Communication Scholarships Pass the Proverbial Torch to the Next Generation

Ken Adkins and Mary Croghan Ramsay ’42 represent two of the most ambitious and accomplished minds Charleston has ever offered. As a recipient of both the James Kenneth Adkins Jr. Memorial Scholarship and the Mary Croghan Ramsay “Ask Jackie” Scholarship, Honors College communication and psychology double-major Anna Rowe is continuing their legacies.

Ken Adkins (1955-1989) and Mary Croghan Ramsay (1921-2016) were well known as influential communicators with a clear passion for Charleston and the arts. Friends and family of both created the James Kenneth Adkins Jr. Memorial Scholarship and the Mary Croghan Ramsay “Ask Jackie” Scholarship to help ignite the careers of young communicators like Rowe.

Already building her career, Rowe is interning at Charleston Home + Design, where she assists with the production of their quarterly magazine. Following the trail traveled by Adkins, who worked in media and advertising, Rowe says she is fond of the more traditional aspects of working with a magazine.

“This internship has allowed me to be involved in a magazine that follows the conventional ways of spreading news; not ones that rely on followers or Instagram likes, but rather readers and subscriptions,” she says. “I find that to be more fulfilling and the truest form of journalism.”

In 2022, Rowe interned with the startup social media company, Whim Social, an app currently available in Charleston, Charlotte, Nashville and New York City, which provides users with updates on local news and community events. Working closely with the chief marketing officer, Rowe assisted with the app’s release in New York City and Charlotte.

Rowe also works with the Honors College as an Honors Engaged peer mentor. She provides counsel for classmates who wish to volunteer at Neighborhood House or assist in research for the Homeless Period Project.

“The focus of the project is to learn about the implications of homelessness in Charleston, and specifically how menstruation is an invisible yet influential factor for the health of those displaced from homes,” she says. “I have successfully established the CofC Flow Club to continue the spread of awareness about menstruation on campus.”

Rowe’s work reflects that of her scholarship namesakes. Ramsay, whose family owns Croghan’s Jewel Box and to this day are active members of the campus community, served on various city boards and played an active role in the revitalization of King Street. She was an advocate for the mentally disabled in Charleston and received the Order of the Palmetto from Governor Richard Riley in 1986. The name of the “Ask Jackie” scholarship refers to her column in the College’s student newspaper, The Meteor.

Adkins worked tirelessly on a national level for the coastal city he loved so dearly. In Charleston, Adkins worked as the general sales manager for WCIV, an NBC affiliate, and spent many years committed to the Charleston Advertising Federation.

A rising senior at the College, Rowe plans on pursuing a master’s degree in media, culture and communication in London, England. She then plans to incorporate her master’s in communication and bachelor’s in psychology to become the director of communication at a mental health nonprofit or global media company.

“To be a recipient of these scholarships is a recognition of my hard work and dedication to the world of communication,” says Rowe. “I applied for these scholarships because of the people that these scholarships are dedicated to – they remind me of why I decided to declare as a communication major. Although they aren’t known worldwide, they made a significant impact on the lives around them. That’s the kind of impact I hope to make one day. These scholarships aid me greatly in terms of tuition, but also drive my motivation for success in my communication career.”