Partnership Grand Strand Bulletin

AUGUST, 2025

Series 3, Issue 8

Welcome to the Dog Days of Summer! It looks like August will be living up to its reputation of being one of the hottest months of the year.

But the heat is not slowing us down at PGS! We are in the midst of launching our Big Mentorship Experience for local businesses, kicking off the registration for the Career Readiness Showcase fall cohort, and our next Big Mixer is coming up on 8/6!

 Don't just work in your business

take the time to work on it!

BIG Mentor Experience 

Are you ready to grow or scale your business with intention?

The BIG Mentor Experience is your chance to step out of the daily grind and into focused planning mode. This 5-part workshop series is designed to help local business owners create — or update — a strategic workbook that will serve as your roadmap for growth.

Each session is $25, or bundle all 5 for just $100 and unlock exclusive early access to a BIG Mentor Moment — where you'll present your completed workbook to a panel of local subject matter experts for real-time, valuable feedback on your business plans.

Invest in your future with the

BIG Mentor Experience

 For more information, please visit our website.

Space is limited - Register today!

Join the 2025 CTE Showcase Series

Partner with Horry County Schools and Partnership Grand Strand to explore local Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs and connect with future workforce talent.

We are now accepting registrations for the Career Readiness Showcase, which begins on September 18.

Tour schools, meet students, and discover engagement opportunities like internships, mentorship, and classroom partnerships.

Kickoff Meeting:

Thursday, September 18 at 9:00 AM Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce

• Multiple showcase dates from October to March
• Lunch provided at select locations

Register here

Questions?

Please contact BJ Beaver at bj.beaver@partnershipgrandstrand.com

July Highlights

Here's what has been happening recently at PGS...

Celebrating Our RISE Summer Interns

We were proud to host the 2025 RISE Internship Graduation celebration, where our Coastal Carolina University student interns presented their final sustainability reports developed in partnership with local businesses.

This event marked the culmination of their summer internship experience and showcased the impactful work they accomplished in just a few short months.

Fourteen students worked under the guidance of Dr. Pamela Martin, Executive Director of the RISE Center at CCU to maximize their potential and ensure a rewarding experience for both the interns and the employers. Dr. Martin announced that fifty percent of the interns received job offers from their employers.

Community members, CCU representatives, and members of the Partnership Grand Strand (PGS) Board joined us to celebrate these emerging professionals and their innovative ideas for building a more sustainable and resilient Grand Strand.

PGS extends their appreciation to Bank of America for their contribution that helped make this program possible for local students.

“Bank of America is proud to partner with Partnership Grand Strand and CCU to support your summer internships,” Cecilia Evans, SVP Marketing Executive at Bank of America told the students at the celebration. “Internships prepare students for the workforce by providing them with practical, hands-on experience at local businesses, cultivate a workforce pipeline and open the doors for local college students to see what is possible in the Grand Strand.”

PGS extends their appreciation to Bank of America for their contribution that helped make this program possible for local students.

“Bank of America is proud to partner with Partnership Grand Strand and CCU to support your summer internships,” Cecilia Evans, SVP Marketing Executive at Bank of America told the students at the celebration. “Internships prepare students for the workforce by providing them with practical, hands-on experience at local businesses, cultivate a workforce pipeline and open the doors for local college students to see what is possible in the Grand Strand.”

From waste reduction strategies to energy efficiency improvements, the students demonstrated not only their academic growth, but also their commitment to making a real difference in our region.

We also extend our gratitude to the businesses that hosted interns and to everyone who came out to support the next generation of local leaders!

If you would like to learn more about the RISE Internship Program for Summer 2026, please click here.

For more information, please contact BJ Beaver at bj.beaver@partnershipgrandstrand.com or 843-653-3311.

BIG Deal Contest Winner!



Local business

Market Common Dentistry

will be treated to lunch on PGS

 after being selected as the July winner

of the BIG Deal contest!

The BIG Deal Contest

just got even BIGGER!

For the months of July, August, and September, the consumer with the most entries each month will win a $200 Visa Gift Card!

To enter, simply post on Facebook or Instagram giving a shoutout to a local business and use the hashtag #BIGDealContest.

Start posting and good luck!

Click here for more details!



Congratulations

to this month's consumer winner

of a $200 VISA gift card!

ANDY WOLFE

Upcoming Events

MARK YOUR CALENDARS and plan to attend these great events.

Click on the links below for details and to register:

August 6, 5:00-7:00pm - The BIG Mixer

Looking Ahead...

Starts September 18 - Career Readiness Showcase

October 21, 4:00-6:00pm - PGS Town Hall Social

Coming Up Next on Thrivin' at the Beach

Tune in this month...

We will be delivering highlight episodes that recap the key points of all prior shows. We hope you'll follow us and get excited about how we are all Thrivin' at the Beach.

Listen to our podcast on the PGS YouTube page or wherever you get your podcasts to get a ‘behind the scenes” peek at all the great things brewing in our community! A new episode airs on Tuesday mornings.

So take Thrivin' with you on your morning commute!

For more info on Thrivin' at the Beach, visit our website.

Tune in... and keep thrivin'!

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