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The nearly 15,0000-square-foot structure includes:
- A food demonstration lab.
- A computer lab.
- A classroom.
- A flexible multipurpose room.
- A leadership training board room.
- Offices with a featured collaborative workspace.
Dr. Louis D. Whitesides, vice president and executive director for SC State 1890 Research & Extension, said the facility would not have come to fruition without cooperation between SC State and the City of Charleston to ensure that the region’s people have a place to take advantage of lifelong learning opportunities. Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg was among the dignitaries who spoke at Thursday’s grand opening and noted the city’s role in providing the 0.4 acres on which the center stands.
“We made you a pretty good deal, Mr. President,” Tecklenburg said, addressing Conyers. “This is land that was donated by the City of Charleston for $1 to SC State for this facility to be right here in Charleston.
“We are going to enrich lives and community right here – SC State coming to Charleston -- I am so excited and honored,” Tecklenburg said.
SC State Board of Trustees Chairman Douglas D. Gantt said his heart beamed with pride at the Coastal Region Research & Education Center’s opening.
“The moment embodies the spirit upon which South Carolina State University was founded – to empower individuals, families and communities to improve their quality of life,” Gantt said. “This facility represents more than stone and mortar.”
The chairman said the center will offer students who walk its hall a foundation for building better lives by way of SC State 1890’s youth development programs.
“Likewise, the facility will be the ideal space for our small minority agribusiness partners to receive training and technical assistance that will help to increase profits,” Gantt said. “The facility will also be a place where individuals and families can come to gain hands-on experience in preparing healthy and nutritious foods.”
Like all SC State 1890 facilities around the state aiding communities in South Carolina, the Coastal Region Research & Education Center will be an invaluable resource for the city of Charleston and the surrounding communities served by SC State 1890 extension agents. While the Coastal Region’s reach expands to Dorchester, Berkeley and Georgetown counties, officials are delighted to call Charleston home.
The Coastal Region is among seven regional areas through which SC State 1890 serves the citizens of the state.
SC State 1890 Research & Extension provides an invaluable service to South Carolinians on behalf of SC State University and two of its most significant partners, the USDA and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. The organization advances quality of life by providing services that focus on:
- Expanding the state’s nearly $50 billion agriculture industry.
- Sustaining the state’s natural resources.
- Preparing leaders through 4-H youth development initiatives.
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Strengthening families and communities through health and wellness.
- Increasing opportunities of economic development, particularly for small businesses.
- Exposing youths and their families to advanced educational and or career opportunities in the food and fiber industries.
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Media Contacts
Sam Watson
Director of University Relations
South Carolina State University
swatson2@scsu.edu
803-747-1223 (Cell)
Elizabeth Mosely-Hawkins
Director, Marketing & Communications
SC State 1890 Research & Extension
emosely@scsu.edu
803-516-4625 (Office)
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