Coastal Carolina University is hosting the grand opening of its new Waccamaw Higher Education Center in Litchfield Beach on Tuesday, July 20 from 4 to 6 p.m. The dedication ceremony will be at 5 p.m. in the auditorium. It is free and open to the public.

The Waccamaw Higher Education Center is located at 160 Willbrook Blvd., behind the Hampton Inn on U.S. 17 Bypass. In addition to credit courses, noncredit community classes and professional workshops, the center will also be available for community meetings. Linda Ketron, director of the center, said credit courses will start Aug. 18, which is when the academic year begins for Coastal’s main campus in Conway. The classes will include videoconference and night courses.

Some noncredit courses are already being offered in the 14,690-square-foot building, and the regular fall schedule will be available at the opening. The courses run from Oct. 4 to Dec. 3 and will include some 80 different offerings, ranging from local history to computer classes and other varied topics of interest to area residents.

Richard Weldon, director of Coastal’s Division of Academic Outreach, predicts a fall enrollment of 200-225 for credit courses in business, economics, education, geography, psychology and more.

For more information, call the center at 349-4030 or fax 979-0884.