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In 2022 – just as in 1922 – the future of The Citadel holds in store untold possibilities.
Enjoy this beautiful video about the history and the future of our esteemed college, The Citadel!
Lifestyle
$8.4 Million EDA Good Jobs Challenge Grant Awarded to Charleston Metro Chamber, E3 Foundation and Roper St. Francis Healthcare
The Charleston Chamber Foundation, through the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, along with Educate, Empower and Elevate Foundation (E3) and Roper St. Francis Healthcare have been selected to receive an $8.4 million grant through the Good Jobs Challenge funded by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. This project is one of 32 Good Jobs Challenge grantees, from a competitive pool of 509 applicants, to receive funding.
The Good Jobs Challenge, administered by the Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration, brings together employers who have hiring needs with other key entities to provide in demand skills training that leads to good-paying jobs and jobs that lead to better economic mobility for historically marginalized communities. Through the grant, the Chamber, E3 and Roper St. Francis will ignite inclusive and equitable workforce growth within the healthcare industry.
“The Good Jobs Challenge grant is a transformational opportunity for our community to create career pathways offering upward mobility for our region’s underserved populations,” said Bryan Derreberry, Charleston Metro Chamber President and CEO. “Working alongside E3 and Roper St. Francis will ensure our efforts are equity-centered and are meeting the demands of one of our most important sectors, healthcare.”
Through the grant, the three partners will develop the Lowcountry Careers Collaborative in Healthcare, an equity-centered, employer-led approach that builds upon existing regional training systems to offer pathways to higher level careers. This will be accomplished by:
- Empowering underserved populations to seek opportunities in promising sectors
- Collaborating across sectors to address skills gaps identified by employers
- Addressing workforce barriers within our community and with employers that have prevented inclusive work environments and equitable growth for all community members
- Improving access to training for communities of color that will enhance pathways to high-earning potential jobs in healthcare, simultaneously boosting representative healthcare options
- Delivering thoughtful integrative services
“We believe that the Lowcountry Healthcare Careers Collaborative could be a blueprint for how we increase the family wages of traditionally marginalized communities,” said LaTisha Vaughn, E3 Chief Programs Officer. “We are not just working on getting people ready for jobs; we are also working on making sure employers are ready for all members of the Charleston community in their work environments.”
Efforts will initially focus on the healthcare sector; however, the infrastructure is being established to add on additional sectors in the future.
Healthcare is a vital and important industry for our community. Earnings per job in healthcare in our region average $73,993, a wage 66% higher than the median household income for African American families in 2019. Of healthcare postings in 2021, 82% did not list a requirement for a bachelor’s degree. This signals a significant opportunity for targeted engagement of individuals without a college degree.
“At Roper St. Francis Healthcare, we want our teammates to be a reflection of our greater community. We are thrilled to partner in this meaningful effort to create more career pathways for residents in underserved communities because we know we are our best together,” said Dr. Michael Moxley, Vice President and Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity Officer at Roper St. Francis Healthcare. “As coworkers and healthcare providers, we must be committed to not only embracing our differences but pursuing them for perspective. This is central to carrying out our mission of ‘healing all people with compassion, faith and excellence’ and making our communities stronger.”
The Lowcountry Careers Collaborative in Healthcare is designed to bridge historic gaps in employment representation by training a diverse coalition of healthcare workers. Partnering with E3 will ensure the program is inclusive to populations that have historically been excluded from accessing quality career pathways in the local healthcare industry. Roper St. Francis will serve as the leading employer and backbone organization to identify real skills needs and facilitate job placements.
“By integrating industry in every step of the talent development process, these awardees are focused on supporting underserved communities in diverse areas across the country, helping to remove systemic barriers for workers and connecting employers with the trained workforce they need to grow and sustain competitive local economies,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Castillo.
The Good Jobs Challenge is part of a suite of American Rescue Plan programs developed by EDA to equitably distribute its $3 billion allocation to assist communities nationwide in their efforts to build a better America by accelerating economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and building more resilient, shockproof local economies.
