they are just a letter grade.” She wants students and faculty to feel equipped for what they are called to do.

Ball holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Clemson University, a Master of Science in Nursing from Florida State University, and a Doctor of Education in educational leader ship from Liberty University. She is a member of multiple professional organizations and has published articles with several publications.

Ball’s research interests include the use of escape room technology in education, the lived experiences of nurse educators with prior mili tary careers, simulation in nursing education, and nursing public policy advocacy. She is a member of First Baptist Church of Charleston where she serves on the safety committee and as a children’s AWANA teacher.

Annual Nursing Pinning and Awards

Miss CSU Makes Lasting Impact

Compiled by Jan Joslin / Photos by Ty Cornett

W hen Brittany Priester was crowned Miss Charleston Southern 2022 in November 2021, she embraced the role with gusto and hasn’t slowed down since.

Promoting a platform of the arts, Pries ter has organized fundraisers for the CSU graphic design and art programs, hosted painting nights on campus, hosted dance classes for all ages, and more. A December 2021 graduate, she was the entrepreneur ship and graphic design academic awards winner at the annual Awards Day.

How did you decide to raise funds for graphic design and art?

My time at CSU has taught me how to be an effective business person and graphic de signer, but I also learned my purpose, what it means to be a servant leader, and how to pursue a significant life through my calling. I decided to raise funds for the CSU Graphic Design and Art Department because I want ed to give back to the program that helped me grow and flourish during my time at CSU. Growing up, I was always artsy. I knew I would love to be an artist, but I always told myself no because I thought I needed to have a sensible job. When I toured CSU, I sat down with an enrollment counselor, and they handed me the course curriculum to obtain a degree in Graphic Design. I decided to take a leap of faith and enroll in the pro gram. I learned what is possible with an art degree and the career options that are now available to me. Knowing how life-changing that can be, I wanted to help the program have the resources to reach more potential students.

How much have you raised?

Over this past year, I have held three major fundraisers, and I am super excited to present a check to the university on No vember 12 when I give away my crown to the next deserving young woman. We are still totaling up the final number, but I can say that it is over $3,000. That money will

go directly to the CSU Graphic Design and Art Department and will be used to upgrade the Art Studio and promote the program to reach and serve more students.

Why are you so passionate about promoting the arts?

I know firsthand how beneficial they can be. Those with access to the arts do better in school and their future careers because through art they develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills, perseverance, teamwork, cross-cultural understanding, and so much more. That being said, not everyone has access to art programs. That is why during my reign as Miss CSU, I made it my mission to develop programs in the local community that allowed people to try out art forms and engage with the arts as well as to raise money and help promote current arts programs and businesses in the area.

What’s next after you crown a new Miss CSU?

I have my own business, Brittany Priester Graphic Design, work as the marketing and communications manager at Ignite Dance Competition, and teach dance at Planet Dance Center for the Arts.

Brittany Priester ’21 shows off her CSU ring at the university’s first Ring Ceremony.

Miss CSU welcomes guests to the silent auction to raise funds for graphic design and art.

A freshman’s miraculous journey to CSU, and her testimony of forgiveness after a near-fatal car accident.

By

“I forgive him”

Hunter Gatling ’24 / Photos by Ty Cornett

Textbooks, dorm room supplies, and parent’s goodbyes are the norm as high school graduates begin new chapters. There are few things in life more exciting for a teen ager than the early days of freshman year. The new experiences, freedom, and meeting new people are just a few of the things that make freshman year the most memorable for some. Many students all over the country worked feverishly in high school to make it to their dream school, and Charleston South ern University’s Jessica Kolp is no exception. But months earlier before her arrival on campus as a freshman, it was nearly all taken away from her in the blink of an eye.

January 26, 2022, Jessica was driving in her hometown of Columbia, South Carolina, after spending time with some friends. A man driving under the influence with a sto len vehicle in a police chase, ran a redlight and collided with Jessica’s vehicle. The col lision resulted in life-threatening injuries to Jessica, including a fractured skull and two broken legs, among other injuries. She was left in critical condition, causing doctors to warn her family to prepare for the worst.

“One moment I’m with friends enjoy ing life; a couple of hours later, I have one foot in the door, headed towards the light,” said Jessica. Her life now in the balance, the future for the high school student, athlete, daughter, and friend to many, was very unsure. The injuries required many surger ies and medical life support. Jessica’s head injuries were especially of great concern for doctors. According to a journal kept by her

mother, Cheryl Kolp, Jessica’s brain injuries literally took precedence over treatment for her legs, leaving the question if she would ever walk again.

However, though in the fight for her life, she was not alone. With the support of the Ben Lippen high school community, and her family, especially her mother, Jessica’s jour ney to recovery had a lot of people in her corner. And with faith leading the way, there was reason for hope.

Cheryl Kolp logged Jessica’s entire journey from the early hours of being in the hospital after the accident, all the way to full recovery. In that journal, Cheryl logs the milestones, the challenges, and the strides that Jessica made. To give an example of the impact the injuries had on Jessica’s cognitive abilities, Cheryl wrote “We worked on our alphabet and months today and got a little closer to accuracy.” That journal entry was written on February 10, less than a month after the accident. Cheryl also wrote about Jessica’s memory loss as a result from the brain trau ma. When asked if the mental or the physical aspects of the recovery presented the biggest challenge, Jessica states, “It was definitely the physical. Doing things like learning how to walk again was really difficult.”

The mental aspect of Jessica’s journey to recovery was no picnic, either. With just months before she was expected to graduate high school and gear up for college, Jessica found herself with the possibility of needing to delay the start of college so that she could finish high school. Jessica and her mother

had a white board in her hospital room, and this is where they would practice basic math, reading and writing skills. On February 12, Cheryl wrote in her journal “We did test some very basic math skills and she got them right. Not sure how she can remember basic algebra but still doesn’t know her alphabet.” Faced with a major physical and cognitive setback, Jessica credits much of her speedy recovery to her determination to resume life as it was before her accident. “I was just de termined to have a normal life,” she said. Her mother was also determined to help Jessica resume life as normal. Jessica credits much of her recovery, and who she is as a person, to her mother. “My mom has always been my best friend. And during my recovery, she really stepped up. She is always pushing me to be the best woman I can be.”

From the moments just after the collision to the road to recovery, Jessica was never without support from her family and her surrounding community. Over $50,000 was raised by way of Gofundme.com to help with the costs of treatment. Her high school put on events such as a “Pink Out” during a home basketball game in her honor. While her physical and mental setbacks presented great challenges, Jessica maintained her Christian faith, even when that was one of the most difficult parts of her journey. One day, when her mother left the hospital after their usual day of regaining some basic cog nitive abilities on the whiteboard, Jessica’s Christianity shined through the hardships and turmoil. She made her way over to the whiteboard, still barely able to put together basic sentences, and wrote the words “I forgive him.” Despite almost having her life taken by the selfish acts of a drunk driver, Jessica still refused to let anger and resent ment have a place in her heart. When talk ing about forgiving the driver who struck her vehicle the night of January 26, she said “It was one of the hardest things I have ever done as a Christian. But I forgive someone who almost became a murderer.”

From the moment when she was first able to move after being bedridden from her injuries, Jessica’s determination overcame all obstacles. Fast forward to September 2022, Jessica is happy and healthy as a new stu dent at Charleston Southern University. Her miraculous recovery is a true testimony to the power of faith, family, community, hope, and most of all, forgiveness.

Jessica Kolp works with the men’s basketball team as a work-study student.

“One moment I’m with friends enjoying life; a couple of hours later, I have one foot in the door, headed towards the light”

— Jessica Kolp

Inaugural DPT White Coat Ceremony Draws a Crowd

By Hunter Gatling ’24 / Photos by Ty Cornett

Charleston Southern hosted its inaugural white coat ceremony for the Doctor of Physical Therapy’s class of 2024 on Sept. 17. This is the program’s first professional ism ceremony since it first began accepting applications in July 2021. The DPT class is comprised of 48 students, who entered the program in May of this year.

“These ceremonies are viewed as a rite of passage into the world of patient care. Much different than what you have with gradu ation from other programs,” said Dr. Walt Jenkins, who was the keynote speaker for the ceremony. Jenkins currently serves as the president of the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy.

The CSU DPT program was granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education in April 2022. The DPT program is 31-months long, the fastest DPT program in the state of South Carolina, ac cording to Dr. Jacob Thorp, the program’s director.

Students also have the option to pursue a Master of Business Administration in health care management along with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Charleston South ern University is the only institution in the state of South Carolina to offer an MBA and DPT dual degree program. Learn more about the degree at charlestonsouthern.edu/dpt.

