The remarkable growth of Coastal Carolina and the College of Natural and Applied Sciences since 1954 mirrors the dynamic progress of the Myrtle Beach area. Now the 13th fastest growing metropolitan area in the nation, the Grand Strand generates 38 percent of South Carolina’s $15 billion a year resort and tourism industry. With this dramatic growth in the number of visitors and residents comes the challenges of responsible development and the imperative to preserve the unique environments that have long attracted so many, including students, to the area.

Since 1998, the number of students selecting majors in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences has risen more than 31 percent. The number of undergraduate students in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences is higher than in any other College of the University. The urgent need for expanded science facilities is further underscored by the fact that nearly 30 percent of the accepted freshmen for fall 2004 plan to pursue degrees in the sciences.

The College’s largest program, Marine Science, has garnered national and international recognition. Research conducted by the College’s top-notch faculty and students is vital to the management of the state’s natural resources. The College’s achievements have led to important collaborations with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and with the prestigious Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts and Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California, placing Coastal Carolina in the vanguard of Marine Science programs in the nation.

To further the marked success of the Marine Science program and the entire College, the University is in its second year offering a master’s degree program in Coastal Marine and Wetland Studies.

A major component of this success is the College’s commitment to creating opportunities for student-faculty collaboration and outreach to meet the needs and challenges of a dynamic community. The College sponsors three centers that conduct valuable research relating to our local environment and the quality of life of our citizens: the Burroughs & Chapin Center for Marine and Wetland Studies, the Environmental Quality Laboratory, and the Center for the Study of Aging and Active Retirement.

The Science Initiative will allow the College of Natural and Applied Sciences to continue its path of excellence, extend the University’s reach, and promote meaningful scholarly collaboration through cutting-edge research that directly impacts the state of South Carolina and beyond.

Recently, Hal B. Holmes, Jr., a retired surgeon and longtime Coastal Carolina supporter, pledged $500,000 to create an endowed chair in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences. His gift will help ensure a high level of teaching and earning at Coastal for generations to come.