Our Year by the Numbers
2 02 1
COMMENCEMEN T
538
UNDERGRADUATES
168 GRAD UAT E S
237 151%
DI S C I PLE S H I P ST UD E N TS
I NC RE AS E I N AD CLICKS
$238,000 540 DONORS CS U GIVING DAY
3 93% ALL IN 93% OF FULL-TIME FACULTY AND STAFF DONATED TO CSU
BIG SOUTH
COACHES OF THE YEAR
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
COMMENCEMENT A total of 706 students earned degrees during the 2020-2021 academic year: 538 undergraduates and 168 graduates are now CSU alumni. We are extremely proud of these students who persevered through the pandemic to complete their degrees. On April 30, we honored our promise to the Class of 2020 and gathered on the CSU football field for commencement. On May 1, the Class of 2021 graduated. Mr. Darrin Goss, president and chief executive officer of the Coastal Community Foundation, gave an encouraging charge to our graduates. The university awarded him an honorary doctor of public service for his engagement in the community.
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION CSU will award its first doctoral degrees Dec. 11 in Lightsey Chapel for the Doctor of Education in leadership.
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM The Physician Assistant program will conduct a Commencement and White Coat Ceremony on Dec. 11.
A TOTAL OF
706 GRADS
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS The new Bachelor of Science in aeronautics – professional pilot program, under the direction of retired Air Force pilot Christopher “C.J.” Will, is a four-year program where students earn private pilot certification, commercial pilot certification, study aircraft operations, meteorology, and aerodynamics. Student pilots fly from Summerville Airport and will graduate with skills that are immediately marketable and designed to address the current airline pilot shortage. Soar with CSU in the aeronautics program or the AFROTC Flying Bucs. Engineering students can choose from three concentrations: computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering, and will learn in the new Science and Engineering building opening fall 2021.
COLLEGE OF ADULT AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES U.S. News and World Report ranked CSU #21 for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs and #13 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans. A new Professional Studies degree was added in the undergraduate curriculum.
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS The Center for Personal Financial Management was awarded a $15,000 grant to support biblically based financial training for students. The center provides personal advising for students, offers a certificate in Personal Financial Counseling, and works with the Ron Blue Institute to assist with Kingdom Advisors training. The new Certificate in Personal Financial Counseling provides professional counselors (i.e., CFPs, chaplains, psychological counselors, pastors, and others) the tools they need to guide them regarding personal finance and the counseling of others.
COLLEGE OF CHRISTIAN STUDIES Faculty members are developing an online Bachelor of Arts in student ministry in collaboration with the Strack Center which will be available beginning in fall 2021. Also, with the help of Dr. Ron Harvell, director of the Dewey Center for Chaplaincy, a major and minor in chaplaincy was designed. Faculty hosted four Bible Teacher Training Sessions covering the books of Isaiah, Luke, Job, and Ecclesiastes, and are planning four additional EPIC conferences for area churches this year. Check out ChurchandGospel.com and social media for more info.
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
The College of Education welcomed Dr. Julie Fernandez as the new dean in January 2020. She came to CSU from Houston Baptist University. At the end of spring semester, there are 117 EdD students, and 18 are on-track to earn the first doctoral degrees from CSU in December. The college hosted 114 Teacher Cadets (high school students) who work with the CSU faculty and take courses that encourage them to remain in their chosen profession of becoming teachers. Forty Teaching Fellows are currently enrolled.
PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM The Physical Therapy program has received SACSCOC accreditation and is continuing to prepare documentation for the CAPTE application for accreditation. The program is currently accepting applications for the first cohort of Physical Therapy students, starting in May 2022 with 48 new doctoral students. Not only can the students earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy, but with an additional six months of study, they can also complete a Master of Business Administration in healthcare management. This will be the first program in South Carolina to offer the dual degree option. Seven faculty members have been hired and are developing curriculum and acquiring equipment for teaching and research labs. Tours of the Health Science Building are available for scheduling.
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM The Physician Assistant program graduated the second cohort of 29 students earning the Master of Medical Science in physician assistant studies in December 2020. Cohort 2 had a 93% pass rate with 27 of 29 students successfully completing the exam on the first attempt. The third cohort of 32 students is now in their clinical year with graduation set for Dec. 11. In addition to their studies, 100% of the students in the Classes of 2019, 2020, and 2021 participated in service projects including partnering with the North Charleston Dream Center Medical Clinic, World Water Day, the Ronald McDonald House, MUSC Heart Health, Roper Rehabilitation Hospital for Brain and Spinal Cord Injury and several other valuable community organizations.
PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM The Public Health program has experienced a 20% increase in the number of majors, and all faculty members have been heavily involved in working locally, regionally, and nationally to present research and publications to the public health community. The program successfully submitted an application for accreditation to the Council on Education for Public Health and created a new Bachelor of Arts in public health degree. In partnership with the College of Business, the department launched a Master of Business Administration in healthcare management which can be completed in 10 months online. Twenty students are enrolled. Plans are underway to establish a master’s degree in public health to address the growing awareness of the importance of public health in today’s world.
COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Dr. John Kuykendall is the new Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. He said, “The study of the past is presented to my students as the story of God’s sovereignty over human life. History is no accident—it is the working out of God’s will for His own glory with an ultimate outcome in which all Christians will rejoice.” He is a tenured professor of history and has taught at CSU since 2003.
93% PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PASS RATE
FACULTY RECOGNITIONS Professor Thomas Keating was named the winner of the 2021 Excellence in Teaching award. He was selected by students and faculty members and received an honorarium from the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities. He is widely recognized as he is responsible for CSU theatre productions and also participates in Charleston area theatre presentations.
PROMOTED FROM INSTRUCTOR TO ASSISTANT PROFESSOR Timothy Banks Jeanne Caison Lindsey Kendrick
PROMOTED FROM ASSISTANT TO ASSOCIATE Andrea Glover Christine Palmer Brian Smith Emily Thomas Ryan Thomas Heather Thompson Lauren Wills Soohyun Yun
PROMOTED FROM ASSOCIATE TO FULL PROFESSOR Julius Mutwol Maxwell Rollins Paul West
GRANTED TENURE Denise Dawson Justin Grieves Nicholas Holland
STRATEGIC PLANNING
2020 - 2025
STRATEGIC PLAN Campus personnel have been divided into teams to accomplish one of the seven major institutional goals. Review the entire plan:
CHARLESTONSOUTHERN.EDU/STRATEGICPLAN
ATHLETICS
BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE Due to COVID-19, all 16 teams competed from November – May. Two teams claimed Big South Championships, three coaches earned conference Coach of the Year accolades, and seven athletes were recognized among their peers in their respective sports. Taylor Barnes, women’s cross country and track and field, received the prestigious Christenberry Award for Academic Excellence after completing her undergraduate career with a perfect 4.0 GPA while majoring in public health.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY The men’s cross country team claimed the department’s first Big South title in the sport since 1984. Trevor Dominy became the first Buccaneer to claim Runner of the Meet honors since 1985, while Gavin Kuhlenbeck (Freshman of the Year) and Coach Jim Stintzi (Head Coach of the Year) also received top conference honors. Dominy went on to become the first Buccaneer in program history to compete at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships.
WOMEN’S TENNIS Women’s tennis went undefeated in Big South play in 2021 to claim their fifth regular season championship and second tournament championship in program history. The Bucs claimed a school-record 10 postseason conference accolades, while Head Coach Anca Dumitrescu was honored as the Big South Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year. CSU went on to compete in the 2021 NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 9 Central Florida in the regional rounds.
TRACK & FIELD Three track and field athletes advanced to the NCAA East Regional qualifiers. Triple jumper Timothy Davis became the first Buccaneer on the men’s side to compete at the NCAA qualifiers since 2017, while freshman sprinter Amanda Obijiaku and freshman hurdler Jewel Ash were the first female athletes to advance since 2013. Amanda Obijiaku and Jewel Ash were the Big South Women’s Outdoor Track Co-Freshmen of the Year, while senior distance runner Taylor Barnes was named Women’s Outdoor Track & Field ScholarAthlete of the Year.
MEN’S GOLF TEAM
NOTEWORTHY
The men’s golf team recorded their best statistical season in program history in 2021. The Buccaneers went 21-1 against Big South competition and had four players finish among the top-20 individual scorers in the conference. Head Coach Jason Payne was named the Big South Head Coach of the Year, while Ben Carroll was honored as the Freshman of the Year.
The volleyball team swept reigning Big South Champion Winthrop on back-toback nights on their way to a school record nine wins in conference play. The baseball team won their first four conference home series for the first time in program history and added their first road conference sweep since the 2011 season.
MEN’S BASKETBALL Men’s basketball senior Phlandrous Fleming Jr. earned Big South Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season.
