The U.S. Department of Education opened the soft launch of the new FAFSA form Dec. 31, 2023, for the 2024-2025 academic year. FAFSA is used to determine how much financial aid individual ��ݮ��ƵAPPare eligible to receive. According to the Department of Education, “The new FAFSA form will significantly improve, streamline, and redesign how ��ݮ��ƵAPPand their families use the form. More ��ݮ��ƵAPPwill be able to access federal aid,
including helping 610,000 ��ݮ��ƵAPPreceive Federal Pell Grants for the first time.”

Dr. Tony Turner, ��ݮ��ƵAPP Southern vice president for enrollment, said, “The new changes to FAFSA are meant to streamline the process of completing the application and reduce the time to complete it. The changes are intended to understand better a student’s accurate financial picture to award more federal aid than before. The best advice is to take your time filling it out but do it soon since many state and institutional aid programs depend on the FAFSA information to maximize your opportunity for federal, state, and institutional aid.”

Incoming and current ��ݮ��ƵAPPmust complete a FAFSA form each year of higher education attendance. It is estimated that more than 17 million ��ݮ��ƵAPPwill be completing a FAFSA form, so be patient if there are delays in logging into the site. For access to the form and to find tips and additional information, go to . ��ݮ��ƵAPP Southern University’s school code is 003419.

For more information about financial aid, visit the ��ݮ��ƵAPP Southern website at .

“Higher education is the pathway to purpose,” President B. Keith Faulkner said. “As a first-generation college student and an alumnus of CSU, I can relate to the challenges and choices that so many ��ݮ��ƵAPPface. ��ݮ��ƵAPP Southern is where I earned the opportunity for a better life, and our commitment to creating an affordable and accessible private Christian higher education experience for South Carolina residents is a decision that will impact generations to come. To transform one student’s life is to transform his or her legacy.” 

Students eligible for Buc Promise must: 

• Be a resident of the State of South Carolina 

• Hold at least a 3.5 unweighted GPA 

• Complete the FAFSA 

• Be Pell-eligible for more than the “Minimum Pell Grant” 

• Enroll full-time in a traditional degree program 

• Be pursuing a first bachelor’s degree 

Buc Promise is renewable each year, provided the student maintains eligibility. 

“We are excited to reveal this tuition promise program that is certain to change the trajectory of lives for the better in our state,” Dr. Anthony Turner, vice president for enrollment and marketing, said. “For many ��ݮ��ƵAPPwho are Pell-eligible, finances stand in the way of their dream of earning a bachelor’s degree. And many shy away from private education thinking that the educational costs are too high. Not only will Buc Promise break that barrier for our Pell-eligible applicants, but we hope this program will shine light on how ��ݮ��ƵAPPCAN afford a Christian higher education experience.” 

To learn more about Buc Promise and apply to CSU, go to .

“Campus visits are the best way for a student to decide if this will be their home away from home,” said Tiffany Coleman, executive director of undergraduate admissions. “Whether they experience A Day In The Life, First Look, or submerge themselves in what it means to have their ; the impact on their lives will be far greater than they ever imagined.  ��ݮ��ƵAPP Southern is where innovation meets faith integration and ��ݮ��ƵAPPhave experiences that will last a lifetime.”

The Tour Treasure Grant is a one-time, nonrenewable grant available only within the first year of enrollment at ��ݮ��ƵAPP Southern.

Prospective ��ݮ��ƵAPPinterested in visiting campus may start with the popular First Look event. Learn more and register .��Other campus tour opportunities can be found at charlestonsouthern.edu/campus-visit.��

With a 300-acre campus nestled in the center of the ��ݮ��ƵAPP metro area, CSU enrolls close to 3,500 ��ݮ��ƵAPPfrom 43 states and 40 countries. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs, 20 graduate programs, and two doctoral programs. CSU also competes at the NCAA Division I level with 16 teams in the Big South Conference.

The plan provides reimbursement for tuition if a student is unable to complete an academic term due to sudden illness, a flair up of a chronic illness, mental health conditions, or other covered conditions. A renter’s insurance policy that protects students’ belongings will also be available.

“As a student-centered university, we are excited to partner with GradGuard™ to help ��ݮ��ƵAPPand their families protect their educational investment,” said Jim Rhoton, associate vice president for enrollment management. “This partnership aligns perfectly with CSU’s E.P.I.C. values of extra-mile service and a passion for student success.”

When bills for fall semester begin rolling out, ��ݮ��ƵAPPand families will have the choice to purchase tuition insurance.

To learn more go to .

The Rosemary Wenchel Memorial Scholarship has been fully funded and will be available to a female cybersecurity student seeking a career in supporting national security. 

Wenchel was known to many as a “national cybersecurity icon.” Palmetto Roost, a frequent supporter of CSU computer science and cybersecurity programs, initiated raising funds to establish an endowed scholarship in Wenchel’s memory. The Young AFCEANS, a defense contractor organization, raised an additional $3,300, and Wenchel’s husband, George Wenchel, contributed the remainder of the scholarship funds.  

