Scholarships
Honors College named scholarships may be awarded on top of any other merit-based or need-based scholarship(s) a student may receive from the College of Charleston, State of South Carolina, or from independent sources. Scholarships are awarded either on a renewable or non-renewable basis depending on the details of the scholarship agreement. Some scholarship agreements specify whether a scholarship should be awarded to prospective students for recruitment purposes or to current students who have demonstrated excellence (academic, leadership, etc.) on campus at the College of Charleston, particularly within the Honors College community.
The majority of recruitment scholarships awarded by the Honors College are awarded to students who are part of the Charleston Fellows Program. The Charleston Fellows Program is a group of highly capable students who have the potential for success in the pursuit of national and international opportunities reserved for top scholars. Charleston Fellows work closely with the Dean and Associate Dean of the Honors College and with the Office of Nationally Competitive Awards to develop an academic and professional portfolio to position themselves to be strong candidates as they apply for competitive graduate school and professional opportunities. There is no separate application for the scholarships associated with the Charleston Fellows Program. Instead, students are invited to interview based upon the strength of their application and other required materials. All freshmen applicants who have submitted their application and all supplemental materials by the Honors priority deadline (November 1st) will be considered for invitation to interview for the Charleston Fellows Program and its associated scholarships.
Students who aren't invited to interview are still eligible for a number of different merit and departmental scholarships from the College of Charleston. In fact, with few exceptions, most Honors College students who are admitted as freshmen receive some form of institutional merit- and/or need-based scholarship. For more information on institutional and other scholarship opportunities, please visit the Office of Financial Aid website.
Honors College Named Scholarships
The Automated Trading Desk Scholarship
The Automated Trading Desk Scholarship was established by the Automated Trading Desk Company of Mt. Pleasant, SC. The company’s founders include Steve Swanson ’89, Dr. James Hawkes, former professor of economics, and Jonathan Butler ’86. This merit scholarship is intended to recruit outstanding students to the Honors College who are interested in studying math or computer science.
Charles Boykin Scholarship
Charles V. Boykin ’37 served on the College of Charleston Foundation Board and was honored as Alumni of the Year in 1991. Boykin was a longtime supporter of the College, supporting athletics teams and establishing a School of the Arts scholarship to honor his late wife Vivien C. Boykin, whose portrait still hangs in the Simons Center for the Arts. This scholarship is awarded to outstanding Honors College students on the basis of merit.
The Boykin Honors Scholarship
In addition to the Charles Boykin Scholarship, Charles Boykin ’37 and his wife Vivien Boykin established the Boykin Honors Scholarship through a planned estate gift. The scholarship is awarded to recruit outstanding students, regardless of intended major or program involvement, to the Honors College and is awarded on the basis of merit.
The Class of 1938 Golden Anniversary Scholarship
The Class of 1938 Golden Anniversary Scholarship was established in 1992 in honor of the 50th anniversary of the 1938 graduating class. The scholarship is an expression of the graduates’ “continued devotion and support for the College”. The scholarship is awarded to current students who demonstrate leadership and involvement with the College community and to those who show financial need.
Jill Conway Annual Scholarship
The Jill Conway Scholarship was established by its namesake and supported by CofC Honors alumni, faculty, staff, and friends that wanted to pay tribute to Jill’s impact on the Honors College. Jill Conway was an employee of the College of Charleston from 1984 until her retirement in 2017. Jill was an integral part of the development of the Honors College’s Living-Learning Community. Thanks to Jill’s efforts, the Honors College experience extended beyond the classroom. The scholarship is intended to recognize a current Honors College student that demonstrates engagement, personal growth, curiosity to explore new interests, and who are motivated to enhance their classroom experience.
Draisin Family Endowed Scholarship
Dr. Neil Draisin ’65 and Carolyn Draisin established the Draisin Family Endowed Scholarship in 2016. Dr. Draisin has practiced behavioral optometry in the Charleston area for over 40 years and is a member of the Foundation Board and a former member of the Alumni Association Board. Dr. Draisin was named the 2011 College of Charleston Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient. Carolyn graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and spent 15 years of her career teaching fourth grade at Orange Grove Elementary School. The Draisin Family Endowed Scholarship is used to recruit students to the Honors College on the basis of merit. Students must also demonstrate financial need and be from out-of-state. A preference is given to students of Jewish faith.