NEW STAFF MEMBERS Clarisse Garcia
Head women’s basketball coach
Christi Musser
Head softball coach
Jarius Fields
Assistant A.D. for marketing, sponsorships, and game experience
Gary Monteer
Director of equipment operations
Steele Morris (Promoted)
Associate A.D. for medical services
21-1 AGAINST BIG SOUTH COMPETITION IN MEN’S GOLF
FINANCE & BUSINESS
FINANCE In addition to the $1 million in Student Emergency Grants distributed in Spring of 2021, the American Rescue Plan has afforded CSU the ability to continue those grants into the 2021-2022 academic year. The business, financial aid, and veterans services offices anticipate distributing approximately $4 million over the fall and spring semesters to assist students in need.
CAPITAL PROJECTS Student Center lobbies are being renovated to create additional seating and student gathering spaces. A water wall feature on the second floor lobby will be added. Chick-fil-A renovation will expand menu options and improve flow of traffic. Java City expansion includes enlarging and adding more seating. Littlejohn Parlor received a facelift to create a relaxed and comfortable study/meeting space for students. The football field is currently undergoing installation of new turf--ready just in time for fall football season. Nielsen Field has a new halo around the home plate area and a new scoreboard beyond the left field wall. Construction of a new turf intramural field will begin in October, after the wood stork migration. The Science and Engineering building is scheduled to be completed for fall classes. The campus is moving several departments in late July/early August to centralize offices that serve students.
$1Million STUDENT EMERGENCY GRANTS DISTRIBUTED
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS The online learning management system, Blackboard, was upgraded to the new Software-as-aService (SaaS) platform, reducing downtime required for upgrades, and providing greater stability for faculty and students. Implementation of the Slate student recruitment software was completed, and Enrollment Services moved from the end-of-life EMAS product.
CONSTRUCTION Completed data and CATV cabling for the new Buc Stop Grill and The Cove student lounge in the Student Center. Installed a point-of-sale system for the new Aramark grill, five televisions, and access points to provide wireless internet access in the Buc Stop. Added network infrastructure for the new Science and Engineering building: new fiber optic run to the building, data lines and access points for network access inside the building, and classroom audio visual.
NETWORK/SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATION SERVICES Completed Phase 1 of the Quad Resident Wireless Network upgrade: one hall in each Quad, first and second floors, outfitted with an access point in each room, and new cabling. Firmware upgrades and settings for the Resident Wireless Network controller were completed, providing a better quality of service and greater stability. Installation for a new fiber optic run to the soccer field was completed, creating a permanent internet connection. Whitfield Stadium Center and Buccaneer Field were upgraded with outdoor wireless access points, providing internet access to fans. A new network switch was installed for the Basketball Press Table in the Field House, providing access for up to 12 CSU Sports Information staff and other sports writers and broadcasters. Microsoft Teams was implemented in departments campus wide, allowing for greater collaboration between team members, providing the opportunity for video conferencing, and the ability to share and work on documents, projects, and applications.
INFORMATION SECURITY An annual Security Assessment was performed, including a scan of network connected devices, as well as interviews with key users in all departments. CSU Information Technology performed critical server, network, and firewall upgrades based on security assessment findings, as well as alerts from Arctic Wolf, CSU’s Security Operations Center-as-a-Service (SOCaaS).
CLASSROOMS AND LABS A complete inventory of all computer lab and classroom audio visual and computer equipment was completed and will be used to create a refresh cycle for classroom and computer lab equipment. IT upgraded computer labs: Nursing Labs, Learning Center, and Tutorial Center. IT replaced 20 Generation 2 and 3 Apple TVs with Generation 4 devices, providing a better quality of service for streaming, Zoom, and bandwidth usage.
SHARED SERVICES A total of 2,239 Shared Services hours were provided by Dynamic Campus Solutions: in User Services, Network Services, Systems Services, Application Services, and Information Security.
HELP DESK
O RE
TH
AN
Over 4,000 Help Desk tickets were closed from June 2020 through July 2021.
M
4,000 HELP DESK TICKETS CLOSED FROM JUNE 2020-JULY 2021
DEVELOPMENT
$1Million ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
STRONG SUPPORT FROM THE CSU COMMUNITY The Lord has carried us faithfully through challenging times with His continual guidance. Words cannot express the gratitude we have to our loyal supporters for continuing to believe and invest in the mission and vision of CSU.
LIMITLESS CAMPAIGN The Board of Trustees formally launched the Limitless comprehensive fundraising campaign in the spring. Currently in the planning and quiet phases, the campaign will focus on a new convocation center, scholarships, enhancing the student experience, and more.
ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND The Annual Scholarship Fund again topped the $1M mark. Every gift to the Charleston Southern Fund goes directly to help students fund their education and complete their degrees.
