Charleston Southern University

Charleston Southern University, founded in 1964 as Baptist College, is an independent comprehensive university located in North Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston Southern enrolls 3,300 students. Affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention, the university's vision is to be nationally recognized for integrating faith in learning, leading and serving.

Academics
The university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's and master's degrees. CSU students can choose from more than 50 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, criminal justice, and education as well as nursing (BSN and MSN programs are available). Each degree program is combined with a comprehensive liberal arts foundation which is designed to develop problem-solving and communication skills.

The Derry Patterson Wingo School of Nursing (CSU's nursing program) offers a three year BSN program that works closely with area hospitals. Post-grad they offer a MSN with an emphasis on education. In 2010, the program was expanded to offer a 2-1 ADN to BSN program with Trident Technical College. CSU's nursing program is on par with the top programs in the United states.

The School of Business maintains one of the larger MBA programs in the state of South Carolina. While the GMAT is not required for admission, the administration has maintained a flexible yet rigorous MBA program where students can attend face-to-face classes, take online courses, or a combination of both.

Campus
Charleston Southern is located right off Exit 205B on I-26 in North Charleston, South Carolina. It is situated on 300 acre, formerly the site of a rice and indigo plantation.

Recently, CSU has become a tobacco free campus and has always discouraged alcohol use.

Student activities
Beyond the classroom, students can participate in a variety of campus activities including academic clubs, service organizations, intramural athletics and campus ministries. Intramural athletic activities include flag football, basketball, volleyball, ultimate frisbee, and more. Campus ministries include Campus Crusade for Christ, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Prison, Campus Outreach, and Elevate.

Student life
Single students under 21 years of age are encouraged to live on campus. To enter the dorm hallways, one must scan his or her electronic pass for the doors to unlock. There are no curfews, but members of the opposite sex are not allowed in each others dorm rooms. There are at least two dining facilities on campus; one is the cafeteria located in the Strom Thurmond Student Center and the other is a coffee shop called Java City serving an aray of coffee beverages, sandwiches and snacks as well as being a student gathering place. Students can obtain a meal plan and put money on their cards for purchasing meals. Commuter students can take advantage of this option as well, purchasing a dollar amount meal plan or 1 a day meal plans.

Academic clubs

 * Alpha Kappa Delta
 * Alpha Nu Omega
 * French Club
 * Future Teachers Society
 * Kappa Kappa Psi
 * Market Economics Society
 * Music Educators Chapter
 * Music Therapy
 * Psi Chi
 * Spanish Club
 * Tri Beta

Service clubs and Greek organizations

 * African American Society
 * Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
 * American Chemical Society
 * Baptist Campus Ministries
 * Campus Activities Board
 * Campus Crusade
 * Catalyst
 * CSU Students for Life
 * Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
 * Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
 * Kappa Kappa Psi
 * Lambda Theta Chi
 * Lambda Tau Chi
 * Omega Psi Phi Fraternity
 * Omega Phi Beta Sorority
 * Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity
 * Psi Delta Phi Sorority
 * Psi Kappa Phi Fraternity
 * Recreational Services
 * Residence Life Council
 * Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority
 * Student Government Association
 * Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.

Athletics
The university offers intercollegiate athletics for both men and women, competing in the NCAA Division I Big South Conference. Charleston Southern fields teams in the following sports:


 * Basketball
 * Baseball
 * Softball
 * Division FCS Football (I-AA)


 * Women's Soccer
 * Cross Country
 * Track and Field


 * Golf
 * Women's Tennis
 * Volleyball

In 2008, CSU closed its highly successful men's tennis program to reallocate funds to other sports. CSU formerly fielded a men's soccer team.

Notable alumni

 * Tim Scott - United States Senator
 * Keith Summey - North Charleston mayor
 * Warren Peper - Post and Courier columnist, former news and sports anchor for WCSC and WCBD
 * Tessa Spencer - WCIV (ABC) news reporter and anchor and former morning co-host at WWWZ
 * Dr. Samuel E. Gandy - Mt. Sinai Hospital/Alzheimer's research
 * Bobby Parnell - Pitcher for the New York Mets
 * R. J. Swindle - Pitcher in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.
 * Hans Olsen - Women’s tennis coach at North Carolina State University; Former Men’s tennis player at CSU 1989-92 and Head Coach 1997-2001; Big South Hall of Fame and CSU Athletics Hall of Fame. While at CSU, Olsen guided the men’s teams to four consecutive Big South Conference Championships, earning Big South Coach of the Year four times.
 * Charlie Simpkins - Olympic Silver Medalist