College of Charleston Brings Intentionality to Life
The College of Charleston's new Intentionality Club and Center for Intentionality are designed to offer a supportive community where students can push their limits and live with purpose.
Sometimes a class takes on a life of its own, which is exactly what happened with the School of Business intentionality course.
First taught in the fall of 2023 by local businessman and philanthropist Ben Navarro and Andrea Kindorf, who works for the Navarro’s family office, the intentionality course introduced students to the intentionality philosophy, anchored in Navarro’s belief that, “if you want to get somewhere fast, you have to go slow.” Rooted in the tools, mindsets and habits that shaped his own journey, the class resonated deeply with students. Inspired to continue the work, students launched a club to practice what they learned and bring those lessons – like living with purpose, pushing limits and building meaningful relationships – to a broader audience.
To reach more students, the Intentionality Club became a reality this fall on campus.
“The class was different from any other college experience,” says club president Marina Dryer, an accounting major and captain of the sailing team. “Through all the activities and challenges we had in our class, we developed a sense of commonality. We supported each other and pushed ourselves to be better. We want to keep the momentum going.”
The Intentionality Club is led by students who completed the intentionality course. They are responsible for developing and executing the activities and programs.
“Our aim is to get students out of their comfort zone, but within a supportive community,” says the club’s vice president, Kate Seltzer, a hospitality and tourism major and entrepreneurship minor. “We want to help students bring more consciousness to their everyday life and decisions, which will empower them to get the most out of life.”
Adds Luca Tornambe, a finance major and entrepreneurship minor and the club’s wellness representative, “It’s about being intentional when you wake up every day to be better than you were the day before – to look broadly at life and then focus on the details to see how you can best achieve your goals.”
Among the first Intentionality Club events this semester are a sunrise bridge ruck – a walk with a weighted vest or backpack – from campus to the top of the Ravenel Bridge; a Fuel Your Future nutrition discussion at Basic Kitchen with the Medical University of South Carolina sports performance dietitian Alaine Mills, R.D., L.D.; and the club’s official kickoff event, a fireside chat at the Riviera Theater with Navarro on Monday, Sept. 15. A full list of events can be found at cofcintentionality.com.
“We want anyone who is interested in intentionality to join us,” Dryer says. “Everyone is welcome. Intentionality really helps students process, navigate and prepare for life after college.”
The College is also opening the Center for Intentionality 159 Rutledge Avenue, just a 10-minute walk from campus. The center, which is set to open in late September/early October, will be a home base where students can engage with others and practice intentionality.
The first floor of the four-story building will be a gathering space including a kitchenette stocked with a kombucha keg, waters and light snacks. The second floor will be an event space. The third floor will have a mind and body room for activities like yoga and other moving meditative practices along with an intentionality library and reflection room.
The center is open to everyone who participates in activities hosted there, but to utilize the center fully requires a commitment of attending 50% of the club’s formal meetings and at least three activities per month.
Brian Durbin, the executive director of the Center for Intentionality, has worked with Navarro and seen the impact intentionality has had on the people around him. He knows how it operates philosophically and how it leads to holistic success.
“It’s inspiring to share the philosophy of intentionality with more students; I couldn’t ask for a better job,” Durbin says. “There is a tremendous number of unknowns for students. It’s more important than ever to empower them to be successful. The basic skills and practice of intentionality will prepare them for what life brings.
“Ultimately, it’s about individual empowerment to manage situations and understand one’s own internal landscape to live life,” he adds.
“I really value how proactive the work of this center is in building the skills, knowledge and habits connected to an intentional life,” says Alicia Caudill, executive vice president for student affairs. “As our students’ needs change and evolve, as the world in which we live requires new ways of thinking, knowing how to create an intentional life will remain timeless.”
Tornambe has advice for new members: Set an intention to say “yes” to as many things as possible.
“There is no harm in trying,” he says. “Also, like Ben Navarro, leave space on your calendar for unscheduled time so you can say ‘yes’ on a whim.”
Just be sure you say “yes” to the new club, too.
“Join us,” Seltzer says. “You’ll get so much more than you expected. The whole point is for students to have access to a place where they can convene with other people who want to get the most out of life by being intentional and living with purpose.”
