College of Charleston
Encyclopedia
The College of Charleston (informally known as C of C) is a public
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...

, sea-grant and space-grant university located in historic downtown Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...

, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The College
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...

 was founded in 1770 and chartered in 1785, making it the oldest college or university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...

 in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

, the 13th oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the oldest municipal college
Municipal college
A municipal college is a city-supported institution of higher learning.The oldest municipal college in the United States is the College of Charleston located in historic Charleston, South Carolina. The College of Charleston is also the thirteenth oldest institution of higher education in the country...

 in the country. The founders of the College include three future signers of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...

 (Edward Rutledge, Arthur Middleton and Thomas Heyward) and three future signers of the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...

 (John Rutledge, Charles Pinckney and Charles Cotesworth Pinckney). It is said that the College was founded to, "encourage and institute youth in the several branches of liberal education
Liberal education
A Liberal education is a system or course of education suitable for the cultivation of a free human being. It is based on the medieval concept of the liberal arts or, more commonly now, the liberalism of the Age of Enlightenment...

." The College is in company with the Colonial Colleges
Colonial colleges
The Colonial Colleges are nine institutions of higher education chartered in the American Colonies before the United States of America became a sovereign nation after the American Revolution. These nine have long been considered together, notably in the survey of their origins in the 1907 The...

 as one of the oldest schools in the United States. It is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges
Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges
The Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges or COPLAC is a consortium of 26 public colleges and universities in 24 states and one Canadian province...

, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities
American Association of State Colleges and Universities
The American Association of State Colleges and Universities is an organization of state-supported colleges and universities that offer degree programs leading to bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees...

 and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities is an American voluntary, non-profit association of public research universities, land-grant institutions, and state university systems. It has member campuses in all 50 states and the U.S. territories...

.

The College of Charleston is nationally recognized both for its focus on undergraduate education and faculty research contributions. The College of Charleston is one of the nation's leading institutions for undergraduate education according to the Princeton Review; U.S. News and World Report regularly ranks the College of Charleston among the best southern master's level universities.

History

Founded in 1770 and chartered in 1785, the College of Charleston is the oldest institution of higher education in South Carolina, and the 13th oldest in the United States. During the colonial period, wealthy families sent their sons abroad for higher education. By the mid-18th century, many leading citizens supported the idea of establishing an institution of higher learning within the state. On January 30, 1770, Lieutenant Governor William Bull recommended to the colony’s general assembly the establishment of a provincial college. However, internal disagreements, political rivalries and the American Revolution delayed its progress. After the war, South Carolinians returned their attention to establishing a college.

On March 19, 1785, the College of Charleston was chartered to “encourage and institute youth in the several branches of liberal education.” The Act of the statehouse provided for three colleges simultaneously: one in Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...

, one in Winnsboro
Winnsboro, South Carolina
Winnsboro is a town in Fairfield County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 3,599 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Fairfield County. Winnsboro is part of the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area....

 and one in Cambridge. The Act also granted the College almost 9 acres (3.6 ha) of land bounded by present-day Calhoun, St. Philip, Coming and George streets; three-fourths of the land was soon sold to pay debts, but the College is still centered in that section of Charleston. Only the College of Charleston continues today as a college.

The College was rechartered in 1791 because of questions about the 1785 Act, and the trustees hired Rev. (later Bishop) Robert Smith as the first president of the College, and the first classes were held at his home on Glebe Street (the current home of the College of Charleston president). Robert Smith served as the College's first president. Educated in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, he was ordained as a priest in the Anglican Church and relocated to Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...

, where he served as rector of St. Philip’s Church. During the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...

, he supported the Patriot
Patriot (American Revolution)
Patriots is a name often used to describe the colonists of the British Thirteen United Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution. It was their leading figures who, in July 1776, declared the United States of America an independent nation...

 cause and even served as a soldier during the siege of the city. He later became the first Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...

 bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

. He relocated the school to a brick range which had been constructed for use as quarters for soldiers during the Revolutionary War
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...

.

Dr. Smith continued as the president until 1797. It was during his term (1794) that the school graduated its first class with the degree of A.B., a class which consisted of six students. The oldest of the students was only 18, and the work for a degree was considered so easy that one of its first graduates said that "the whole thing was absurd."

