State of Central highlights spirit of community collaboration
Dr. Todd Voss, right, Southern Wesleyan University President, shares conversation with Central Mayor Mac Martin following their State of Central Address presentations.
Al Babinicz, executive director of Clemson Area Transit, said ridership has increased to four million over the past two years. He also outlined improvements to the system, which include the addition of new buses. Babinicz spoke at the State of Central Address March 10 at Southern Wesleyan University.
The 2015 David J. Spittal Community Award was presented to Bobby Ballentine, center, by Anne Sheriff, left, of the Central Heritage Society (last year’s recipient), and Joey Martin, right, chairman of the Central Area Business Council. Ballentine was noted for his leadership in the Central community.
Growth of Southern Wesleyan University, a growing town infrastructure and public transportation enhancements were among the highlights of the annual State of Central Address March 10 on the campus of Southern Wesleyan University. Pictured from left: David Lane, president/CEO of the Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce; Al Babinicz, executive director of Clemson Area Transit; Mac Martin, mayor of Central; Dr. Todd Voss, Southern Wesleyan University president; and Dr. Lisa McWherter, Southern Wesleyan University vice president for advancement and board chair of the Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce.
Growth of Southern Wesleyan University, a growing town infrastructure and public transportation enhancements were among the highlights of the annual State of Central Address March 10 on the campus of Southern Wesleyan University.
The Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce and the Central Area Business Council held the event, whose attendance of more than 80 represented an increase over last year.
The David J. Spittal Award was presented to Bobby Ballentine for his service to the town of Central and involvement in the Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce. Ballentine retired from Mayfair Mills after 36 years of working at their locations in Lincolnton, Ga., Easley and Spartanburg. At Mayfair Mills, he served in several roles that included plant manager and corporate director of quality. Since his retirement, Ballentine has chaired and been actively involved in the Central Area Business Council. He has also served on the Pickens County Zoning board of appeals and is currently a member of the Pickens County Planning Commission. Ballentine was instrumental in reviving the Central Railroad Festival.
Attendees heard updates from Mac Martin, mayor of Central, Dr. Todd Voss, president of Southern Wesleyan University, and Al Babinicz, executive director of Clemson Area Transit.
David Lane, president and CEO of the Clemson Area Chamber, shared remarks about the energetic leadership of Voss, saying, “He has no inclination of slowing down, for which this community is very grateful.
Martin outlined infrastructure improvements in Central that included a sidewalk to connect Southern Wesleyan to the town, a streetscape project, and street and parking improvements. He also mentioned Central’s disc golf course and its growing reputation as a top facility throughout the disc golf community. Central recently hosted an intercollegiate competition earlier in March, attracting teams from Georgia Tech, Alabama, the University of South Carolina, Gardner Webb and UNC. Martin shared a proposal to develop a new entrance to the disc golf course to make it more easily accessible.
Praising Southern Wesleyan University President Voss and Dr. Lisa McWherter, Southern Wesleyan’s vice president for advancement, Martin said “You’ve improved all aspects of SWU. I don’t think anybody in this room thought it would happen so quickly.”
“Everything we build and everything we do, we try to think about how this impacts the community and how the community can engage in what’s happening here,” Voss said in his update of Southern Wesleyan. He pointed out growth taking place on the Central campus and how enrollment goals are being exceeded, stating that in fall 2015 the university anticipates 680 full-time traditional students on its Central campus with a headcount of more than 700 students.
Other highlights Voss shared included national reaccreditation from NCATE with no conditions for the master’s degree in administration and supervision. He also spoke about growth in online degree programs and the new MBA with Health Care Concentration launching this month. He also outlined ongoing plans to improve athletic facilities on campus as well as a collaboration with the town of Central to improve the university’s entrance along S.C. Highway 93.
“We have moved forward not just because of me or any of us. We’ve moved forward because of all of us. It is not about individual progress, it’s about collective progress. It is about all of us doing these things together to better our community, to better our family situation and to better our future. God’s behind all of it. You can sense it every day,” Voss said.
Al Babinicz, executive director of Clemson Area Transit, said that over the past two years, their buses have carried nearly four million passengers, with the best route being the Red Route, that runs between Clemson University, the city of Clemson and Southern Wesleyan University. Babinicz noted trends that younger adults are driving less and riding Catbus more and that more SWU students are using the buses.
“We have the highest ridership in the Upstate,” Babinicz said. “We’re three times bigger than Greenville Transit Authority. We’re the second largest transit system in the entire state of South Carolina, only behind Charleston.”
At the conclusion of the State of Central, Dr. Lisa McWherter, vice president for advancement and chair of the Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce board, said “There is so very much to celebrate!”
Event sponsors were Southern Wesleyan University, Trehel Corporation, Clemson Area Transit, First Citizens, Duckett Robinson Funeral Home and Crematory, Wealthy Woman Dy, the town of Central and Central Heritage Society.
Southern Wesleyan University is a Christ-centered, student-focused learning community devoted to transforming lives by challenging students to be dedicated scholars and servant-leaders who impact the world for Christ. For details about degree programs, go online to swu.edu.