All three South Carolina Baptist Convention-affiliated universities are reporting robust fall enrollments, and each school began the 2010-11 academic year with a worship celebration.
Anderson University, founded in 1911, kicked off a year of centennial-related observances; Charleston Southern University completed the first phase of a $15 million campus renovation project; and North Greenville University reported that 40 students made decisions for Christ during the opening days of the fall semester.
AU marks centennial year
Anderson University officially began its second century of service the weekend of Aug. 14, as students moved back to campus and celebrated the start of the new school year at a special Sunday worship service featuring music by Mosaic, AU’s worship leadership team, and a message by Clayton King.
Anderson University’s “Mosaic” leads in worship during the opening days of school.As anticipated, this year’s class is the largest ever for the university, breaking the record set last year. “The number of new students exceeds 610,” said Barry Ray, spokesman for the university. “It’s a jump of nearly 100 students from the previous year.”
Last year’s record enrollment totaled 2,280 students; enrollment for the centennial year at AU is expected to exceed 2,400.
With more students enrolled at Anderson, the institution made plans last spring to complete a $3 million construction project. The expansion included two new residence halls across from AU’s front lawn on the Boulevard, the renovation of an existing residence hall to include more living space, and the construction of “Food for Thought,” a new university caf?.
The addition of the new residence halls allows AU to house about 1,200 students on campus.
Following opening weekend, AU students officially began classes on Aug. 18. On Aug. 25, the university held its opening convocation, the first of many special events celebrating the school’s 100th year.
CSU enrolls more than 3,200
With a 4 percent increase in new full-time students and a total enrollment of 3,231, Charleston Southern University’s 46th academic year has begun.
CSU students learn of missions opportunities at the university’s “Go Center.”University officials report that with an increase in resident students, as many as 50 upperclassmen are housed at the Wingate by Wyndham hotel, located on the campus.
To complement the freshman class’s summer reading assignment of Francis Chan’s “Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God,” the campus ministries department sponsored a three-day “Love Awakening Festival.” Featuring speakers and worship music, the festival culminated with the Go Center, where 12 service organizations were on hand to share missions opportunities for students.
The campus has a fresh new look. The university has completed the first phase of a $15 million project to renovate the residence halls. Legacy Lane, a new brick-paving project that enhances the reflection pond at the center of campus, was completed over the summer.
The university has been named a “Military Friendly School” by G.I. Jobs magazine for the second consecutive year and has been designated as a participant in the Veteran Administration’s Yellow Ribbon program.
NGU welcomes record enrollment
For the 17th consecutive year, North Greenville University welcomed the largest number of students in school history. A combined total of 2,310 undergraduate and graduate students began classes on Aug. 18, an increase of 44 over last year. New students totaled 679, selected from more than 1,479 applicants.
NGU’s Keli Sewell greets new student Jesse Nugent and her parents Tim and Penni Nugent. Nugent is pastor of East Gaffney Baptist Church.Campus housing is near capacity with 1,479 resident students this semester.
“With this growth, we have reached the outer limits for some of our facilities,” said NGU president Jimmy Epting. “We are out of space in our chapel and look to begin construction of the Craft/Hemphill World Evangelism, Missions, and Christian Worldview Center and Todd Prayer Chapel.”
In the next few months, a 500-seat balcony will be added in Turner Chapel to accommodate the increase in enrollment and the need to have all students in chapel together twice a week.
In addition to welcoming a record enrollment, the university will begin offering a master of education program through the T. Walter Brashier Graduate School in Greer.
NGU is once again a 2010 ranked national liberal arts college by Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, and Washington Monthly.
North Greenville began the new school year with its annual revival services during the first week of classes. The campus ministries staff is following up on 40 decisions to receive Christ since the start of school, which includes decisions made during the crusade.
– Compiled from news releases.