Meet Your Admissions Counselor
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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.
Derek Doss, CCU class of 2008
Title: Associate Director of Admissions
Phone: 843-349-2022
Email: dldoss@coastal.edu
Territory: Freshmen students - (South Carolina counties: Beaufort, Colleton, Horry, Jasper), Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and Readmit students.
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 Counselor
Phone: 843-349-6689
Email: cagonzale@coastal.edu
Territory: Freshmen students - (South Carolina counties: Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, Marlboro, Newberry, Saluda, Union, York), Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia.
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.
Michelle Hobbs, CCU Class of 2016
Title: Admissions Counselor
Phone: 843-349-2376
Email: smdeberry@coastal.edu
Territory: Freshmen students - (South Carolina counties: Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Georgetown, Marion, Sumter, Williamsburg), Pennsylvania.
Educational Background: B.A. in communication, minor in journalism
Why did you choose Coastal Carolina University? The student to teacher ratio! It was perfect! I knew that with the smaller class sizes, I wouldn't be just another CCU ID number to my professor and I was right! My professors (still to this day) know me by my first name, some even know me by my voice. They made sure that I understood the information they were teaching and I loved the open door policy when it came to meeting with them.
What advice do you have for students deciding which college or university to attend? Don't pick a school based on the surrounding hotspots, but choose a school that fits your needs. A school that will make you feel at home with faculty and staff that want to help you succeed. Pick a school that you feel is worth it and one that you're going to be proud to get a degree from.
What is your favorite thing to do in Conway/Myrtle Beach? Visit Market Common! There's always something going on over there and the area is beautiful. Plus, PF Changs is over there and this girl love her some Chinese food!
What is your favorite place on campus? Blanton Park. I remember when it was a parking lot and to see that it has transformed into a gorgeous park is amazing to me. Plus, there are outlets in the bushes. Who doesn’t like that?
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 - M, Health Administration and Nursing Completion programs, Non-Degree, and Veteran students.
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.
Riley Norman, CCU Class of 2018
Title: Admissions Counselor, High Ability Recruitment
Phone: 843-349-6956
Email: rmnorman@coastal.edu
Territory: Freshmen students - (South Carolina counties: Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg), Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin.
Educational Background: B.S. in marine science with honors, minor in Spanish
Is there a favorite hot sauce, salsa, and pickles? Cholula hot sauce, homemade garden-fresh salsa, Vlasic Dill Pickle Spears.
What is your favorite thing? The beach, because I love the ocean and I grew up in the Midwest. I like to take advantage of being so close to it.
What is your favorite place on campus? Prince Lawn is my favorite place on campus because it's the heart of campus and there is always something exciting going on.
Jena Ranzo, CCU Class of 2017
Title: Admissions Counselor
Phone: 843-349-2370
Email: jmranzo@coastal.edu
Territory: Freshmen students - (South Carolina counties: Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester), Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Transfer and Second-Degree seeking students with last names beginning with N - 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
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 - (South Carolina counties: Calhoun, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland), Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland.
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.
Courtney Sterbenz
Title: Assistant Director of Admissions & Events
Phone: 843-349-4075
Email: csterbenz@coastal.edu
Territory: Freshmen students - (South Carolina counties: Allendale, Hampton), Connecticut, New York.
Aleya Tylinski
Title: Assistant Director of Admissions & Events
Phone: 843-349-2273
Email: atylinski@coastal.edu
Territory: Freshmen students - (South Carolina counties: Bamberg, Barnwell), New Jersey.
Educational background: B.A. in public relations and an MBA with a concentration in human resources
Why do you like working in admissions? College was the best experience for me. I want to make sure that students who are choosing a college are picking the right fit so they have the same experience as I did.
What's your favorite activity in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area? Relaxing by the beach and reading a great book. I’m from the north so any chance I get to be near the ocean, I’m there!
What is your favorite restaurant in the Conway/Myrtle Beach area? Lee’s Inlet Kitchen in Murrells Inlet
What superpower would you like to have? I would love to be able to fly, so I can see my friends and family who live all around the country as fast and as often as I want!
Amanda Craddock
Title: Assistant Provost, Admissions & Merit Awards
Phone: 843-349-2979
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.