Wenchel had been on campus several times to speak with CSU cybersecurity ��ݮ��ƵAPPand hosted a luncheon to congratulate the first cybersecurity graduates. George said, “Rosemary felt strongly about education in general.��She was a stay-at-home Navy wife and mother until she was 40.  She then entered the computer/cyber workforce and quickly rose through the ranks.  She was a strong proponent of mentoring because she had never had a mentor.” 

She encouraged women to consider STEM degrees and worked to show them technology was a viable career option. When she retired in 2009, she was the senior civilian in Navy intelligence. During her career she worked for the U.S. Navy, the Department of Defense, and was the Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security Policy at the Department of Homeland Security. She loved Cyber Warfare as opposed to Cybersecurity, taking the offensive rather than being on the defensive. 

At her memorial service, George said several young Naval officers came up to him, separately, to say that Rosemary always made time to talk to them. “People respected what she had to say,” George said.  

The Rosemary Wenchel Memorial Scholarship will allow Rosemary’s influence to continue for future cybersecurity professionals. For more information and to contribute, click .

First published in the Fall 2020 CSU Magazine.

[Be] that type of person that has your hands open. If you can do something for a person, do it and be finished with it. It’s about if you can help that person. And that’s all it is.

The Morrall siblings, Abraham Jr. ’78, Angela ’84, Corteze ’86 and Lloyd ’85, are passing on the legacy of helping others that they learned from their parents. 

The four, all graduates of ��ݮ��ƵAPP Southern, recently established The Abraham Morrall Sr. and Irene Greene Morrall Memorial Scholarship in appreciation of their parents’ dedication and motivation of placing an emphasis on obtaining a college or professional education and contributing to their childrens’ and others’ success.  

The Morralls view the scholarship as an opportunity to give back to the community where they grew up. Priority will be given to a minority student from the Burton/Beaufort area of South Carolina.  

As parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, Abraham and Irene encouraged everyone to strive for academic excellence and graduate from college. The Morralls had nine children. Because of their love and support, their children are military veterans, nurses, teachers, business leaders, public policy analysts, and government employees. 

Abraham and Irene were blue collar workers who worked hard to provide their children with opportunities to use education to elevate their lives. “My mother placed a premium on getting the best education available, and my father saw education as an opportunity to gain knowledge to acquire a job and earn an excellent living,” said Abraham Morrall Jr.  

The Morralls believed that education was important to development and personal growth leading to a productive person in society. The siblings said their parents were dedicated to the academic success of their children and grandchildren, consistently complimenting them on academic achievements. Irene especially encouraged individuals in the community to pursue higher education. She also encouraged her children’s high school classmates to pursue higher education, and they listened to her wise counsel.  

Angela Morrall ’84 said, “My parents are deceased but they provided their children with spiritual guidance. Throughout my whole life my mother has been the driving force in my life. My mother was my earthly ROCK. My mother nurtured, cooked, cleaned, washed clothes and attended to her family’s needs. My parents raised their children up in the church, to read the Bible daily and taught us to believe in God and he will get us through any storm. She taught my siblings and me at an early age that a try is just a failure. If you get knock down today, get up and go back fighting the next day. She was a very humble person that I never wanted to be because I thought it was a sign of weakness. However, several years ago when I was in Sunday School the lesson was about being a humble person. After that lesson, I could not wait to get home and apologize to my mother because being humble is a sign of humility and that’s the person God wants us to be. 

“My mother’s grandchildren call her Angel Irene because she truly demonstrated the characteristics of an Angel,” said Angela. “Her favorite chapters of the Bible are Psalm 27 and 37, and she would point you to those chapters in the Bible for encouragement while you go through your storm. My father was the one that helped out with the homework and checked the homework although my mother had an 11th grade education level. He made sure that we had the resources to complete our homework. For a man with a sixth grade education he was a very smart man. His favorite chapter in the Bible was Psalm 150. 

“My parents were big advocates for education, and they made sure that all of their children were given the opportunity to go to college. My parents taught their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren to serve others; Matthew 20:28 says “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and gave his life as a ransom for many,” said Angela. 

��ݮ��ƵAPP Southern’s online bachelor’s degree program is currently ranked No. 11 in the nation by U.S. News and is the top-ranked program in South Carolina. In addition, CSU is ranked No. 8 in the nation for best online bachelor’s programs for veterans.

The LIFE Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship program for South Carolina residents administered by the financial aid office at each eligible public and independent institution in South Carolina. The LIFE Scholarship may be used toward the cost-of-attendance for up to eight terms based on the students’ initial college enrollment date. Students must be enrolled in their first baccalaureate degree program and may have to submit residency documentation.

The scholarship, worth $5,000 a year ($2,500 semester), is available to eligible students. “Students will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to aid the financial aid office in determining eligibility,” said Teri Karges, CSU director of financial aid.  

To learn more about the LIFE scholarship requirements and continued eligibility, visit .

