Special student takes CCU homecoming king crown

George “Chip” Mullen was a happy young man Saturday. He saw his beloved Coastal Carolina University football team shutout Alabama A&M with a score of 55-0 while proudly wearing the crown of 2015 homecoming king.

Mullen is not the typical college student but that has not stopped him from leading a busy—and obviously popular—college life. Born with Down syndrome, Mullen has the personality that prompted the student vote it took to win the position of honor on the homecoming court. Named to stand by his side as homecoming queen was senior Kelsie Miller.

A student in the Learning Is for Everyone or Life Program at CCU, Mullen takes classes in the exercise and sports science area and volunteers in the athletics department helping out Director of Football Operations George Glenn.

“He comes over during the day and works with Dan (Morphis) in the equipment room. He comes to practice shagging balls for all the kickers…He does a great job in the things we ask him to do,” Glenn said. “I’d say he loves doing it.”

During introductions on the field Saturday afternoon, Mullen took a step forward and raised both hands over his head waving to a cheering crowd when his name was announced. Afterwards, following a short visit with CCU President David DeCenzo and a quick interview, Mullen was ready to get back to work. After all, the second half of the ballgame needed his attention. He had a job to do.

While weather conditions forced a time change for the game from 6 p.m. to 2 p.m., the rain held off allowing Coastal students and a good number of fans to enjoy the game and events of the day.

During the half time break DeCenzo said he was “absolutely excited” about homecoming, especially because it is a student-driven activity. “I’m just excited about how all the students have turned out for this and supported homecoming activities,” he added.

Miller was also excited about her role as queen. “I was honestly very shocked; there are so many great people on the court. I’m just honored to represent the university and lucky now to be escorted by this awesome king.”

Zan Wiggins, director of The Biddle Center that houses the Life Program, spoke about Mullen and his run for homecoming king prior to Saturday’s crowning. He said Mullen is one of 18 students in the program designed to give students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities the same college experience their age appropriate peers are experiencing.

“For a student to be in this program, our goal is to make them as independent as possible and give them a true college experience,” Wiggins said. He said the university administration and the students have been very accepting of the students in the program, now in its seventh year.

“Our question was would a degree-seeking university student accept them,” Wiggins said of starting the program at CCU. The outcome, he said, has been phenomenal with students taking the lead in picking up Life Program participants and taking them to campus club meetings and activities.

“They watch out for them and help them make the right decisions for their life,” he said.

Wiggins said when Mullen came to him and said he wanted to run for homecoming king, they checked to see if the Life Program could sponsor him. A student mentor, senior Taeler James, guided Mullen through the process of campaigning for the honor and agreed to be his escort on the field.

“We didn’t push him to do this, he came and said he wanted to do this,” Wiggins said.

Prior to Saturday’s crowning, Mullen’s dad George Mullen said that when his son announced to him he was running for homecoming king, he found it very interesting.

“Where he got that idea I don’t know,” he said. “I’ve asked him a hundred times why he is running. He knows more people at school than anybody and from what I’ve heard, he’s had a lot of people support him.”

He said the younger Mullen has no fear when going out and doing things. While attending Hilton Head High School, Chip Mullen played football, wrestled and made the North/South All Star Classic.

After his son received his crown Saturday, the elder Mullen, who serves on CCU’s board of trustees, said, “We are always proud of Chip. He has done great here at CCU. He loves it here.”

This story was originally published October 3, 2015 at 8:59 PM with the headline "Special student takes CCU homecoming king crown."