• Make A Gift
  • Photo Gallery

South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities

A Voice for Independent Higher Education in South Carolina

SCICU President & CEO
Welcome
  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Programs
    • Quick Facts
    • Meet Our Team
    • Board of Trustees
    • 2022 Excellence In Teaching Awards
    • Business Partners
    • Newsroom
  • Colleges
    • Allen University
    • Anderson University
    • Benedict College
    • Bob Jones University
    • Charleston Southern University
    • Claflin University
    • Coker University
    • Columbia College
    • Columbia International University
    • Converse University
    • Erskine College
    • Furman University
    • Limestone University
    • Morris College
    • Newberry College
    • North Greenville University
    • Presbyterian College
    • Southern Wesleyan University
    • Spartanburg Methodist College
    • Voorhees University
    • Wofford College
  • Students
    • Why choose a private college or university in South Carolina?
    • How to Pay for College
    • Digital College Guide
    • Resources and Links
  • Advocacy
  • Events
  • Publications
    • College Guide
    • SCICU News & Notes
    • Annual Report
    • Financial Statement August 31st
    • IRS Form 990
  • Contact
  • Make A Gift

Coker University receives Howard Hughes Medical Institute Grant to support inclusive learning environments

September 22, 2023 By SC Independent Colleges & Universities

HARTSVILLE, S.C. (courtesy coker.edu) — As part of a national initiative by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Coker University will team with 14 other colleges and universities as part of a learning community (“LCC5”). This group will:

  1. Examine inclusive teaching strategies and approaches to define what “inclusive excellence” means for our respective campuses,
  2. Identify barriers to inclusion and equity, and
  3. Build a measurable plan to improve our respective institution’s capacity for inclusive teaching to include cultivating a faculty that reflects the diversity of each campus’s student body.

HHMI’s Inclusive Excellence Initiative 3 (IE3) challenges U.S. colleges and universities to substantially and sustainably build capacity for student belonging, especially for those who have been historically excluded from the sciences.

The HHMI Inclusive Excellence grant will provide Coker with $655,000 in funding over the next six years to support efforts to build overall institutional capacity and provide inclusive learning environments as part of the work of its Center for Diversity, Interfaith & Inclusion Education. These funds will support both direct work at Coker to advance the use of inclusive teaching practices and will help foster collaboration across the multi-institutional learning community.

HHMI created the Inclusive Excellence program five years ago to address what it sees as a challenge and an opportunity when it comes to helping students from first-generation and non-traditional educational backgrounds and groups that are traditionally underrepresented in science fields succeed in college.

“This project will help reduce the barriers often faced by first-generation or economically disadvantaged students at Coker University, increasing both the quality of their educational experiences and chances for future success after graduation,” said Joseph Flaherty, Ph.D., a professor in Coker’s College of Humanities and Sciences and Director of Research and Strategic Initiatives who will be serving as program director of the Inclusive Excellence project at Coker.

Over the next six years, the Coker team and its collaborators within the LCC5 learning community: California Polytechnic State University–San Luis Obispo, Centre College, Cleveland State University, The College of Wooster, Drexel University, Georgia State University, Lane College, Marian University (Indiana), Occidental College, the University of California- Irvine, the University of Connecticut, the University of Mississippi, the University of Richmond and West Virginia University, will focus on specific projects collaboratively developed by the LCC5.

“These collaborative projects will enable cross-institutional learning in a dedicated and robust way that is a rarity in higher education. HHMI is providing both the mechanism and financial support to facilitate an initiative that will have long lasting impacts on a multitude of institutions, including our own,” said Susan Daniels Henderson, PhD, Provost at Coker University.

The Coker University Core Team members also include Jen Borgo-Raia, Professor of Biology; Andrea Coldwell, Dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences; Cathleen Cuppett, Dean of Digital Learning and Director of the Center for Engaged Teaching and Learning (CETL); Julia Klimek, Professor and Director of Interdisciplinary Studies; Rhonda Knight, Professor and Director of the Honors Program; and Darlene Small, Director of the Center for Diversity, Interfaith & Inclusion Education.

The HHMI program aligns with Coker’s foundational mission of preparing graduates by creating experiences in and out of the classroom “focused on active student involvement and the practical application of academic knowledge that lead to lifelong learning.” It is also complementary to many of the goals of Coker’s strategic plan, the efforts of its Centers for Diversity, Interfaith & Inclusion Education and Engaged Teaching and Learning, and the University’s shared values of integrity, inclusion, and leadership.

