COLUMBIA, SC (courtesy allenuniversity.edu) — Allen University graduating senior Michelle Hill knows all too well about fighting. As a young girl growing up in Detroit, Michigan, the biology major says she had many physical confrontations in school.

“I used to get in trouble a lot because I would get in fights at school,” said Hill, who claimed that the Motor City was often a tough environment.

When her father, who lived nearly 600 miles away in Atlanta, Georgia, offered her the opportunity to live with him, Hill took a chance on herself and left Michigan.

“I knew I had to do something differently if I wanted a better life,” Hill said.

Hill says she flourished in Atlanta, joining several clubs and even played on her high school’s basketball team. When it was time for her to select a college, Allen University would become her first choice. She visited the campus during the university’s Open House.

“When I came to Open House, everybody seemed friendly. The campus had a family-like environment, and I loved that,” said Hill.

The nurturing and caring environment that Hill experienced that day, would prove to be essential to completing her college degree. She would have to fight – again, but not with her peers. Hill’s battle was with herself.

“When I first came to college, I was very shy, and I had low self-esteem. I hid my true self from my classmates and, truthfully, from myself,” said Hill.

While going to her classes and enjoying college life, Hill took notice of the diversity that existed around her. She recognized the diversity in the students, who represented various backgrounds and cultures. She took note of how her peers expressed themselves, whether through the style of their hair, how they rocked the latest fashion or used their voices to speak their truth.

“I began to let my guard down and come into my own person,” said Hill.

As she continued on the journey of self-discovery, Hill said a slight push from oral language professor, Dr. Lillian G. Reeves, helped her to find her own voice.

“She made me speak – give presentations – in front of my classmates,” said Hill, who remembered resisting Reeves’ nudges.

“She pushed me forward, and I’m grateful for the encouragement,” she said.

As Hill became more open to new experiences, she gained interest in becoming involved on campus. She joined the Allen University Pre-Alumni Council, worked as a residential assistance, and joined Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. She was also recognized as an Environmental Justice Scholar, an opportunity that Hill said was one of her most memorable experiences.

“It was just a great opportunity. We learned so many valuable skills, like grant writing, how to develop as a leader, but more importantly, we learned about the impact of environmental injustices in many of the country’s underserved communities.”

“What was more of an eyeopener,” continued Hill, “was hearing from my very own friends how environmental biases affected them and their families.”

Hill is excited about graduating from Allen and receiving her degree in biology. Upon graduation, she will return to Atlanta where she will teach biology at Jackson Elementary School.

But as she considers her future, Hill recalls a moment while at Allen that likely would not have led her to walking across the stage, when Allen University will award bachelor degrees at the spring 2019 Commencement Ceremony. The event will take place 10 a.m. Saturday, May 11 in Chappelle Auditorium.

“I wanted to give up. I contemplated sitting out for one semester,” said Hill, who said school had become too difficult for her.

As she wrestled with what she wanted to do, Hill said she thought about her life in Detroit, and where she would have likely been had she not made the choice to move to Atlanta just a few years ago.

“Had I remained in Detroit, I might have been working a dead-end job, associating myself with those who might not have had my best interests at heart, or pregnant with a child. That wasn’t the life I wanted, so I knew I needed to continue to fight for what I wanted – for the life I wanted for myself,” said Hill.

So, she decided to continue her studies at Allen.

“It was well worth it,” she said.

CENTRAL, SC (courtesy swu.edu) — In its first year, Southern Wesleyan University’s (SWU) online doctorate program in curriculum and assessment has 37 students enrolled. The faculty at SWU is excited about how well the program has taken off and looks forward to positive outcomes as it progresses.

Many of the students who are enrolled have previously completed undergraduate or master’s programs at SWU and are glad to return to the highly-reputable university.

“Southern Wesleyan University offers the environment and flexibility I have been seeking in a doctor of education program,” said Shawntay White, current student and school principal. “Entering the world of online education has been a new and wonderful experience. I have found a place that has impacted my intellectual, professional and spiritual growth. I knew the courses would require self-motivation and the ability to work independently. However, I did not expect to have such caring, supportive and accessible professors. I have also formed encouraging and positive relationships with fellow students. I am ecstatic and blessed to be a part of the SWU family,” White said.

White is not alone in her delight at the program’s rigor and supportive environment. Many other students have expressed how they are impressed with the level of personal care provided in an online environment.

Zoom video conferencing is used to connect students to one another. Each week students have the opportunity to come together to do devotions and prayer through video chat outside of regular classes. An online chaplain is even available to provide support to students as needed.

