HARTSVILLE, SC (WBTW) Coker College officially became Coker University on Monday and students are now calling it “Coker U.”
News13 visited the campus and spoke with students about the change.
“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for us to be able to advance into the university position. I think we’ve been in this position for a while, and we’re just catching up with the name,” said Micah Hancock.
Hancock will be a senior in the fall and said she plans to continue wearing her old “Coker College” gear.
Coker University President, Robert Wyatt, said they hope the name change will help recruiting.
“We recruit pretty heavily in the Northeast so to have that designation is viewed differently by a 17-year-old who is looking at college vs. university just as it is for an adult who is looking for one of our Masters programs,” Wyatt said.
Coker currently has five online Masters degree programs and grants Bachelors degrees in 40 subject areas. There are also four undergraduate degrees that can be earned entirely online.
With about 1100 students, classes at Coker are considered close-knit. Sophomore, Seraphin Kibonge, said the name change gives students the opportunity to attend a university while still taking small classes.
“You really get to build those one-on-one relationships with those professors, and I think that’s the most important part because it helps you in the long run,” said Seraphin Kibonge.
According to Wyatt, the name change could also help the school receive recognition internationally.
“Outside of the United States, the term college refers to a high school, so for international students, this provided a seamless kind of entry into the university.”
The university is giving students, who graduated in May, the opportunity to have their diplomas reprinted. Those interested are asked to contact the university at 843-383-8000.