“The Inclusive Excellence program aligns with Coker’s ongoing efforts to promote effective and inclusive teaching,” Flaherty said. “We see this as an opportunity to support the success of all our students while helping to deliberately foster a culture of safety and trust. This opportunity to work with and learn from our collaborators within the learning community will have an outsized impact on our ability to create an environment in which all are inspired to interact through mutual respect, support, and appreciation of difference.

Filed Under: member-college-news, Uncategorized

Newberry College to cut ribbon on Founders Field House Sept. 7

August 22, 2023 By SC Independent Colleges & Universities

NEWBERRY, S.C. (courtesy newberry.edu) — Newberry College student-athletes will begin the 2023-24 season with a game-changer as doors open to the long-awaited Founders Federal Credit Union Field House. The ribbon-cutting ceremony and building tours will take place Thursday, Sept. 7, at 5 p.m. at the college’s athletic stadium, 88 Wolves Way in Newberry.

The 18,000-square-foot field house will provide well-needed space for growing Wolves athletics — locker rooms for football, lacrosse and field hockey, coaches’ offices, field-view classrooms and reception areas. Along with new east-side seating, the facility comprises the second of three phases of renovations to the college’s athletic stadium.

“This is a watershed moment for our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans at Newberry College,” said Athletic Director Sean Johnson. “The most important part of the Founders Federal Credit Union Field House is that it directly impacts nearly 350 student-athletes in a profoundly positive way.”

Newberry College and Founders Federal Credit Union entered a transformative $2.5 million partnership last fall. Since then, the Lancaster-based firm has opened an on-campus branch in Kaufmann Hall, provided ATM services and financial literacy curriculum, and become a continuing partner of Wolves athletics.

Filed Under: member-college-news, Uncategorized

National Parks Service awards $2.25 million to Allen and Benedict for historic preservation

May 22, 2023 By SC Independent Colleges & Universities

WASHINGTON, D.C. (courtesy benedict.edu and nps.gov) — SCICU members Allen University and Benedict College are among 13 HBCUs in 10 states that will share $9.7 million announced May 5 by the National Park Service for its Historic Preservation Fund Historically Black Colleges and Universities Grant Program.

“These grants enable historic educational institutions to preserve the story of African American education and the campuses where new experiences and stories continue to evolve today,” said NPS Director Chuck Sams. “Through the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Grants Program, the National Park Service supports our HBCUs in the preservation of their historic campus structures and history.”

Benedict College is the only HBCU in the May 5 funding group that was awarded two grants. The third phase of the Morgan Hall preservation is supported by $750.000 in NPS funding, while another $750,000 is dedicated for the rehabilitation of Antisdel Chapel. Built in 1895, Morgan Hall is the oldest building on the Benedict campus, and it served as the home for five Benedict College presidents.

Allen University’s preservation project for Coppin Hall was selected to receive $750,000 in NPS funding.

Allen University and Benedict College are joined by S.C. State University in the latest round of NPS Historic Preservation Fund awards for HBCUs. Roughly one-third of the NPS $9.7 million total grant funds are dedicated to these three South Carolina HBCUs.

Filed Under: member-college-news, Uncategorized

Wofford College 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching Award Winner – Dr. Begoña Caballero-García

April 25, 2023 By webmaster scicu

Wofford College 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching Award Winner - Dr. Begona Caballero-Garci­a

Dr. Begoña Caballero-García, assistant professor of Spanish Studies, is Wofford College’s 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award recipient. She holds a Ph.D. in Literatures, Languages, and Cultures of the Iberian Peninsula and the Americas from The University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She earned Master of Arts in Spanish and Latin American Culture from Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, Mich.), and a Bachelor of Arts in English Philology from University of Extremadura, Spain.

In her 16 years as a member of the Wofford faculty, Caballero-García’s course load has included Theater in Spain and Latin America, Cultures of Spain and Latin America, Oral and Cultural Competency in Spanish, and different Spanish language courses.

Serving as Wofford’s first dean of Diversity and Inclusion from 2018 until 2020 evidences Caballero-García’s two main passions – being an educator and serving as a social justice advocate. She combines these two core values in her research that includes social justice education, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), her teaching, and her life as a volunteer with many different organizations. She was recognized with the Wofford College Currie B. Spivey Award for exemplary volunteerism in 2016.

Caballero-García’s research on social justice education and DEI in the classroom has been published in peer review journals, such as Transformations: The Journal of Inclusive Scholarship and Pedagogy, and in Dimension‘s special issue on social justice in language learning. Caballero-García has been invited as a guest speaker in Spanish and English at multiple venues.