Upon the resignation of Dr. Smith in 1797, the school became sporadic and eventually closed completely in 1811. It was revived in 1824 with the hiring of Rev. Jasper Adams from Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...

 for a salary of $2500. Rev. Adams' plans for enlarging the school met opposition both locally and from the General Assembly
South Carolina General Assembly
The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and the upper South Carolina Senate. Altogether, the General...

 which found his plans antagonistic to the interest of the South Carolina College (today known as the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...

).

Rev. Adams left the school in 1826, and the future of the College appeared bleak. In 1837, however, the City of Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...

 decided that it would be in the city's interest to have a "home college." In 1837, the city council took over control of the school and assumed the responsibility for its finances and for electing its trustees. As such, it became the nation’s first municipal college. The city provided funds, for example, in 1850 to enlarge the main academic building (Randolph Hall), to construct Porters Lodge and to fence in the Cistern Yard, the block that is still the core of the campus. It remained a municipal college
Municipal college
A municipal college is a city-supported institution of higher learning.The oldest municipal college in the United States is the College of Charleston located in historic Charleston, South Carolina. The College of Charleston is also the thirteenth oldest institution of higher education in the country...

 until the 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...

, when the College again became a private institution.

Several of the College’s founders played key roles in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...

 and in the creation of the new republic. Three were signers of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...

 and another three were framers of the U.S. Constitution. Other founders were past, present and future federal and state lawmakers and judges, state governors, diplomats and Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...

 councilmen and mayors.

During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, many students and faculty left to serve the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...

. Despite dwindling student numbers and a long-running siege of the city by Federal
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...

 troops, there was no suspension of classes until December 19, 1864, two months before the city was evacuated. Classes resumed on February 1, 1866, and over the next four decades, the College weathered several financial crises, Reconstruction, hurricanes and the devastating earthquake of 1886. Until the 20th century, students who attended the College were primarily Charlestonians.

Harrison Randolph
Harrison Randolph
Harrison Randolph was the 13th President and professor of mathematics at the College of Charleston from 1897 to 1945.Randolph was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to John Feild Randolph and Virginia Dashiell Randolph, née Bayard...

 (president, 1897–1945) changed that by building residence halls and creating scholarships to attract students from other parts of the state. Under President Randolph, women were admitted to the College and the enrollment increased from just 68 students in 1905 to more than 400 in 1935. For many institutions of higher education across the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...

, integration
Racial integration
Racial integration, or simply integration includes desegregation . In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity regardless of race, and the development of a culture that draws on diverse traditions, rather than merely...

 took place in the late 1960s. For the College, the first black students enrolled in 1967.

The enrollment remained at about 500 until the College became a state institution in 1970. During Theodore Stern’s presidency (1968–1979), the number of students increased to about 5,000 and the physical facilities expanded from fewer than 10 buildings to more than 100. Between 1979 and 2001, the enrollment continued to increase, climbing to more than 10,000, and attracting students from across the country and around the world.

The College of Charleston Complex: Main Building, Library and Gate Lodge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 and further declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...

 in 1971. According to a description by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, "The historic campus of the College of Charleston contains three structures, the Main Building, the Library and Gate Lodge, situated in an attractive setting of evergreen oaks, that achieve a certain degree of unity by means of the prevailing Pompeian red coloring of their stuccoed walls." The main building, as designed by William Strickland
William Strickland (architect)
William Strickland , was a noted architect in nineteenth-century Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Nashville, Tennessee.-Life and career:...

, was built in 1828-29 and was revised in 1850 by the work of Edward Brickell White
Edward Brickell White
Edward Brickell White , also known as E. B. White, was an American architect. He was known for his Gothic Revival architecture and his use of Roman and Greek designs.-Life:...

 which added "six giant Roman Ionic pillars" and otherwise developed a more "grandiose" vision. The Gate Lodge, designed by White and now known as Porters Lodge, was built in 1852 in a matching Roman Revival style. The College Library was designed by George E. Walker and was built in 1854-1856.