Sandra McLendon, dean of SWU School of Education, recognizes the importance of embedding the Christian ethic of care throughout the program. Like all programs at SWU, this program is intentionally evangelical in addition to upholding a high academic standard.

One student shared how being a part of the online courses encouraged her to pick up her Bible for the first time in nearly 10 years because the caring ethic and Scripture are so embedded in coursework and discussions.

Hearing the news of a life being brought “back” is as fulfilling to the staff at SWU as having students walk across the stage at graduation. SWU’s mission is to educate the whole person, teaching them to be servants to go into the world to spread the word.

McLendon shared how she initially resisted adding an Ed.D. program because she wasn’t sure of the need for it. However, when “God laughed at her plans” she saw the pressing need for a program emphasizing leadership with accountability. It was then that she felt led to develop the Ed.D. in curriculum and assessment, and she began the process of creating a committee to help accomplish that.

Dr. Kimberly Strike, coordinator for doctoral studies, came on board to breathe life into the proposal for the new online doctoral program. The committee, which had been formed for nearly three years, handed off a well-written proposal providing the road map of what they sought in the new doctoral degree.

The hope of McLendon, Strike and the staff of SWU is that the dissertations produced during the program will not be used once and then shelved, but will be stepping stones leading to articles and presentations that can contribute to the field.

“We take it very seriously when we write our programs and courses, even when we write them online. We want our students to understand that this journey is not only about completing a degree or earning a title — it is about disseminating information and using it to share with others for the greater good,” Strike said.

CLINTON, SC (courtesy presby.edu) — Inez Tenenbaum and S.C. Rep. Mandy Norrell talked about their experiences and careers in government during the annual Samuel C. Waters Lecture Series held recently at Presbyterian College.

During the event, “Making History through Her Story: South Carolina Women in Politics,” the women spoke about how their passion for people and government led them from their hometowns to the chamber walls of the S.C. Legislature and Washington, D.C.

Tenenbaum is former chair of the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, former S.C. Superintendent of Education and 2004 candidate for the U.S. Senate. Norrell is the current representative of District 44 in the S.C. House and was a 2018 candidate for S.C. lieutenant governor.

Making a Difference

Tenenbaum has been a candidate for several statewide offices including lieutenant governor, state superintendent of education and U.S. Senate. She said running for those elections gave her “so much insight,” and she told those at the lecture she hopes she will be able to encourage others to take on the challenge of politics.

“Whether you speak out as a politician, community volunteer or professor — whatever your position is — you can make a difference if you speak your truth to power,” Tenenbaum said.

Born in Hawkinsville, Georgia, she said she’s often asked how she began in politics, what motivates her, and what it is like being a woman candidate.

She talked about gathering around the table with her family as a child to discuss the news of the day. Tenenbaum said during that time, people didn’t openly say who they voted for, but she knew it was important to exercise that right.

She also remembers watching the Democratic and Republican National Conventions when she says nominees were chosen live on the floor, something she called a “thrilling” experience for her.

Norrell, of Lancaster, S.C., shared how her roots shaped her life in public policy, as well. Her family has an agricultural background, and both of her parents worked at Springs Mills. Norrell also later worked at the mill to help fund her way through college.

“People would come by my station and say, ‘You have an opportunity to go to college and do something great. Take advantage of every opportunity that you have,’” Norrell said.

Norrell, like Tenenbaum, earned her law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law. She became city attorney in her hometown before a run for office. She ran for a state Senate seat in 2008 and has served in the House since 2012.

This year, Norrell has introduced 15 sexual assault bills, including legislation involving sexual assaults on college campuses.

“There are things we have to think about that men don’t have to think about as much, and I think that’s why we’re naturally inclined to file these kinds of bills,” she said.

“And also, we’ve been underrepresented so that’s naturally why these kinds of bills have not been filed in the past so I’m hoping to right some of those wrongs from the past, the things that have been overlooked in terms of sexual assault.”

Pursue Your Passion

Tenenbaum was a teacher before her career in government. She later worked at the Department of Social Services and served in the Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee of the S.C. House.

“That was the most transformative job I’d ever had in my whole life. It made me just realize this was my calling to work with public policy,” she said.

“… Whether you’re pursuing a public office or corporate leadership position, it’s just so important to pursue your passion. I found out early on my passion was – and continues to be – that I wanted to improve the lives of children.”

Both panelists also answered questions, including one about the challenges women candidates face. Both mentioned how women can be questioned and criticized in ways men are not. They told stories at the event of being asked about things like their stature and their families.

