CCU IN THE NEWS

If there’s a shadow over the Coastal Carolina University football team, it’s probably cast by Sgt. Eric Hooks and Capt. Harvey Knox. The hulking CCU police officers accompany the Chanticleers on road trips, and do guard duty on the sideline at games. They’re like helicopter moms, hovering over their football team. And if you mess around, they can play mama bear, too. The pair are both former football players, and they look like it. While you might think keeping watch over a football team would be like herding large cats, it’s not. The coaches and captains maintain good discipline, Knox said.

Coastal Carolina University and Santee Cooper have partnered together to install 13 new electric vehicle charging stations on campus. The partnership comes through a $25,000 grant program. Over the next five years, South Carolina will receive close to $70 million through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program, which aims to expand the electric vehicle charging in the state. According to the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, there are more than 13,000 electric cars registered in the state, compared to 4.5 million other vehicles.

Melissa Stalvey nuzzled her boy. Glory awaited. From their usual end zone perch near the Coastal Carolina University student section, they waited for the Maddox Cam — the moment a faithful constituency turns its focus to a feathered favorite. Stalvey didn’t want anything to spoil Maddox’s final homecoming game. She whispered a quick pep talk.

Coastal Carolina University is offering free tuition to qualifying students starting in 2024. The new initiative, “Coastal Commitment,” guarantees admission and free tuition to South Carolina students who graduate in the top 10% of their high school class and whose families have an annual income of less than $80,000.

A Coastal Carolina University professor is sharing her difficult life chapter full of twists and turns through a children’s book, and gifting the story "All Dogs Come From Heaven" this holiday season will help provide educational, behavioral and residential programs to families in need.

South Carolina’s lieutenant governor visited Coastal Carolina University on Thursday to talk about workforce development with the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies. Representatives from Santee Cooper and Conway Medical Center also talked about how the workforce needs to continue to improve and grow. “Here in South Carolina, we’ve been very focused on creating the workforce of tomorrow, making sure that the world-class companies that are coming here to our state have the workforce that they need,” Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette said.

After the town of Atlantic Beach removed its entire election commission last Friday, experts say both the state’s and the county’s hands are tied. Associate Political Science Professor at Coastal Carolina University, Drew Kurlowski said municipalities can only remove individual members from a commission for violating certain regulations. But, since Atlantic Beach removed its entire commission, that’s different under the law. “If that is the case, it would be my understanding that well that they can’t do that,” said Kurlowski. “The municipality is required by state law to have a municipal election commission.” Kurlowksi added that the only way an election commission can be dissolved is if the municipality has an agreement for the county to take over its elections. But, he said that agreement must be solidified beforehand. “They can’t dissolve the commission and then go to the county and say, ‘We need you to do this,’” said Kurlowski.

Coastal Carolina University and Santee Cooper held a ribbon cutting on Monday to unveil 13 new electric vehicle charging stations that were installed on campus. The charging stations were funded through Santee Cooper’s EVolve $25,000 grant program, which as awarded to CCU in January.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Gaza would be demilitarized and Israel would maintain control following the war in Gaza. Coastal Carolina University’s Mark S. Chandler, a professor of practice and director of government relations in the Department of Intelligence and Security Studies, shares his commentary.

Two Coastal Carolina University professors are bringing light to the struggles of the local homeless population, and it’s all thanks to a disposable camera.

Coastal Carolina University’s Department of Recreation and Sport Management (RSM) hosted its third annual Strikes for Symposium at 810 Billiards & Bowling in Conway on Wednesday. The bowling event focused on raising funds for the 2024 Recreation and Sports Management Symposium, which provides students an opportunity to network with more than 100 industry professionals.

Coastal Carolina University held its second annual Coastal Carolina Fitness Challenge on Sunday. The event was designed to promote health and fitness. Two-person teams competed in competitive challenges, with one male and one female on each team.

Dr. Mikel Norris, an Associate Professor of Political Science at Coastal Carolina University said South Carolina, like other early voting states, plays a crucial role in a candidate’s path to the White House.

Conway’s annual Halloween Golf Cart Parade and Coastal Carolina University’s Homecoming Parade are combining forces for one big celebration on Saturday. The city and university decided why not combine the two events after finding out they fell on the same weekend this year. The parade starts in front of the Conway Public Safety Building on 9th Avenue, then travels down Laurel Street through downtown before ending in the area of Marina Drive and Elm Street.

Coastal Carolina University just launched a program that provides guaranteed admission and free tuition to South Carolina students who meet certain criteria. On Oct. 27, CCU announced Coastal Commitment, an initiative that ensures admission and free tuition to in-state students who graduate in the top 10% of their high school class and whose families have an annual income of less than $80,000. These students will also receive an invitation to join the HTC Honors College without having to submit a separate application.

Coastal Carolina students and the community took a stand against hunger, packing over 10,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger on Friday. Rise Against Hunger is a nonprofit that ships meals to developing countries. Participants at CCU utilized teamwork and collaboration by packing through an assembly line.

Coastal Carolina University set new enrollment and freshman retention records in the fall semester, the CCU governing board learned on Thursday, Oct. 26. Total undergraduate enrollment grew by 5.2% to 10,830, Dr. Amanda Craddock told the Academic Excellence and Student Experience Committee at Thursday’s committee meetings, which preceded the general board meeting on Friday, Oct. 27.

Topics during the Conway mayoral debate at Coastal Carolina University ranged from growth and residential development to the candidates’ leadership qualities. Mayor Barbara Blain-Bellamy and former Horry County School board chairman Ken Richardson took the stage Wednesday night in front of an audience of roughly 150 people. After a coin toss, Blain-Bellamy elected to let Richardson have his opening statement first.

More than $1 million was granted to Coastal Carolina University for a new training program to help with the early childhood special education teacher shortage. The federal grant was given to CCU in September and will fund the program for the next five years. Rhonda Miller, the associate professor of special education at CCU, says early childhood and special education are both demanding professions and can cause burnout quickly.

A Georgetown County resident reeled in a bonnethead shark over the weekend. A bonnethead shark is a type of hammerhead shark. Johnny Cooper’s fishing rod caught beachgoers’ attention Saturday afternoon when they noticed it pulling him closer to the water. Once he reeled in the shark, he unhooked it and threw it back in. Daniel Abel, a marine science professor at Coastal Carolina University, said once they’re caught, the time starts ticking for the sharks to be released safely.