Meet Your Admissions Counselor

Choosing a college is one of the most important decisions you will ever make, and the Office of Admissions & Merit Awards is committed to assisting you in this process. We offer guided tours, special Saturday visitation programs and the chance to meet one-on-one with an Admissions counselor—it's all part of our personal touch. Do not hesitate to contact any staff member with your Admissions questions and concerns at 843-349-2170 or 800-277-7000 or admissions@coastal.edu. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Darren Costa

Title: Admissions Counselor, Veterans Recruitment

Phone: 843-349-2216

Email: dcosta@coastal.edu

Territory: Transfer and Second-Degree seeking students with last names beginning with H - R, Readmit and Non-Degree students.

Educational Background: B.S. in Criminal Justice

What is your favorite part of working in admissions? Getting to meet and work with our veterans and military service members. Coastal truly is a military friendly school, and I love that we offer exciting and comprehensive programs like our Intelligence and National Security Studies program and our new minor in Military Science. We have a great veteran services team here, and the most rewarding part of my job is being able to help veterans learn more about Coastal Carolina and make the transition to college a little bit easier.

What is your favorite thing to do in Conway/Myrtle Beach? Play golf at one of the many beautiful courses in the Grand Strand/Myrtle Beach area. There’s nearly 100 to choose from here in the “Golf Capital of the World” with every course offering something different.

What are three things we would always find in your refrigerator? BBQ sauce, steak and mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Derek Doss, CCU class of 2008

Title: Associate Director of Admissions

Phone: 843-349-2022

Email: dldoss@coastal.edu

Territory: Freshmen students with last names beginning with U - Z.

Educational Background: B.S. in Business Administration and M.Ed. in Higher Education

How has campus changed since you were a student? Coastal has changed in such an amazing way, since I graduated in 2008. The facilities that students have now can only make the student experience better. There are more clubs and organizations, campus recreation options, more athletics, and so much more. It's very exciting to watch Coastal change right in front of my eyes.

What is your favorite place on campus? Baseball & Softball fields. I've always loved the games of baseball and softball. I enjoy going to the games and supporting students pursuing their athletics and academic goals. There is nothing like spending a spring day at the ball field!

What are three things we would always find in your refrigerator?

Frank's Hot Sauce, it doesn't get much better!
Martinelli's Apple Cider, best in all the land!
Homemade Chicken Bog! If you don't know what it is, you will learn when you start at Coastal!

Camrynn Gonzales, CCU Class of 2016

Title: Admissions and Community Outreach Coordinator

Phone: 843-349-6689

Email: cagonzale@coastal.edu

Territory: Freshmen students with last names beginning with N - R.

Educational Background: B.A. in communications and a minor in marketing

What is your favorite place on campus? My favorite place on campus is the entrance to the TD Sports Complex, where the huge bronze statue of Chauncey greets you.

What advice do you have for students deciding which college or university to attend? It’s important to recognize the possibilities and choices that are in front of you. Choose a college or university that will challenge you and prepare you for the career you desire.

Why did you choose Coastal Carolina University? I discovered Coastal Carolina when I was a sophomore in high school on a beach trip with my best friend. I took a campus tour and instantly fell in love with the campus and all CCU has to offer. With the many different programs of study, the location and the Feel the Teal® spirit, I knew CCU was the right place for me.

What is your favorite activity in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area? I love spending time outdoors, so CCU’s location is ideal. The beach is only 9 miles from campus and nearby Huntington Beach State Park has amazing hiking trails.

What superpower would you like to have? If I could have any superpower, I would choose teleportation.

Caitlin Jacobs

Title: Senior Assistant Director of Transfer Admissions

Phone: 843-349-6976

Email: cjacobs2@coastal.edu

Territory: Transfer and Second-Degree seeking students with last names beginning with A - G, Health Administration and Nursing Completion programs.

Educational Background: B.S. in Communication Studies and M.Ed. in Student Personnel Administration in Higher Education

What is your favorite thing to do in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area? Escape to Huntington Beach State park.

If you could be any fictional character, who would it be? Black Widow from Marvel Comics

What is your favorite part of working in admissions? Meeting all kinds of people from various backgrounds and helping them go from where they are to where they want to be.

‌Jena Ranzo, CCU Class of 2017

Title: Admissions Counselor

Phone: 843-349-2370

Email: jmranzo@coastal.edu

Territory: Freshmen students with last names beginning with K - M, Transfer and Second-Degree seeking students with last names beginning with S - Z.

Educational background: B.A. in sociology

What is your favorite place on campus? My favorite place is Prince Lawn. It’s the focal point of campus. Prince Lawn is beautiful in all seasons, and there’s always something happening there like club recruitment, special celebrations and even a farmers market.

What advice do you have for students deciding which college or university to attend? Determine what type of school you’re looking for early in your search. It helps to visit schools to see the campus, explore the location, and get a feeling of what it will be like to be a student there. Once you decide the specific details about the type of college or university you’re looking for, you will have a much easier time narrowing down your choices.