The first cohort of the DPT program receives their white coats, takes a vow of service, and gathers for a group photo.

PA Program Gains Accreditation-Continued Status

By Jan Joslin / Photo by Ty Cornett

The Accreditation Review Commis sion on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. has granted AccreditationContinued status to the Charleston Southern University Physician Assistant Program.

Accreditation-Continued is an accredita tion status granted when a currently accred ited program is in compliance with the ARCPA Standards. Accreditation remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accredita tion is withdrawn for failure to comply with the standards.

“In 2016, I was given an incredible op portunity to come to Charleston Southern University as the founding program director for the Physician Assistant Program,” said Dr. Gabrielle Poole, interim dean of the College of Health Sciences. “I was charged with leading the program through the accreditation process in addition to matriculating and graduating the first several cohorts of the program.”

Dr. Jerica Derr, interim program director and director of clinical education, said the CSU PA program has graduated a total of 84 PAs, and 67 students are currently enrolled (33 first year, 34 second year).

Poole said, “Having the opportunity to educate and train future clinicians in a Christian environment has been so reward ing. I love being able to mentor and support students during this extremely challenging educational journey in hopes that they will go out into our community as the hands and feet of Jesus, showing compassion to all of their patients while using the medi cal knowledge and skills they have learned at CSU. I am incredibly thankful to the faculty and staff of the program for coming alongside me to ensure the program earned accreditation continuation and to the ad ministration, especially Dr. Jackie Fish, vice president for academic affairs, for giving us the opportunity to build this program.”

Derr believes the CSU PA program is distinctive because of small class sizes with a small student-to-faculty ratio and the op portunity to deliver a PA education through a Christian worldview.

“We really get to know our students not just as our students, but as people and future colleagues,” said Derr. “Our robust mentor ing program creates space and intentionality for conversations to take place about stu dent’s academic performance and offer emo tional support as they progress through the rigorous program. Delivering a PA education through a Christian worldview enables us to not only invest in the next generation of medical providers but also the next genera tion of Kingdom builders and world chang ers. The faculty feels so blessed every day for the privilege to be a part of our students’ journey to becoming clinicians,” said Derr.

The accreditation process for a new pro gram is conducted through a series of three applications and subsequent site visits as outlined below by the ARC-PA:

1. An initial provisional site visit is con ducted to a new developing program that is within six to 12 months of matriculation of students. This visit verifies an institution’s

ability to begin a program in compliance with the Standards, and the program’s readi ness to matriculate students.

2. A provisional monitoring visit is con ducted within six months of graduation of the first cohort of students. This visit verifies the sponsoring institution’s and provisionally accredited program’s progress in delivering the program in compliance with the Stan dards and their ability to continue to do so.

3. A final provisional visit is conducted 18-24 months following the second provi sional review by the commission. This visit verifies the institution’s and program’s dem onstration of compliance with the Standards including their ability to incorporate and re port the findings of a robust self-assessment process as required by the ARC-PA.

The approximate date for the next valida tion review of the program by the ARC-PA will be March 2032. The review date is contingent upon continued compliance with the Accredi tation Standards and ARC-PA policy.

Taylor Barnes works with touch-screen files.

As a Master Crime Scene Investigator for the Charleston Police Department, Ashleigh Wojslawowicz juggles her fulltime job with part-time work for the Stono Group, LSU’s National Center for Biomedical Research and Training, and Truett McCon nell University.

REFRAMING

EdD Grad’s Research LAW ENFORCEMENT RECRUITING

By Catalina Duran-Ballen and Jan Joslin / Photos by Ty Cornett

Charleston Southern trifecta alumnus, Ashleigh Newell Wojslawowicz ’10, ’13, ’21, is living her life’s purpose in God’s perfect plan.

Currently a Master Crime Scene Investigator, Wojslawowicz, 33, holds the highest tier level of certification by the International Association of Identification as a Certified Senior Crime Scene Analyst. She recently shared her research at the annual American Society for Evidence-Based Policing conference in Washington D.C., and the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Dallas, Texas.

Her panel presentation on “Solving the Recruiting Crisis,” included reframing the current recruitment crisis, evaluating the impacts of negative media on law enforcement recruiting efforts, and solving the hiring crisis by finding what works through internal research. The international conference provided Wojslawowicz a place for her research and dissertation to fit into a group of people passionate about policing and research.

The standing-room only presentation highlighted the need for such research. “We have all seen what continues to be put out in the media and the topic of law enforcement actions and behaviors is not something that is going away, and the way we see law enforcement in the community has changed, for example we see police utilizing various social media accounts such as TikTok and Instagram,” said Wojslawowicz.

She confesses to a little bit of fangirling over the people at the conference who had just been names in her research before. “To be able to network and meet people that have done a lot more than I have and for them to be so excited about it, and then come up to you later and say I would love to implement this at my agency can we partner and do this, or let

me connect you with this person over here because they need to hear this too, and to be welcomed into that circle was a big deal for me,” said Wojslawowicz.

Wojslawowicz earned her Doctor of Education in leadership at CSU with the first cohort which graduated in December 2021. Her dissertation, “Recruiting Amidst Crisis: Exploring Police Recruit Motivations in a Post-Ferguson Era,” has opened a broader world for her. She is the principal researcher and lead consultant for The Stono Group, LLC. She is a subject matter expert for the National Center for Biomedical Research and Training where she provides training for domestic and international first responders on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State, and she is affiliated

A

with The Justice Clearinghouse, and is an adjunct professor for Truett McConnell Uni versity in Georgia.

The public’s response to law enforcement action and behaviors as viewed through media platforms can be a difficult chal lenge. “Reporting their [law enforcement’s] behavior has been under a microscope in recent years and is not going away, but the

moments of realization that I’ve had.”

Wojslawowicz had to write a paper during her doctoral work about having an Ah-Ha moment, the moment you realize the con nection between what you have been learn ing and your purpose. She said, “For me it was realizing that I come from a unique background for someone that is in research. I can draw from perspectives that other peo

response. Personally knowing the people who were responding to and processing the crime scene in the days after, it was a very personal connection.” She said her fel low law enforcement officers were similarly impacted, as she observed the physical and mental exhaustion and stress experienced by the officers following the event.

She said many individuals choose the law enforcement profession to protect and serve; however, following several highly publicized mistakes made by a small number of officers in recent years, a narrative began to circulate throughout the police community regarding perceptions of anger and distrust by citizens. Now, not only are officers dealing with the literal consequences of bad decisions made by a select few, but also the intangible men tal effects from a socio-psychological stand point. “I was in the middle of this complex and dynamic moment and searching for what can I do to help so that is where my dissertation topic of looking at recruitment motivation in a post-Ferguson era came from,” said Wojslawowicz.

What she observed firsthand was the organizational struggles for recruitment and retention of nationwide law enforcement. Retention data is not typically shared outside of a law enforcement organization, so she had to switch topics in order to have access to the needed information. Having access to those who are getting into the profession from connections at police academies and understanding why they want to enter the profession despite everything going on in the news, was possible.

environment has shifted, and is continuing to change, all because there is now a com mitment to doing better, and you have more people on board because they recognize how badly this is needed,” said Wojslawowicz.

She said, “The degree met me at a time in my life where everything lined up; there was no question that this was God ordained and I was meant to be here. I had every confi dence that this was the direction my life was supposed to go.”

She had been studying verses in the Bible that point out that God will not fail, and He has a plan for each person. “There are needs in other people’s lives that only you can fill, so you have a unique purpose,” she said. “The moment I realized that there was this need in the world, and I was uniquely designed for it was one of the most exciting

ple can’t because I’ve lived it, so that’s when I realized that is what I have to do. You need someone like me that will tell you how a survey instrument is giving you data.”

She clarifies the need to trust in God’s plan does not always mean it is what one wants. Her dissertation was not the topic she originally wanted to research. “It is typical with the dissertation process that you start at one point and end up at a different subject, but I knew I wanted to focus on law enforce ment,” Wojslawowicz said.

She explains where the ideas began. “There have been several events within this post-Ferguson era, where law enforcement response and accountability have evolved,” said Wojslawowicz. “In Charleston we had a peaceful protest that turned violent in 2020, and my agency was involved with that

She started there. What she learned was the negative media and its impact on the per ception of danger in the job and on officer motivation weren’t a big enough impact to keep recruits from joining law enforcement.

Wojslawowicz said, “You are not going to solve the world’s problems with your disser tation; it is just your first step to learn how to do research, and understand the limita tions of the data.”

When she was younger, Wojslawowicz thought she knew exactly what the future held. She said, “I grew up in a conserva tive Christian home. I was homeschooled through high school. CSU was my first big social not-at-home experience, so I was very sheltered. I had a plan that I would be mar ried by 21, have three children by 30 and be a private investigator. Yet I’m 33 now with

Ashleigh Wojslawowicz prepares samples using a pipette.

