Daniel Bryant graduated in 2005 and is an art teacher for Dorchester School District 2. While at CSU Bryant created a cartoon drawing which has now evolved into Karate Dogs, a character building cartoon. “I came here, to CSU, as a seed. And as a seed I was watered, and I absorbed,” Bryant said. He in turn challenged the students to be seeds while at Charleston Southern so that they will become the people God wants them to be.

 As an R.N. at Roper St. Francis Hospital, 2008 graduate, Holly Branch Westbury, understands what it means to serve – it’s part of her job. However, recently she expanded her view of service when she asked herself, “How am I serving my coworkers and others I come in contact with?” 

Westbury encouraged the students, “We can serve God in any and all aspects of our lives. While at CSU I pray that you will take every opportunity to learn about new tools to serve Christ.”

When Joe Pye graduated in 1969 he knew he wanted to be the CEO of a bank. Six weeks after accepting a banking position, he resigned. “It just wasn’t for me,” he said.

The rest is history. Pye was encouraged to pursue education and moved from teaching positions to school principal then on to become district personnel director at Dorchester School District 2.  He then continued to advance to assistant superintendent and is now currently superintendent of Dorchester School District Two.

Pye accepted each new career challenge with an unassuming spirit, giving God the credit. “We need to cooperate with God,” Pye told the students. “We should constantly pray for God to take us where He wants us to go. If he opens the door, we need to go on in.”

A four-time Big South Conference indoor weight throw champion, Aydlette is the school record holder in both the weight throw and the indoor shot put.  He posted the BSC’s best mark in the weight throw in 2000 and 2002.  Aydlette, who competed for the Bucs from 1999-2002, is now the throws coach for CSU, guiding his athletes to five school records – many of which have been broken multiple times.

“I was very excited to hear that I was selected to be in the Athletic Hall of Fame,” said Aydlette.  “It makes me feel good that all the hard work I put in as a student-athlete didn’t go unnoticed.  Great things are going on at CSU, and I’m glad to be a part of them.”

Fellow track and field athlete Anthony Reed was also inducted.   In his time with the Buccaneers, Reed broke both the BSC Indoor Overall record in the triple jump (15.64m) as well as the BSC Championship meet record in the same event (15.31m).  He is the CSU record holder in the long jump (7.36m) and the triple jump (15.64m).

Reed was the Big South Outdoor Long Jump Champion in 1998 and 1999, earned indoor triple jump titles in both 1998 and 1999 and holds the BSC outdoor record in the event at 15.63m.  Reed ended his career as a two-time Big South Conference Most Outstanding Athlete (Indoors). Reed is pastor of Martin Memorial AME Church in Miami, Fla.

Football’s D’Angelo Dereef is the school record holder in both rushing attempts (485) and rushing yards (1,741).  He also holds career records in kick-off returns (75) as well as punt returns (69), and is in the top five in CSU history in total offense.  Dereef ended his career with 1,741 rushing yards and 329 career receiving yards.  A Buccaneer from 1991-94, Dereef is second all-time in single game rushing attempts and fifth in single game rushing yardage.    He is second all-time in all-purpose yards with 278 after his record was broken in 2008 and also holds the eighth spot on the list as well.  Dereef remains the all-time leader in all-purpose yards with 3,795 and is sixth in scoring with 108 points (18 touchdowns).

“I’m very excited to be inducted into the CSU Hall of Fame,” said Dereef.  “It’s overwhelming and an honor to be recognized for something that I worked so hard for and love so much.” Dereef is dean of students, football and baseball coach at Al Raby High School in Chicago, Ill.

Former quarterback Collin Drafts was the 2005 Big South Offensive Player of the Year and led the Buccaneers to their first Big South Championship in that season.  He led the league in pass completions in 2004, 2005 and 2006 and also led in pass completion percentage in 2004 and 2006.  Drafts finished the 2004 and 2005 seasons as the BSC’s leader in passing yardage and passing touchdowns and also led the conference in total offensive yards in 2005. 

The only quarterback in Big South history to throw for 400 yards in a game, Drafts did so twice.  He ended his career with three all-conference selections, two of which were first team honors.  Drafts, who played for the Bucs from 2003-2006, is CSU’s all-time leader in rushing attempts, touchdowns, pass attempts (BSC record), pass completions (BSC record), passing yardage (BSC record), passing touchdowns (BSC record), completions percentage (BSC record), total offensive yards (BSC record) and total offensive touchdowns (BSC record).  He also holds numerous single-game and season records for the Buccaneers. 