Charleston Metro Chamber Media Contact: Erin Aylor, SVP of Marketing – eaylor@charlestonchamber.org | 843.805.3053
E3 Media Contact: Tonita Perry, APR, Principal/Chief PR/Marketing Communications Strategist – tperry@eaddyperry.com | 704.965.6956
Roper St. Francis Healthcare Media Contact: Andy Lyons, Director of Corporate Communications & Content Strategy – Andy.lyons@rsfh.com | 843.958.1272
About the Charleston Metro Chamber: With approximately 1,600 member organizations representing 160,000 professionals, the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce serves as the collective voice of the business community, and a catalyst for regional economic advancement and member success through Talent, Advocacy, Leadership and Business Development. Visit charlestonchamber.org.
About Educate, Empower and Elevate Foundation (E3): E3: Educate, Empower, Elevate Foundation, is a 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to ensure those most impacted by inequities are educated, empowered, and elevated to exercise their agency collectively in the South. E3 works to educate Black and Brown families through culturally competent, relevant, and sustainable engagement, to empower through the coalition building of Black and Brown led-organizations, leaders, educators, children, and families, and to elevate Black and Brown communities to act in their power and purpose. E3’s guiding principle is that those most impacted by systemic inequities – people of color – must be at the center of all decision-making. It is not only their North Star but is fundamental to their approach. E3 Founding Partners are Black women, with 55 years of collective cross-sector experience, who are competent, committed, community-minded, and have experience across sectors including non-profit, advocacy, corporates, and public education. They provide a voice to those closest to the problem and most impacted.
About Roper St. Francis Healthcare: As the area’s only private not-for-profit healthcare system, Roper St. Francis Healthcare chooses purpose over profits by putting our extra money back into our system to help meet the health needs of our community. The largest healthcare system features four flagship hospitals: Roper Hospital, Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital and Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital. In an emergency, the healthcare system offers six strategically placed ERs. With roughly 6,000 teammates, RSFH is the Lowcountry’s largest private employer with nearly 1,000 doctors representing almost every medical specialty. RSFH’s 657-bed system consists of 117+ facilities and services across five counties.
Reimagining the Charleston Peninsula? – SC Ports plans to redevelop parts of the Charleston Peninsula
The SC Ports Authority released plans to redevelop a significant portion of the Charleston peninsula. The project, Union Pier, would reimagine an approximately 70-acre site to include mixed development use for residential, commercial and recreation purposes. For context, this area is located between Market and Laurens Street where the current cruise ship terminal operates. SC Ports announced in May 2022 that this cruise ship terminal will cease homeport cruising operations in 2024.
he SC Ports Authority recently gave a presentation of the project to both the Regional Policy Committee and Business Advocacy Committee. During this presentation, members were given an overview of the public input process, site architectural plans and general concepts for site use.
Here are a few key takeaways:
- A designated 40 acres of mixed-use development will include 300,000 sq. ft. of office space, 300,000 sq. ft. of retail space and 1,600 dwelling units
- A planned unit development (PUD) application for the project was submitted to the City of Charleston in January 2023
- Building plans will address storm water management and flood mitigation
- Port-of-call cruise ship operations will continue in the same location
- A transfer fee of 1% of the sales price for every transaction in Union Pier, including the initial sale and not to exceed $1 million per transfer, will go to the City of Charleston’s Department of Housing & Community Development for affordable housing assistance
Public input is encouraged throughout this process. Stakeholder groups can schedule meetings with the planning team and leave comments on the project website. The Chamber will continue to work with SC Ports to track the progression of this project and if you have any questions, please email me at dcurry@charlestonchamber.org.
Clemson University’s Data Science and Analytics Master’s Program ranked 5th in the Nation by Forbes
Fortune has ranked Clemson University’s online master’s degree program in data science and analytics the fifth best in the country.
Clemson’s program is a collaboration between the College of Science and the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business. It was rated 14th in Fortune’s inaugural ranking last year.