“The degree met me at a time in my life where everything lined up; there was no question that this was God ordained and I was meant to be here.”

— Ashleigh Wojslawowicz

Ashleigh Wojslawowicz uses an alternative light source to examine clothing. The Crime-Lite is used to look for hair, fibers, or possible biological evidence.

“It is being able to understand how to do the research but then interpret, present, and communicate it with those who can then take that information and apply it practically.”

— Ashleigh Wojslawowicz

Ashleigh Wojslawowicz begins fingerprint processing with a fiberglass brush and fingerprint powder.

no children and I got married to my husband later in life than I thought I would, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I wouldn’t be married to any other person; he is my person, my soulmate. God knew what He was doing.”

She describes herself as being at home in an academic environment. She knew she wanted to obtain another degree. She said, “I had stayed connected so I heard through the grapevine that CSU was going to do this program. I knew that God was telling me it was time to go; I didn’t second guess it.”

When she told her husband he gave her his full support saying, “Absolutely, you are going to do it.” She said the support of your partner makes a difference. Her undergraduate mentor, Dr. Jacqueline Fish, was a motivator also. Wojslawowicz met her during her undergrad studies. “She was teaching Techniques of Criminal Investigations, which is basically like a Crime Scene 101 class,” she said. “It was an elective for criminal justice students. When I met her, I thought I want to be just like her when I grow up, what she is doing is what I want to do.

“Dr. Fish has a doctorate in education as well, so with her background along with a master’s degree and undergrad in the criminal justice field and then switching to education intrigued me because I wanted to make sure my academic career was diverse,” said Wojslawowicz. “I have the field experience of forensics and criminal justice, so I know how the police department works.” She also holds the practical side of research. She said, “PhD programs are heavily theoretical with an emphasis on conducting the research, the theoretical frameworks, and testing the hypothesis, which is still something we do in a doctorate in education, however the emphasis always remains theoretical, which is not easily digestible for the typical law enforcement practitioner.”

Wojslawowicz explains what is needed in today’s world. “It is being able to understand how to do the research but then interpret, present, and communicate it with those who can then take that information and apply it practically,” she said. “That is where the gap lies, and that is where I feel that I could be the greatest of use. I understand that world; I’ve lived it for a decade, and now I have the academic training to do the type of research they need.”

She said, “I feel that I am able to meet that gap and help fill it in with whoever I am partnering with because one of the things I heard over and over at the conference in D.C. was when the researchers were presenting, they were talking about the lengths they went to understand what it is like to be an officer, the ride-alongs they did, who they met with, asking the different questions to understand the culture, and I don’t have to do that because I come from that, so that was a reassurance for me that I am in the right place because there is a need for me.” Wojslawowicz is facing the future with confidence. “Now I’m doing so much more, I have no idea where I might end up, but trust in Him along the way because He knows what’s best. Where I am finding purpose and fulfillment is in being able to help others, after a decade of forensic work, here I am, doing analysis, but what I am researching is more than just crime scenes, it’s more than just going to a burglary or working a homicide. And all that is very important, and I’ve done that, but now, I have shifted to

a bigger scope, my framework has become larger, and I am looking more long-term for organizations and agencies,” she said.

Trusting Christ’s guidance and what He has ordained for her life sustains Wojslawowicz. She doesn’t define success by what she can accomplish but by moving forward in what God has called her to do. “I am merely the vessel for His plan to be accomplished,” said Wojslawowicz. “When I look back five or 10 years from now, I hope that I have continued to follow that progression of trust and reliance on Him and His progression.”

Utilizing a microscope gives Ashleigh Wojslawowicz a chance to visually examine a suspect’s material.

CSU Aeronautics Program Is officially a Part 141 Pilot School

By Hunter Gatling ’24

The CSU Aeronautics program is officially a Part 141 pilot school for the first time since the program’s inception in fall of 2021. “God is doing such marvelous work here at CSU that I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to cross the threshold of my office every morning,” said Lloyd S. Richardson, interim chair of the program. “Outside observers can see that the students are greatly blessed and fulfilled by the flight training and comradery.”

Charleston Southern University is the only institution in the state of South Caroli na to offer a Bachelor of Science in aeronau tics. Prior to CSU establishing the program, South Carolina was one of only two states without a collegiate aeronautics program.

Richardson, who is the chief instructor for the program, gives some insight about what it takes to become a Part 141 pilot. “The provi sional pilot school must graduate 10 different

students from an approved course with a pass rate of 80% or higher. CSU’s written pass rate is 94.74%. Next, the school must main tain current and accurate records on each student and instructor. CSU has utilized the innovative Microsoft Teams platform to share electronic data with the FAA, enabling remote inspections. CSU’s recordkeeping was graded at an unprecedented 100%. Finally, the

school must employ a chief instructor who has a minimum of one-year experience teach ing at a certificated pilot school,” he said.

Dr. Dondi Costin, president, said “We launched the Aeronautics program so we could do our part to remedy a growing problem the world faces, namely, the global shortage of qualified pilots. Charleston Southern exists to equip our graduates to serve at the intersection of God’s plan for their lives, their personal passions, and the world’s unmet needs,” he said.

The Aeronautics program is located in the College of Science and Mathematics. Students in the program can choose between three types of aviation: Commercial, Military, or Missionary Aviation. Students who gradu ate from the FAA-approved degree program at CSU will be eligible to receive an R-ATP at 1000 or 1,250 hours as opposed to an unre stricted ATP at 1,500 hours.

CSU Named Charleston Business of the Year

The Charleston Metro Chamber of Com merce named Charleston Southern Uni versity 2022 Business of the Year.

In accepting the award on the behalf of CSU, Dr. Dondi Costin, president, said, “Be ing recognized as Business of the Year in a town like Charleston is really a dream come true. Since our beginning, CSU has been intent on serving our community. We feel like God has put us here for a reason. We love the fact that the first word of our name is Charleston. Our graduates go out and change their sphere of influence, many of whom will be right here in Charleston.”

According to the Charleston Metro Cham ber of Commerce, the award “recognizes an organization known for long-standing excellence, who has demonstrated business success for 20 plus years and showcases a deep dedication for advancing the business community and Charleston region.”

Dr. Dondi Costin with the Business of the Year trophy awarded to Charleston Southern University. Photo by Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Passport to Purpose Officially Rolls Out

By Jan Joslin / Photos by Ty Cornett and Daniel Taylor, Graphics by Tyler Stokes

While CSU began incorporating many aspects of the Passport to Purpose into the curriculum and activities in the last two years, students received their actual passport at the beginning of fall semester. The passports incorporate checklists for each of a student’s four years:

• Freshman year, Discover Your Passion: A time to learn more about yourself, God, and your passions, and to explore majors and careers.

• Sophomore year, Design Your Pathway: This is the year students decide on a major and design their pathway to graduation.

• Junior year, Develop Your Potential: Students take higher-level courses, complete internships, and learn to mentor others.

• Senior year, Declare Your Purpose: Seniors complete all graduation requirements and make preparations for success after graduation.

The passports also include a space for list ing accomplishments and memories made each year, which will be useful when writing a re sume, and a space for stickers collected at Sweet 16 events throughout a student’s four years.

Residential students found a treasure box waiting for them in their rooms on move-in day filled with a passport, welcome letter from Pres ident Costin, stickers, and posters for athletics and Sweet 16 events. The items were packed in

Operation Christmas Child boxes which could be filled with OCC items and turned into the Dean of Students office by the end of Septem ber for an exclusive set of stickers.

Commuter students picked up passports and posters in the campus store.

President Costin to serve on Big South Conference Executive Committee

By Jan Joslin / Photo by Ty Cornett

Charleston Southern University Presi dent Dr. Dondi Costin is the new vice president of the Big South Conference Ex ecutive Committee for 2022-23.

The Big South Conference Executive Com mittee has the authority to make decisions, when necessary, for the Big South Council of Chief Executive Officers. Additionally, the Ex ecutive Committee hears any appeals regard ing penalties imposed by the Commissioner.

Costin said, “As a charter member of the Big South Conference, Charleston Southern is proud to continue our 39-year association with universities committed to the highest ideals of competition, fair play, sportsman ship, and academic excellence for our stu dent-athletes. The lessons student-athletes learn in terms of discipline, resilience, and collaboration with their coaches and team mates endure long after their playing days are over. Which is why I am honored to serve as conference vice president during one of the most critical seasons in the his tory of college athletics.”

