The following farewell message from Interim President Stephen C. Osborne ’73 was sent to the campus community on May 15, 2019:

Dear Campus Community:

Today marks my final day as interim president of the College of Charleston. It’s been a wonderful journey, and I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to have served my alma mater this past year in this capacity.

Some people may think: why would anyone want to be a college president? The hours are long, the days are extremely busy, the responsibilities are vast, and the burden is very heavy. But despite all of that, the job of a university president is one of the best in the world. You have the chance to work with amazing people, to provide an excellent education to the most inspiring students, to support ground-breaking research, and to raise money for the next great idea or scholarship that will change lives. In short, there are few other jobs where you have the ability to make an impact so deep and so wide that the effects of which are yet to be seen. For me, being president has been a great joy.

As the last few hours of my presidency slowly tick away, I find myself nostalgic over the time spent on our campus as a student, parent of a student, employee, administrator and president as well as hopeful for all the incredible things to come for this great and grand university. I am filled with pride for all that has been accomplished this past year and excited by the momentum we have going into our 250th anniversary celebration.

You’ve probably heard me say that the College is special because of the people who comprise it, and that may be the understatement of the year. We are the top-notch university we are because of all of you – students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, donors and friends of the College. You are what makes this place so unique and so special. When I think about what I will miss the most at the College, it is all of you.

I thank you for all you have done and will continue to do for the College, and I wish you not only a wonderful and productive summer, but a new chapter at the College that is marked with many successes, joyous moments, continued forward progress and great positivity.

I look forward to seeing you all around Charleston and occasionally on campus. I will always be a Cougar. I will always love the College of Charleston. With all my heart I believe that the best days of the College of Charleston are yet to come.

 

Your President,

 

Steve

Stephen C. Osborne ’73

Interim President, College of Charleston