“There’s so much data produced every second, and there are not a lot of people who are trained to interpret that data,” said Ellen Breazel, a principal lecturer in the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences and co-director of the program. “Data science is a niche that is an overlap of statistics, math and computing. What makes our program unique is that we fold in some business content as well. Our goal is to create what we call translators — people who can analyze the data and interpret that for the managers and CEOs in terms that everyone can understand.”
Influence of data
In announcing the rankings, Fortune said the influence of data — and the technology developed to manage, analyze and utilize it – has grown immensely over the past decade. But companies still find it difficult to find trained professionals who can turn its potential into results, the magazine said.
The data science platform Anaconda said that in 2022, 90 percent of industry professionals were worried about what a talent shortage in the space could mean for the field.
Fortune’s ranking considered selectivity, success and demand. A program’s selectivity score considered the average undergraduate grade point average of incoming students and the program’s acceptance rate. The success score measured retention of students and graduation rates. Demand was measured by the program’s total enrollment and the number of applicants for the most recent year.
Russ Purvis, professor of management and the DSA program co-director, said the key to Clemson’s program is that it is an interdisciplinary degree.
“In addition to core coursework that includes data mining, data visualization and statistical analysis, the program also offers mandatory project-based learning opportunities. These projects focus on the real-world application of skills learned in the program and can be an opportunity for students to display the skills learned during the program to potential employers,” he said.
Clemson’s first DSA cohort began classes in summer 2020. Forty-seven students are enrolled in the program. Thirty-two students have already graduated.
Love of numbers
Bob Germaine, a December 2022 graduate of the program, had always liked numbers and statistics.
Germaine was working as a structural engineer in his home state of Arizona when he watched the luge competition in the 1984 Olympics. He decided he wanted to try it and attended a two-week camp in Lake Placid to learn how to slide. He was a member of the U.S. luge team from 1985 to 1990.
His daughter, Raychel, decided she wanted to compete in luge but was trying to overcome the misbelief that smaller stature athletes weren’t competitive in the sport.
“I did an analysis on different tracks and looked at body profiles, aerodynamics and friction to help her understand that it was a bit of a falsehood, that the statistics didn’t really hold up to that. It just kindled an enjoyment of digging into the numbers,” he said. His daughter competed for 10 years and finished as high as seventh in a World Cup competition.
Shortly after his daughter retired from the sport, Germaine’s wife saw an ad for the Clemson DSA program.
“It looked like a fun thing that I could do while I was working,” he said. “It was not easy, but it was fulfilling.”
Now, Germaine uses what he learned in his job as a project manager at Jacobs.
He also uses what he learned to help his son with a start-up business that involves physical fitness and athletic coaching.
Intrigued by the possibilities
Sherri Goodwin, another December 2022 graduate, is a data science engineer for Indorama Ventures, a chemical company that specializes in PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and fibers.
She decided to attend the DSA program after working on a project that utilized machine learning. A data scientist at the company, who is a Clemson graduate, showed her how the data could identify problems in the production process.
“I was intrigued by the process of machine learning and how it could take data investigation to the next level,” Goodwin said. “I started looking into how I could learn some of the methods and found out I could get a whole master’s degree. It was a dream come true.”
Goodwin said the program covered the various machine learning programs and why a data scientist would choose one over another. In addition, projects had students using “unclean” data, preparing them for real-world scenarios.
Goodwin is now putting what she learned through the DSA program to use in her job. She said the company does a lot of anomaly detection. She said that by using analytics, the company’s data scientists can see patterns and check out equipment before it fails.
“If we can catch something before failure, we can save considerable amounts of money,” she said.
Goodwin said data science and analytics can be used to predict physical properties such as color. Using this technology, it is possible to provide high quality products for the customer, she said.
State Senator Marlon Kimpson leaving South Carolina Senate to join Biden administration
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — State Sen. Marlon Kimpson, a South Carolina lawmaker and early backer of President Joe Biden, is leaving his legislative post more than a year early to take an appointment in the Biden administration.