Under the leadership of President Lee Higdon (2001–2006), the College embarked on an ambitious, multi-year plan designed to enhance the overall student experience, increase the faculty and student support staff and upgrade and expand facilities. The College renovated many historic structures and opened several new buildings, including two new residence halls, the Beatty Center (School of Business and Economics), new facilities for the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance http://ehhp.cofc.edu and the Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library. The building boom continues today, with construction under way on the Carolina First Center and John Kresse Arena
John Kresse Arena
John Kresse Arena is a 3,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Charleston, South Carolina. It was built in 1982 and was home to the College of Charleston Cougars basketball team. The facility, named after the school's longtime head basketball coach John Kresse, hosted the 1997 and 1998 Atlantic Sun...

 sports complex, the Marion and Wayland H. Cato Jr. Center for the Arts, a new science center, a new research and residence facility at the Grice Marine Laboratory and the first phase of construction at the Dixie Plantation site.

Recently, under the presidency of P. George Benson (2007–present), the College of Charleston embarked on a new strategic planning process designed to ensure the College retains its traditions in the liberal arts and sciences while responding to the needs of its evolving student population with cutting-edge academic programming and state-of-the-art facilities.

College of Charleston today

Although existing as a small, private liberal arts college
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...

 for much of its early history, the College of Charleston is today a public university with a combined graduate/undergraduate enrollment of over 11,000. The College retains its liberal arts heritage through its core curriculum, which includes a heavy emphasis on languages, literature, history, sciences and the arts.

The College of Charleston consists of six academic schools, as well as the Honors College and the Graduate School.
  • The School of the Arts hosts South Carolina’s flagship undergraduate arts program in music, studio art and theatre and also includes one of the few independent art history departments in North America, one of the nation’s only undergraduate arts management programs and a prominent undergraduate program combining historic preservation and community planning.
  • The School of Business instructs undergraduate and graduate students in the essential critical-thinking, leadership and communication skills they will need to be responsible, ethical contributors to the global marketplace. The school offers five undergraduate majors (accounting, business administration, economics, hospitality and tourism management and international business), an accelerated master of business administration program, a master of science in accountancy and several minors and concentrations, including finance and entrepreneurship.
  • The School of Education, Health, and Human Performance prepares students for careers in education and health professions, such as exercise science and athletic training, through academic coursework, field experience and clinical practice. The school partners with schools and businesses in the Charleston area to provide hands-on learning experiences for students.
  • The School of Humanities and Social Sciences cultivates writing and critical-thinking skills in students and offers a number of disciplines traditionally associated with a liberal arts and sciences education, including anthropology, communication, English, history, philosophy, political science, religious studies and sociology.
  • The School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs includes one of the most comprehensive language programs in the Southeast, in-depth majors in classical and modern languages, overseas study programs, specialized programs for future language professionals and offerings in several less-commonly taught languages, such as Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew and Hindi.
  • The School of Sciences and Mathematics is home to the state’s flagship marine biology program and extremely well regarded departments such as biology, chemistry and biochemistry, computer science, geology, mathematics and physics. The school receives generous external research support each year, giving students opportunities for independent research in addition to significant involvement in inquiry-based learning in the classroom and teaching laboratory.
  • The Honors College challenges intellectually talented students to customize and maximize their educations through team-taught Honors classes (with an interdisciplinary focus), research opportunities with top faculty members and an independent-study project that culminates in a bachelor’s essay.
  • The Graduate School of the College of Charleston offers 19 master’s degree programs and seven certificate programs. Each is designed to take advantage of the unique opportunities provided by the people, institutions and environment of the South Carolina Lowcountry and imparts specialized knowledge and training to its students.

Athletics

The College's 20 varsity sports teams participate in the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...

 Division I Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...

 and are known as the Cougars. The Cougars compete at a variety of athletic facilities in Charleston, including the Carolina First Arena, the J. Stewart Walker Sailing Complex, Patriots Point Athletic Complex, the Stern Center Pool and the Links at Stono Ferry. College of Charleston Athletics are supported by the Cougar Club, which was established in 1974. During the 1970-71 school year, College of Charleston students voted to change the school mascot from the Maroons to the Cougars, in honor of a cougar that had recently arrived at the Charles Towne Landing zoo. Clyde the Cougar is the College's current mascot.

Notable athletics accomplishments include

Baseball
The College of Charleston baseball team was the 2004, 2005 and 2007 SoCon
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...

 regular season champion. In 2006 the Cougars won the regular season championship and then won the Southern Conference Baseball Tournament before advancing to the Super Regional.

