CIU blessed with three years of rapid growth/expansion
Youth Ministry major McKenzie Jewett studies in the Rossi Student Center.
Columbia International University is thankful for three years of rapid growth and expansion in a number of key areas, including new academic programs and increased enrollment, as well as the opportunity to be a positive influence for Christ in the community.
In the last three years, CIU has added 17 cutting-edge academic programs, some of them are offered as traditional undergraduate programs while others are undergraduate or graduate online programs. Among the new traditional undergraduate programs addressing contemporary needs of ministry and marketplace are Disaster Relief, Human Services and Social Media Strategist.
Healthcare Administration is a new undergraduate program offered online while new graduate and online graduate programs include Addictions Counseling and a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership (MOL).
CIU has added or developed over 240 new online courses supporting 26 online degree programs.
Check out all of CIU’s programs in the Academic Catalog.
Meanwhile, the new programs have assisted in a significant increase in fall enrollment over the three year period; from 1,076 students in the 2017-2018 academic year, to 1,279 in 2018-2019, to 1,636 in 2019-2020.
Athletics has also expanded with three new sports: volleyball, softball and baseball, and the reestablishment of golf.
The last three years have also brought a priority to improve CIU’s neighborhood in North Columbia, as CIU purchased seven properties, transforming the formerly blighted area into a commercially-viable district. One of the first properties revitalized now houses a Richland County Sheriff’s Department substation. CIU students have initiated clean-up days along the Monticello Road corridor and organized food drives for the needy in the neighborhood. CIU’s men’s and women’s basketball teams also assist in reading programs at a local elementary school. CIU employees are incentivized to live in the neighborhood with the university offering a $5,000 down payment to employees buying a house in the area. CIU’s efforts were honored in January with the Community Impact Award from the North Columbia Business Association.
CIU President Dr. Mark Smith contributes the growth and expansion to “a lot of hard work” among a number of university departments and their staff members, but adds that “most of all, this is the result of God working in hearts and lives. He gets all the glory!”
BestColleges.com ranks Columbia International University the 2020 Best Online College in South Carolina, and CIU is #2 in the state for Best College Campus. CIU also consistently ranks among the Top Regional Universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report. Excitement is growing on campus with increased enrollment and new academic programs. Request information on enrollment at CIU and Columbia Biblical Seminary or call (800) 777-2227, ext. 5024.