June 1, 2023

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Today’s Forecast

CofC’s President of school spirit

President Hsu offering a warm welcome to his Randolph Hall office. | Photo by CHStoday team

In 2019, CofC welcomed a new President, who has been revamping school spirit across campus — and the community.

Dr. Andrew T. Hsu sat down with us this past month to discuss his life in Charleston so far and the future of the College.

What direction do you see the College going in the next few years?

The College is doing really well with more and more students wanting to come here. I have a feeling this will only continue to increase in the next few years.

The amount of students applying has more than doubled over the last four years from when I joined in 2019 to this fall in 2023. Our application numbers went from 12,000 to now 26,000 applications.

CofC — Did you know the Cistern Yard has been used for a set in many blockbuster films?
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Photo by the College of Charleston

What initiatives are you the most excited for?

We want to become a National University and we are moving in that direction by adding doctoral programs to qualify for the US News & World Report classification as a National University.

In December we got our first Doctoral Program approved, after lobbying for two years to the state to change their law to allow us to offer Doctoral Programs.

If you weren’t the President of the College of Charleston what would your dream job be in the city?

I would still pick to work for the College and would be happy being a custodian. I would be excited to clean the Cistern Yard.

CHStoday City Editor Mia and President Hsu — City editor Mia with the College of Charleston President Hsu.
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Photo by President Hsu’s office

The largest impact I saw as a student on campus was your revamp of a sense of school spirit. With that being said, how did you come up with your idea for the finals week playlist?

I was watching my kids and they all have ear plugs in when they study for their exams. It made me think maybe the students at the College would like this as well. This led me to ask my daughters to put together a list of their favorite songs which I shared as a playlist to the CofC students.

President Hsu's perfect weekend in CHS

Asked

What is your favorite way to get involved with the College of Charleston?

A. Basketball games
B. Walking through the Cistern Yard
C. Art performances

Vote here

Events

Thursday, June 1

Game night | Thursday, June 1 | 7-9 p.m. | Revelry Brewing (Main Brewery), 10 Conroy St., Charleston | Free | Bring your listening ear to this music bingo night to have the opportunity to win a prize.
Young Professionals Social | Thursday, June 1 | 5:30-7 p.m. | Flowertown Bed and Breakfast, 710 South Main St., Summerville | Free | Chat with fellow professionals in the area to expand your network and career.

Friday, June 2

Piccolo Spoleto Fine Crafts Show | Friday, June 2-Sunday, June 4 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Wragg Square, 342 Meeting St., Charleston | Shop through local vendors and check out what the artisans have to offer.
JLV Creative - Showroom Grand Opening | Friday, June 2 | 2-6 p.m. | JLV Creative, 194 Seven Farms Dr. Ste. B-C, Charleston | Free | Check out this new showroom location and grab a scoop of ice cream or floral bouquet.

Saturday, June 3

Floppin’ Flounder 5K | Saturday, June 3 | 8 a.m. | Sullivan’s Island Fish Fry Shack, 1424 Hennessy St., Sullivans Island | $45 | Lace up your shoes and head over to this 5k to support Sullivan’s Island Fire and Rescue.
Charleston Pride Parade | Saturday, June 3 | 9 a.m. | King St., Downtown Charleston | Free | Grab your friends and head downtown for one of the largest Pride events in the Lowcountry.
High Tide Festival | Saturday, June 3 | Times vary | Riverfront Park, 1061 Everglades Ave., North Charleston | Prices vary | Immerse yourself in the world of music at one of the most popular music festivals in our area.

Calendar events here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Ranked

Charleston was ranked as the sixth best city for a staycation, according to WalletHub’s 2023’s Best & Worst Cities for Staycations. Key factors to determine this ranking include summer weather, proximity to ice cream, and nightlife options.

Travel

This Memorial Day Weekend broke records for the Charleston International Airport. The amount of travelers increased by 15% compared to the same weekend in 2022.

Eat

Rudy Royale is celebrating its two year anniversary today, June 1 at 209 E. Bay St. with $8 sandwiches all day long. Show this Instagram post to claim your sandwich.

Civic

Goose Creek broke ground on a new amphitheater earlier this week to create more youth programs and art events. Construction is estimated to take 18 months. (WCSC)

Outdoors

Anglers caught a 10-ft bull shark while fishing off of Seabrook Island this week. The shark was measured, photographed, and then safely released. Check out the 12-ft great white caught in May. (WCBD)

Active

Thinking about signing up for a race this summer? We spoke to Dr. Joshua Lamb MD, foot, knee, and ankle surgeon with Roper St. Francis Healthcare, to learn how to best train for a race before you hit the ground running. Advice this way.*

The Word

Harissa. This flavorful, versatile spice goes with just about anything, featuring a burst of heat from aleppo peppers. Pro tip: Try it sprinkled over these foods.*

Kids

Looking for a way to keep the kiddos active all summer long, rain or shine? Enter: Kids Bowl Free, a national program that connects you with local bowling alleys like Starlifter Lanes where kids can receive two free games of bowling each day. Learn more and sign up.*

Festival

Pride party time

Discover more Charleston events on our website. | Photo by: @asenseofhuber

Today, June 1, marks the start of Pride month and the Lowcountry is celebrating with a wide variety of LGBTQ+ events.

Park Circle Pride | Tuesday, June 6 to Sunday, June 11 | This festival celebrates pride with fun festivities.
Charleston Pride | Saturday, June 3 to Sunday, June 11 | This organization works to plan the pride Parade and a weeks worth of events.
Pride Parade | Saturday, June 3 at 9:00 a.m., King St.| Head out to a large scale parade in honor of Pride month.
Pride crawl | Saturday, June 3 at 11:00 a.m. at Uptown Social | There will be an Official Charleston Pride Crawl after the parade at local bars. Pro tip: if you get there early there is chance at a free t-shirt.
The Charleston Queer Prom | Saturday, June 10 from 6-11 p.m. at the Gibbes Museum | The Holy City will be having a youth and adult Queer Prom to dance the night away.

Find more local LGBTQ+ community this month as well as volunteer opportunities on our events page.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Mia

From the editor

I had a blast getting to interview with President Hsu. On campus he is a local celebrity and I met him many times as a student. It is very full circle to go back to my alma mater and work with him.

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