Basketball
The men's basketball team won the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...

 national title in 1983 and made four trips to the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...

 (1994, 1997, 1998 and 1999) under the leadership of former head coach John Kresse
John Kresse
John Kresse is a basketball coach and writer.He is former head coach of the College of Charleston Cougars and assistant coach with the New York Nets and St. John's University. Kresse has the 5th highest winning percentage of any Division 1 NCAA college basketball coach with 560 wins and 143 losses...

. The men's basketball team was division champion of the Southern Conference in 2000-2004. In 2006, the College welcomed Bobby Cremins
Bobby Cremins
Bobby Cremins is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the College of Charleston's men's basketball team, and former head coach at Appalachian State and Georgia Tech.-Early years:...

 as its new head basketball coach.

Equestrian
The equestrian team was the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association
Intercollegiate Horse Show Association
-Overview:The Intercollegiate Horse Show Association or IHSA is an equestrian organization established in 1967 by Bob Cacchione when he was a sophomore at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey...

 Zone 5 champion from 2005-2010.

Football
In 1897, the College fielded its first athletics team, a football squad. A football team played for the College until 1923, when it was disbanded for lack of support.

Sailing
The sailing team was the national sloop champion in 2003 and 2007, coed dinghy national champion in 2006 and 2007 and women's dinghy national champion in 2006 and 2010.

Cricket
The Men's Cricket team was the NCAA national champions from 1887-1891. The Team then went on to win in 1911,1927, and 1932.From 1927-1932 Alex Boccard coached the team to two of its national titles. After the 1932 season the team was disbanded for lack of support and funds.

Volleyball
The women's volleyball team was Southern Conference champion from 2001–2009 and made NCAA appearances in 2002 and from 2005-2007.

Campus

The College of Charleston’s main campus in downtown Charleston includes 11 residence halls, 19 historic homes, five fraternity houses and six sorority houses.

Outside of downtown Charleston, the College campus includes the Grice Marine Lab on James Island, the J. Stewart Walker Sailing Center and the Patriots Point Athletic Complex in Mount Pleasant, the North Campus in North Charleston and the 862 acres (348.8 ha) Dixie Plantation on the Stono River.

The College of Charleston campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Additionally, the Avery Institute, which is now the home to the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture and the William Blacklock House are also listed individually on the register.

Notable campus buildings include

  • Randolph Hall
  • Addlestone Library
  • Towell Library
  • Porters Lodge
  • Avery Research Center
  • Bishop Robert Smith House
  • Sottile Theatre
  • William Blacklock House
  • Wilson-Sottile House


Recent building history:
In 2005, the College opened the Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library and the Beatty Center for the School of Business and Economics.
In 2009, the 5,500 -seat Carolina First Arena on Meeting Street opened.
In 2010, two new buildings opened on Calhoun Street: the Wayland and Marion H. Cato Jr. Center for the Arts and the School of Sciences and Mathematics Building.

CofC EMS

The campus has its own first responder operation, College of Charleston EMS (COFCEMS), a student-run Emergency Medical Services organization. CofC EMS was founded in 1995 by a student that worked out of his own car. Now the unit consists of over 35 students who volunteer their time to respond to emergencies on the College of Charleston campus and surrounding areas. CofC EMS works closely with Charleston County EMS to provide the students and staff the highest level of care possible. CofC EMS is a member of the National Collegiate EMS Foundation and has placed top 5 in national Collegiate EMS competitions for non ALS providers. They also placed first in the National Collegiate EMS Foundation (NCEMSF) Trauma Skills competition in 2009.

College of Charleston and the media

Due to the historic look and beauty of the campus, many movies and television shows have been filmed at the College of Charleston, including General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....

, North and South
North and South
North and South may refer to:Literature*North and South , novel by Elizabeth Gaskell*North and South , series of novels by John Jakes**North and South , first novel in the series...

, The View, Cold Mountain
Cold Mountain
Cold Mountain may refer to:* Cold Mountain , by Charles Frazier* Cold Mountain , a film adaptation of the novel by Charles Frazier** Cold Mountain , the soundtrack to the film...