Why did you choose Coastal Carolina University? I chose Coastal because I wanted to go to a medium sized school that was out-of-state. I am originally from Massachusetts, and I decided I was tired of the snow. After I toured campus and learned more about CCU, I knew there was no better place for me than Coastal Carolina! I also liked Coastal’s location. There’s always something to do here. I was able to get to know all of my professors and found that it was easy to get involved in campus life. CCU was the perfect choice for me.

What is your favorite activity in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area? My favorite thing to do in this area is going for a walk on the Conway River Walk in historic Downtown Conway. I love to walk on the path that borders the river and watch the beautiful South Carolina sunsets.

If you were a fictional character, who would you be and why? I would be Hermione Granger from Harry Potter. I am a big Harry Potter fan, and I appreciate the way Hermione holds her own and is never afraid to speak her mind.

‌Benjamin Rutherford, CCU Class of 2017

Title: Admissions and Community Outreach Coordinator

Phone: 843-349-2272

Email: barutherf@coastal.edu

Territory: Freshmen students with last names beginning with S - T.

Educational background: B.A. in interdisciplinary studies focusing on communication, psychology and sociology

What is your favorite place on campus? It’s a tie between Kimbel Library and the courtyard of the Edwards Building. Kimbel Library is where I spent most of my time studying or just relaxing with friends. The Edwards courtyard is where I studied and wrote most of my important papers because it’s so quiet and blocks out the sounds around campus.

What advice do you have for students deciding which college or university to attend? Follow your heart and what you feel is right when choosing a university. I understand family members and friends are a big influence, but if you don’t pick a place you like, you may have a bad experience.

Why did you choose Coastal Carolina University? I chose CCU because of the engineering program. Later, I decided to change my major, but Coastal had become my home, and I couldn’t imagine leaving. Fortunately, in the interdisciplinary studies major, I could design a degree program to fit my professional goals.

What’s your favorite activity in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area?I love going to Broadway at the Beach. It’s fun to walk around all the different stores and just sit back, relax and people-watch. I could spend my entire day there and never get bored.

If you were a fictional character, who would you be and why? I would want to be Captain America. He is probably my favorite superhero, and he always wants to help people and that’s the meaning of what a true hero is to me.

Random Fun Fact: I am the middle child of five boys, and we’re all graduates of Coastal Carolina University. We are literally #CCUfamily. We all love CCU for different reasons, but we agree CCU was the best choice for each of us.

‌Kevellin Sanders, CCU Class of 2017

Title: Admissions Counselor

Phone: 843-349-4153

Email: krsande1@coastal.edu

Territory: Freshmen students with last names beginning with A - D.

Educational background: B.A. in interdisciplinary studies focusing on student affairs

What is your favorite place on campus? My favorite place on campus is the Jackson Student Union because of all the space and opportunities it offers students. I also enjoyed working there during my time as an undergraduate at CCU.

What advice do you have for students deciding which college or university to attend? Make sure it’s the right fit for you. Whatever college or university you choose to attend will become your home for at least four years. So make sure it is the place you want to be so you can study what you love and graduate with everything you need to be successful.

Why did you choose Coastal Carolina University? Originally, I planned to attend another university to study marine science, but all it took was one campus visit to CCU. After meeting our Teal Trailblazer tour guide and seeing this growing campus, I was sold on Coastal. From the moment my tour began, I knew CCU had endless opportunities to offer me. CCU soon became my home, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

What is your favorite restaurant in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area? My favorite restaurant in Myrtle Beach is Big Mike’s Soul Food. It reminds me of Tennessee, and it’s just great comfort food.

If you were a fictional character, who would you be? I would be Marvel’s Black Panther.

Amanda Craddock

Title: Assistant Provost, Admissions & Merit Awards

Phone: 843-349-2979

Territory: Freshmen students with last names beginning with E - J.

Educational Background: B.A. in History and M.Ed. in Administration, Supervision, and Leadership

What is something that prospective students may not know about Coastal? CCU is the fastest growing public university in South Carolina. In addition to student growth, we are changing the landscape of the campus with the construction of new buildings. Since 2011, we have opened the HTC Student Recreation and Convocation Center, the Bryan Information Commons, Brittain and Swain Halls. Construction is currently underway on a second new science building, new residence halls, and an expansion and renovation of the student union. These improvements will benefit both new and future students. Plus Coastal has also been recognized as one of "America's Best Colleges Buys" making us a great value for the quality of education we offer.

What is your favorite part of working in admissions? The students! The college application process can be such an exciting time and I enjoy working with students to help them find a school that is the best fit for them. It is an honor to work with all students to make attending college a reality. I can't imagine having a different career that would be as rewarding.

If you could be any fictional character, who would it be? It would be a toss-up between Jo March from Little Women and Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby. Both are characters from my two favorite books.

‌International Students

Phone: 843-349-2521

Email: internationaladmissions@coastal.edu

For questions, please contact the Office of Admissions at 843-349-2170 or 800-277-7000 to speak with an Admissions counselor.