Coastal Carolina University celebrated 69 years of being an independent institution with cupcakes, food trucks and a cacophony of noise makers.
The celebration took place Sept. 20 in Spadoni Park where Chief of Staff Travis Overton, President Michael Benson and the Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and University Recreation Matt Hogue made remarks regarding the achievement. Soloist Victoria Lightfoot was invited to sing the tune.
“Happy birthday to CCU. I want you to, kind of, transport yourself back in time. It’s 1954… We’re meeting in Conway High School, and we have night classes,” Benson said. “Here, we are almost 70 years in the future.”
Director of Special Events Shawn Sease has been with the University since 2008 to experience many of Coastal’s birthday celebrations. Sease said she was the one who took the lead on this one.
Sease reflected on Coastal Carolina’s growth from the time she has spent here, and from the beginning of it all.
“I think definitely brick and mortar. The buildings have probably doubled in size, but then also just outreach,” Sease said, “now we have people [from just about every state] in the United States and then, of course, internationally as well.”
Offensive lineman Willie Moise, who sports No. 69 on the football field, made an appearance on the stage as well.
“Hey, listen, I just got to say one thing: it’s just a number,” Moise said to make a point. “It’s just a number. It’s just a number. It’s just a number.”
Nathan Jackson, sophomore biology major, was at the event as a baritone player of The Chanticleer Regiment. It is important for The Chanticleer Regiment to attend events such as Coastal’s birthday celebration, he said, for exposure purposes.
“Exposure just really means support,” Jackson said. “It’s basically our goal is to get everyone hyped up.”