Also appointed were UNC Asheville Chancellor Dr. Nancy Cable as president, Gardner-Webb University President Dr. Wil liam Downs as an at-large member to serve the Executive Committee, and USC Upstate Chancellor Dr. Bennie Harris to serve as the Big South’s representative on the NCAA Di

40 Under 40 2022

vision I Presidential Forum.

Charleston Southern University fields 16 teams competing in NCAA Division I. The CSU Women’s Tennis team, Men’s Golf team, and the Men’s Cross Country team were Big South Champions in 2021-2022.

Four people with ties to Charleston South ern were named to the 2022 40 Under 40 list that is presented annually by Charleston Re gional Business Journal.

The list honors professionals who are recog nized in their individual fields and who are also making a difference in the community. Indi viduals are nominated to the list.

List makers for 2022 are:

• Marcus Bryant ’14, who works for Vantage Custom Solutions

• Theresa Griffith, owner of Top Cheer Talent, and the cheerleading coach at CSU

• Brantley Meier ’13 owner of The Bridge chiropractic practice

• Beth Myers ’08, associate vice president for development at CSU

Myers was also named to Charleston Business Magazine’s Best and Brightest 2022 list.

Brantley Meier, Beth Myers, Marcus Bryant, and Theresa Griffith were members of the 40 Under 40 class for 2022. Photo by Jenna Johnson

President Dondi Costin and Vickey Costin with Bucky before a football game

CSU named to U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges List

By Jan Joslin / Graphics by Daniel Taylor

U

.S. News & World Report has once again named Charleston Southern University to its Best Colleges list for 2022-2023 in the Best Regional Universities in the South category.

In the Best Colleges category, CSU is ranked No. 49, up from No. 57 last year; in the Best Colleges for Veterans, CSU is ranked No. 23, up from No. 26 last year; and in the top performers on social mobility, CSU ranked No. 36, up from No. 37 last year.

According to U.S. News & World Report, the social mobility listing measures the ex

tent the school enrolled and graduated stu dents who received Pell grants.

“Charleston Southern University contin ues to be an institution recognized for its excellence in academics while providing an exceptional value to those who attend CSU,” said Dr. Anthony Turner, vice president for enrollment and marketing. “The rankings demonstrate the dedication of faculty and staff to make Charleston Southern Universi ty a premiere institution for students to learn and pursue their life’s calling with a strong supportive community behind them.”

Earlier in the year, U.S. News & World Report ranked Charleston Southern’s online bachelor’s programs at No. 29 nationally for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs, and No. 21 nationally for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans, the top-ranked program in South Carolina.

Washington Monthly’s recent college rank ings included Charleston Southern on the Best Bang for the Buck in the Southeast list. And, Charleston Southern continues to be ranked among the safest universities in South Carolina by national groups Niche and State University.

Wallet Hub Ranks CSU in Top 10 in State

Wallet Hub recently ranked the top 900 higher ed institutions in the U.S., and according to Wallet Hub, selected the “Top performing schools at lowest pos sible costs to undergrads.”

According to Wallet Hub, “The data set is grouped into seven categories, such as Student Selectivity, Cost & Financing and Career Outcomes. The metrics range from student-faculty ratio to graduation rate to post-attendance median salary.”

CSU’s highest rankings in the categories came in Student Selectivity, Campus Safety, and Cost & Financing.

Top 10 in South Carolina

• Clemson University

• University of South Carolina

• Furman University

• Presbyterian College

• Citadel Military College of South Carolina

• Columbia International University

• Southern Wesleyan University

• Charleston Southern University

• North Greenville University

• College of Charleston

Three Buccaneer greats elected to Athletics Hall of Fame

By CSU Athletics / Photos by Arthur Ellis

Three former Charleston Southern Buccaneers were named to the 2022 Athletics Hall of Fame class. Newly elected members include Braxton Drummond ’16 of men’s track and field, Mulern Jean ’15 of women’s track and field, and Saah Nimley ’15 of men’s basketball.

These three grow the Hall of Fame to 107 former Buccaneer greats spanning 26 classes since the first group of 11 joined May 9, 1989. CSU Athletics honored this year’s trio during Hall of Fame Weekend, kicking off the home football schedule against Western Carolina, Sept. 3.

“Being inducted into your alma mater’s hall of fame is one of the highest honors a student-athlete can receive, said Jeff Barber, director of athletics. “The CSU class for 2022 had great success, not only at Charles ton Southern but also in the Olympics and internationally. We all have the utmost re spect for each of these Buccaneers, and our Hall of Fame will become much stronger with their induction.”

BRAXTON DRUMMOND MEN’S TRACK & FIELD | 2011-16

One of the greatest track and field athletes in school history, Drummond was a three-time All-American in the long jump, earning the dis tinction following the 2013 indoor and 2014 indoor and outdoor campaigns. His dual honor in 2014 made him one of just four athletes nationally that season to garner both accolades.

He finished as high as fifth in the long jump on the national scale, one of two Top10 results. He was the Big South champion in the event four times, two each for indoor (2013, 2014) and outdoor (2014, 2016) and was named the Big South Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year in 2014 and 2016. Throughout his illustrious career, Drum mond received nine total all-conference honors and was voted to the All-Big South Decade Team for 2010-19 both for indoor and outdoor track and field.

A long-time conference record holder in the long jump, he still is atop the league listings for outdoor and his indoor mark

was surpassed just this spring. He also tal lied five total Big South Athlete of the Week plaudits during his time in the Holy City.

Additionally, he participated in the 2015 USA Track & Field Championships, placing fifth in the long jump, and was ninth in a qualifying heat at the 2016 Olympic Trials. He was a gold medalist at the 2014 NACAC Under-23 Championship, held in Kamloops, British Columbia.

Drummond currently serves as the team lead/senior patient service representative for Change Healthcare.

MULERN JEAN WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD | 2011-14

Another exemplary performer from the track and field programs, Jean earned one All-America honor during her career, in the 100-meter hurdles in 2013, and was a twotime Big South Freshman of the Year on her way to joining Drummond as a Big South All-Decade Team (2010-19) honoree by the time her Buccaneer career ended.

“The CSU class for 2022 had great success, not only at Charleston Southern but also in the Olympics and internationally. We all have the utmost respect for each of these Buccaneers, and our Hall of Fame will become much stronger with their induction.”

– Jeff Barber Director of Athletics

BRAXTON DRUMMOND

She captured the league’s event title three years in a row from 2012-14, both indoors and outdoors, and received a total of 11 all-league honors across five different events in her stel lar career. She still holds Charleston Southern indoor records for the 55-meter hurdles (7.85 seconds) and 60-meter hurdles (8.23), as well as the outdoor standard for 100-meter hurdles (13.25) which she set at the 2013 NCAA East Preliminary. Her times in the indoor 60-meter hurdles indoors and 100-meter hurdles out doors rank as the top performances during a league championship meet, respectively.

A three-time Big South Athlete of the Week during her career, she bolstered her resume by also competing in the 4x100meter relay and 4x400-meter relay. She is a member of the eighth-fastest 4x100-meter relay time in school history.

After her time at CSU was completed, she went on to represent her home country of Haiti in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil and in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan, reaching the semifinals in the lat ter with her time of 13.09 in the 100-meter hurdles. She also participated in the 2017 World Outdoor Championships, 2018 World Indoor Championships and 2022 World Indoor Championships.

She is currently a school resource officer in Mount Pleasant.

SAAH NIMLEY MEN’S BASKETBALL | 2011-15

Recent memories of the Bucs on the hard wood include one standout name, who’s still synonymous with the program, and that’s Nimley. He led CSU to the 2013 and 2015 National Invitation Tournaments on his way to earning 2015 Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America and 2015 CollegeIn sider.com Mid-Major All-America plaudits. He was the 2015 Big South Player of the Year, a two-time all-league first-team choice (2012-13 and 2014-15) and was a member of the 2010-19 All-Big South Decade Team.

His extraordinary senior season saw him rank among the national top-five leaders in four different categories, including points per game (21.4, fourth); 3-pointers attempt ed (307, second); 3-pointers made (110, fifth) and 3-pointers made per game (3.55, fifth). In addition to leading the Big South in all of those categories, he also was the con ference standard bearer for total points (663) and field goals attempted (447) in 2014-15.

He was named an NABC All-District 3 First Team in 2012-13 and 2014-15 and was a finalist for the CollegeInsider.com Lou Hen son Award Player of the Year as a senior while being voted the Jan. 26, 2015, Lou Henson National Player of the Week. He also was tabbed to the 2012 All-Big South Freshman

Team before adding an All-Big South Tourna ment Team accolade the following season.

