Graduate degrees were conferred Friday, May 3, and undergraduate degrees were conferred Saturday, May 4 on Buccaneer Field. 

President B. Keith Faulkner, 敁珗辦畦���s fourth president and a 1998 alumnus, was the guest speaker at both ceremonies at his first commencement as president. 

Faulkner said, ���We applaud your many years of hard work. This ceremony represents a defining moment. This new season of your life is filled with responsibilities and promise.

���Grit may matter as much or more than talent,��� he said. ���You started class in Covid. No one went untouched by Covid, but you persevered and held fast to your dreams. Today completing it must feel amazing. You did the hard work and put in the hours.���

Faulkner said, ���Yesterday, you were our students. Today, you are our peers. You���ve joined a small but influential group of people who have earned a higher education degree.���

Faulkner also announced the university is naming 敁珗辦畦���s newest residence hall for the late Barbara ���Binky��� C. Mead on what would have been Mead���s 80^th birthday. He said, ���Binky spent 55 years as a servant leader at this university. She blessed our students in many ways, and we are grateful for Ms. Mead���s legacy of hope.���

Abby Barnett, a 2024 political science major from Roseville, Michigan, gave the senior address. Barnett served as president of the Student Government Association for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Barnett said, ���Class of ���24, we finished strong; we have finished. We can become even more than we can imagine.��� With a nod to May 4, she said, ���May the Fourth be with you, and God bless.���

To conclude the ceremony on Saturday, Dr. Emily Thomas, associate professor of mathematics, was recognized as winner of the 2024 Excellence in Teaching Award.

Student stories of note:

• Dane Hartley earned 敁珗辦畦���s first Bachelor of Technology in aeronautics: aviation maintenance management degree. Professor Lloyd Richardson, chair of the department of aeronautics, said, ���In two years, Dane successfully completed a Bachelor of Technology degree in aviation maintenance management while employed as a certified aircraft maintenance technician. Following commencement, Dane will have the work experience and credentials to lead and manage in the critically understaffed aviation maintenance industry. His prior Associate of Arts degree in aircraft maintenance technology set him up for a fantastic work and study experience at 敁珗辦畦 Southern University.���
• Logan Ferguson, a cybersecurity major, was 敁珗辦畦 Southern���s first student to win a SMART Scholarship with the Department of Defense. As part of the scholarship, Ferguson earned a guaranteed job with the Department of Defense. Dr. Sean Hayes, chair of the computer science department, said ���Logan has been an exceptional student. For his senior project, he created a password manager that generates and saves personal passwords while checking their strength and searching breach databases for any issues.��� He also was a part of 敁珗辦畦���s cybersecurity team competing against other universities.
• The seniors on the 敁珗辦畦 women���s golf team, Elsie Verhoeven, a psychology major from Belgium, and Caroline Engelbredt, a human resource management major from Denmark, were leaving immediately after commencement to play in the NCAA regionals May 6-8 in North Carolina. The 敁珗辦畦 women won the Big South Conference for the first time since 2010.

Associate Professor of Mathematics Dr. Emily Thomas is the 2024 South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities Excellence in Teaching Award recipient for 敁珗辦畦 Southern University.

A member of the 敁珗辦畦 Southern faculty since 2016, Thomas teaches Introduction to Mathematical Structures, Precalculus, Business Calculus, and Discrete Mathematics. She enjoys working with students to improve these courses and has conducted multiple research projects to identify pathways to increased student success.

Thomas uses her service as the state director for the Mathematical Association of America to provide research opportunities for students. Recent 敁珗辦畦 graduate Maddy Parsons said, ���Her unmistakable love for mathematics is infectious, but her passion for students is something that would be extremely challenging to match. She is more than a professor at 敁珗辦畦; she is the epitome of academic excellence while also keeping Christ at the forefront.���

Outside the classroom, Thomas serves as the supervisor for the Math Help Center and continuously looks for opportunities to improve this important student resource. In August 2022 she established a tutoring partnership with Summerville���s Northwood Academy that teams 敁珗辦畦 Southern math professors and math majors with local high school students. 