, The Patriot
The Patriot
The Patriot may refer to:In film:*The Patriot , a Roland Emmerich film about the American Revolutionary War, starring Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger*The Patriot , a Steven Seagal action film...

, White Squall
White squall
A white squall is a sudden and violent windstorm phenomenon at sea which is not accompanied by the black clouds generally characteristic of a squall. The name refers to the white-capped waves and broken water, its meager warning to any unlucky seaman caught in its path...

, Wife Swap
Wife Swap
Wife Swap is a reality television program, originally produced by UK independent television production company RDF Media and created by Stephen Lambert. It was first broadcast in 2003 on the UK's Channel 4. Since 2004, a US version has also been broadcast on the ABC network...

, O
O
O is the fifteenth letter and a vowel in the basic modern Latin alphabet.The letter was derived from the Semitic `Ayin , which represented a consonant, probably , the sound represented by the Arabic letter ع called `Ayn. This Semitic letter in its original form seems to have been inspired by a...

, The Notebook
The Notebook (film)
The Notebook is a 2004 romance film directed by Nick Cassavetes, based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as a young couple who fall in love during the early 1940s...

and Dear John. The most popular scene location is Randolph Hall. In 2008, productions shooting on campus thus far include the television show Army Wives
Army Wives
Army Wives is an American drama series that follows the lives of four army wives, their families, and an army husband whose wife is in the army. The series, shot at ABC Studios, premiered on Lifetime on June 3, 2007...

 and feature film, The New Daughter
The New Daughter
The New Daughter is a 2009 horror film and the directorial debut of Spanish screenwriter Luis Bernejo.Based on the short story of the same name by John Connolly, it tells the story of a novelist and his two children who encounter a malevolent presence when they move to a house in the country...

, starring Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...

.

In 2004, the first televised debate between U.S. Senate candidates Jim DeMint and Inez Tenenbaum was filmed in Alumni Hall. ABC TV
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...

's The View and CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...

's Crossfire also took up residence on the College of Charleston Cistern Yard before the South Carolina presidential primary in 2000. John Kerry officially endorsed presidential candidate Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

 in the Cistern Yard in 2008.

"The Bully Pulpit Series: Reflections on Presidential Communication” is a series hosted by the College of Charleston and its Department of Communication that welcomes presidential candidates from the two major political parties to the College of Charleston campus to discuss the importance of presidential communication. Candidates speak with students and Charleston community members on such topics as the frequency of press conferences, the candidate’s relationship with journalists and the power of the president to persuade. Major candidates appearing in the 2007-2008 series have included Senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....

, Congressman Ron Paul
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes...

, then-Senator Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

 (now president) and Senator John Edwards
John Edwards
Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in...

. Sponsored by the Allstate Insurance Company, the series has drawn over 6000 attendees and received national and international media coverage.

The English Department at the College of Charleston publishes Crazyhorse, a national literary magazine.

Greek Life

Greek Life has been active on campus for 120 years. There are 10 active IFC fraternities, 9 active Panhellenic sororities, (Spring of 2010 Delta Gamma
Delta Gamma
Delta Gamma is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternities in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus, Ohio.-History:...

 and Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau is a U.S. national collegiate fraternity.-History:Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity was founded in the Union Literary Society Hall of Miami University's Old Main Building in Oxford, Ohio on March 17, 1906...

 joined the campus) and 7 NPHC fraternities and sororities on campus.

The College of Charleston is home to the Alpha chapter of Pi Kappa Phi
Pi Kappa Phi
Pi Kappa Phi is an American social fraternity. It was founded by Andrew Alexander Kroeg, Jr., Lawrence Harry Mixson, and Simon Fogarty, Jr. on December 10, 1904 at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina...

, founded in 1904 at the College. The Alpha chapter house is located on Coming Street adjacent to the College's campus.

Notable alumni

Actors and Actresses
  • Erick Avari
    Erick Avari
    Erick Avari is an Indian American television, film and theater actor known for his roles in various science-fiction serial productions.-Early life:...

