SEPT. 9, 2014 — David Baggs introduced our distinguished guest speaker, Dr. Jairy C. Hunter, a native of Lancaster, South Carolina. Dr. Hunter completed his Ph.D. in Educational Administration at Duke University. After serving as a successful businessman in Boone, North Carolina, he became President of Charleston Southern University in 1984. Since that time, the size of the student body has increased to 3400 students. By 2020, Dr. Hunter strives to have 4,000 students.
Under the extraordinary leadership of Dr. Hunter, CSU has been recognized as a John Templeton Honor Roll College and one of America’s best Christian Colleges. His vision is for CSU “to be a Christian university nationally recognized for integrating faith in learning, leading and serving.”
CSU is a part of the South Carolina Baptist Convention and offers more than 60 undergraduate majors and graduate degree programs in education, business, criminal justice, nursing education and organizational management “on its $100 million campus serving the tri county area”. CSU offers a new Masters in Nursing degree online, a new Nurse Practitioner Program, and a Physician Assistant Program. Students also have the opportunity to learn leadership strategists at the new leadership center on campus.
Students at CSU have the opportunity to be involved in academic clubs, service organizations, intramural athletics and campus ministries. CSU is a NCAA Division I school with baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, track and field, women’s soccer, softball, women’s tennis and volleyball teams.
After briefing the club on Charleston Southern University, Dr. Hunter discussed principles of leadership, the first of which is INTEGRITY.
“As a leader it is impossible to lead if you do not have integrity.” In 1932, Rotarian Hubert J Taylor was asked to lead a major cookware company who was facing bankruptcy. He immediately developed a code of ethics, which became the Rotarian ‘four way test’. He used this code of ethics in sales, marketing, and customer relations and the company was extremely successful.
According to Dr. Hunter, the second principle of leadership is PASSION. “Passion comes from within” and Dr. Hunter said that he does not know how to teach it to his students. In the workplace, he says that we all should “do what others are not willing to do and be willing to do more than you are expected to do.” His goal is to instill these principles in each student at Charleston Southern University.
Service above self: “Live for something greater than self” is the third principle of leadership. Dr. Hunter says that all young people need to live by these words of wisdom. He applauded Liza Ward, our global scholar, for her work, which exemplifies service above self.
Dr. Hunter concluded his remarks by saying “without Rotarians, who would fill the gap? Who would take care of those who so desperately need us. Let me encourage you to all be good Rotarians to be great role models as you live by the Rotary motto – Service above Self.”
— Submitted by Abby Edwards Saunders, Keyway Committee