Provost Dr. Michael Wilder said, ���Dr. Thomas exemplifies 敁珗辦畦���s commitment to distinctly Christian, academically excellent education as she deeply invests in the next generation of thought leaders. She is a highly valued member of our university community, and we are grateful for her teaching excellence.���

She holds a PhD and MS in mathematics, both from the University of Arkansas. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Samford University. She is married to Dr. Ryan Thomas, associate professor of mathematics, at 敁珗辦畦.

We are preparing for a wonderful outdoor event on Buccaneer Field this Friday evening and Saturday morning. Praise God! 

Here are some quick reminders to best prepare you for this momentous occasion.

Schedule
Friday, May 3
                  11:30 a.m. Bucky���s Bon Voyage (RSVP )
                  1:30 p.m. Undergraduate Rehearsal at Lightsey Chapel
                  5 p.m. Graduates Arrive/Rehearsal at Field House/Buc Dome
                  6 p.m. Graduate Commencement at Buccaneer Field
                  Reception with each college immediately following

Saturday, May 4
                  9 a.m. Undergraduates Arrive at Field House/Buc Dome
                  10 a.m. Undergraduate Commencement at Buccaneer Field
                  Reception with each college immediately following

Attire
Flat sole shoes are required in order to walk on the turf field for Commencement. Additional information about dress code and honor cords/stoles can be found at charlestonsouthern.edu/graduation.

Parking

Participants will park in the Women���s North Lot, walk over to the Buc Dome, and line up inside. Review the map and feel free to share with your guests here. 

New This Year

We want this to be a fun, memorable day for you and your loved ones! Enjoy the many new things we���ve added to the experience, such as:

• A reception for all our grads and their guests with each college! Complimentary sweet treats and drinks provided. College tents will be set up at the north end of the stadium in the grass to help you easily find your faculty.
• A photobooth for you and your friends and family to enjoy ��� for free. 
• Free professional photos for download of each graduate! A gallery link will be provided within 10 business days to the same email you are currently receiving these email updates.

If you have further questions, please review the  and other FAQs here.

Go Bucs!

-Commencement Committee

Oral and poster presentations were presented April 16 at 敁珗辦畦 Southern���s Annual Spring Symposium, highlighting student and faculty research.

Alessandro Russo, a junior mathematics major, presented his project for the second time. His research was funded by the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, and he presented the research at the SCICU Research Day at Milliken & Company in Spartanburg. His faculty sponsor is Dr. Mike Martinez.

Russo���s research, Threshold Based Mathematical Model for an Epidemic, focused on a mathematical model that simulated certain aspects of disease spread among a population. He said, ���I wrote up a coding model using Python to simulate larger cases as well. The research itself was done during the summer and fall of 2023, and then a presentation was given to showcase the results.��� 

���The goal of this project was to create a model using graph theory to represent an infection spread among interconnected sites with respect to space and time using a threshold based system,��� said Russo. Russo said, ���Quarantine is the most logical option for containing an infection. If quarantine is not a viable option, then preventing different sources of infection interacting with each other will help slow the spread of infection.���

Martinez, a mathematics professor, said, ���Alessandro did an outstanding job on the project. Writing the code for a working computer model of a complex set of network interactions is not easy and was not even the main point of the project. Alessandro was able to accomplish that task while also developing and testing conjectures about the system. Along the way he had many more insights than we had time to fully explore, so his final presentation is only a small picture of the impressive amount of work he was able to accomplish.��� 

Other presentations included:

• Social Anxiety���s Impact on Remembering New People by Draye Boyd
• The Orthodox Model of the Trinity and Cappadocian Metaphysics by Caleb Short
• The Development of a Technoference Self-Awareness Instrument for Use in Counseling Practice by Dr. Christopher J. Hipp, Kelli Kerkhoff and Kathryn Wilkins Kypke
• Making a Mythology: Depictions of Divine Creativity in the Enuma Elish and The Silmarillion by Luke Rodgers
• State of Palliative and End-of-Life Care Curricula in Prelicensure Nursing Education by Dr. Helen Condry-Lewis
• Efficacy of a Parenting Program, Families Count by Addison Short
• Impact of Extracurricular Activities on Computer Science Academic Performance by Logan Ferguson, Chamberlain Gibson, Peter Jackson Link, Nathan Mixon, and Justin Pike
• Churches Can Be the Bridge by Daniela Figueroa
• Time: A Contributor to Unfinished Nursing Care by Jenna Berger
• “Unclean! Unclean!”: Dracula and the Return of the Bubonic Plague by Jo Underwood