    , Class of 1976 - actor
  • Matt Czuchry, Class of 1999 - Actor (known for his role as Logan Huntzberger on Gilmore Girls) - graduated with honors, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science. He won the Mr. College of Charleston pageant in 1998. Czuchry was captain of the men's tennis team, and was a NCAA ranked player in the Southern Conference.
  • Allison Munn
    Allison Munn
    Allison Munn is an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles as Caroline from That '70s Show and as Tina Haven in The WB sitcom What I Like About You and Lauren in One Tree Hill.-Early life:...

    , Class of 1997 - Actor (What I Like About You, That '70s Show, and One Tree Hill)


Athletes
  • Brett Gardner
    Brett Gardner
    Brett M. Gardner is an American Major League Baseball left fielder for the New York Yankees. Gardner, who is 5' 10", bats and throws left-handed.-College baseball career:...

    , Class of 2005 - Professional baseball player for the New York Yankees
    New York Yankees
    The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

    .
  • Graham Godfrey
    Graham Godfrey
    Graham H. Godfrey is a professional baseball player for the Oakland Athletics.Godfrey attended Memorial High School in Houston, Texas and College of Charleston....

    , professional baseball player for the Oakland Athletics
    Oakland Athletics
    The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

    .
  • Anthony Johnson
    Anthony Johnson
    Anthony Johnson is the name of:* Anthony Johnson , American film actor* Anthony Johnson , a freedman of African descent in early Virginia* Anthony Johnson , NFL running back...

    , Class of 1997 - plays in the NBA. He is a veteran of 12 years (1997–present).
  • Michael Kohn
    Michael Kohn
    Michael Thomas Kohn is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Kohn made his major league debut on July 26, 2010 against the Boston Red Sox at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.-External links:...

    - Professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
    Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
    The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...

    .
  • Wes Knight
    Wes Knight
    Wes Knight is an American soccer player currently without a club.-College and Amateur:Knight attended Wren High School, played club soccer for the Greenville Futbol club, and played college soccer at the College of Charleston from 2004 to 2008, where he was named to the second team All-Southern...

    - Professional soccer player for the Vancouver Whitecaps
  • Andrew Goudelock
    Andrew Goudelock
    Andrew Goudelock is an American basketball player drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft with the 46th Pick. He is a 6-3 200 lb guard out of The College of Charleston. During his senior year of college, Goudelock was the fifth highest scoring player in the...

     - Professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers
    Los Angeles Lakers
    The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

    .


Artists and Architects
  • Samuel Lapham VI
    Samuel Lapham VI
    Samuel Lapham VI was born on 23 September 1892 in Charleston, South Carolina to Samuel Lapham V and Annie Grey Soule...

     (1892–1972), Class of 1913 - Architect with the firm Simons & Lapham 1920-1972. Simons & Lapham designed west wing of Randolph Hall/Chemistry Wing (1930),the Student Activities Building (1939), Craig Dormatory and Cafeteria (1962), Robert Smalls Library (1972) and Cougar Mall, located between the Robert Scott Small Building and Maybank Hall (1972). The firm was influential in Charleston, creating the city's first historic preservation ordinance in 1930.
  • Robert Mills
    Robert Mills (architect)
    Robert Mills , most famously known for designing the Washington Monument, is sometimes called the first native born American to become a professional architect, though Charles Bulfinch perhaps has a clearer claim to this honor...

     (1781–1855)- Mills studied at the College in the late 18th century. He is considered by many to be the first American-born architect. Mills designed the Washington Monument
    Washington Monument
    The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...

     as well as the Department of Treasury building and the U.S. Patent Office Building
    Old Patent Office Building
    The historic Old Patent Office Building in Washington, D.C. covers an entire city block defined by F and G Streets and 7th and 9th Streets NW in Chinatown. After undergoing extensive renovations, the building reopened on July 1, 2006 and was renamed The Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art...

    .
  • Brian Rutenberg
    Brian Rutenberg
    Brian Christopher Rutenberg , is an American abstract painter.Rutenberg received his BFA from the College of Charleston in 1987 and his MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1989...

    , Class of 1987 - American Abstract painter.


Politicians
  • Mendel Davis, Class of 1966 - Democrat, United States House of Representatives representing the First Congressional District of South Carolina 1971-1981
  • James Edwards
    James Edwards
    James Edwards may refer to:* James B. Edwards, US politician* James Edwards , US film actor* James Edwards , former NBA basketballer*James Edwards * James Bevan Edwards, UK politician and army general...