He remains the only player in Big South his tory with over 1800 points and 500 assists, placing third in school history and 16th in the league record book with 1866 career points. His 511 career assists are one of three CSU records he still holds, along with free throws made (490) and attempted (633). He’s also second among the all-time Bucs for 3-pointers made (288) and attempted (838) and third for field goals at tempted (1484) and games started (110).

His 20 3-pointers attempted against High Point in the Buc Dome Feb. 28, 2015, are tied for the most in Big South history. He scored 30 more points seven times as a senior, including four-in-a-row during a stretch that made him the only player nationally to achieve that feat.

His career-high 39 points was at Radford Feb. 6, 2015. Nimley was a four-time Big South Player of the Week and two-time Big South Freshman of the Week selection.

His stellar collegiate career earned him an in vitation to the prestigious pre-NBA Draft Ports mouth Invitational Tournament and launched a five-year professional playing career overseas in four countries. After he hung up the sneakers, he joined his alma mater as an assistant coach where he has served since 2019-20, receiving a promotion to the Buccaneers’ assistant head coach prior to the 2021-22 campaign.

MULERN JEAN

SAAH NIMLEY

HAPPY Things Making Us

Photos by Ty Cornett and Hunter Gatling

Physician Assistant Students Planting Seeds of Service in Dominican Republic

The Charleston Southern Physician As sistant program sent a group of students and faculty to the Dominican Republic on their annual summer trip to serve the local community through medical care.

Dr. Scott Wade, director of didactic edu cation for the PA program, leads the group that partners with Sowers for the Kingdom. This DR ministry partners with missionar ies to connect them to local churches serv ing their communities year-round. In these churches, the PA students and faculty hosted clinics to treat local patients.

The group also consulted with local pas tors to make home visits to those who were unable to come to the clinic. They brought nonperishable food items, medical supplies, and whatever equipment they could carry and sought out those who needed medical help in the community.

During these home visits, students were confronted with various medical concerns, and while supervised by professors, were able to provide needed medical care.

Students performed prenatal ultrasounds, administered injections, helped with wound care, and even removed a foreign body from the eye of a local construction worker. The majority of these patients would never get the opportunity to see an ultrasound of their baby to know its sex, receive vitamin C injections, or receive wound care— and

By Samantha Arp ’24 / Photos provided

students learned how to solve real-world problems with minimal equipment in an underserved community.

Healthcare workers have the unique expe rience of meeting an individual in their time of need and offering tangible, necessary ser vice. Because of this, they have the chance to share the Gospel with those who may be inaccessible otherwise. For the CSU PA stu dents, being able to care for the community meant putting the love of God on display for them to see.

Because of their intentional care, many locals were struck by the compassion of the church and interested in what else the church might have to offer them. Many walked in the doors of the church for the first time in decades, and some for the first time in their lives, just to experience the intentional com passion of the team and local believers.

Wade said, “We pray, along with them, that they would be drawn in by the church’s love but captivated by the Good News of Christ in a way that changes their lives and the lives of their communities.”

Lindsey Treacy, a PA student, said, “Hav ing the opportunity to serve God along with

my classmates by providing medical care to people in the Dominican Republic was a lifechanging experience. This trip allowed me to grow both spiritually and medically. I am extremely grateful I had this opportunity to help such a poor community, but I am even more grateful for the lasting impact these people made on me.”

The passions and gifts bestowed by God on these students, sharpened and empowered through their education at CSU, enabled them to cross international, lingual, and cul tural barriers carrying the love of Christ.

Opportunities like this, Wade said, will hopefully plant “seeds of service” in his PA students that grow into a compassionate life centered on the service of others for the glory of God.

Anyone interested in sponsoring a student on one of these trips should contact Wade at mwade@csuniv.edu for opportunities.

The CSU Physician Assistant program is an Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) accredited program and is hosting its fifth cohort this aca demic year.

“Having the opportunity to serve God along with my classmates by providing medical care to people in the Dominican Republic was a lifechanging experience.”

— Lindsey Treacy

OFFERED THROUGH GENSEND

By Samantha Arp ’24

GenSend is a ministry of the North American Mission Board that sends college students to major cities all over North America to learn what it means to live on mission. The vision of the GenSend program is that college students understand the Great Commission– to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” By entering a completely new city, partnering with the local church, and carrying the Gospel to their neighborhoods not just as short-term missionaries but as members of the community, college students experience a truly Gospel-driven life.

The goal of this program is to display the nationwide move of God outside of college students’ Christian communities and equip them with evangelistic habits that follow them home to their campuses, workplaces, and families.

In the summer of 2022, Charleston Southern University sent more students than ever to the mission field through this program. As CSU seeks to help students realize their purpose, hands-on experiences like GenSend help shape and refine their callings. CSU students scattered across North America, from California to Pennsylvania, and everywhere in between. A handful of these students shared their GenSend experiences.

HANDS-ON

MISSION OPPORTUNITIES

Sam Arp, Robbie Fleschner, Anya Swift, Maeve O’Toole, and Grace Daniel.

Photo by Ty Cornett

Maeve O’Toole Junior, Public Health major GenSend San Diego

Q. What did this experience teach you about the Great Commission?

A. This summer with GenSend taught me that the Great Commission is not as intimidating as it seems. I was able to learn practical ways to start conversations and build relationships that set the foundation for sharing the Gospel with someone. Get ting to know your local barista or the person you see on the bus every morning is one step closer to a relationship that could bring them to Jesus. Discipleship is just doing life with someone and learning about the Lord together, so the core of that is a comfortable friendship. They are not a project that you are determined to save to check a box. They are a friend who you love and want to know the Lord because you hope to see them in Heaven alongside you. When you look at it through that lens, you realize all you can do is love them and share what you know, and Jesus will be the one to change their heart.

Q. How has GenSend changed how you think about your future?

A. For years I have felt a call to live on full-time mission which I always thought required me to move overseas. That can be an intimidating call to have when wanting a family. GenSend showed me people and families who have dedicated their lives to living on mission right here in the United States. There are dozens of unchurched cities who are needing church plants and

missionaries going out into communities and sharing the love of Christ. This sum mer I worked with multiple families who moved to these lost cities in order to plant a church and build a community around it that could go out and share the gospel. See ing this changed my outlook on how living on mission does not always mean going to a different nation; there are plenty of cities within America that need missionaries. Your mission ground is wherever your feet are, and your location is not enough to assume the salvation of the people around you.

Q. How has GenSend changed how you think about your future?

A. After Gensend I really have a heart for church plants and helping them. So in the future, I’d love to be able to go back to Pitt and help with the church I was at and to help church plants in general.

Fleschner Senior, Christian Studies major GenSend Pittsburgh

Q. What did this experience teach you about the Great Commission?

A. It honestly taught me that it is easier to share the Gospel than you would think. Approaching someone and initiating a con versation is really difficult, but once you are talking to them and are able to share the Gospel it becomes easier because then it just turns into talking about someone you love deeply and all He has done for you! You get to talk about Jesus and how great He is and how much He loves us and has sacrificed for us. I love Him and can talk about Him all day too. So I learned that in a conversation about Him it isn’t as hard as I thought, be cause I’m passionate about Him and letting others know how He has changed my life and can change theirs! It is still harder, but my experience this summer taught me it’s not as hard as I thought!

Q. What did this experience teach you about the Great Commission?

A. GenSend taught me that the Great Commission is for all people and a lot sim pler than we make it to be. It is living on mission as an overflow of gratitude for the Lord. I get to share in His mission to love others well through His power. It is not me starting something, but instead joining the Lord on what He is already doing. It isn’t something that means you have to be in fulltime ministry but seeking to share the Lord in your everyday life.

Q. How has GenSend changed how you think about your future?

A. GenSend changed the way I view peo ple. It changed my priorities. I would much rather spend a day in a coffee shop having Gospel conversations rather than worrying about my social life as my top priority. I think it showed me that you really can turn any conversation into a Gospel conversation. I see opportunities more often and feel the burden to share the Gospel more. I don’t know what this means for my future job or

Robbie

Mariah Gonzalez Senior, Psychology major GenSend Ogden, Utah

calling. I could see myself working in min istry and that would be a dream, but I don’t know exactly what that looks like. The big gest lesson I learned that changed my view of everything is the joy of being faithful and obedient to the Lord by walking with Him even if I never see a single thing ever happen again. He is oh so worth it.

Q. What did this experience teach you about the Great Commission?

A. I had never realized how much the Great Commission affected me. I guess I never realized how urgent and important it is. I had never really done evangelism or missional living before, and practicing that so intentionally for two months showed me how seamlessly I can be living out the com mands of the Great Commission in anything and everything.

