In 1896, before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation must end, South Carolina State University was founded as the state’s only institution of higher education for African Americans. The university has grown from an agricultural and mechanical college to a full university with a strong education department, ranked third in the nation for graduating minorities with PhDs in education. Its roster of distinguished alumni includes multiple college presidents as well as Congressman James Clyburn. Now it’s up to Thomas Elzey (HNZ’77) to continue that success after his recent appointment as South Carolina State’s 11th president.
—Lorelei Laird (DC’01)