Clemson, The Citadel Named in 50 Best Online Grad Schools Ranking

College Consensus, a leading authority in education rankings, announced its 2024 rankings of 50 Best Online Graduate Schools for Master's Programs.

This comprehensive guide serves as a compass for individuals seeking advanced education through master's degree programs available in various fields of study.

Stanford University takes the top spot for the second consecutive year, with Columbia University, Vanderbilt University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Michigan rounding out the top five.

The Citadel was ranked No. 32 for its “blend of military principles, leadership development, and academic excellence.”

Clemson came in at No. 50 for its distinctive emphasis on applied learning, industry collaborations, and a commitment to cultivating leaders in their respective fields.”

“This ranking of online grad schools is unique because it's not just based on data analyzed by outside experts, or the opinions of students on the inside, but both perspectives combined,” said College Consensus Founder Jeremy Alder.

“By bringing together the ratings of top education publishers with real student reviews, these rankings reveal the 'best of the best' online graduate schools according to those in position to know.”

Wreaths Across America Making Several Stops in South Carolina

Wreaths Across America (WAA) is bringing its Mobile Education Exhibit (MEE) national tour to South Carolina for several stops in the coming weeks.

“The mission of Wreaths Across America is to remember the fallen, honor those who served, and teach the next generation the value of freedom,” said Executive Director Karen Worcester.

“The Mobile Education Exhibit provides the unique opportunity for communities to come together and share the stories of those who served and sacrificed. Through our partnership with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration, the exhibit also serves as an official ‘Welcome Home’ location for our nation’s Vietnam veterans.”

The MEE provides an opportunity to unite the local community, veterans, active-duty military, and their families through interactive exhibits, short films, and shared stories. The exhibit, which is free and open to the public, serves as a mobile museum, educating visitors about the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes. 

The exhibit will be in the following cities:

• Spartanburg, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 13, Spartanburg Administration Building, 366 N. Church St.
• Taylors, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 14, American Legion Post 214, 3110 Wade Hampton Blvd.
• Central, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 17, 608 Issaquena Trail 
• Easley, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 19, Walmart, 115 Rolling Hills Circle
• Columbia, noon to 5 p.m. Feb. 25 and 26, American Legion Post 200 Pickens St.

Four South Carolina Eateries Listed in 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America 

According to a survey commissioned by Open Table, Valentine's Day is no longer just for couples: Americans will consider dining out with family (18 percent) or friends (15 percent) this year.

Open Table just released its list of the -debuted list of the Top 100 Romantic Restaurants in America for 2024, and four Palmetto State dining establishments made the list.

Created by analyzing over 12 million diner reviews and metrics including ratings and the percentage of restaurant reviews diners tagged as “romantic,” the list may appeal to couples or anyone seeking a cozy atmosphere.

The South Carolina restaurants that made the cut are: Chez Georges Bistro & Bar in Hilton Head, Frank’s Outback in Pawleys Island, Peninsula Grill in Charleston, and Saluda’s in Columbia.

South Carolina Commissioner of Banking Receives Credit Union Accreditation

The South Carolina Board of Financial Institutions announced that its Office of the Commissioner of Banking recently received accreditation from the National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors (NASCUS).

NASCUS President and Chief Executive Officer Brian Knight and Senior Vice President John Kolhoff presented the Certificate of Accreditation to State Commissioner of Banking Kathy Bickham at the board’s February meeting held in Columbia. 

Kolhoff noted that the Banking Division deserved significant accolades in its very first review, specifically recognizing the office “for the strength of the agency’s strategic planning, processes, and effectiveness of the surveillance systems used to monitor the credit union industry.”

The accreditation process, which began in 2023, is the culmination of an effort by the Office of the Commissioner of Banking to ensure the agency’s policies, procedures, examination capabilities and operations meet the national best practices standards for credit unions as established by NASCUS. The agency received similar credentials from the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) in 2018.

“This is a great honor to achieve accreditation from the National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors,” said Bickham.

“This significant accomplishment is the result of our team’s continued planning and hard work to ensure that we keep pace with the financial industry and institutions we supervise in South Carolina.”

The goal of the NASCUS Accreditation Program is to administer and ensure states’ credit union examination and supervision quality standards. The program, modeled on the university accreditation concept, applies national performance standards to a state’s credit union regulatory program. South Carolina regulates eight state-chartered credit unions.

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