Q. How has GenSend changed how you think about your future?

A. I didn’t realize how much GenSend changed my perspective and mindset until coming back home to my normal routines. I now see the world so much differently. I’m constantly aware of how many people around me I should be meeting and talking to, and I can’t stop thinking about ways I can be sharing the Gospel in every conversa tion. I think I’m a lot more intentional now, and the Gospel is flowing into everything I do. Now when I think about my future, I think about how the Lord can be using me for His Kingdom.

Anya Swift

Sophomore, Psychology major GenSend Chicago

Q. What did this experience teach you about the Great Commission?

A. The Great Commission is not what we typically think it is. The Great Commission doesn’t always mean preaching the name of Jesus on the corner or cold call evangelism, though it can mean that. More often it looks like living life where God has placed you, exercising the gifts you have been given rather than those you think you should have to love others and to further the Kingdom, telling other people of your beautiful Savior with both your actions and your words along the way. The Great Commission can look like showing up for someone when they are hurt; it can look like serving the drinks at the church potluck; it can look like telling a homeless person that Jesus loves them with both your words and a warm jacket. So often we are tempted to confine the Great Commis sion to church events and teaching but mak ing disciples is about meeting people where they are and very often the place they need to be met is neither the pulpit nor the pew.

Q. How has GenSend changed how you think about your future?

A. I spent a lot of my summer wrestling with where I fit in the Kingdom and the work God has for me. I felt that I was supposed to be comfortable in front of people and fluent in street Gospel presentation and though I was given moments of that, I thrived behind the scenes, doing research for the pastor, giv ing milk and eggs to food bank customers, and loving on smaller groups of girls. It made

me realize that being a good Christian doesn’t look one certain way but that pursuing God and reflecting Him to other people can and should come in many different ways so that we may show Christ to those who have not seen Him show up in a way that feels com patible with their own experiences or hearts. This may sound strange because it is the opposite of what so many find, but this sum mer confirmed for me that I am not called to pursue traditional vocational ministry but to be someone who reflects the love of Christ in other areas of life, particularly for me, some where in the education system.

My Experience in Urban Ministry

It was in Pittsburgh that I began to understand the breadth of the mission of God. I was able to live on a mountain overlooking the city and remember looking down at all of the people on the winding roads and towering buildings and being amazed at God’s love for the city and His willingness to work in such a dark, lost place. It was that summer in the city where I saw the Holy Spirit work to accomplish the purposes of God, and I wanted to be a part of it.

While living in the city, I fell in love with urban ministry. I loved the challenge of getting to know a new city and being intentional about learning the story of the people. My eyes were opened to the great need that exists within homeless communities in major cities, and it has given me the habit of seeing people in places where I had otherwise missed them. I was also struck by the multitude of nationalities represented in Pittsburgh and realized that taking the Gospel to the nations did not always mean getting on a plane, but often means taking a train into the heart of America’s cities. Moving for ward, I know the Lord has given me a burden for urban ministry and the unique opportunity it provides to take the Gospel to the nations.

Samantha Arp is a junior English with a writing emphasis major. She worked with GenSend in Pittsburgh in the summer of 2021. She is an intern in CSU’s marketing and communication office.

Grace Daniel Junior, Middle Grades Education major GenSend Denver

Class notes

1970s

1980s

Sheliah Durham ’81 is a lecturer in the department of teaching and learning at Clemson University. She holds a PhD in curriculum and instruction from Clemson, and a master’s degree from South ern Wesleyan University.

1990s

Tessa Spencer ’90 was featured recently in Charleston Woman Magazine as a renaissance woman. She is a news anchor for ABC News Four.

COMPILED BY JAN JOSLIN

a local Catholic church and has worked for the South Carolina Film Alliance, Medical Billing, and South Carolina Job Service. He is planning a military reunion for veterans who did Vietnam and Thailand tours in the 1960s and 1970s in April 2023 in Charleston.

Wayne Mills ’71 and Mary Blitch Mills ’71 AAS, ’72 BS celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Au gust 12 and said their story began at Baptist College. They write: “We first met in September 1968 when Mary was a freshman and Wayne was a sophomore. We had our first date together later that same month, and we never dated anyone else after that first date. We were married at the Charleston Air Force Base Chapel, where Mary’s Dad was a Lieutenant Colonel, Baptist minister, and the Head Air Base Chaplain. Now it’s almost 54 years since that first date and 50 years as husband and wife, and we are so very thankful for BCC/CSU as it provided to us the education that enabled us to pursue our successful careers and as it is the very special meeting place that changed our lives forever. BCC/CSU gave to us a great start in the working world and a wonderful foundation to begin our marriage, and so we are now on our way towards our sec ond 50th Wedding Anniversary!”

Bob Norris ’74 retired as vice presi dent of Norris Supply Company in July after working for 44 years. He said, “My wife and I look forward to travel and relaxation.” They live in Greenville.

Barbara Richardson ’84, ’87 MEd is the City of Goose Creek Art Director working with the Goose Creek Cultural Arts Commission. Goose Creek is currently adding art throughout the city to beautify and create a sense of pride for residents.

Dr. Tracy Strickland ’90 is enter ing her second year as principal at Parkwood High School in Monroe, North Carolina. She was previous ly a Spanish teacher at Parkwood from 2005-10. She has a long his tory in the public school system and earned a Master of Arts from UNC Charlotte and a doctorate from Liberty University.

Wendell Fant ’92 is a teacher for Career Technical Education at Central Cabarrus High School in Concord, North Carolina. He is also a regional leader for Prim erica, providers of term life insur ance.

Belita M. Green ’93 is a board member of the YWCA in Charles ton. She is a previous board trea surer and has more than 20 years of experience in human resources and banking. She is also a member of the Charleston chapter of The Links, Incorporated.

Cathy Jo Smith ’93 is a contact center supervisor at Securian Financial in Cottage Grove, Min nesota.

Hans Wunch ’94, association mis sions strategist for Mallary Baptist Association in Georgia, hosts a podcast, Wunchtime, for the pas tors in his association. A majority of the pastors in the association serve in a bivocational capacity.

Bill W. Sanderson ’88 is the new district superintendent of Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District in Los Gatos, California. He was previously assistant super intendent of High Schools for San Francisco Unified School District. He has a background in teaching middle school and high school sci ence and in school administration. Bill believes that access to a highquality education is an imperative civil right of all people. He holds an MEd in education leadership and an education specialist degree, both from The Citadel.

H. AL Ciccarelli ’93 writes, “Our 30th graduation anniversary is pending. I bought my brick. Since graduating I have had various jobs in between playing a lot of golf which is my favorite fall activity. I live at Westcott Golf Plantation.” Al is currently volunteering at

Jennifer Whatley Govea ’97, has a translation company who provides Spanish and German translation for Saddleback Church each week. Check it out at Multitudelan guages.com.

Brian Hyder ’98, ’17 MBA is na tional account manager for the strategic accounts team for HD Supply. He and his wife live in Fort Mill. He is serving a term on the Alumni Association Board.

Richard Waring ’99 has been selected into the Riley Institute’s Diversity Leadership Initiative through Furman University and will be a Riley Fellow upon completion. He is vice president and executive director of diversity, equity, and inclusion for the Charleston Chamber Foundation in North Charleston.

2000s

Karrie S. Powell ’01 is the vice president for patient care services and chief nursing officer at The Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg.

Jamie Brown ’06, ’14 MBA is a supervisor for claims-audits, distribution, and reconciliation with the U.S. Department of State.

Jewel Sweeney ’07 has published two novels in 2022: Welcome to Tranquil Springs, and Azalea Café She has written numerous books and is the author of the children’s series The Adventures of Bugaboo and Ladybug.

Olivia Terzo ’07 was named Teacher of the Year at Sioux City East Middle School in Sioux City, Iowa.

Dr. Jermaine Whirl ’08 MBA was named 2022 Man of the Year by Successteam Foundation for Youth Development. He is the president of Augusta Technical College in Augusta, Georgia.

Send STAY CONNECTED!

Dr. Travien L. Capers ’04 successfully defended his dissertation titled, “A Biblical Response to Same Sex Attraction with Graceful Applications for the African American Church.” He was a part of the inaugural Doctor of Ministerial Leadership cohort at Columbia International University.

Daniel Bryant ’05, an art teacher at Oakbrook Elementary School in Summerville was the keynote speaker for the Nebraska Art Teachers Association convention this fall.

Julie Sprankles ’05 has joined with some friends to open a new venture in downtown Summerville called Selfie Addict Studio. In the midst of life’s struggles, the friends wanted to create a space for people to have fun.

Garrett Abel ’09 led worship at The Voyage, CSU’s opening worship service, in August during move-in. He is pastor of Seacoast Worship and Seacoast Music. He and his wife, Lauren Mantho Abel ’06 live in Mount Pleasant with their three children.

