Dr. Michael Wilder, vice president for academic affairs, was the keynote speaker for the ceremony honoring the 55 students inducted into the South Carolina Zeta Chapter of Alpha Chi. The achievements of these scholars indicate they understand and uphold the ideals of Alpha Chi – truth and character. 

Alpha Chi, founded in 1922, is celebrating its 104^th anniversary in 2026. It is a coeducational society whose purpose is to promote academic excellence and exemplary character among college and university students and to honor those who achieve such distinction. Alpha Chi is a general honor society that admits students from all academic disciplines and is a member of good standing of the Association of College Honor Societies.  To qualify for an invitation, students must be in the top 10% of their junior or senior class.

 The book deals with the Agapist Framework—God’s actions to us as humans is motivated by His perfect love. Parker points to learning this truth at a young age through 1 John 4:8, “God is love.” He said, “I’ve studied theology and philosophy for a long time, but that fundamental truth has been the guiding principle for my academic endeavors, and in particular the work of this book.”

Parker said he and Wessling had two goals in writing the book. First, they sought to introduce students and scholars to the debate in scholarly literature about divine motivations. “Second, we wanted to make an argument for our position on divine motivation—that God is fundamentally motivated by love in all that he does,” said Parker.

 is available through Cambridge University Press.

CSU will serve as the credentialing agent for the continuing education units, also known as CEUs. Those successfully completing the certification will be certified for five years. At the end of five years, they may take a recertification exam.

Self said, “Pastors and others such as chaplains and pastoral counselors working in the faith-based tradition should consider certification to aid them in supporting people dealing with emergencies, illness, and other crises.” 

Those seeking certification will take an online two-day class with ICISF and then take the Certification of Pastoral Crisis Intervention Examination, which is sponsored and endorsed by ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ Southern University. 

To get started with the class, visit .

The CSU Faith and Learning Institute promotes a biblical faith integration approach to Christian higher education, which affirms the following principles: 1) the Bible is the lens for understanding truth, 2) there is a unity between the Christian faith and knowledge, and 3) Christian educators must seek to bring their diverse disciplines into a unified, distinctively Christian worldview. 

In recent years, the Faith and Learning Institute has taken important steps to develop stronger faith integration training for new faculty as well as to provide ongoing faith integration for existing faculty. Watson said, “Good work has been done. However, there is more work to do. I’m eager to help us continue development in these areas. With a world-class faculty, administration, and staff who are committed to Christ and his Word, CSU is poised to become a nationally recognized leader in faith integration. This is my hope and prayer for us.”

Watson holds a PhD in systematic theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, an MDiv with an emphasis in Christian thought from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a BA in Christian studies from Ouachita Baptist University. He is the author of In the Name of Our Lord: Four Models of the Relationship Between Baptism, Catechesis, and Communion (Studies in Historical and Systematic Theology) and has served the Faith and Learning Institute in various capacities since 2020. 

He and his wife, Karen, have four children and attend Northwood Baptist Church where he serves part-time as associate pastor of ministry training. 

With over 33 years of ministerial experience, Self has also contributed to higher education as an administrator and faculty member at institutions such as the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Simmons College of Kentucky, Arkansas Baptist College, and the Kiev Theological Seminary. 

The Rev. Rob Dewey, and his wife, Kathy, contributed funding to establish the Dewey Center for Chaplaincy in 2020. He said, “Kathy and I are delighted Rev. Self has been appointed to this position. We have full confidence by the Lord Jesus Christ that Rev. Self will lead us into a great new time of chaplaincy at ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ Southern as new chaplaincy students are trained to go out into the world.”

Self has facilitated countless field education and practicum experiences for undergraduates and seminarians, preparing the next generation of ministry leaders as part of his passion to bridge the gap between academic learning and ministry.

“Chaplaincy is often a forgotten profession,” Self said. “Chaplains are frequently overlooked until something tragic happens. Many are not serving in large urban medical centers or military bases with structured support. Instead, they are working in smaller hospitals, local law enforcement precincts, individual firehouses, or responding to disasters. Often, these chaplains hold part-time roles, work bivocationally, or volunteer, and they can feel overwhelmed, isolated, and unprepared.”

He said, “My vision for the Dewey Center is to go beyond providing training and conferences. I want us to be a place that focuses on the men and women who are faithfully following God’s call—reminding them they are loved, valued, and supported. I envision a community dedicated to faithfully serving those who serve others.”

At the heart of Self’s philosophy of ministry is the principle found in Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Self said, “That is what I would like to see the Dewey Center do.”