    , Class of 1950 - former Governor of South Carolina, Secretary of Energy under President Ronald Reagan and was president of the Medical University of South Carolina
    Medical University of South Carolina
    The Medical University of South Carolina opened in Charleston, South Carolina in 1824 as a small private college for the training of physicians. It is one of the oldest continually operating school of medicine in the United States and the oldest in the Deep South...

     from 1983 to 1999.
  • John Charles Frémont
    John C. Frémont
    John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...

     (1813–1890), Class of 1836 - Known as the Great Pathfinder, Fremont explored the West in the 1830s and 1840s. In 1856, Fremont, an outspoken opponent of slavery, was the first Republican nominee for president. During the Civil War, he served as a major general for the Union, and in 1861, issued a proclamation (overturned by President Lincoln) freeing slaves. He later served as governor of Arizona.
  • Burnet R. Maybank
    Burnet R. Maybank
    Burnet Rhett Maybank was a U.S. Senator, the 99th Governor of South Carolina, and Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. Maybank was the direct descendant of six former South Carolinian governors. He was the first governor from Charleston since the Civil War...

     (1899–1954), Class of 1919 - Maybank served as Mayor of Charleston, became governor of the state and served in the national legislature during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Maybank chaired the Senate Finance Committee and played a key role in the development of the New Deal. Maybank Hall, one of the main academic buildings on campus, bears his name.
  • Glenn McConnell, Class of 1969 - McConnell has been an influential force in South Carolina politics for more than two decades. Elected to public office in 1981, he has served as the president pro tempore of the South Carolina Senate since 2001. The McConnell Residence Hall dormitory was named after him.
  • Arthur Ravenel, Class of 1950 - member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
    South Carolina House of Representatives
    The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the upper house being the South Carolina Senate. It consists of 124 Representatives elected to two year terms at the same time as US Congressional elections...

     from 1953 to 1958, a South Carolina senator from 1980 to 1986, and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986. In 1996, he returned to the South Carolina Senate, serving until 2005. In 2006, at the age of 79, he was elected to the Charleston School Board. The bridge connecting Charleston to Mt. Pleasant bears his name.
  • Nick Shalosky
    Nick Shalosky
    Nicholas Shalosky is an openly gay native South Carolinian who, as a college student, won a seat on the Charleston County School Board. He currently represents the 20th District, downtown Charleston....

    , Class of 2010 - The first openly gay elected official in the state of South Carolina. From Conway, SC, he currently serves the downtown area of Charleston on the District 20 Constituent School Board
    Charleston County School District
    Charleston County School District is a school district within Charleston County, South Carolina, that educates roughly 8,000 kindergarten to 12th grade students in 23 schools.- High Schools:*Central High School, Pageland*Cheraw High School, Cheraw...

    .


Writers
  • Ludwig Lewisohn
    Ludwig Lewisohn
    Ludwig Lewisohn was an outspoken critic of American Jewish assimilation, novelist and translator, known for his novel The Island Within. He wrote several autobiographies, translated German literature and wrote the preface to the first English language edition of Otto Rank's seminal work Art and...

     (1882–1955), Class of 1901 - Lewisohn was a novelist, a translator and a distinguished literary and drama critic. He was also one of the founding professors of Brandeis University
    Brandeis University
    Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...

    .
  • Padgett Powell
    Padgett Powell
    Padgett Powell is an American novelist in the Southern literary tradition. His debut novel, Edisto , was nominated for the American Book Award and was excerpted in The New Yorker. Powell has written four more novels—including Edisto Revisited , a sequel to his debut, Mrs...

    , Class of 1974 - Powell is an award-winning writer and novelist. He has published four novels, including Edisto and Mrs. Hollingsworth’s Men.


Other notable alumni
  • Frank Blair (journalist) (1916–1995), Class of 1934 - Blair was an early cast member of NBC’s The Today Show, serving as a newsman and anchor from 1953 to 1974.
  • George Rogers
    George Rogers
    George Rogers may refer to:*George Rogers , American football player*George Rogers , college football coach*George Rogers , British member of Parliament...

     (1922–1997), Class of 1943 - considered one of the preeminent historians of South Carolina.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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