CCU Conway Medical Center College of Health & Human Performance

06/01/2026

The CORE Center has been nominated for Best Alternative Fitness Class/Center in the 2026 Best of the Beach contest, hosted by The Sun News!

The CORE Center provides accessible health and fitness assessments, educational programs, and community health outreach opportunities for residents of Horry and Georgetown Counties. Explore available assessments and educational events at coastal.edu/corecenter.

Support the CORE Center by voting now through Friday, June 19 at VotetheBeach.com! Votes are limited to one per day.

05/29/2026

May is National Women's Health Month and our students are highlighting an important reality: access to breast cancer screenings and resources isn't equal for all women in South Carolina.

Leia Harder, a health sciences major, used data to uncover where care is the hardest to reach across the Midlands region in BSHA 457: Data Analytics and Visualization, taught by Dr. Stephen Borders.

Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Census Bureau, and state agencies, she built interactive dashboards in Tableau that revealed mammography and breast cancer resource deserts. Harder found factors like insurance coverage, poverty, and other social determinants of health compounded the issue in many areas.

Find out how this hands-on project allowed Harder and her classmates to create data-driven reports and visualizations similar to those used by public health agencies to identify care gaps and guide outreach efforts.

05/29/2026

Today, we're honoring Dr. Gary Moore's retirement and his nearly 50 years in higher education, most recently as a lecturer in CCU's Department of Public Health.

Dr. Moore was well-known among his students for his iconic "I'M SOOOO... SMART!" pens and signature line. It was just one of the many unique ways he instilled confidence in our Chanticleers.

Dr. Moore joined CCU in 2018 and taught PUBH 121: Personal and Community Health, PUBH 201: Philosophy and Principles of Public Health, PUBH 333: Environmental Health, and PUBH 382: Concepts of Disease. His career also included developing online curriculum and professional training programs for public health practitioners through the University of Massachusetts, Harvard, and Yale. He also authored two widely used books on online teaching and learning.

Thank you, Dr. Moore, for your dedication and positive influence on our students!

05/27/2026

Maddie Kauffman, director of student success in the Conway Medical Center College of Health and Human Performance, was recently honored with the Enhancing the Student Experience Award at the 4th annual Coastal Carolina University Staff Recognition Awards!

Maddie was recognized for her deep commitment to academic excellence and student success across our college. She is a constant champion for our chants, driven by a genuine desire to make sure every student feels seen, heard, valued, and supported.

In her role, Maddie works closely with faculty, students, and community partners to ensure equitable access to resources, guidance, and opportunities for all. She oversees academic tutoring, student success workshops, and graduate school information sessions, while supporting students through their academic journeys.

Join us in congratulating Maddie on this well-deserved recognition and celebrating her continued dedication to our students!

05/25/2026

Today, we pause in remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. We honor their service to our country and their legacy.

05/23/2026

Join us in honoring the retirement of Dr. Linda Lane, principal lecturer in the Department of Recreation of Sport Management, after more than a decade of service to Coastal Carolina University.

Dr. Lane was well-known for her dedication to students and ability to connect classroom concepts to real-world scenarios through her extensive experience in recreation and outdoor-related fields. She most recently taught RSM 120: Leisure, Recreation, and Wellness and RSM 200: History of the National Parks.

Prior to her time in Teal Nation, Lane worked in a variety of positions including park ranger, youth activities programmer, interim aquatics superintendent, and resort manager. She is also co-author of "History of the National Parks," a collaboration with Dr. Sarah Banks Diaz, associate professor of recreation and sport management.

Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our students, Dr. Lane!

05/21/2026

05/20/2026

🎓 COMMENCEMENT SPOTLIGHT: Mallory Frazier is the 2025-26 Sport Management Graduate Student of the Year!

Mallory had quite an exciting – and busy – final semester at CCU, as she worked a coveted internship with the Savannah Bananas. During her internship, she assisted in recruiting, hiring, and onboarding teammates for more than 50 sold out shows, traveled to eight stadiums, and worked 13 sold out shows.

Now that she has earned a M.S. in Sport Management, she'll be starting her career in sport as the Coordinator of Youth Programs for USA Baseball.

When asked how her major set her up for professional success, Mallory said, "I wanted to make a difference and show the world, and the industry as a whole, that women belong in sports. My time at CCU only helped me become more confident as a woman in sports."

After making her mark on the sport industry, Mallory hopes to give back to future professionals as a professor. Mallory researched the future of sport management pedagogy and why new classes should be implemented in sport management curriculum that include AI, gambling, and the Olympics.

During her time at CCU, Mallory served as a Women in Sport graduate advisor, RSM graduate assistant, co-directed the annual RSM Symposium, and was a student assistant for the Each One Teach One Entrepreneurship Institute.

CCU Recreation & Sport Management

05/19/2026

🎓 COMMENCEMENT SPOTLIGHT: Meet Trey Ringer, the 2025-26 Health Administration Undergraduate Student of the Year.

Trey, a first generation student from Rittman, Ohio, balanced full-time work with full-time coursework to develop advanced skills in healthcare analytics and leadership. While a student at CCU, he served as a lead analyst and co-author on a community health report under the direction of Dr. Stephen Borders.

"My major helped me build a solid foundation in healthcare operations and data analysis. I have learned how to use several tools like Tableau to turn data into real, meaningful insights that can help improve public health," he said. "I chose this field because I have always been interested in leadership and healthcare, however did not want to purse the patient care side of healthcare, this way I get the best of both worlds!"

Now that he has earned a B.S. in Health Administration, Trey plans to enter the workforce in a healthcare leadership role, ideally with the South Carolina Department of Public Health. He hopes to gain real-world experience before pursuing a master's and advancing his career into higher-level leadership roles.

Congratulations, Trey!

05/18/2026

COMMENCEMENT SPOTLIGHT: Join us in celebrating Daviana Williams, the 2025-26 Health Sciences Undergraduate Student of the Year!

Daviana, a first-generation student from Hemingway, S.C., and member of the HTC Honors College, earned a B.S. in Health Sciences with a minor in Pre-Health Professions in May. She's proud of her academic and leadership presence in Teal Nation through meaningful involvement as president of the Pre-Health Professions Association and Presidential Ambassador.

"I discovered my interest in healthcare technology, built strong relationships with faculty and peers, and gained experiences that shaped my confidence and career goals. I am grateful for the opportunities I had here and excited to take everything I learned into the next chapter of my education and career," she said.

Daviana participated in honors research with Dr. Susan Montenery and Dr. Stephen Borders that explored how social determinants of health influence academic performance among college students.

Congratulations, Daviana!