He said, “Often these faithful ministers feel isolated, and they struggle to get training and support. That is what attracted me to the Dewey Center. I want to invest in those chaplains. I want to promote the profession as well as support those who are out there being faithful in ministry, empowering them as they continue to serve.”

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Ouachita Baptist University, a Master of Divinity in philosophy with postgraduate studies in philosophy and ethics from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and is currently in the doctoral program at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. 

Self is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas. He and his wife, Tiffany, look forward to partnering with local chaplains and churches, enriching the ministry landscape of ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ Southern University and beyond. Tiffany, a trauma coordinator with over 30 years of nursing experience, is passionate about grief and trauma recovery. They have four adult children and one grandchild.

Dr. Tony Turner, vice president of enrollment management, said, “We are excited to extend ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ Southern’s Minister’s Dependent Scholarship outside the state of South Carolina to ministers on staff at any Southern Baptist Convention church. CSU desires to be a Southern Baptist Convention university for South Carolina residents and all those serving SBC churches across the nation.”

Turner said, “It is ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ Southern University’s desire to be a preferred college for all those who are part of the Southern Baptist Convention churches.”  

Incoming freshmen whose parent serves on staff at an SBC church will receive a $1,000 scholarship each year for a potential total of $4,000 over their college career. For more information about scholarships at ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ Southern University, visit charlestonsouthern.edu/admissions/financial-aid/.

The family of Dr. S.M. Mayo, former chair of the BCC/CSU religion department, has donated his personal library to ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ Southern.

Mayo was a professor from 1976 until his death in 1997. Something of a Renaissance man, Mayo set out to become an aeronautical engineer until God changed his pathway. He was a graduate of Southern Illinois University, completing his degree in 10 years because he worked to pay for his education. He went on to study at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas.

Eric Kistler, director of the Rivers Library, said, “Dr. Mayo’s book collection contains a rich variety of very highly regarded theological treatises. The ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ Southern research community will benefit greatly from this most generous donation.”

“Dr. Mayo was a kind, gentle professor who cared for his students,” said Dr. Michael Bryant, vice president for strategic planning, faith integration, and Christian leadership. “He invested deeply in their education and worked hard to help them learn.” 

Mayo was an early adopter of computer technology and taught a computer class on campus, using the Apple IIe. 

His son Stacy “S.M.” Mayo ’90 of Lexington, and his wife, Stephanie, made the donation to the university. Dr. Mayo’s daughter, Kisa Mayo ’91, and his wife, Parmelee, are both deceased.

The Dewey Center for Chaplaincy at ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ Southern University recently entered into a strategic partnership with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc., of Ellicott City, Maryland. 

Dr. Ron Harvell, director of the Dewey Center, said, “Together, we will provide accessible training for those serving, or preparing to serve, in environments where crisis intervention skills are deeply needed, to promote one another’s missions, and disseminate information.”

The Dewey Center for Chaplaincy’s mission is to increase chaplaincy ministry skills using education and training to provide the world with more confident, courageous, and compassionate servant leaders.  Through CSU’s College of Christian Studies, CSU provides the only accredited Bachelor of Arts degree in chaplaincy ministry in the United States. Students may major or minor in chaplaincy ministry or take classes as electives. These courses include Introduction to Crisis Ministry, Foundations in Chaplaincy Ministry, Christian Counseling, and Internships.

The Center’s training programs have awarded training certificates to over 800 students in the past four years.  Current training programs include Mental Health First Aid, Suicide Prevention, Human Flourishing, Pastoral Care Intervention, and PTSD training for Global Leaders. 

The Center was launched in 2020 after Rev. Rob Dewey and his wife, Kathy, committed $2 million to establish the Center through annual gifts and listing CSU as a beneficiary of their estate. Dewey said this strategic partnership is monumental, considering the fact that ICISF trains upwards of 40,000 first responders, nurses, and pastors each year. He added, “I came in contact with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc. in 1996 as a consumer. I went to one of their in-person conferences and said, ‘Man, this is what I have been trying to do on the streets of ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ, North ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ, Goose Creek, but I didn’t have a formula to go with it.’”

Richard Barton, ICISF chief executive officer, said, “Our strategic partnership with the Dewey Center for Chaplaincy is a wonderful addition. I believe that we will be able to carry out some very meaningful work to support each other. We look forward to working with their organization in the future.”  In addition to cross promotional opportunities, the two organizations will explore curriculum and course content development as well as looking into the ICISF-approved Instructor Candidate Program. 

