CSU president Jairy Hunter introduces Gov. Mark Sanford at commencement May 6.The first thing South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford did when he approached the podium on the stage of the North Charleston Coliseum was set the atmosphere.
Seated before him were more than 300 Charleston Southern University students, just moments away from receiving their academic degrees. Moments earlier, outgoing student government president Sarah Hough had received only polite applause when she extended congratulations to the “class of 2006.” Sanford, reminding the students that they were on the brink of a milestone, asked for a more joyous response. Then came an explosion of shouts, hand clapping, foot stomping and hands raised in both victory and relief.
“You’ve accomplished something very, very important,” Sanford said. “You have a lot to be proud of.”
The graduates received bachelor’s and master’s degrees during the May 6 commencement. Four graduates were commissioned into the United States Air Force as second lieutenants.
Sanford advised the students to follow their dreams and embrace leadership. “The crisis of our time is leadership,” he said. “Choose to become leaders.”
During the ceremony, the university awarded honorary doctor of religion degrees to Wendell Estep, senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Columbia, and to Darrell Coulter, pastor of Joy Baptist Church, Charleston. Stephen Williams, pastor of First Baptist Church in Hartwell, Ga., received this year’s distinguished service award.
Estep served on CSU’s board of trustees as chairman of the enrollment committee, and Coulter was the board of trustee’s chairman of the student affairs/athletic committee. Coulter was also an assistant football coach at Charleston Southern from 1996-97. Williams is the former pastor of First Baptist Church, Kingstree, and was board chairman for South Carolina Baptist Ministries for the Aging.
Sanford also received an honorary doctor of business administration degree.