��ݮ��ƵAPP Southern’s online bachelor’s degrees include:

• Bachelor of Science in criminal justice
• Bachelor of Science in healthcare administration
• Bachelor of Science in hospitality and tourism management
• Bachelor of Science in human resource management
• Bachelor of Science in management
• Bachelor of Science in professional studies
• Bachelor of Science in project management
• Bachelor of Science in supply chain management
• Bachelor of Arts in psychology
• Bachelor of Arts in computer and information sciences
• Bachelor of Technology in computer science

Contact Carrie Gomez at CSU Online at 843-863-7050, or enroll@csuniv.edu, or learn more at charlestonsouthern.edu/online.

Five years ago, during a Wednesday night Bible study, nine African American lives were taken by the hands of hate. In response to his mother’s and the other eight victims’ tragic deaths, ��ݮ��ƵAPP Southern student Chris Singleton shared in a public statement heard around the globe that “love is stronger than hate.” 

In memory of one of the victims, South Carolina Senator Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney, and to address systemic racism in the state, a group of Coastal Community Foundation donors created the Reverend Pinckney Scholarship Program. The scholarship promotes access to higher education for African American ��ݮ��ƵAPPin Beaufort, ��ݮ��ƵAPP and Jasper counties. Scholars also receive mentoring and professional training to hone professional skills, financial literacy and build peer-mentor relationships. Two of the scholarship recipients for the inaugural class, Brian DeLesline and Carmen Hamilton, are CSU Buccaneers. 

Last month, DeLesline graduated summa cum laude with an English education degree. He said that his goal is to make an impact on the kids to show them that people from their area can do great things.

“Education was always a field that I wanted to go into, but having this scholarship and being a representative of Rev. Pinckney makes me want to do even greater things like he did,“ DeLesline said.

Living his dream, DeLesline will begin his career as a high school English teacher this fall at his high school alma mater, Baptist Hill Middle/High School. He is also pursuing his master’s in educational administration and supervision from Liberty University online with a long-term goal to become an instructional coach, assistant principal or principal.

Carmen Hamilton, a nursing major, will graduate this December.

“It is my hope to further close the health disparities gap amongst the African American/Black population—especially when it pertains to mental health and the management of chronic illnesses,” said Hamilton.

She added that she is excited to see more ��ݮ��ƵAPPbenefit from this scholarship program. “I truly hope that each cohort of scholars are better than the next that comes up. I really want each one to have better experiences, get to do different things, and be better people, and have better goals than the last cohort,” she said. “Because I want us to grow, be progressive, and exude excellence. I want [the next cohorts] to be great, better than I am.” 

Coastal Community Foundation scholarship specialist Caroline Rakar provides support to each cohort of students. 

“They came to us as high school seniors and to see this four years later—where they’ve come—is phenomenal,” said Rakar.

Applications for the Reverend Pinckney Scholarship Program are accepted in the second semester of prospective students’ senior year of high school. For more information about the program, click .

The family of Joe Stewart, a member of the Class of 1969, presented a gift from Stewart’s estate to establish the Joseph W. Stewart Jr. Endowed Scholarship.

Stewart died in 2001. He was an educator and spent his entire career teaching at Remount Road Elementary School in North ��ݮ��ƵAPP. His cousin, William E. Spaulding Jr., said, “Joe felt it was important to have male teachers in elementary schools, so they could serve as role models for the impressionable minds of young children.”

Three generations of Joe Stewart’s family were present for the gift presentation. Pictured: Paige S. Lawrence, second cousin; Ruth Ellen Reeder, first cousin; Eleanora Ragland, third cousin; Bill Ward, CSU assistant vice president for development and planned giving; and William E. Spaulding Jr., first cousin.

As part of a planned first phase to the student center renovation project, ��ݮ��ƵAPPcan expect to see a new and improved bookstore when they return to campus in the fall. Tree of Life will also offer their innovative Textbook Butler service to students, which provides ��ݮ��ƵAPPthe option to receive all textbooks and materials delivered directly to their door before classes begin – either at their campus residence or other desired address.  

“This winning partnership allows us to provide extra-mile service to our Bucs,” said Luke Blackmon, vice president for business affairs. “Going the extra mile is how we exemplify and mirror the mind of Christ.” Extra-mile service is the first of four E.P.I.C. values in the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. Other values include passion for student success, innovation across the institution, and Christian community. View the full strategic plan here. 

Darren Campbell, CEO and founder of Tree of Life Bookstores, said, “Tree of Life is excited to support ��ݮ��ƵAPP Southern University in its mission to equip ��ݮ��ƵAPPfor academic excellence, leadership and service in a Christian environment. We look forward to positively impacting the ��ݮ��ƵAPPat CSU by providing access to the course materials they need to be as successful as possible.” 

Students can begin placing orders for Summer II books at Tree of Life Books now. From the campus store portal, ��ݮ��ƵAPPcan purchase or rent course materials, access digital textbooks and see when rentals are due. See Summer Term FAQs here and further general answers below.��

FAQs