DEWEY CENTER FOR CHAPLAINCY The Dewey Center for Chaplaincy, established by contributions from Rev. Rob and Kathy Dewey, offers training for current and future chaplains in more than 60 areas of chaplaincy.
CSU GIVING DAY CSU Giving Day, April 8, 2021, was full of divine surprises and special support. The CSU family exceeded last year’s total, raising over $238,000 from 540 donors. The Whitfield Family Impact Challenge was fulfilled, matching every new and increased gift given. The All In campus campaign reached a participation rate of 93% of fulltime faculty and staff expressing their belief that Every Buc Counts.
BOARD OF VISITORS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Gifts from Board of Visitors Scholarship Program members directly impacted over 800 students.
WOMEN’S COUNCIL The annual Women’s Council Auction raised $50,110 for student scholarships. These dedicated women fund three $100,000+ endowed scholarship funds: the Mattie Leigh Francese, the Charlene Kirk, and the CSU Women's Council Endowed Scholarships.
CSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ANNUAL AWARDS The CSU Alumni Association recognized seven men and women for their career achievements and engagement with the university and the community. Watch the 2020 awards presentation online.
VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT While we were unable to gather in person, that did not stop us from meeting. This year we presented our first virtual State of the University; a Generous Donor, Grateful Student video; and a new engagement series called BucTalks.
HOMECOMING 2021 AND GOLDEN BUCCANEER REUNION All alumni, friends, and parents are invited to join us for Homecoming 2021: October 15-16. Details at charlestonsouthern.edu/alumni. Invitations will be sent to the Classes of 1970 and 1971 for their 50th Reunion.
ENROLLMENT & MARKETING
ENROLLMENT Throughout the pandemic, the Enrollment team hosted numerous virtual meetings, tours, and open houses with prospective students and parents. In-person individual visits and larger events such as Accepted Student Weekend and First Look have resumed. The number of deposited fall 2021 students continues to grow, exceeding the fall 2020 deposits, and the admissions team is working to ensure students are registering for fall semester. Throughout the summer, they hosted events for students in select regions of the state to help students build relationships prior to arriving in August. Enrollment team transitioned to a new customer relationship management system, Slate by Technolutions, allowing for more efficient, effective communication with incoming students, stronger event management tools, and analytical data and reports for the team. Future Buc yard signs are mailing to deposited students’ homes, and families are sending pictures of their excited students as those signs are installed in front yards. We are seeing record inquiries and applications from international students despite COVID-19, and we are working to help international students navigate the complex processes involved in coming to the U.S. to earn their CSU degree.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY CSU has an exclusive relationship with Jay Strack and Student Leadership University, helping us recruit hundreds of CSU students at SLU, Lift Tour, and Youth Pastor Summit events around the country. The Strack Center for Global Leadership and Ministry offers academic credit for high school and college students seeking faith-based learning opportunities. Courses within the Strack Center focus on: biblical worldview and apologetics, youth culture and ministry, and global leadership strategies.
FINANCIAL AID The Financial Aid office continues to assist students with CARES Act funding, with the second round of funding assisting students with past due balances, allowing them to register and continue their education. Financial Aid is working with CapinCrouse for the 2020-21-year audit.
NEW VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT AND MARKETING Dr. Anthony Turner will assume duties as the vice president for enrollment and marketing on August 2. Key personnel changes have been made to lead the team to new heights in enrollment and marketing.
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION The rebranded website entered its second year. Even with the pandemic, there was a significant increase in unique website users year over year: 30% increase in unique users. Total unique users increased: Degree pages for Undergraduate +30%, Graduate +4%, and CAPS +47%. Marketing contracted with EAB to review Search Engine Optimization, increasing traffic on select degree pages and important areas of the website, and paved the way for MarComm to continue the work after the six-month project is complete. Of the 15 universities tracked on social media, many experienced significant shifts in audience and engagement through the pandemic and post-election. Instagram, a target market for potential undergraduate students, had the second most growth at 17.8%, although engagement was down 1.9%, which is good compared to others with a 38% loss. Overall, our social media audience grew by 10.3%.