Tenenbaum said, however, she got cross-sectional support during her career and tried to move on from sexism if she saw it. She added, while the campaign trail can be tiring, a career in government is rewarding.

“There’s nothing better if you love politics. It’s like being a racehorse: When they ring that bell, you’re going to run to the track,” she said.

—

Samuel C. Waters, a 1968 PC graduate and an attorney in Columbia, S.C., established the Waters Lecture Series in Political Science. The annual lecture series highlights the value and relevance of the study of politics by hosting guest speakers to address contemporary political and policy issues.

TIGERVILLE, SC (courtesy ngu.edu) — North Greenville University (NGU) has announced the launch of the Institute of Global Leadership (IGL) to facilitate student mobilization for short-term trips and develop academic programs in leadership, global studies, and related disciplines.

The university has named Dr. Allen McWhite as executive director and NGU alumna Erin Wolfe (‘08) as the assistant director for the Institute. McWhite will also serve as an associate professor of global leadership. The initial program to be offered by the IGL will be the recently approved minor in global studies.

“At North Greenville University, we are educating students to be transformational leaders for church and society. The Institute for Global Leadership will be an increasingly important hub for transformational leadership development and mobilizing our students to serve others in a variety of cultural contexts,” said NGU Provost and Dean of the University Faculty Dr. Nathan A. Finn. “Dr. Allen McWhite is a seasoned leader who has served churches, community organizations, and in higher education, both in the USA and abroad. He is the ideal person to help our students become global leaders, regardless of their fields of study.”

The global studies minor is designed to prepare students of all academic majors to be transformational leaders in a global environment. The minor will be of tremendous benefit to students if they desire to use their degrees and vocational skills in an international setting around the world, but it will also be of great usefulness right here in our own increasingly multi-cultural North American context. It will be the initial academic program offered by the Institute, but the vision is for additional programs to be added in the near future.

“For 125 years, North Greenville University has prioritized serving the Upstate region, but our students have served globally almost since the first year of our existence. They have served as teachers, healthcare workers, non-profit leaders, and many other kinds of leaders all around the world,” said NGU President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “With the establishment of the Institute, we are underscoring our commitment to preparing students who can lead anywhere their careers and their callings may take them.”

NGU will continue to offer a Bachelor of Arts degree in Intercultural Studies for students whose desire is to give full-time focus to preparing themselves for a wide variety of cross-cultural ministry opportunities. The global studies minor, however, is specifically designed for those who will be entering the secular marketplace in a variety of fields including business, education, fine arts, communication, health care, math and science, the service industry, etc. The desire is for NGU students to “make their degrees global” and have a truly global impact.

McWhite says, “I believe that the global studies minor will give our students a real edge in an increasingly competitive job market by providing them with a deeper level of preparedness as they leave our campus to enter the global marketplace. We desire to send them out to be transformational leaders who will take their place in a variety of career fields, but with the same purpose: being difference-makers God uses to bring real transformation to our communities, to our nation, and among the nations.”

The Institute, located in the Craft-Hemphill Building, serves as the hub for this program on campus. It will continue to be instrumental in providing NGU students with a range of North American and international opportunities in the form of short-term trips.

McWhite has served at NGU since 2002. Before his time at NGU, McWhite and his family served in the field with the International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). He has also been a full-time pastor and a military chaplain. Outside of his university responsibilities, he serves as a part-time law enforcement officer with the State of South Carolina and continues to work with local churches in an interim pastor role.

Before coming to NGU, Wolfe worked at Fellowship Travel International in Virginia, served as training and public relations coordinator in the Center for Global Connections at Southwest Baptist University in Missouri, and as a student mobilizer in South Asia. In her role as assistant director, she will be providing leadership in preparing and sending out short-term North American and international student teams.

For more information about NGU’s Institute for Global Leadership, visit https://www.ngu.edu/global-engagement.php.

NEWBERRY, SC (courtesy newberry.edu) — Newberry College assistant professor of Physical Education Joanna Tremble was one of more than 150 educators on Capitol Hill recently urging lawmakers to provide full funding for physical education and health programming in K-12 education.

The effort, which was part of the 12th annual advocacy day by members of the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America), sought to educate new members of Congress about the importance of a well-rounded education and to push for full funding for grants under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

“We need to ensure that the health and physical education programs covered under ESSA can be effective in helping to provide a well-rounded education for K-12 students,” Tremble said. “This starts with making sure these grants are fully funded, and we are competing with many other subject areas and programs for financial support.”