The departure makes Kimpson the latest in a string of South Carolina Democrats taking positions in the administration as the state prepares to hold the nation’s first Democratic presidential nominating contest of 2024.
On Sunday, the Charleston Democrat told The Associated Press that he would step down from the Senate later this year to focus on his role on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.
Last week, the White House announced that Kimpson was one of 14 appointees to the entity that advises the U.S. Trade Representative on overall trade policy strategy.
“Charleston is the entry and exit point for a significant amount of goods and products from American and foreign countries,” Kimpson told AP.
Noting that his district is home to the Port of Charleston, as well as aerospace manufacturer Boeing, Co., Kimpson added that, among the other appointees, he “will have a unique voice on this august list of CEOs, business leaders and union presidents.”
Kimpson’s departure from the state Senate was first reported by The Post & Courier of Charleston.
Kimpson, 53, has represented the 42nd District since winning a special election in 2013. As a Black leader in South Carolina’s Senate, Kimpson has been at the forefront of a number of debates, including the 2015 effort to remove the Confederate battle flag from the Statehouse grounds following the massacre of nine Black parishioners at Mother Emanuel AME, a church in his district.
Also that year, he made a successful push to require South Carolina law officers to wear body cameras following the shooting death of a Black South Carolina driver by a white North Charleston police officer.
A special election will be scheduled to fill the remainder of Kimpson’s four-year term, which runs through 2024. Democratic state Rep. Deon Tedder, a Charleston attorney first elected to the House in 2020, announced Sunday that he would run for Kimpson’s seat.
“The Lowcountry needs an advocate on important issues like public education, affordable housing, and criminal justice reform,” Tedder said in a news release. “That is what I have been fighting for in the House and it is what I will continue to fight for if elected to the Senate.”
South Carolina’s legislative session ends in May, and Kimpson said he had spoken with Senate leadership about coordinating his official last day on the job, saying that he wanted to continue shepherding debates on parts the state budget.
Making several White House visits since Biden took office, Kimpson spoke at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, listed as one of the party’s “rising stars.”
Kimpson is the latest notable South Carolina Democrat to take a job with Biden, whose 2020 primary win in the state helped him cement that year’s Democratic nomination. Last month, former Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin was announced as the new director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, taking over from former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
n 2021, Biden named Jennifer Clyburn Reed as federal co-chair of the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, aimed at addressing poverty in the Southeast. Reed is a daughter of Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn, a top Biden ally whose endorsement ahead of the 2020 primary helped boost Biden’s campaign in the state.
Biden has yet to formally announce an expected reelection bid for 2024. National Democrats recently announced that South Carolina would hold the party’s first presidential nominating contest for that cycle.
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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP
Representative Deon Tedder to run for South Carolina Senate District 42
Announcement comes as incumbent Sen. Marlon Kimpson plans to resign to accept position in the Biden Administration
NORTH CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – March 12 – State Representative Deon Tedder (D-Charleston) has announced his intention to run for state Senate District 42, a seat currently held by Senator Marlon Kimpson (D-Charleston).
Kimpson plans to resign at the end of the legislative session to fulfill an appointment by President Biden to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.
“I want to thank Senator Kimpson for his strong leadership in the Senate,” Tedder said. “I know he will continue to make South Carolina proud by working with President Biden and the Biden Administration.”
Tedder continued, “I will run to represent the people of Senate District 42. The Lowcountry needs an advocate on important issues like public education, affordable housing, and criminal justice reform. That is what I have been fighting for in the House and it is what I will continue to fight for if elected to the Senate.”
Tedder, an attorney, was first elected to the State House in 2020. During his freshman term, he filed legislation to provide for same day voter registration, empower towns and municipalities to create more affordable housing, and designate the third Tuesday of February as “Historically Black Colleges & Universities Day,” which was signed into law. He currently serves on the Education and Public Works Committee, where he has been a proponent of fully funding public schools and opposed attempts to put censorship in the classroom.
Dorchester Paws Team up with Selfie Addict Studio
Help the adoptable dogs of Dorchester Paws find their homes.