W. Lloyd (Petie) Hamm Scholarship
The W. Lloyd (Petie) Hamm Scholarship was established by Dr. Rose Hamm Rowland in memory of her husband Lloyd Hamm. Dr. Rowland served as Director of the Governor’s School and Director of the Honors Program for eleven years. Dr. Rowland was also a mathematics faculty member at the College and was awarded the Distinguished Advising Award in 1997. The scholarship provides merit awards to select students in the Honors College who are also athletes.
John C. Hodge Memorial Scholarship
The John C. Hodge Memorial Scholarship was established through the generosity of James G. Hodge, Jr., JD, LL.M. and his wife, Andrea B. Hodge, in 2014, in honor of his grandfather, John C. Hodge, a prospective lawyer whose education was cut short by his service in WWII. James, a 1989 College of Charleston graduate, is the Peter Kiewit Foundation Professor of Law at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, where he specializes in public health law and policy. The scholarship is awarded based on merit to students who are admitted into the Honors College and intend to pursue a career in law, public health, or both fields.
Harry and Reba Huge Foundation Honors Program Fund
The Harry and Reba Huge Scholarship was founded in 2012 with support from the Harry and Reba Huge Foundation. Mr. Huge practices law nationally and internationally and has been involved in several landmark cases throughout his career. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of the Cross Terra Mariana for his efforts in the restoration of independence for the Republic of Estonia. A licensed real estate broker, Mrs. Huge is active in numerous civic organizations in the Charleston area. Huge Scholars receive scholarship funding that covers tuition, fees, room, and board, plus summer enrichment stipends. The scholarship is awarded on the basis of merit to students accepted into the Honors College. Special consideration is given to students who are interested in the study of music and the arts and/or intend to participate in music-related activities at the College.
Mosteller Family Endowed Scholarship
Dr. Charles Mosteller graduated from CofC in 1981 with a degree in Biology. He is now a practicing ophthalmic surgeon in Mobile, AL. His daughter Sarah graduated from CofC in 2015 with degrees in Art History and Studio Art. The Mosteller Family Endowed Scholarship is awarded to outstanding students on the basis of merit. The scholarship is intended to recruit out-of-state students that are accepted into the Honors College.
John Newell Endowed Honors Scholarship
The John Newell Endowed Honors Scholarship was established in 2012 in tribute to founding Honors College dean John Newell. A medieval European scholar, Dr. Newell joined the College’s history department in 1978 and also served as the dean of the Honors College from 2005 until his retirement in 2012. The Newell Scholarship is awarded on the basis of merit to select South Carolina students admitted to the Honors College. Special consideration is given to students interested in the study of a humanities discipline.
H. Biemann Othersen, Jr. Annual Scholarship
The H. Biemann Othersen, Jr. Annual Scholarship was established by H. Biemann Othersen, Jr. ’50 and Janelle Othersen. Dr. Othersen graduated from CofC in 1950 and earned his MD at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). When Dr. Othersen joined the faculty at MUSC in 1965, he was the state’s first pediatric surgeon and one of the first in the Southeast. Dr. Othersen is now MUSC Emeritus Chief of Pediatric Surgery and was honored with the naming of the H. Biemann Othersen, Jr. M.D. Pediatric Operating Suite in the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital. The Othersen Scholarship is intended to recruit outstanding students into the Honors College. A preference is given for students who demonstrate an interest in a pre-medicine track or the medical humanities.
Lucian Whitaker Pinckney, Jr. and Peter Gilman Pinckney Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Lucian Whitaker Pinckney, Jr. ‘79 and Peter Gilman Pinckney Endowed Memorial Scholarship was established in 1994 by the generosity of Milward “Milly” D. Pinckney ‘51 and Col. Lucian W. Pinckney in memory of their sons Lucian Jr. and Peter. Both Charleston natives, Milly and Lucian were ardent supporters of the College. Milly served as the College’s director of women’s athletics and president of the Alumni Association. Col. Pinckney’s military career included service in the US Navy during World War II and in the US Air Force in Korea and Vietnam. The Pinckney Endowed Scholarship is based on merit and provides support to recruit outstanding students to the Honors College.