Poster presentations:

• Biofilm Producing Capacity of Bacterial Isolates from 敁珗辦畦 Southern University Tap Water by Makena Griffis and Hannah Harrison
• Investigating the Correlation Between Reading for Pleasure and Self-Esteem by Kayla Brandt
• Correlation between DRD4 polymorphism, Faith, and Behavior by Jordan Smith and Joshua Padgett
• Collegiate Team Sport Athlete Long-Term Developmental Activities, Values, and Beliefs by Dr. Anthony Smith
• Polyamidoamine Dendrimer-Mediated Dissolvable Hydrogel for Wound Dressing by Caroline Jacky and Alexander Rodriguez

The Spring Symposium at 敁珗辦畦 is organized by the faculty Publications Committee each year.

敁珗辦畦 Southern���s secondary math education program has officially earned national recognition as an accredited program through the National Council of Teachers and Mathematics.

Dr. Kari Siko Walters led the accreditation process and said, ���To prove that we have met these, we have to present the data on our students’ performance on their PRAXIS tests (a professional teaching assessment), their course grades, their formal lesson plan that they write, the South Carolina Teaching Standards, a project they do called the Unit Work Sample, another project called the Long Range Plan, and their Clinical Practice Portfolio that they create while they are student teaching. So, it’s a very extensive and detailed report and they are very picky in approving it.���

敁珗辦畦���s secondary math education program met the standards required by the National Council of Teachers and Mathematics:

• Content Knowledge
• Mathematical Practices 
• Mathematical Content Pedagogy
• Mathematical Learning Environment 
• Impact on Student Learning
• Professional Knowledge and Skills 
• Secondary Mathematics Field Experiences and Clinical Practice

Secondary math education students prepare a hands-on activity to be used in the classroom and document what it looks like.

The South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities has announced that Allison Brown has received the CIC/UPS Scholarship for 敁珗辦畦 Southern University.

���This is my third time getting this scholarship, and it has meant so much to me and my family,��� said Brown. ���Covering college costs is hard, and this scholarship has allowed me to continue to pursue my education.��� 

Brown is a senior biology major and will graduate in December 2024. 

The CIC/UPS Scholarship is funded by the Council of Independent Colleges and The United Parcel Service Foundation.

The family of Dr. S.M. Mayo, former chair of the BCC/敁珗辦畦 religion department, has donated his personal library to 敁珗辦畦 Southern.

Mayo was a professor from 1976 until his death in 1997. Something of a Renaissance man, Mayo set out to become an aeronautical engineer until God changed his pathway. He was a graduate of Southern Illinois University, completing his degree in 10 years because he worked to pay for his education. He went on to study at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas.

Eric Kistler, director of the Rivers Library, said, ���Dr. Mayo���s book collection contains a rich variety of very highly regarded theological treatises. The 敁珗辦畦 Southern research community will benefit greatly from this most generous donation.���

���Dr. Mayo was a kind, gentle professor who cared for his students,��� said Dr. Michael Bryant, vice president for strategic planning, faith integration, and Christian leadership. ���He invested deeply in their education and worked hard to help them learn.��� 

Mayo was an early adopter of computer technology and taught a computer class on campus, using the Apple IIe. 

His son Stacy ���S.M.��� Mayo ���90 of Lexington, and his wife, Stephanie, made the donation to the university. Dr. Mayo���s daughter, Kisa Mayo ���91, and his wife, Parmelee, are both deceased.

敁珗辦畦 Southern University inaugurated B. Keith Faulkner as the university���s fourth president Monday, March 25 in a service in Lightsey Chapel.

Faulkner was unanimously elected by the Board of Trustees on July 25, 2023, and began his service as president in October. He is the first 敁珗辦畦 Southern alumnus to serve the university as president. Faulkner graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a finance emphasis in 1998.

When Faulkner arrived on campus, he said he was focused on four things: Listening, Caring, Casting Vision, and Leading. He thanked the 敁珗辦畦 Southern faculty and staff and said, ���This is a team dedicated to service above self.��� He pledged to invest in people ��� in employees and the student body.