The grants, under Title IV, Part A of the ESSA act, support professional development for teachers as well as health and physical education programs in schools. The law, enacted in December 2015, replaced parts of the No Child Left Behind Act, governing United States K-12 public education policy.

“As a former public school teacher and a supervisor of student teachers, I cannot overstate the links that exist between health, physical education, social emotional learning and academic achievement,” Tremble said. “The success of these programs is directly tied to the proper development and success of our students.”

SHAPE America, based in Reston, Va., is the nation’s largest membership organization of health and physical education professionals.

COLUMBIA, SC (courtesy ciu.edu) — Dr. Rick Christman has been named the executive vice president of Student Services and Online Services at Columbia International University.

Christman comes to CIU from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee where he served as the academic dean and associate vice president for the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies (SGCS), the fastest growing school within Trevecca, which is one of the fastest growing universities in the state of Tennessee.

Christman is a graduate of God’s Bible School and College in Cincinnati, earning a Bachelor of Religious Education (B.R.E.), and a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University, earning two master’s degrees; an M.A. in Advanced Leadership Studies and an M.A. in Ministry. Additionally, he earned his Doctorate in Education (Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership) from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Overall, Christman has served 14 years in Christian higher education as a professor and administrator, and has ministered for over 23 years in the Wesleyan Church as a pastor and educator. He also has experience in the printing industry including plant manager of Foster Business Forms and Foster Commercial Press in Columbus, Ohio.

Christman leads with a passionate, conservative voice, caring for both the institution he serves and the people who serve with him. He understands the critical need for Christian higher education and the need to preserve and to instill Christian values and ideals into students from all walks of life and at different stages of life.

Christman calls it an honor to join the CIU team.

“In this role, it will be my goal and deliberate intent to serve students on their educational journey, preparing and empowering them to fulfill the Great Commission in whatever field they serve,” Christman said.

HARTSVILLE, SC (courtesy coker.edu) — On National College Decision Day (May 1), Coker announced it has lowered the credit cost for its online undergraduate degree students from $619 a credit hour to $425 a credit hour, a more than 30% reduction in online program tuition pricing, in a continued effort to make a college education more affordable, accessible, and convenient for the modern-day student. The price decrease will take place at the start of the 2019-2020 academic year.

The price decrease affects all Coker students enrolled in the college’s entirely online undergraduate degree programs––B.S. in business management, B.S. in criminology, B.S. in psychology, and B.S. in sociology––and includes students enrolled in entirely online articulation agreements with Coker––Aiken Technical College, Horry-Georgetown Technical College, and Richmond Community College (Hamlet, N.C.).

“The opportunity to complete a degree in a format that is accessible can make a tremendous difference for many students,” says Tracy Parkinson, vice-president for strategic partnerships and special assistant to the president of Coker College. “As we offer more options for students who would best benefit from an online program, we want to be sure that the program is also as accessible as we can make it from a cost standpoint. Whether online or face to face, it’s crucial to try to make the bachelor’s degree a viable option for as many students as possible.”

For working adults and/or digital natives, completing a degree online may be the most practical way to boost their careers. “Online learning is answering a long-standing problem in higher education,” says Coker President Dr. Robert Wyatt. “It provides flexibility, convenience, and accessibility for busy adults, and Coker’s unique approach to student and faculty collaboration and engagement make it a great option.”

Coker has also taken steps to be a transfer-friendly school by establishing bridge and articulation agreements with several community colleges in the Carolinas, giving associate degree graduates the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree in just two years.

Earlier this year, Coker was included in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Programs rankings in the category of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs. One thing that makes Coker’s online programs unique is that all of Coker’s online undergraduate students are assigned a student success coach. Their student success coach will help them tackle obstacles that might keep them from completing their degree, connecting students with the resources they need to be successful. They work directly with students to answer questions, provide clarity, walk them through confusing procedures, and foster a connection between the student and Coker’s digital community.

The cost for Coker graduate degree programs and traditional undergraduate degree programs remains unchanged. Students in on-site bridge programs will see a slight increase in cost-per-credit to accommodate the new tuition structure; however, financial aid options, including price-sensitive support like the South Carolina Tuition Grant, will continue to be available for these students and will be adjusted in eligible circumstances. Additionally, Coker College’s Annual Scholarship Fund awards over $10 million in scholarships each year, placing the net price of Coker’s private education on par with that of local public universities.

For more information about Coker’s online undergraduate degree options, please visit coker.edu/online. For more information about applying to Coker College, please visit coker.edu/apply.