% 10.3 GROWTH
With the integration of Slate, the systems, coding, and tracking are in place to fully understand funnels from ad click to website traffic, to application, to enrolled. Surveys will allow us to understand how TV, radio, and streaming services perform too. Reverse engineering enrolled student data will show how the students went through the marketing funnel. 2021 is the first year we can compare year over year paid digital advertising data with our 2020 benchmarks. There have been significant improvements with cost efficiency creating better returns. Increasing investment by about 35% and constantly adjusting targeting and tactics brought a 151% increase in ad clicks, 197% increase in click through rate, an 83% decrease in cost per click, a 1,383% increase in conversions, and a 91% decrease in cost per acquisition. MarComm, with Clark Higher Ed, created a Message Matrix for all enrollment communication which incorporates the Passport to Purpose strategic plan model. All prospective student and current student communication adheres to Passport to Purpose. The CSU Brand and Style Guide was updated; a Why You Should Choose CSU document was created for enrollment use, and a CSU Talking Points was created for use when talking to prospective students, donors, etc.
35 %
83 %
91 %
INCREASE IN INVESTMENT
DECREASE IN COST PER CLICK
DECREASE IN COST PER ACQUISITION
STUDENT LIFE
CAMPUS MINISTRIES • Salvations = 29 Students confirmed • Students Involved in Discipleship = 237 Students • Chapel (online) = 2,063 Highest Attendance • Began Cover the Campus in Prayer ministry, offering targeted prayers for students, their parents, and employees. • Partnered with the South Carolina Baptist Convention as the host site for SummerSalt and KidSalt, hoping to touch at least 3,000 students’ lives each year. • Charleston Southern University is the sole university sponsor for Student Leadership University, the premiere student leadership experience led by Dr. Jay Strack.
CAMPUS RECREATION • A $1.8 million intramural complex should be completed before summer 2022 with an artificial turf field to be used for football, soccer, ultimate frisbee, and softball. New outdoor basketball and volleyball courts will also be constructed.
THE CAREER CENTER • CSU has partnered with FirstHand to create The Buccaneer Bridge, an online mentoring platform for alumni, faculty, staff, and students connecting Buccaneers across the globe.
29
STUDENT SALVATIONS
ONLINE CHAPEL ATTENDANCE
2,063 CAMPUS SECURITY • Received a grant from the Firehouse Subs Safety Foundation for 14 additional Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) for campus. • Contracted with Verizon to provide GPS asset tracking devices on all CSU security golf carts and portable lighting systems to allow tracking in real time if the assets are removed from campus.
STUDENT ACTIVITIES Sweet 16 Events are transformational, community building programing designed to be memory making, and Christ honoring. Sweet 16 usually offers eight events per semester, but the pandemic had us offering six in the fall and 10 in the spring. Two events especially successful last year: Operation Christmas Child: We collected 7,135 boxes, the most of any university in the country for the second year in a row, besting last year’s national record of 5,248 boxes by almost 2000! Thousands of children and their families from around the world will hear the Gospel message because of this event. Spring Formal: More than 400 students gathered on the USS Yorktown in the breathtaking Charleston Harbor for an unforgettable evening with dance, music, refreshments, a photobooth, and a self-guided tour of The Fighting Lady!
WHITFIELD CENTER FOR CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP
BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW INSTITUTE Dr. Carl Trueman, professor of biblical and religious studies at Grove City College, discussed his book, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution, virtually. Dr. Pete Link, professor of Christian studies, provided Bible studies for faculty on the life of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 during spring semester.
FAITH AND LEARNING INSTITUTE Several faculty attended the International Alliance for Christian Education’s Faculty Development Conference at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in June to learn strategies for equipping faculty to model faith and learning excellence grounded upon the biblical worldview.
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE The Leadership Institute offered virtual interviews with leaders from diverse vocations, including Dan Reiland, executive pastor, 12 Stone Church in Georgia, and Justice John W. Kittredge of the S.C. Supreme Court. Leadership seminars at Palmetto Christian Academy and Northwood Academy focused on “How Do I Lead Myself?” and “How Do I Make Good Decisions?” If your high school or church would like to host a leadership seminar this fall, contact Dr. Michael Bryant, mbryant@csuniv.edu.
NOTE: Dates are subject to change
UPCOMING EVENTS FIRST DAY OF CLASSES
AUGUST 23 PRAYER FIRST CHAPEL
AUGUST 25 PRESIDENT’S CHAPEL
SEPTEMBER 1 PRESIDENT’S GOLF TOURNAMENT | COOSAW CREEK
SEPTEMBER 13
FIRST HOME FOOTBALL GAME | CSU VS. MONMOUTH
SEPTEMBER 18
HOMECOMING | CSU VS. HAMPTON
OCTOBER 16
CSU WOMEN’S COUNCIL AUCTION
NOVEMBER 6
COMMENCEMENT | FIRST EdD STUDENTS GRADUATE
DECEMBER 11
YOUR PURPOSE. OUR MISSION.