By Bob Holmes
Columbia International University faculty and staff celebrated at a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the on-campus Pine View Apartments, where construction of the sixth Pine View Apartment building began late last spring.
Increased living space is needed as CIU is welcoming its largest incoming class for the 2026-2027 school year with a projection of nearly 300 freshman and transfer students, surpassing 285 new students last fall. Overall enrollment is projected at 3,270 undergraduate and graduate students studying on campus and/or online, which would also be a record for total enrollment.
Under a large tent set up in the Pine View Apartments parking lot, the faculty and staff were cooled by several fans as the August heat reached into the mid-90s. The short ceremonial groundbreaking included remarks by members of the CIU administration, as well as McCrory Construction, architects Craig Gaulden Davis–PBK, and project managers LCK.
Much of CIU’s growth is attributed to new health and science programs. Nearly 30% of the incoming class have declared Health Science majors that include Nursing, Exercise Science & Kinesiology, and Biology.
Incoming freshman and Health Science major Resa Slack from Aiken, South Carolina told local news media at the groundbreaking, that she wants to help fill the employment gap in the health care industry.
“It definitely helps drive me to want to work harder and study harder because there is a deficit of health care workers” Slack said. “That fuels my passion for a career in the health science field.”
Because of the growth in Health Science, CIU President Dr. Bill Jones told the media that there is another CIU groundbreaking coming up in November.
“Not only are we building our sixth apartment building, we’re building a 38-thousand square foot building for sciences and nursing,” Jones said.
Dr. David DeWitt, dean of Arts & Sciences & Health Professions, says that’s a fulfillment of a vision.
“When I came (to CIU) in 2021, we didn’t even have a beaker on campus,” DeWitt said. “Now we’re looking forward to the science building where we’ll train nurses and future physicians, physical therapists and occupational therapists. It’s extremely exciting.”
Meanwhile, Jones notes a campus culture that also contributes to the growth at CIU.
“It’s a privilege to serve here,” Jones told the media. “We have an incredible staff and faculty, and most of all, unbelievably incredible students.”
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