Building community, a sense of belonging, equity, and trust happen inside and outside Caballero-García’s classes. From cooking and dancing in Spanish with students, to visiting rural places in Peru, Vietnam, Cambodia and Cuba, to speaking about poverty with the local congressman, Caballero-García and her students reflect on cultural differences and try to make our world a better place.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Voorhees University 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching Award Winner – Dr. Marcus Amos

April 25, 2023 By webmaster scicu

SCICU 2023 Excellence In Teaching Award Winner - Voorhees University - Dr. Marcus L. Amos

Dr. Marcus L. Amos, assistant professor of sport management, is the 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award recipient for Voorhees University. He holds a doctorate in kinesiology and sport studies with a concentration in sport management from the University of Tennessee, dual master’s degrees in rehabilitation counseling from South Carolina State University and sport management from Louisiana State University, and two bachelor’s degrees — one in physical education from Saint Augustine’s University (Raleigh, N.C.), and the second in therapeutic recreation from Southern University (Baton Rouge, La.).

In 2015 Amos joined the faculty of Voorhees University and serves as the faculty athletic representative while teaching courses in Sports Marketing and Promotions, Sport Event Planning, Introduction to Sport Management, Role of Sport in Society, Sport Management Internship, Legal Issues in Sports, and Ethics in Sport Management. He has established numerous partnerships with universities and organizations nationwide to provide students with experiential learning opportunities such as internships and job shadowing.

Beyond the classroom, Amos is a certified life skills facilitator and has spent over 20 years working within sports and social services and integrating aspects of life-skill development in athletics. As a registered NCAA health and safety speaker, he has presented at local, state, and international conferences. Recognized as a thought leader, he has provided expert media consultation for HBO Real Sports, ESPN Outside the Lines, ESPN Radio/ESPN News, 60 Minutes, 20/20, L.A. Times, and ABC News. Whether teaching in the classroom or the community, Dr. Amos has touched the lives of students and athletes at all levels.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Spartanburg Methodist College 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching Award Winner – Dr. Dalicia Raymond

April 25, 2023 By webmaster scicu

Spartanburg Methodist College 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching Award Winner - Dr. Dalicia Raymond

Spartanburg Methodist College’s 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award recipient is Dr. Dalicia Raymond, professor of English. She holds a Ph.D. in Medieval Literature from the University of New Mexico, and Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in English, both from Oregon State University (Corvallis, Ore.). Raymond’s research focuses on high and late medieval literature, medieval magic, alterity/difference, representations of women, and medievalism, particularly in popular youth and children’s literature and popular culture.

Raymond demonstrates her unwavering commitment to Spartanburg Methodist students through inventive hands-on activities in the classroom, such as teaching students to make chain mail and having them create manuscript illuminations with gold lettering. In 2022, the Southeastern Medieval Association gave Raymond the Lorraine Kochanske Stock Award to assist in hosting an undergraduate intercollegiate Medieval/Renaissance conference at SMC. Raymond’s leadership outside the classroom includes serving as the faculty representative to the Board of Trustees, chairing the Academic Advisement, Testing and Placement, and Assessment Committee, and acting as faculty advisor to Sigma Kappa Delta, the two-year English Honor Society.

Dr. Kelly Neil and Dr. Bethany Perkins, both English professors at Spartanburg Methodist, say this about Raymond’s impact with students: “We can’t overstate how highly we think of Dalicia as a teacher and believe SMC is very fortunate to have a professor as enthusiastic and knowledgeable as she is. Raymond exemplifies everything that makes Spartanburg Methodist College a community where students are put first.”

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Southern Wesleyan University 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching Award Winner – Dr. Michael Tapper

April 25, 2023 By webmaster scicu

Southern Wesleyan University 2023 Excellence In Teaching Award winner - Dr. Michael Tapper

Dr. Michael Tapper, professor of religion and chair of the School of Religion and Humanities, is the 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award recipient for Southern Wesleyan University. He holds a Ph.D. and an Master of Arts in Theology, both from Saint Paul University (Ottawa, Ontario), and earned a master of divinity from Tyndale Seminary (Toronto, Ontario) and a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Kingswood University (Sussex, New Brunswick).

Tapper has served the Wesleyan Church for 25 years, and he draws on his experience as a researcher, author, speaker, and ordained minister to equip students to serve God and His Church. Prior to joining the SWU faculty in 2017, Tapper ministered in Canadian churches as lead pastor, connections pastor, and youth pastor, and served as an adjunct professor at Kingswood University and Crandall University in New Brunswick, Canada. He also worked with faith-based organizations to help people with developmental disabilities accomplish their goals and nurture communities where everybody belongs.

Tapper continues to pursue research related to Trinitarian concepts and contemporary worship music’s influence on theological understandings. His works have been published in Worship Leader Magazine, Christianity Today, the Wesleyan Church website, and other related media.

