On February 10 and 11, 2023, St. Andrews Alumni Council met on campus and by Zoom. As usual, we managed to blend a great deal of fun with worthwhile work while we enjoyed the company of students, faculty, and administration, as well as President and fellow alumnus, Keith Wade (‘87). We hope you enjoy this report about what we learned about St. Andrews and our own activities.
Put Alumni Weekend On Your Calendar! April 21 – 23, 2023
Events Task Force (Left to right: Cassidy Owens, Dr. Heather Jenkins Brazzell, Tim Rankin, Martin Brossman, Charles “Wally” Mann (and Lisa Gaw Chenausky is on the laptop screen)
Thanks to a generous gift from an alumnus who asked to remain anonymous, and some other alumni support, Saturday night will have entertainment from the Empire Emerald Band. Composed of six talented members, they’ll have us dancing to a vocalist, lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboard, and brass. Our Saturday-night music on Buttercup Beach will tie in with student Extravaganza Week. The plan is that their week will culminate with Alumni Weekend’s music on the beach. Please take advantage of this good opportunity to rub elbows with great current students.
Friday night features a mixer and awards ceremony held at the Scotch Meadows Country Club, 7 PM to 9 PM-ish. Awards will be presented for the Athletic Hall of Fame, the first inductee to the new Equestrian Hall of Fame, Distinguished Merit, and Distinguished Alumni – all TBA. Then, join the afterparty back at DeTamble and the Grove.
Weekend plans also include the St. Andrews Alumni Artist Marketplace, Writers’ Forum (lead by Betsy Dendy and Lisa Gaw Chenausky), a one-act play by students, class reunions, Science Homecoming, Business Department reunion, the Laurinburg Softball Game, Alumni Soccer Game (tentative), and more! More details to follow from St. Andrews by The Lake emails, Facebook alumni page, and St Andrews Alumni Gatherings on Facebook. Email your contact info to Cassidy Owens (owenscb@sa.edu), Director of Alumni Relations, if you are not receiving St. Andrews by The Lake.
Campus President
The search for the next campus president is underway. An alumni task force and faculty task force are currently reviewing resumes. Next, alumni, faculty, and administration will conduct interviews. University president and fellow alumnus, Dr. Keith Wade (‘87) has prioritized having a campus president who will live in the Laurinburg community. At present, the university president and fellow alumnus Dr. Keith Wade (‘87) is filling the role of campus president.
Enrollment
Official, final enrollment numbers come out in the fall. Early indicators, especially the number of scholarships accepted, suggest St. Andrews will bounce right back from the COVID-related lull we described in the September 2022 report – somewhat exceeding the goals from previous years and putting us back on the decade-long steady growth pattern. See the September report for comparisons of current enrollment and previous timeframes. Under Vice President of Enrollment Management, Brian Stanley, the past four years have seen a strong rise in enrollee academic competitiveness. For instance, as we reported earlier, admission SAT rankings in Brian’s first two years were up 22%, compared to data available from 2001 to 2017. A continued rise in academic competitiveness appears to be shaping up, with potential for another 10% increase in key metrics.
Accreditation Reviews
The administration has known for some time, but with the recent meeting of the SACSCOC board, it is now official and public that St. Andrews University, as a branch of Webber International University, has passed the scheduled review and inspections with flying colors. St. Andrews joins the elite minority of colleges receiving no recommendations or findings (a.k.a. inspectors didn’t find one thing wrong). This includes the St. Andrews main campus, Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston, Pinehurst, and all Webber International campuses. We’re giving a standing ovation for the entire team and for Dr. Nelson Marquez of Institutional Effectiveness for ensuring that our alma mater reached this category of excellence.
“Having spent most of my professional career in higher education at institutions across the country, it is exciting to read the news of the latest accreditation review from SACSCOC! Receiving approval with no follow-up needed during the important five-year review is a major milestone in the university’s legacy. It reaffirms the path St. Andrews is on as we continue to produce engaged graduates who are ready to meet the changing needs of our communities with expanded degree programs rooted in the liberal arts. Thank you to everyone who has played a role in this magnificent effort. It is truly a great day to be a Knight!”
-Tommy Love (’98)
More recently, St. Andrews also received an inspection and evaluation from the NCSBN (National Council of State Boards of Nursing). This regulatory body accredits nursing programs nationally, enabling graduates to sit for their board exams. While the NCSBN will not announce its decision until fall, the on-site evaluation committee found 100% compliance and had zero recommendations. This is another elite accomplishment, especially for a very new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
Charitable Giving – Thank You
Development Task Force (Left to Right: Cooper Davidson, Gregg Stupinski, Tommy Love, Jeff Robertson, Richard Yercheck)
End-of-year giving was up over the previous year. Total giving for 2022-2023 so far has reached more than $786,000.
- Private foundations: 60%
- Alumni: 18%
- Friends of St. Andrews: 11%
- Businesses, organizations, and churches: 10%
Active alumni donor percentage = 34%
Alumni donor percentages prove instrumental in applications to the private foundations you see above. Will you vote for St. Andrews receiving foundation support with your own donation of $29 or more? https://www.sa.edu/about/alumni/give/
Video Archives
Please Take a Call from PCI
St. Andrews has contracted with PCI (publishingconcepts.com) to collect alumni stories by video-recorded interviews. In addition to going to St. Andrews archives, your story may be featured in a coffee-table book or a video book about life over the years at St. Andrews. Don’t be surprised if PCI contacts you directly.
New Website
St. Andrews has launched a speedy, sleek new website, purpose built for the experience and information prospective students want. Vice President of Enrollment, Brian Stanley commented that the first day it was up, daily student inquiries spiked! Check it out at www.SA.edu.
To protect the lightning fast download times, the alumni directory is being removed. But plans are in the works for a more functional, free-standing alumni directory.