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. – Dorchester Paws sent 10 adoptable dogs to Selfie Addict Studio of Summerville, to explore the new digs and get their photos taken. In partnership with Selfie Addict Studio and Licked Pet Photography, the hope was to shine a light on those longer term residents who are sitting in the shelter at risk of shelter deterioration.
Since the photo shoot, and “leaking” some photos online, two dogs have been adopted based on the photos! Melon, a dog featured in the link below, her photos/social post reached over 100,000 people within a week!
Dogs that still need homes: (*looking for urgent fosters and/or adopters)
- INKY: 65 days in care, 2-years-old.*
- CREED: 60 days in care. 3-years-old.*
- DUKE: 50 days in care, 7-years-old.
- GAVIN: 60 days in care, 3-years-old.*
- NYLAH: 45 days in care, 4-years-old.*
In addition, the public can share the social media posts that Dorchester Paws made on their Facebook and Instagram accounts, up until March 18th to win a night out experience, for four people, at the Selfie Addict Studio in Summerville. That’s a value of $120!
“We at Selfie Addict Studio LOVE all animals, especially dogs, which is why it was important for our studio to be pet friendly,” says Kristina & Julie, Owners of Selfie Addict Studio. “We welcome all pets at no additional cost. We absolutely adore Dorchester Paws and what they do for adoptable animals — it was a no-brainer to partner with them. We hope that this event helps these precious pups find a fur-ever home.”
Stop by the Selfie Addict Studio at Summerville Dream’s Third Thursday Event on March 15th at 5:30 p.m. to meet our adoptable dogs!
Right now, all adoptable animals at Dorchester Paws from now until March 18, adoption fees are reduced. Each adopter can pick a coin out of the “Pet of Gold” bucket. Each coin will have a specially priced fee allowing adopters to pick their price!
Each adoption also comes with:
· A free health exam waiver that allows adopters to use within the first 10 days of adopting
· 30 days of Trupanion Pet Insurance
· Free week trial of Good Pup Virtual Training
· An animal that is spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, on monthly preventatives & vetted
· 30 Days of free 24/7 Telehealth that can be used for any pet in your home
For more information, visit dorchesterpaws.org.
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About Dorchester Paws
Dorchester Paws, formerly known as Frances R. Willis SPCA, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of animals in Dorchester County, South Carolina. Dorchester Paws is the only open-admission shelter in Dorchester County, serving the towns of Rosinville, Ridgeville, Oakbrook, St. George, Summerville, and Grover, South Carolina. Partnering with Dorchester Code Enforcement, the organization takes in every lost, abandoned, and abused animal and provides food, shelter, and medical attention until a “forever home” can be found. Since 2017, Dorchester Paws has been a no kill shelter and is a partner in the “No Kill South Carolina Coalition.”
Crush Yard: Pickleball with a little help from our friends. What you need to know about this Mount Pleasant, SC Venue
Crush Yard is thrilled to announce Rob Gronkowski and his brothers, among other NFL greats including AJ Green and Brian Dawkins, as investors and brand ambassadors. Matt “McNasty” Manassee, pickleball coach to the stars who recently finished training Emma Watson in CBS’s celebrity tournament “Pickled,” has also been appointed Crush Yard’s Chief Brand Ambassador. Picklers can expect to see and work with him in Mount Pleasant next year.
IPTPA Certified Level II Teaching Pro Dan Levine has been selected as Crush Yard’s Director of Pickleball and Head Pro, and will be offering private and group lessons, facilitating leagues and tournaments and assisting guests with equipment fittings to their custom USA Pickleball pro and tournament certified TMPR paddles, available for rent and purchase on site.
The pickleball club and restaurant is also excited to announce their two unique membership options:
- Yard Membership: includes discounts on court reservations, equipment rentals and certain retail purchases, in addition to unlimited soft drinks and the ability to earn credit when purchasing food.
- Crush Membership: boasts everything the Yard Membership offers plus free unlimited rentals, bigger discounts, access to daily members-only open play hours and early access to all court reservations and clinic, tournament and camp registrations.
