A panel of Coastal Carolina University faculty and students will discuss "Friendship in the age of Social Media" at the next Tea & Ethics series event on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 5 p.m. in the James J. Johnson Auditorium. Tea and snacks will be served prior to the discussion at 4:30 p.m. The public is invited, and attendance is free.

The panel discussion will be led by Jen Boyle, associate professor of English; Clay Craig, assistant professor in the Department of Communication, Languages and Cultures; and Jackson Scholar Kara Olson, a communication major from Victoria, Minn.

The panelists will discuss how social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and more, affects the experiences and ideas of friendships in contemporary life. Another topic of discussion include does social media cause people to be treat their friends differently, causing them to become less meaningful. Audience members will be invited to ask questions and participate in the discussion.

The Tea & Ethics series is sponsored by the Jackson Family Center for Ethics & Values. Founded in 2004 by area business and civic leaders Nelson and Mary Emily Platt Jackson, the primary focus of the Center is to cultivate community awareness on the importance and lifelong rewards of personal and professional integrity.

The Johnson Auditorium is located in the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration, room 116. The Wall College of Business is located at 119 Chanticleer Drive E. in Conway.

For more details about this event, visit coastal.edu/jacksoncenter and facebook.com/jacksoncenter, or contact the Jackson Center at 843-349-4149.