Throughout his life, Tapper has sought to make meaningful connections with other people. He is a strong and authentic leader, who moves with humility and conviction. Quick to encourage others toward their own potential and not afraid to “roll up his sleeves” and “make something happen,” Tapper brings an infectious tenacity to SWU’s campus.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Presbyterian College 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching Award Winner – Dr. Daniel Benjamin Bailey

April 25, 2023 By webmaster scicu

Presbyterian College 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching Award Winner - Dr. Daniel Benjamin Bailey

Dr. Daniel Benjamin Bailey, an associate professor of political science and the director of public health studies, is Presbyterian College’s 2023 SCICU Excellence in Teaching award winner. He received his Ph.D. in political science from Texas Tech University (Lubbock, Tx.) in 2017, a Master of Arts in political science from Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago) in 2011, and a Bachelor of Arts in German from Texas Tech University in 2003. Bailey’s dissertation examined the political, economic, and social factors that influence groundwater conservation policy on the Great Plains of the United States.

Bailey joined the Presbyterian College faculty in the fall of 2018. At PC he teaches courses in the areas of state and local politics, public policy and administration, methodology and analysis, and public health. Bailey’s research focuses primarily on the intersection of local sustainability policy, public health, land use, and politics. His work has been published in the Review of Policy Research, the Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Political Behavior, The Social Science Journal, and others.

Getting students out of the traditional classroom and engaging with the local Clinton community in various projects are among Bailey’s passions. Bailey has collaborated with PC President Matt vandenBerg in teaching the Service Entrepreneurship in Action class. Recognizing that the success of PC and the City of Clinton are intertwined, Bailey, vandenBerg, and students are working on a service/social entrepreneurship incubator in downtown Clinton. Redevelopment of area public parks is also a goal.

Outside the classroom Bailey is Presbyterian’s S.C. Student Legislature faculty advisor and he serves on the Faculty Scholarship Committee and Honor Council. Bailey’s community involvement includes serving as the chair of the Laurens County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse since 2021.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

North Greenville University 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching Award Winner – Dr. Darian Washington

April 25, 2023 By webmaster scicu

North Greenville University 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching Award Winner - Dr. Darian Washington

North Greenville University’s 2023 SCICU Excellence In Teaching award winner is Dr. Darian Washington, the university’s Wind Band Director, Professor of Brass, and Head of Conducting Studies. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Maryland (College Park, Md.), a master’s in horn performance from the University of Georgia (Athens, Ga.), and a Bachelor of Music Education from Augusta State University (Augusta, Ga.).

Prior to joining the NGU Cline School of Music faculty more than 13 years ago, Washington taught middle and high school band and was an adjunct faculty member at Augusta State University and USC-Aiken. He continues involvement with numerous band and orchestra programs across the south.

Washington’s teaching load includes Music Education, Conducting, Chamber Music, Applied Lessons, and Wind Band. Under his guidance, NGU’s jazz combo, tuba/euphonium quartet, and brass quintet have performed at the South Carolina Music Educator’s conference. Washington is a frequently-requested clinician and adjudicator, including for the Greenville All-County Band and Baptist All-State Orchestra. Many of his students have gone on to pursue advanced music degrees at the Eastman School of Music, University of Georgia, University of Southern California, Indiana University, University of West Virginia, and the University of South Carolina.

Washington performs regularly with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Spartanburg Philharmonic, Asheville Symphony, and Hendersonville Symphony. He is a member of the College National Band Director’s Association (CBDNA), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the S.C. Music Educators Association (SCMEA), and International Horn Society (IHS).

Filed Under: Uncategorized

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 13
  • Next Page »

Home | About | Colleges | Students | Advocacy | Events | Publications | Contact

Copyright © 2023 South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities. All Rights Reserved.

South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities
  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Programs
    • Quick Facts
    • Meet Our Team
    • Board of Trustees
    • 2022 Excellence In Teaching Awards
    • Business Partners
    • Newsroom
  • Colleges
    • Allen University
    • Anderson University
    • Benedict College
    • Bob Jones University
    • Charleston Southern University
    • Claflin University
    • Coker University
    • Columbia College
    • Columbia International University
    • Converse University
    • Erskine College
    • Furman University
    • Limestone University
    • Morris College
    • Newberry College
    • North Greenville University
    • Presbyterian College
    • Southern Wesleyan University
    • Spartanburg Methodist College
    • Voorhees University
    • Wofford College
  • Students
    • Why choose a private college or university in South Carolina?
    • How to Pay for College
    • Digital College Guide
    • Resources and Links
  • Advocacy
  • Events
  • Publications
    • College Guide
    • SCICU News & Notes
    • Annual Report
    • Financial Statement August 31st
    • IRS Form 990
  • Contact
  • Make A Gift