Three Coastal Carolina University students are presenting research papers on gun violence in the U.S at several prestigious virtual conferences this spring. The goal of their S.A.F.E. (Students Advocating for Firearm Education) research initiative is to determine misconceptions surrounding gun violence and gun policies on both national and local levels in order to better educate the public and mitigate gun violence. The students' research has been compiled into three different analyses, and a specific analysis is presented at each conference. The first analysis, The Impact of Gender on Gun Violence Beliefs and Perceptions, was presented at the International Global Health Conference last month. In mid-April, research titled, An Analysis of Knowledge and Perceptions of Gun Violence and Gun Policy in The Southeast, will be presented at the National Conferences on Undergraduate Research. Their final research piece, titled An Analysis of Perceptions and Personal Experiences of the Gun Violence Public Health Crisis, will be presented at Council on Undergraduate Research Posters on the Hill (POH) April 27-28. During this conference, undergraduate researchers have the opportunity for their work to be heard on Capitol Hill. Only 10% of applicants are accepted to present their research at POH.

Coastal Carolina University held its annual Student Involvement and Leadership Awards (SILA) ceremony on Tuesday, April 20, at 7 p.m. at Wheelwright Auditorium. During this year's ceremony, outstanding students, faculty, and staff, as well as groups, were recognized and received a plaque, certificate, or a coveted Chanticleer rooster trophy.

Coastal Carolina University held its annual Student Involvement and Leadership Awards (SILA) ceremony on Tuesday, April 20, at 7 p.m. at Wheelwright Auditorium. During this year's ceremony, outstanding students, faculty, and staff, as well as groups, were recognized and received a plaque, certificate, or a coveted Chanticleer rooster trophy.

Two Coastal Carolina University juniors have been selected as Kenneth E. Swain Scholars for the 2020-2021 academic school year. Students selected as Swain Scholars work with CCU faculty and community agencies to research health-related issues and implement community health programs.

Stephanie Henning was awarded the Marketing Student of the Year award at Coastal Carolina University for the 2019-2020 academic school year.

Ja'Quan Beckett was awarded the Management Student of the Year award at Coastal Carolina University for the 2019-2020 academic school year.

Lauren Clements was awarded the Hospitality, Resort, and Tourism Management Student of the Year award for the 2019-2020 academic year at Coastal Carolina University.

Michael Stearns, an accounting major in the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration at Coastal Carolina University, was selected as the Accounting Student of the Year for the 2019-2020 academic year.

Andrew Jones was awarded the Economics Student of the Year award for the 2019-2020 academic school year at Coastal Carolina University. Jones is currently working with a program called Python, a general-purpose programming language which helps him gather statistics to observe trends around Division I collegiate athletics. He is a brother of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity and is pursuing his goal of working in investment real estate.

Sunneva "Sunny" Sigurvinsdottir was awarded the Finance Student of the Year award at Coastal Carolina University for the 2019-2020 academic year. Awards are given at the end of each academic year to students in each major who are exemplary role models for the program or department as determined by a committee of faculty and administrators.

More than 800 Coastal Carolina University students were named to the President's List for the Fall 2019 semester. To be named to the President's List, students must achieve a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) for the semester. CCU has a student body of more than 10,000 and nearly 2,500 students were also named to the Dean's List for the fall semester. This means more than 23 percent of the student body earned recognition on either the Dean's List or the President's List.

Two Coastal Carolina University juniors have been named Fall 2019 Swain Scholars. As Swain Scholars, these students will plan and implement community outreach and research projects designed to improve the quality of life of Horry County residents.

Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE) was first organized at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, in 1967. The international organization now consists of chapters in various colleges and universities in North America and overseas. Eight Coastal Carolina University students joined the local chapter this past spring. The mission of Upsilon Pi Epsilon is to recognize academic excellence at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the computing and information disciplines.

As part of Coastal Carolina University's Maymester Education Abroad offerings, 11 students spent more than two weeks in France on a faculty-led trip. The Discovering France through Food and Landscapes faculty-led program is designed to support undergraduate learning and provide an interdisciplinary, site-specific and chaperoned study abroad experience in one of the world's top tourist destinations. Students explored and engaged in activities in culturally significant and diverse destinations, including Paris, Fontainebleau, Burgundy and the Marne Valley. Through multiple course options in history and geography, students conducted site-specific research on French landscape, commemoration, ecology, gastronomy and heritage practices. The credits earned support their undergraduate requirements (core, major/minor, cognate or elective).

Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society, was founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University with more than 900 active chapters located in the United States and abroad. They have more than 1,000 faculty advisers, and approximately 9,000 members inducted annually. Among those members inducted this year were 23 Coastal Carolina University students. Candidates for undergraduate membership must have completed a minimum of two college courses in English language or literature beyond the usual requirements in freshman English. The candidate must have a minimum of a B or equivalent average in English and in general scholarship, must rank at least in the top 35 percent of his/her class, and must have completed at least three semesters or five quarters of college course work.

Nine Coastal Carolina University students graduated with a perfect 4.0 grade point average on May 10-11 during spring commencement ceremonies. They were awarded the President's Award for this achievement.

Coastal Carolina University students studying in the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts were awarded recognition for outstanding academic work within their departments of study in a Student Achievement Award ceremony on April 25. Outstanding freshmen, sophomore and junior students were recognized, along with various competition winners.

Coastal Carolina University student Peyton Mueller and her faculty mentor, Matt Murphy, presented research results at the 26th International Conference on Comparative Cognition, April 10-13, 2019, in Melbourne, Fla. The research, that came out of the Coastal Comparative Cognition Laboratory, looked at social influence on memory in pigeons.

Outstanding Coastal Carolina University students studying in the College of Science were recently recognized at the Honors Convocation ceremony on May 9, 2019.

On March 7-9, CCU math students attended the Southeastern Section meeting of the Mathematical Association of America at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn. Presentations given by two of these students were chosen as "best of session."

Kaleb Thompson, a senior hospitality, resort and tourism major, is one of nine S.C. college student recipients of the S.C. Tourism Student Award.

Three Coastal Carolina University students were selected as scholars for the Jackson Family Center for Ethics and Values. The Jackson Center aims to cultivate ethical awareness within the university and surrounding community. The scholars will take part in the program through 2020.

Three Coastal Carolina University students have been selected as scholars for the Jackson Family Center for Ethics and Values. The Jackson Center aims to cultivate ethical awareness within the university and surrounding community. The scholars will take part in the program through 2019.

Twenty-one Coastal Carolina University freshmen have been named South Carolina Teaching Fellows for 2018-2019.

Two Coastal Carolina University juniors have been selected for the Swain Scholars program. These students will plan and implement community outreach and research projects designed to improve the quality of life of Horry County residents.

Twelve Coastal Carolina University students earned the President's Award at commencement ceremonies May 4-5, meaning they achieved a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average during their time at CCU.

Each academic department at Coastal Carolina University selects one student to win the departmental award each year, and that student is recognized at Honors Convocation, this year held on May 3. This year, more than 50 graduate and undergraduate students were recognized with this honor. Departmental awards recognize outstanding academic accomplishments by students as well as contributions to the academic quality of the department. Candidates are nominated and selected by the college faculty.

A group of about a dozen Coastal Carolina University students wrapped up spring paid internships with various businesses in Georgetown County as part of Georgetown RISE (resilience, innovation, sustainbility, education), a United Nations regional development center.

The student chapter of the NAACP at Coastal Carolina University was named the 2017 College Chapter of the Year at the State Conference held recently in Greeneville, SC. The chapter also won the Communication and Social Media award. Coastal Carolina University's chapter of the NAACP was named the 2017 College Chapter of the Year at the South Carolina State Conference in Greeneville on Oct. 13 through the 15. The chapter also received the Communication and Social Media award at the conference. The judges asked for each chapter's social media handles then awarded a winner based on the content from their pages. Rahiem Burgess, a member of CCU's chapter, was recognized for his individual achievement. He received the Dr. William F. Gibson Leadership Award, which celebrates outstanding leadership and recognizes an individual member for their hard work throughout the year. CCU's chapter sent in a nomination for Burgess and he was selected over all other nominees. The state conference is a yearly meeting between all the chapter and youth divisions of NAACP. Attendees discussed how each region is doing and current projects each group is working on. They also examined better ways to communicate with each other and shared problems being faced in each of their communities. "The conference was a great networking opportunity and really connected us to other chapters," said Eddie Harris.

Coastal Carolina University awarded several students and student organizations Monday, April 16, during its annual Student Involvement and Leadership Awards ceremony. The awards recognize and celebrate the success and achievements of the exceptional student organizations and leaders at CCU.