“It’s definitely an honor,” said Drafts.  “When Hank called, I was taken aback.  I didn’t realize that five years had passed.  Looking back on those seasons, it’s great to see what myself and the rest of the team accomplished.  I was fortunate to be surrounded by great teammates and coaches and had the opportunity to play with a great support staff at a great university like CSU.” Drafts is a quarterback with the Orlando Predators.

Former volleyball player Priscilla Lauoletolo Moleni rounds out the Class of 2011.   Moleni had two of the top seasons for kills in 446 in 1993 and 438 in 1992 and still holds two of the top four spots.  She finished her career second in CSU history in attacks and is currently fifth all-time with 1,087.  Moleni remains third in Buc history with 54 aces in the 1992 season and is fourth with 420 digs in 1993.  She is fifth on CSU’s all-time kills list with 884, despite playing just two seasons for the Bucs.  Moleni, who competed from 1992-1993, is also in CSU’s all-time top four in hitting percentage. Moleni works in reservations for Continental Airlines.

Her diligent work has earned her the American Sub-Contractor’s Roy H. Lightsey Jr. Scholarship for $2,500.

Hathcock attributes her ability to handle the challenging nursing classes at Charleston Southern to her faith, family and friends. She and her husband, Michael, have a daughter and a son. She works at her daughter’s school, Oakbrook Elementary, as the school nurse.

She said, “Nursing is one of the most amazing callings that a person could ever accept because it gives you the opportunity to serve God, your community and promote wellness.”

After she receives her master’s degree in December she hopes to obtain a faculty position where she can “prepare future nurses to practice nursing with competency and compassion.”

“Sarah is an outstanding graduate student who has maintained a 4.0 GPA in the program and is on track to graduate in December with our second graduating class,” said Dr. Tara Hulsey, dean of the Derry Patterson Wingo School of Nursing.

Project Management has become an industry standard with opportunities ranging from the management of large government contracts to multiple projects within private industry. The need for comprehensively trained, certified project managers has become increasingly important to growing companies.

The CAPS degree concentration approaches project management from a business versus engineering perspective. Course offerings have been developed to prepare students for success when taking industry certification exams. Organizations that provide certification for project managers, as well as Fortune 500 leading companies, were consulted in the development of these courses. Building upon the existing bachelor’s degree program in business management, the new concentration will consist of six additional courses for those desiring to focus their studies on this area.

CAPS, through its partnership with Pearson LearningStudio, a leading company in education and online learning delivery, relied on curriculum design experts to develop courses that meet the intensive project management standards set by the industry.

OmniUpdate is recognized as the leading web content management system (CMS) provider for colleges and universities in the country.

Charleston Southern University is working with Straxis Technology who produces uMobile360, a mobile software design company, to design the university’s mobile applications for Droid, iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users. The mobile applications are free and available to faculty, staff, students, alumni and the general public.

Last year, CSU deployed a strategic social media initiative to engage and connect with current and prospective students and alumni. Since fall 2010 CSU has tripled its audience on Facebook and Twitter.

“Social media, whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare or YouTube, is a relationship,” said John Strubel, director of integrated marketing. “When the University made the commitment to enter the social media arena, we committed to strengthening our relationships with our students and alumni. You must engage to grow.”

Strubel said the new content management platform will launch in spring 2012 and will redefine the University’s presence on the Internet.

Rev. Clark Carter ’87, former campus minister, is the new dean of students. Carter provides leadership for student discipline, student life, campus ministries and the general oversight of the work of the associate dean and assistant deans in the division.

Carter says serving as campus minister helps in his role as dean of students. “It helped me to get an up-close and personal view of the great potential of our students,” said Carter. “In today’s world, we hear so much negative news about college students. Words like lazy and directionless are often used to describe them. But I have found that so many of our students are hardworking, faithful and passionate about serving the Lord and others.”

“I also still see myself as a minister of the gospel. God called me into vocational ministry 28 years ago…and that call will never change,” said Carter.

“These promotions and new appointments will strengthen the student life department’s partnership with our academic colleagues to build a thriving learning community built on learning, leading and serving,” said Dr. Rick Brewer, vice president for student affairs and athletics.  

Dr. Hester Young is the assistant dean of students for student services. Young provides leadership for career planning, service learning and multicultural programming.