Amy Doerflinger ’09 is a leader in digital product management, agile coaching, and insights for Edward Jones. She lives on Saint Helena Island.

Misty Price ’09, ’12 MBA is a corporate human resources manager at Smithfield Foods in Smithfield, Virginia.

2010s

us

news about family additions, job changes, community involvement, etc. To include a photo, email a high resolution jpg - 800kb or larger. (If you send a professional photograph, please include permission to print from the photographer.)

Social Media:

Tyrell Lenix ’10 earned a Master of Science in information technology from Purdue University Global. He is a Planview System Administrator for Millennium Software & Staffing.

Karriema Calhoun ’11 MBA, was named to the South Carolina Biz News state influencers list for the Coastal Region. She works for Boeing.

Joshua Gale ’11 is the senior director of marketing for Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities. He and his wife have three children, and he is a member of the CSU Board of Visitors.

Dr. Troy Hall ’11 MBA is a coach for GetMee, an AI-powered communication and personal development coaching software. He is a talent retention consultant, public speaker, and has written several books. Learn more at drtroyhall.com.

Krista LaPlante ’11 is the director of program development and strategic initiatives at Apartment Life in Charleston.

Grayson Dorr ’12 MBA has been selected into the Riley Institute’s Diversity Leadership Initia tive through Furman University and will be a Riley Fellow upon completion. He is an investment finance manager at the South Carolina Research Authority in Summerville.

Yvette Jones ’12 is a human re sources director at Redeye World wide in North Carolina. She holds a master’s degree in human re sources management and services from Ashford University.

Monica Smalls ’12 MEd is the principal of Chicora Elementary School in North Charleston. She was the assistant principal at Chicora prior to her promotion.

Allison Thomas ’12 MEd is a se nior recruiter at Fulcrum Staffing. She is a former elementary school teacher.

Brandon Young ’12 is a senior soft ware developer at QBox in Ascot, England.

Catherine Fox Barber ’13, and her husband, Michael Barber, an nounce the birth of a son, George Thomas Eugene Barber, born March 9, 2021, in Charleston.

Ross Thomas ’14 has been named the assistant men’s golf coach at the University of Wisconsin. He worked as a professional caddie with the Professional Golfers’ As sociation. He will be working with his former Buccaneer coach, Mike Wilson ‘99, who is the head men’s golf coach at Wisconsin.

Courtney Corvino Bayles ’15 has been in the news several times recently for wrestling and relocat ing alligators. She considers it a normal work day as the animal control supervisor for Charleston Police Department.

Stephen Slappey ’15 has started a nonprofit called Focus Up to mentor high school students in the Charleston area. Slappey is also co-owner and founder of Creative Consulting and Sage Coach Mar keting, both based in Summerville. For more info on Focus Up, visit focusupcharleston.com

Danielle Burnett ’17 is the man ager for brand and product opera tions at Parallel in Atlanta.

Cade Gallagher ’17 announces the birth of a daughter, Lena Grace Gallagher, born March 15.

Lisa Grant ’17 MS has opened a lo cation for her real estate firm, See Wee Homes, in North Charleston. In addition to the real estate office, the space offers home décor.

Nikolay Timoschchuk Jr. ’17 MS is the chief marketing officer for Scooter’s Coffee in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is also a YouTuber and produces Back2Life, Niko’s Property Show.

Chris Roberts ’17 MA is a district sales manager at Volvo Trucks in Birmingham, Alabama.

Alison Skinner Moore ’18 and her husband, Kyle Moore, announce the birth of a son, Kyle Moore Jr., born Jan. 24.

Austin Pfoff ’19 is one of the own ers of Palmetto Sports Cards in Summerville. They offer a wide variety of sports hobby items.

2020s

Braxton Drummond ’20 MBA is a team lead and senior patient service representative at Change Healthcare in Charleston.

Leslie Kirkland ’20 is a senior business operations specialist at Boeing and is working on a Master of Business Administration at The Citadel.

Chris Makowski ’20 is the com munications manager for the Town of Kiawah Island. He was formerly the social media special ist for Berkeley Electric Coopera tive. He and his wife, Hayley, are expecting their first child.

Tammy Alessandro ’16 MEd is the assistant principal of Goose Creek Elementary in Berkeley County. She served as the Title I Facilitator at Sangaree Elementary from 2019 through 2022. She previously was a kindergarten teacher at Sangaree Elementary where she was named Teacher of the Year in 2010.

Tonya Pratt ’16 MSN, is the senior director of quality management and medical staff at The Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg.

Evan Schultz ’16, is the digital marketing manager for Mystic Aquarium in Deep River, Con necticut.

Michaela Capers ’19, Madelyn Capers ’19, and Rebecca Detwiler ’20, of the Mount Pleasant Police Department, assisted with CSU’s annual Summer Criminal Justice Camp for high schoolers. Michaela and Madelyn are both currently enrolled in CSU’s Master of Sci ence in criminal justice program.

Photo: Michaela Capers, Dr. Gary Metts, Madelyn Capers, Rebecca Detwiler, and Professor Alan Fix. Photo by Jan Reed.

Namia Stevenson ’20 is earning her master’s degree at Missis sippi State University where she is studying frogs and toads in the Conservation Physiology Lab. Prior to beginning her master’s degree, she worked as a zookeeper in Chicago at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Dawson Leading Alumni Engagement

By Jan Joslin / Photo by Ty Cornett

Denise Dawson ’93 is Charleston South ern’s new director of alumni engage ment. She was formerly an admissions counselor for CSU in the enrollment and marketing division.

“My favorite part of working in enroll ment was talking about CSU,” said Dawson. She brings that love for Charleston Southern to her work with alumni.

“Denise brings great enthusiasm and pas sion to engage our alumni in the life of the university,” said Beth Myers, associate vice president for development. “Her love of CSU will be beneficial in connecting with alumni.”

Dawson is committed to interacting with alumni, building relationships, and let ting alumni know what CSU offers as far as events and family-friendly activities. “Es pecially coming out of COVID, we want to reconnect with our alumni and help them fall in love with CSU again,” said Dawson.

She is interested in what alumni think engagement looks like and is looking for ward to gatherings where alumni can meet and network.

Dawson graduated from CSU in 1993 with a sociology degree. She is currently enrolled in CSU’s Master of Arts in organizational management program. She and her husband have three children, and their middle child entered CSU as a freshman this fall.

Alumni are encouraged to reach out to Dawson at alumni@csuniv.edu.

Baby Bucs

TO SUBMIT YOUR BABY BUCS PHOTO: Email a picture of your Baby Buc wearing the shirt to alumni@csuniv.edu. Pictures should be 800 kb or larger in size, jpg format.

TO ORDER A

SHIRT

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.

Hazle Templeton, daughter of Alexia Hazle Templeton ’18 and Ryan Templeton ’17

Easton Psalm Brace, son of Ashley Brace and Darrell Brace ’08

Marshall Tipton, son of Melanie Tipton ’19 and Matthew Tipton, current CSU student

George Thomas Eugene Barber, son of Catherine Fox Barber ’13 and Michael Barber

Charlie Tretter, son of Jessica King Tretter ’11 and Steven Tretter

Kyle Moore Jr., son of Alison Skinner Moore ’18 and Kyle Moore

Lena Grace Gallagher, daughter of Cade Gallagher ’17

Legacy Student Reception

Students who have a parent or grandparent who graduated from CSU/BCC were welcomed to CSU with a new tradition in August. On move-in day, legacy students and their families were welcomed with an afternoon reception.

There is a spot on the admissions application to indicate whether a family member is a graduate of CSU. Denise Dawson, director of alumni engagement, said, “We are identifying alumni who have kids attending CSU, and we are hoping to do things throughout the year with our legacy families.”

If you graduated from CSU/BCC and currently have a student attending CSU, contact the alumni office at alumni@csuniv.edu.

by Ty Cornett

Photos

in memory

John Robert Bolchoz Sr. ’70, age 70, died July 5 in Jupiter, Florida. He was a U.S. Army veteran and retired from Westvaco Corporation.

Herbert Crawford Camp III ’83, age 61, died July 4 in Chapin. He was a member of the CSU track team. He was the director of campus recreation for many years at the University of South Carolina and was currently employed with Allied Universal Security Services. He held an MPA from the University of South Carolina.

LaTisha Chong ’17, age 32, died July 19 after a battle with cancer in New York. She was a U.S. Air Force veteran and a professional hair stylist. One of her last jobs was styling Serena Williams for the cover of the September issue of Vogue

Harriett E. Parsons Edwards ’72, age 72, died Aug. 6 in Summerville after a battle with cancer. She taught at Summerville High School for 25 years and also served as a guidance counselor for middle schools.