Pinckney Honors Program Fund
The Pinckney Honors Program Fund was established by Milward “Milly” D. Pinckney ‘51 and Lucian W. Pinckney. Both Charleston natives, Milly and Lucian were ardent supporters of the College. Milly served as the College’s director of women’s athletics and president of the Alumni Association. Col. Pinckney’s military career included service in the US Navy during World War II and in the US Air Force in Korea and Vietnam. The Pinckney Honors Scholarship is based on merit and provides support to recruit outstanding students to the Honors College. The Pinckney Honors Scholarship provides support to recruit outstanding students to the Honors College.
R.I.S.E. Endowed Scholarship
The R.I.S.E. Endowed Scholarship was established in 2014 through a generous gift from Ben ‘02 and Sara ‘02 DeWolf. Sara completed a JD at Duke University School of Law and an Ed.M. in Education Policy and Management at Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has worked as a teacher and has practiced law in the areas of civil litigation and appellate advocacy. Ben was a head trader at Automated Trading Desk and a portfolio manager at Tower Research Capital. The R.I.S.E. Endowed Scholarship is awarded on the basis of merit to Honors College students with demonstrated financial need. R.I.S.E. stands for Recognizing Intelligence, Strength, and Engagement, and students awarded this scholarship are expected to exhibit these qualities.
Rose Hamm Rowland Honors Scholarship
The Rose Hamm Rowland Honors Scholarship provides merit awards to select students in the Honors College who are interested in studying math. The fund was established by Dr. Rose Hamm Rowland. Dr. Rowland served as Director of the Governor’s School and Director of the Honors Program for 11 years. Dr. Rowland was also a mathematics faculty member at the College and was awarded the Distinguished Advising Award in 1997.
Swanson Family Annual Scholarship
The Swanson Family Annual Scholarship was established by Steve ’89 and Emily ’89 Swanson. Emily majored in biology, and had a successful career as an investigator for the Food and Drug Administration. Steve was a math major and an Honors College graduate. He co-founded Automated Trading Desk and became CEO in 2001. The company was acquired by Citigroup in 2007, and this gave the Swanson’s an opportunity to support philanthropic causes close to their hearts. The Swanson Family Scholarship is awarded based on merit to recruit students to the Honors College.
Swanson ICAT Endowed Scholarship
The purpose of this gift is to create an endowed fund to provide scholarships to recruit students who qualify for the Charleston Fellows Program in the Honors College and also are candidates for the ImpactX Program. ImpactX (formerly ICAT) provides learning experiences for business, computer science, and liberal arts students to engage in technology entrepreneurship using lean-startup methodology and the Scrum framework. The ImpactX mission is to provide an experiential and transformational learning opportunity for students who are eager to engage in technological, entrepreneurial and creative activities.
Watt Family Endowed Scholarship
David R. Watt and Laura T. Ricciardelli are parents to Hanna, Class of 2011, and David who spent a semester in the Honors College in 2013. Dave and Laura are committed members of the Parent Advisory Council (PAC), on which they served as national chairs from 2013 to 2015. Dave is a board-certified ophthalmologist at The Retina Group in Annapolis, MD and Laura serves as a Nonprofit Development Advisor for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. The Watt Family Scholarship is awarded on the basis of merit and intended to recruit students accepted into the Honors College.
Julia Sadler Webb Scholarship
The Julia Sadler Webb Scholarship Fund was established through the generosity of Julia S. Webb and Richard O. Webb. Julia Sadler Webb was the recipient of the Alumni Medal in 1961, awarded annually to the recipient of the highest academic honors in the junior class of the College of Charleston. The Julia Sadler Webb Scholarship is a merit award for select students who are admitted into the Honors College. A preference is given to those who demonstrate financial need.