Corey Humphries ’04, ’09 MSCJ, is assistant dean of students for campus life. Humphries provides leadership for residence life, campus security, student activities and recreational services.

Barbara Mead continues to serve as associate dean of students for student development. Mead provides leadership for the Counseling Center, international students and life skills programming.

In April more than 300 students signed a Thank-You banner with notes of appreciation to donors, “I could not be here without you,” “because of you, I have a future,” ”thank you for blessing me.” We did not simply ask our students to sign the banner in trade of a fresh Krispy Kreme doughnut, rather we shared with them the enlightening statistics of why donors are important to the University.

Our students received nearly $15 million dollars in scholarship and grant support in the 2010-2011 academic year. On average, 36 percent of a student’s tuition is covered with scholarship and grant funding. Statistically, this means that starting in early February, tuition for the student is paid till the end of the school year through gifts and grants. CSU students also receive the largest amount of funding from the S.C. Tuition Grant, more than students attending any other private college in the state.

Tuition Freedom Day ended with our students becoming more aware of how vital and dependent they are on donors. Beyond that, the students comprehended that this celebration was not only a thanksgiving of charitable gifts- but something more powerful. Scanning the notes, our students used one specific word multiple times that jumped out: investment, which shows how truly appreciative and driven our students are to make a positive impact in the future armed with their college education.

CSU students received nearly $15 million dollars in scholarship and grant support in the 2010-2011 academic year.

Ashlyn Reeves, a sophomore from Goose Creek, majoring in education, thanked the donors for making a difference in her life. She said when she told her dad she wanted to go to CSU he didn’t think they could afford it. “Since I’ve been at CSU I’ve given my life to the Lord. You have had an impact for eternity,” she said.

Ashley Tobin, a junior criminal justice and psychology major from Poulsbo, Wash., said, “I’ve had the same donors for three years. I’ve developed a relationship with them, which to me is more important than the money.”

Roman Rodriguez, senior criminal justice major from Orangeburg, said, “I am so thankful to receive this scholarship money. I have a lot of family looking up to me – I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Ellen Senter, a member of the Board of Visitors and a member of the founding class, said she believes strongly in Christian education. “Those of you who are Christians are our hope for our country’s future.”

Kristen Butler, a senior religion major from Lexington, said it has been an honor to work in campus ministries during her time in college. “I want to pour my heart out with women and disciple them,” she said.

Joyce Mixson, a member of the Board of Visitors, a life member of the President’s Club and endowed scholarship contributor, said, “We’ve heard a lot of thank yous from the students. We [donors] should be the ones thanking you.”

The estate gift brings The Suzanne Gasque Nursing Endowed Scholarship to more than $200,000.

Dr. Tara Hulsey, dean of the School of Nursing, said, “The scholarship money is much needed for our nursing students. Many of them would not be able to achieve their dream of becoming a nurse without this financial support and selfless giving.”

Family friend and estate administrator, Adair Fogle, said, “Suzanne was not selfish at all. I wrote many checks for her that people never knew she gave.”

Gasque’s niece, Laura Spiers, said, “There was only one Suzanne. She had a heart of gold.”

Gasque, formerly of Elloree, was a retired office manager/bookkeeper with G. and M. Oil Company. She was a member of the University’s Legacy Society and established The Suzanne Gasque Nursing Endowed Scholarship in 1998.

Cutline: Laura Spiers of Cameron, niece of Suzanne Gasque, presents a check to Dr. Tara Hulsey, dean of the Derry Patterson Wingo School of Nursing, for the Suzanne Gasque Nursing Endowed Scholarship. Pictured are: Spiers, Dr. Jairy Hunter, CSU president; Jean Gasque of Elloree, sister-in-law of Suzanne Gasque; Adair Fogle of Elloree, administrator of the Gasque estate; and Hulsey.

The alumni chapter is your way to contribute directly to the DPW School of Nursing. Chapter goals include student scholarships, outstanding alumni awards, an annual dinner or event to help nursing grads keep in touch and provide support for the DPW School of Nursing.

A membership drive was held in May. Information was sent to the mailing address on file for all nursing graduates. If you did not receive this information, contact the alumni office with your updated information, alumni@csuniv.edu.

It’s not too late to join for the 2011-2012 year. For additional information, contact the DPW School of Nursing or check out the DPW School of Nursing Facebook page.

Remember our nursing school days and help support the future of our profession by joining the DPW School of Nursing alumni chapter.