Climbing the CSU ladder from RLC to VP

Not long after graduating from Liberty University with a degree in Biblical Studies, Jim Rhoton was back in the Lowcountry unsure of God’s plan for his life. He accepted a job as a Residence Life Counselor at Charleston Southern in 1999. While working for the university, he pursued his Master’s in Business Administration and eventually landed in a class taught by school president, Dr. Jairy Hunter.

“I still believed I might return to local church ministry,” explains Rhoton, but he later learned Dr. Hunter had been impressed with his classroom work and had recommended him to fill a position in the Office of Admissions. As Rhoton learned the ropes, he also gained the attention of former Vice President of Enrollment Management, Debbie Willamson. “She constantly told me I could do the job and carry on, whenever she left.”

Effective January 2018, Rhoton took over as Vice President for Enrollment Management. “I never set out to do this, but I’m excited and humbled by the opportunity. I believe CSU’s best days are ahead. It’s been wonderful to see the growth and development of the school these last 18 years.”

From RLC to VP, that’s quite a leap. Rhoton is confident that students will continue to seek what CSU offers because “there is still a need and desire for a Christian education.”

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