Finally, Crush Yard is excited to partner with North Charleston-based Holy City Brewing and Summerville-based One Nation Coffee to enhance their beverage offerings. Crush Yard will be pouring custom One Nation coffee in house and selling grounds for caffeine fanatics to take home. Holy City has created a micro brew just for Crush Yard called Dinker’s Delight, a wheat variety hopped with citra and fermented with orange purée. This ale will be available alongside an extensive selection through Crush Yard’s self-serve tap system.
North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey will not seek reelection
After nearly 30 years in office, Keith Summey said he will not seek another term as mayor of North Charleston.
Summey, 76, made the announcement in a video posted to the city’s website Friday afternoon.
In a statement, Mayor Summey said, “Serving as the mayor of North Charleston has been the privilege of a lifetime, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together. I look forward to serving this great city as a community member, as we all work together to continue to make North Charleston a great place to live, work, and play.”
Thank you Mayor Summer for making such an impactful difference in the North Charleston Community!
Carter Lumber expanding South Carolina footprint with Florence County operations – Adding 80 new jobs
$26 million investment will create 80 new jobs
Carter Lumber, a leading building materials supplier, today announced plans to expand its South Carolina footprint with new operations in Florence County. The company’s $26 million investment will create 80 new jobs.
Headquartered in Kent, Ohio, Carter Lumber is a privately held, family-owned company with more than 170 locations across the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions. In addition to lumber, the company sells a broad range of building supplies including decking, doors, kitchens, siding and windows. Carter Lumber is the fourth largest professionally focused lumber and building materials supplier in the nation.
With existing operations in Easley and Rock Hill, this will mark the company’s third South Carolina location and first facility in Florence County. Located at 305 West Myrtle Beach Highway in Johnsonville, Carter Lumber’s plans include renovating a 120,000-square-foot facility in Florence County to manufacture roof and floor trusses along with hanging interior door units. This location will also serve as a millwork warehouse for stock mouldings, and the products from the Florence County facility will be delivered to residential, commercial and multi-family job sites.
Operations are expected to be online by the third quarter of 2023. Individuals interested in joining the Carter Lumber team should visit the company’s careers page.
The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project. The council also awarded a $100,000 Set-Aside grant to Florence County to assist with the costs of site preparation and building construction.
QUOTES
“Carter Lumber has done business in South Carolina since the 1970s, and it has always been a pro-business state filled with opportunities to grow. That same spirit exists in the state today, and we are excited to be opening this location to take advantage of those many opportunities. The manufactured products this new facility will produce are vital to builders in the region as it continues to grow. We look forward to partnering in that growth today and into the future.”
-Carter Lumber President Jeff Donley
“South Carolina is a place where businesses come to thrive, and Carter Lumber’s investment is another testament to that fact. Congratulations to Carter Lumber, and we look forward to strengthening our partnership.”
-Gov. Henry McMaster
“We are proud that Carter Lumber continues to do business in South Carolina. The company’s investment, new jobs and new operations represent increased opportunities for Florence County and underscore the ongoing success that is possible within our state.”
-Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III
“We congratulate Carter Lumber on their decision to locate in Florence County! The 80 new jobs that Carter Lumber will create will positively impact the Johnsonville community for years to come. We look forward to supporting Carter Lumber as they begin operations in southern Florence County.”
-Florence County Council Chair Willard Dorriety
“The North Eastern Strategic Alliance (NESA) is excited to welcome Carter Lumber to Florence County. We are honored to be part of their most recent expansion in South Carolina and look forward to their investment bringing jobs and opportunities to the region.”
-NESA Executive Committee Chairman Yancey McGill
FIVE FAST FACTS
- Carter Lumber is expanding its South Carolina footprint with Florence County operations.
- The company’s $26 million investment will create 80 new jobs.
- Carter Lumber is a leading building materials supplier.
- Located at 305 West Myrtle Beach Highway in Johnsonville, S.C.
- Individuals interested in joining the Carter Lumber team should visit the company’s careers page.