He said, ���Casting a vision is not enough. Faith requires us to act. Walking in faith requires vision and action. Vision with action can change the world.���

Faulkner concluded with a challenge to the 敁珗辦畦 family: ���One who has hope lives differently. We are people of hope. We are respectful of our past with a laser focus on the future.���

Melissa Essary, dean emerita and professor of law at Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, worked with Faulkner at Campbell and gave the keynote address.

Essary said, ���Sometimes you meet someone and you���re optimistic about who they appear to be. Sometimes, they are everything you hoped they would be and more. Meet Keith Faulkner.���

Among those bringing greetings from different groups was Dr. Maxwell Rollins, professor of business and director of graduate programs in the Nielsen College of Business. Faulkner is a former student of Rollins and also worked for Rollins in his DJ business. Rollins, representing the 敁珗辦畦 faculty, said, ���One of our Buccaneers has returned, and it is time for 敁珗辦畦 to shine.���

Faulkner���s service prior to accepting the position at 敁珗辦畦 Southern included serving in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear power plant operator and technician and an instructor. He had 20 years of higher education service as president, dean, and professor of law at Appalachian School of Law in Virginia; as dean and professor of law at Liberty University School of Law; as dean and professor at the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business at Campbell University; and as interim dean, vice dean, executive associate dean for external relations at Campbell University���s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law. Before he stepped into higher education, Faulkner practiced law in the areas of insurance defense, criminal defense, estate planning, family law, and real estate litigation and transactions. 

He earned a Juris Doctor and a Master of Business Administration from Campbell University���s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law and a Master of Laws in litigation management from Baylor University School of Law. 

Dr. Heather Chadwick and Mr. Boyce Smith recently published the second revised edition of  Mastering Personal Finances: A Biblical Approach along with Ron Blue. Professors in the Nielsen College of Business, they serve as assistant director and director of the NCAB Center for Personal Financial Management.

According to book publicity, ���The authors of Mastering Personal Finances: A Biblical Approach believe that success is the act of continually becoming the person God wants you to be and achieving the goals God helps you to set. Integrating your faith and finances can help you establish a deeper sense of purpose, gain motivation to change your behavior, and develop methods to implement this change.��� 

Chadwick said, “The second revised edition is greatly improved and growing in popularity for personal finance courses in Christian schools. It is the ONLY biblically integrated personal finance book available.���

Looking to take the next step in your educational career? Wanting to get a doctorate in education but do not know where to start?  In February, 敁珗辦畦 Southern faculty members Dr. Krista Allison and Dr. Julie Fernandez published their book Navigating the Doctorate in Education: Planning Your Journey.

Publicity for the book says, ���Navigating the Doctorate in Education is an engaging and honest conversation for anyone considering pursuing a doctorate degree in education. This book helps prospective students navigate the journey from choosing the right university to completing the research and achieving the ultimate title of Doctor of Education. Success in this advanced degree journey depends on understanding where to go; financial, personal, and professional demands; and the educational expectations of a doctorate degree.���  

Allison is the chair of the Doctor of Education in leadership program, and Fernandez is dean of the College of Education.��

According to U.S. News & World Report, ���敁珗辦畦 Southern University��猖 online programs are among more than 1,800 programs surveyed by U.S. News. Only regionally accredited institutions whose programs are offered mostly or entirely online were evaluated.���

���敁珗辦畦 Southern Online continues to change the lives of our students. We strive to deliver high quality academic programs that afford our students opportunities to start and advance their careers,��� said Dr. Marc Embler, dean of the College of Adult and Professional Studies and associate vice president for academic affairs. 

���We are extremely proud to be ranked among the top institutions in the nation. Our faculty are experts in their respective fields, and their pedagogical aim is to help students use the knowledge gained in a practical vocation. These high-achieving academic programs become even more powerful when they are integrated with faith. 敁珗辦畦 continues to maintain the highest quality standards and provide extra-mile service. We are focused on preparing graduates to succeed spiritually, academically, and professionally,��� said Embler.

敁珗辦畦 Southern also ranked among the top programs in the country for Best Online MBA and Best Online MBA for Veterans. 

In the fall, 敁珗辦畦 Southern made the U.S. News & World Report���s Best Colleges list in Best Regional Universities in the South, Best Colleges for Veterans, and the Top Performers on Social Mobility.