Letters from the Dean
Here it is! The first edition of our new Tapestry and my first opportunity to address all of you as the new dean of the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts. The last nine months have been very exciting and incredibly busy. I started my tenure at Coastal Carolina University in June 2019 with a set of initiatives, and I cannot tell you how pleased I am that we are already making great progress. This edition of Tapestry includes stories that illustrate some of these new initiatives.
For me, student success is unquestionably the centerpiece of all we do here in the Edwards College. I have created an undergraduate advisory council comprised of a diverse and energetic group of students so that I hear their feedback, ideas, and concerns firsthand. Last fall, we organized a number of events to welcome and better serve our first-generation students on campus. In November 2019, the faculty, staff, and a number of alumni from the Edwards College came together on Giving Teal Tuesday to donate enough money to start a new scholarship for first-generation students in our college. And as if this weren’t enough, they actually raised more money than any other college on campus to support our students and prove just how amazing (and competitive!) the Edwards College community is.
In this publication, you will read a number of articles that give evidence of this year’s unofficial Edwards College motto: “learn local, go global.” Our students, faculty, and staff are actively involved in many important and impactful experiential learning opportunities right here in the region, and we plan to further expand our community engagement in the years to come. We are also eager to help our students graduate as global citizens, and one certain way to reach this goal is to create manifold opportunities for them to study abroad. I hope you enjoy reading about their travels and cultural immersion experiences.
Bringing our alumni back to the Edwards College and sharing their stories is another important initiative of mine. We have had several Edwards College graduates visit us over the past year, and you can read some of their stories on the following pages.
As you will see in this issue, we want to hear from you! We are curious to hear where your degree from the Edwards College has led you in your life and your career, and we invite you to come visit us on campus to share your story with students. I hope you will be in touch if you would like to visit us in the coming months to spend time with current students, catch up with your professors, and renew old friendships.
We have exciting days ahead in the Edwards College! Mark your calendar for this year’s CCU Homecoming, because we will hold a special Edwards College Homecoming celebration the evening before the football game on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2020. Send us your stories, let us know when you are in town, and stop by and say hello!
- Claudia Bornholdt
Dean, Edwards College
