Highlights From College of Charleston Student Affairs
With the College’s record incoming class, the Division of Student Affairs continues to support all students thoughtfully and creatively. Here are a few highlights.
The Division of Student Affairs is dedicated to the development of all students and to facilitating their cultural, social, emotional, physical, ethical and intellectual development so they may become responsible, respectful and effective individuals.
Below are some of the highlights from the Division of Student Affairs.
It was a true collaborative effort to host the inaugural BEst Fest event: “BE Intentional, BE Connected, BE You, BElong,” in September in the Cistern Yard. The Office of Student Life, the Center for Civic Engagement, the Gender and Sexuality Equity Center and the Center for Sustainable Development developed this event to give students of all backgrounds the opportunity to immerse themselves in the happenings of the campus and the community. Featuring fun activities, games, wellness resources, food trucks and more, the event had a large turnout – approximately 1,700 people – and showcased the many clubs and organizations for students to join at the College.
The Career Center hosted two career fairs at the Charleston Gaillard Center this academic year (Oct. 10, 2023, and Feb. 29, 2024). More than 200 employers participated in these signature events and represented a wide range of industries. Students attending these events could connect with employers about internships, and part- and full-time job opportunities. In addition, students attending these events received professional headshots and personalized advice on their résumés from Career Center staff.
The Collegiate Recovery Program students and staff will be speaking on the Statehouse steps in Columbia on April 2 for South Carolina Collegiate Recovery Day. Last year, CRP student Jak Kelly ‘23 spoke at the first annual event.
The Counseling Center has a full team supporting our students.
- The average wait for an initial appointment this semester has been three business days; same-day appointments are always available for urgent needs and crisis intervention.
- So far this semester, the Counseling Center is serving 23% more students than last spring.
- So far this semester, 591 students have attended a total of 1,635 appointments.
The Campus Pride Center continues to welcome students and now serves as the location for the Trans Student Alliance’s weekly meetings and the newly launched Read with Pride Lending Library. This year, in partnership with the Office for Student Wellness and Well-Being, it launched a sister program to Students 4 Support: S4S+ provides students with an S4S member in the queer community. These students hold their hours in the Pride Center each week and are available via the S4S texting service. The Gender and Sexuality Equity Center also received a grant from the Alliance for Full Acceptance to provide facilitator training for anyone on campus who would like to be involved in facilitating with the Q’nversations program (formerly Safe Zone). It also received a grant in collaboration with the Center for Sustainable Development to provide free gender-affirming items in the Cougar Free Store. Visibility programs like the first-ever Pansexual Pancake Breakfast have been a hit, with more to come.
The Office of Student Life welcomed four new staff members to the team. The office hosted Family Weekend in February, with events like Casino Night and Family Fun Picnic in the Stern Center Garden. The Office of Student Life also houses the Cougar Activities Board (CAB), a student-run organization that does programming to provide 60 events throughout the school year for students.
The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life had a record year of giving in the community. For Pep Supper 2023, there was a high amount of participation amongst 28 organizations, raising a record-breaking $60,120.40 for the Lowcountry Food Bank to support food assistance programs for children and families in South Carolina’s coastal counties. Additional items were donated to the Cougar Pantry to help fight hunger and food insecurity among CofC students. Other notable achievements include:
- Greek Leadership Institute: Student leaders began the spring semester with community leadership building and trainings. The common theme throughout the institute was connecting to our community and making CofC a better place.
- Greek Week: As students bond and connect – one of the goals of the Greek community – we’ve seen record participation numbers and greater impact on campus.
- Student Leadership Abroad and Beyond: One FSL student will be traveling with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to Ghana this summer to represent the fraternity and make a bigger impact beyond the borders. Additionally, one FSL student is interning with NASA.
