College of Charleston facts for kids
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| Motto | Sapientia Ipsa Libertas (Latin) Ædes Mores Juraque Curat (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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"Wisdom Itself is Liberty" "She Cares for Her Temples, Customs and Rights" |
| Type | Public university |
| Established | 1770 |
| Accreditation | SACS |
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | $147.4 million (2024) |
| President | Andrew Hsu |
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Administrative staff
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899 |
| Students | 11,926 (fall 2024) |
| Undergraduates | 10,880 (fall 2024) |
| Postgraduates | 1,046 (fall 2024) |
| Location |
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South Carolina
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United States
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| Campus | Midsize city, 80 acres (0.32 km2) |
| Newspaper | The College Today |
| Colors | Maroon and white |
| Nickname | Cougars |
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Sporting affiliations
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| Mascot | Cougar |
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College of Charleston
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| Location | Glebe, George, St. Philip and Green streets, Charleston, South Carolina |
| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1827 |
| Architect | Edward B. White; George E. Walker |
| Architectural style | Early Republic |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000748 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 11, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | November 11, 1971 |
The College of Charleston (CofC or Charleston) is a public university in Charleston, South Carolina. It was started in 1770 and officially recognized in 1785. This makes it the oldest university in South Carolina. It's also the 13th oldest college in the United States. Plus, it's the country's oldest college run by a city.
Some important people helped start the College of Charleston. Six of them were Founding Fathers of the United States. Three of these signed the Declaration of Independence: Thomas Heyward Jr., Arthur Middleton, and Edward Rutledge. Three others signed the Constitution of the United States: Charles Pinckney, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and John Rutledge.
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College of Charleston History
The College of Charleston was founded in 1770. This makes it one of the oldest places for higher education in the nation. It is also the oldest college run by a city. The first building looked a bit like a military barracks. In March 1785, the South Carolina General Assembly gave the college its official permission to operate. The college opened in 1790. Its first graduation ceremony was held in 1794. The first president was Robert Smith. He led the college from 1790 to 1797.
In 1791, another official document was issued. It said the college would not treat people differently because of their religion. Later, during the time before the Civil War, more buildings were added. These included Randolph Hall and the President's House. People who were enslaved helped build these structures.
In 1837, the city government of Charleston took control of the college. In the mid-1900s, some African Americans tried to join the college. At that time, colleges were often separated by race. These students were not accepted. The college became a private school to avoid being forced to accept students of all races. However, black students were finally admitted starting in 1967. This happened because of pressure from outside the college.
Exploring the College Campus
The main campus of the College of Charleston is in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. It has 156 buildings. These buildings are a mix of new and old, built from 1770 to 2015. Many buildings are over 100 years old. About 20 buildings are protected because of their history. The downtown campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The William Blacklock House is also on this list.
The college also has other locations outside downtown Charleston. These include the Grice Marine Lab on James Island. There is also the J. Stewart Walker Sailing Center. The Patriots Point Athletic Complex is in Mount Pleasant. The Stono Preserve is a large area of 881 acres.
In 2017, Travel + Leisure magazine called it "America's Most Beautiful College Campus."
Mace Brown Museum of Natural History
The Mace Brown Museum of Natural History is on the campus. It is a public museum. The museum focuses on fossils of North American mammals. It especially highlights fossils from the South Carolina Lowcountry. The museum has more than 30,000 fossils of animals without backbones and animals with backbones.
Academic Programs and Schools
| Forbes | 294 |
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The College of Charleston has eight main academic schools. It also has an Honors College and a Graduate School. These schools offer many different subjects for students to study.
- School of the Arts
- School of Business
- School of Education
- School of Engineering, Computing, and Mathematics
- School of Health Sciences
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences
- School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Honors College
- Graduate School
Bully Pulpit Series for Students
The Bully Pulpit Series is a special event at the College of Charleston. It is put on by the Political Science and Communication departments. This series invites people running to be President of the United States to speak on campus. These are candidates from the two main political parties.
For the 2020 presidential campaign, many candidates visited. These included Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Julian Castro, Tulsi Gabbard, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O'Rourke, and Bernie Sanders.
College Athletics and Teams
The College of Charleston has 19 sports teams. They are called the Cougars. These teams play in the NCAA Division I Coastal Athletic Association. The Cougars use several sports facilities in the Charleston area. These include the TD Arena and the J. Stewart Walker Sailing Complex. They also use the Johnson Center Squash Courts and the Patriots Point Athletic Complex. The Links at Stono Ferry is used for golf.
The College of Charleston Athletic Fund helps support the sports teams. It was started in 1974. In the 1970–71 school year, students voted to change the team name. It used to be the Maroons. They changed it to the Cougars. This was to honor a cougar that had recently arrived at the Charles Towne Landing Animal Forest. The current mascot is Clyde the Cougar.
The men's basketball team has a great record. It is ranked No. 6 for the highest winning percentage in NCAA Division I men's college basketball history.
Greek Life on Campus
Greek life has been a part of the campus for 120 years. This means there are many fraternities and sororities. Currently, the college has 8 Panhellenic, 8 IFC, and 8 NPHC groups.
Notable Alumni of CofC
See also
In Spanish: College de Charleston para niños