James Miles Friar Jr. ’73, age 78, died June 23 in Summerville. He was director of economic development for Dorchester County prior to retirement.

James “Ronny” Hill ’72, age 71, died Sept. 24 in Moncks Corner. He worked at the Naval Shipyard and later for Space and Naval Warfare Systems Atlantic where he eventually became the comptroller. He received the Navy’s Meritorious Civil Service Award.

Katherine Middleton Huger, age 80, died Aug. 19 in Charleston. Her first career was in banking. She taught economics at CSU for 32 years and was named a professor emeritus. She was involved in numerous civic and educational endeavors in the community and traveled the world.

Ruth Myatt McAdory ’73, age 91, died June 13 in James Island. She was a nurse and taught nursing at CSU when it was Baptist College at Charleston.

John Drury Mims ’95 MEd, age 57, died June 29 in Aiken after a battle with cancer. He was a teacher and coached football and wrestling. He held an educational specialist degree from Lincoln University. He also attended Columbia Bible College and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Dr. George Niketas, age 92, died Aug. 16 in Summerville. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and worked for the U.S. State Department. He taught at several colleges before teaching English at CSU for 25 years and was named a professor emeritus.

James Parker Jr., age 76, died July 1 in Summerville. He was a U.S. Army National Guard veteran and a member of the CSU Board of Visitors. He was retired from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Ronald Baron Parnell ’69, age 76, died Sept. 3 in Bluffton. He was a U.S. Navy veteran. He had a career in pharmaceutical and medical devise manufacturing and managed several plants.

The Rev. Charles Launie Price, age 90, died June 13 in Charleston. He was a pastor before being hired as one of the first employees at the then Baptist College at Charleston where he served as vice president for student affairs. He also worked in real estate.

Jonathan Ivars Radcliffe ’98 MAT, age 55, died Sept. 15 in Charleston. He taught English at Fort Dorchester High School and coached varsity baseball for 28 years and was a member of the Fort Dorchester Hall of Fame.

Theodore “Ted” Sampson Jr., age 79, died Sept. 20. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and a U.S. Postal Service employee before coming to CSU as the postmaster. He mentored many students and advised several student organizations during his time at CSU.

The Rev. Lonnie Houston Shull Jr., age 85, died Aug. 7. He pastored numerous churches in South Carolina, Mississippi, and Florida. He was awarded an honorary doctor of divinity from CSU in 1979 and served on the Pastors Advisory Council. He was president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention in 1981 and served as a board member for Southern Baptist Convention agencies.

Michael Eugene Sigman ’69, age 74, died Aug. 7 in Savannah. He was a member of the BCC baseball team. He was a U.S. Army veteran and taught high school and middle school and coached baseball and football in South Carolina and Georgia.

Captain (Ret.) David Stone, age 80, died June 16 in Lindale, Georgia. He was a faculty member in CSU’s Air Force ROTC program from 1980-1984.

William “Bill” Albert Weathersbee, age 81, died June 11 in Hendersonville, North Carolina. He was a retired State Farm agent. He was a member of the CSU Board of Visitors.

Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Rosser Wills, age 96, died Sept. 16 in Charleston. She taught art history at Baptist College at Charleston.

CSU Mourns Beloved Former Provost and Professor

By Jan Joslin

Dr. A. Kennerley “Kenny” Bonnette Jr.

The CSU family is mourning the loss of former provost and professor Dr. A. Kennerley “Kenny” Bonnette Jr., who died Monday, Sept. 5 in Summerville. He was 77 years old.

Bonnette began his career at Charleston Southern, then Baptist College at Charleston, in January 1971. He earned a PhD in nuclear chemistry at Clemson University where he taught while obtaining his doctorate.

President Dr. Dondi Costin said, “Dr. Bonnette is a Charleston Southern legend who poured himself into the lives of faculty and students for decades. In so many ways he was the glue that held everything together, and his leadership set the stage for our success. He believed in the mission and ministry of Christian higher education so powerfully that he stayed engaged long after he retired. He was a great man who will be greatly missed. I join the CSU family in thanking God for his ministry and praying for Mrs. Bonnette and their family as together we celebrate his significant life.”

A chemistry professor, Bonnette was appointed an assistant vice president for academic affairs in 1981 and became vice president for academic affairs in 1984. He was promoted to provost in 1990 when the college changed its name to Charleston Southern University.

“Dr. Bonnette and I enjoyed working side by side for many years facing unexpected challenges and unbelievable opportunities,” said Dr. Jairy Hunter, president emeritus.

“He was always my trusted friend, colleague and mentor. Dr. Bonnette was chair of the Presidential Search Committee when I accepted the offer to become the second president of the college in 1984. He contacted us several times encouraging us to join the Baptist College family with his warm and genuine personality. Thanks to him, Sissy and I continue to enjoy being part of CSU.”

One of the highlights of Bonnette’s career was the opening of the long-awaited Science building in 2005. He retired as provost in 2006 and taught part-time in the new building until he officially retired in 2011. He was

named professor emeritus of chemistry and provost emeritus in 2012. A long-time colleague said of him, “I don’t know anybody who doesn’t respect Dr. Bonnette.”

Always the educator, Bonnette said, “I have always wanted to conclude my career where it started, in the classroom.” He was able to do just that. As VPAA and provost, he presided over many commencements. Upon his retirement, he said, “With every one of the diplomas—a little piece of every professor goes with them. We are a part of them when they leave, and we will be forever. What we did mattered, and they are the proof that it matters.”

In addition to his contributions in the classroom and as a leader, Bonnette contributed to the university as a member of the Board of Visitors, the Buc Club, the Legacy Society, and was a life member of the President’s Club.

Legacy Society Ensuring Values Passed On to Future Generations

By Tom Clemmons / Photos by Daniel Taylor

J

esus says in Matthew 6:21 that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” We have some Legacy Society members who have huge hearts for supporting CSU now and after they arrive in Heaven. Their reward is certain, and so is ours. Why? Because they chose to treasure Charleston Southern University in their wills or estate plans and bless future generations of Buccaneers.

It’s really not hard to do, and my wife, Melissa, and I feel a deep sense of relief and joy in getting our wills and estate plans done. I recently made a video to share about Melissa’s and my desire to start an Endowed Scholarship in our Buccaneer son’s name one day, so we have made that clear in a charitable trust. You can view it at charlestonsouthern.edu/ giving/planned-giving.

By working with CSU’s Christian planned giving partner, PhilanthroCorp, the process was easy to understand and complete. Our children

and grandchildren will be cared for, as well as our church, and Charleston Southern.

CSU’s development team recently hosted the annual Legacy Society luncheon to recognize the generosity of those who have left CSU gifts in the past few years. Dr. Dondi Costin gave remarks during the luncheon which emphasized the tremendous help Legacy Society members have been to CSU in helping to transform our campus infrastructure and provide much-needed scholarships for our students. He said, “You all are ensuring that your Christian values will be passed along to future generations of students, faculty, and staff as you invest in our servant leaders who will live significant lives for the glory of God and the good of others. We could not do this without you!”

The Rev. Tom Clemmons is assistant vice president for development and denominational relations.

The Future Is Limitless

The Charleston Southern family is grateful for the ways our alumni and donors are stepping up to ensure a Christian education is within reach of every student.

We are still celebrating the successes of the last fiscal year. YOU made CSU history with the following:

• A record breaking $5.6 million given in 2021-2022

- Previous highwater mark FY 13-14, $4,626,542

- An increase of 110% from fiscal year 2020-2021

• The naming of the Hans A. Nielsen College of Business

• Over $1 million was committed on CSU Giving Day

• The Annual Scholarship Fund again topped the $1 million mark

The university has embarked on a $45 million comprehensive campaign named Limitless, so named because God can do far

more than we could ever ask or imagine.

The Limitless campaign will transform the campus and build a stronger Buccaneer community. With guidance from CSU’s Strategic Plan and input from various stakeholders, the Board of Trustees approved three priorities for the Limitless campaign: a convocation center, scholarships, and student enhancements.

The Lord has blessed CSU in the first year of the Limitless campaign:

• Over $11 million committed to the $45 million goal

• $4.49 million designated for the convocation center

• $3.46 million designated to scholarships

• $3.21 million designated to student enhancement initiatives

Together, we can ensure CSU students’ futures, and that of Charleston Southern University, are limitless.

DoYOU Remember?

Were you at BCC/CSU during any of these 1976-1996 events? Can you name some of these big-name entertainers? Were you around during Hurricane Hugo and remember coming back to a damaged campus and area? Did you enjoy some of these campus events, trips off campus, or student organizations? Photos from Cutlass archives.

Send your story to magazine@csuniv.edu by Jan. 10, and we will print some of them in the next magazine.

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