The first event in collaboration with the Dewey Center and ICISF partnership will be the Spiritual Care in Crises Conference at ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ Southern University April 2-6.  Some of the lead trainers include: 

• Dr. George Everly:  ICISF; Johns Hopkins – disaster mental health, resilience, crisis intervention, terrorism, psychological first aid
• Dr. Victor Welzant: ICISF; Crisis Intervention, Critical Incident Stress Management, Suicide, Disaster Behavioral Health and the impact and treatment of trauma
• Dr. Tyler Vanderweele: Harvard; integrating empirical social sciences and humanities on topics central to human flourishing such as purpose, virtue, marriage and family, religion, work, etc. 
• Rev Rob Dewey: Director of Low Country Chaplaincy, Co-author of Pastoral Care Intervention courses; Critical Incidents in Places of Worship- Providing Effective Crisis Support 
  

Courses offered:

• Assisting Individuals in Crisis and Group Crisis Intervention
• Emotional and Spiritual Care in Disasters
• Global PTSD Training for Ministry Leaders
• Human Spirit and Faith Tactics in CISM
• Pastoral Crisis Intervention
• Pastoral Crisis Intervention Approved Instructor Candidate Program
• Spiritual and Psychological First Aid

To register for this event, go to .

The ICISF offers these and a variety of education and training programs, both in person and virtually. Primary courses for someone new to Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) are their Core Courses (Assisting Individuals in Crisis & Group Crisis Intervention) which provide the foundation for crisis intervention. From there, individuals can participate in Advanced Core Courses to further their crisis intervention skills; profession specific courses, such as CISM in the College and University Setting, Grief Following Trauma and Spiritual and Psychological First Aid; CISM Refreshers, which offer practice scenarios; and Learning with Leaders, which are short presentations where subject matter experts share their expertise.In addition to providing training opportunities, ICISF also provides CISM certification, CISM support and many more resources, such as the Crisis Journal, Crisis Resource Library, CISM Bookstore, CISM Live Series, CISM News (monthly blog), and the ICISF Podcast Series. Learn more about ICISF’s strategic partnerships, offerings, and resources at ICISF.org.

What CSU program strives to provide care and healing to patients while simultaneously instilling Christianity? 

1. Nursing
2. Chaplaincy 
3. All the above

If you selected C, all the above, then you are correct. The chaplaincy and nursing programs at ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ Southern University share a common goal: provide care to those in need with Christianity at the forefront. Upon graduation, students from either of these programs are prepared for nursing and ministry work or pursuit of graduate degrees. However, unlike some other programs, the chaplaincy and nursing programs provide a unique opportunity for the two professions to collaborate. 

The collaboration is known as an observation. The observations are when a nursing student shadows a chaplain as they administer spiritual care to the patients dealing with medical hardships. This might include prayer, talking with the patient, being a listening ear, and overall being there for those that are going through medical hardships. 

Sara Crump, a second year nursing student, gives her personal perspective from her experiences observing the chaplains. “One of the things with CSU is they encourage us to talk to patients about this, even if it is uncomfortable,” she said. Crump also points out that the chaplains are not only there for the patients, but also for the nurses. “I love to see how the chaplains encourage the nurses as well. Especially with the nursing shortages.” 

Dr. Ronald Harvell, director of the Dewey Center for Chaplaincy at CSU, said, “One of our nursing students encountered a full-time chaplain at one of the hospitals. She was very surprised and inspired by the chaplain. The experience was so positive,” he said. “We have had nurses in our chaplaincy classes, and they have completed chaplaincy observations from their experiences during visits, including Roper hospitals.”

There are many parallels between the nursing and chaplaincy programs at CSU. One thing that chaplaincy observations teach the nursing students is to converse with their patients on a personal and spiritual level. This allows nurses to provide healing that goes beyond administering healthcare. Through the observation, these future healthcare providers learn to be a spiritual presence that uplifts patients who are in need. Being a nurse can oftentimes be a great challenge, and the human aspect could often be lost in the chaos of it all. An observation with a nurse and chaplain presents an opportunity to remind patients that they are doing God’s work through our nurses. 

ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ Southern University offers bachelor’s degrees in both chaplaincy and nursing programs. Nursing students also have the opportunity to pursue an MSN after completion of their BSN. CSU offers a traditional 4-year program for BSN as well as an accelerated 16-month program. 

Roper St. Francis is the official healthcare provider for ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ Southern University and provides convenient care to all full-time undergraduate and graduate students. Their facility is located on ߣ�ѿ�Ƭ, less than one mile from residential students on CSU’s campus.