The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education made significant strides in 2024 across a wide variety of initiatives: from empowering students with affordable and accessible pathways to success to advancing excellence in higher education while addressing critical workforce challenges such as nursing and teacher education.

As we take time to look back at our top headlines of 2024, the CHE remains committed to creating opportunities in higher education to elevate South Carolina’s students and institutions while supporting our state's dynamic economy and workforce.

Leadership Transition

The CHE ushered in a new chapter of leadership in July when Dr. L. Jeffrey Perez joined the agency as president and executive director. Selected through an extensive process involving commissioners, CHE staff, and university leaders, Perez brought over 25 years of higher education leadership experience to the agency, including 16 years in South Carolina. Perez most recently served as President and CEO of South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, where he led advocacy, fundraising, and campus support initiatives for 21 institutions and 36,000 students. Beyond South Carolina, he has held leadership positions in higher education and government relations in New York and Ohio and holds a Ph.D. in American History from the College of William and Mary.

Affordability: Scholarship enhancements expanded, process digitization and a ‘thank you’

In 2024, the CHE helped expand state lottery scholarships to address critical workforce needs in education and accounting while reducing financial barriers for students pursuing these in-demand careers. The agency quickly developed guidelines to govern the expansion of scholarship enhancements for Palmetto Fellows and LIFE recipients majoring in education and accounting in support of new legislation, ensuring that students could take advantage of the expansion for the fall semester. The expansion allows sophomores, juniors, and seniors in these fields who meet eligibility requirements to receive up to an additional $2,500 annually.

Another notable achievement this year was the transition to a digital platform for processing Palmetto Fellows Scholarship applications, beginning with late applications in May. This streamlined the process for high school counselors to ensure faster, more reliable application processing. The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, a merit-based program recognizing South Carolina's most academically talented high school seniors, awarded nearly $72 million to 8,974 students during the 2022-23 academic year. This modernization aligns with other agency-wide efforts to enhance operational efficiency.

Students from South Carolina’s public, technical, and independent colleges and universities gathered at the State House in April for the third annual Higher Education Day. This event showcased students across all higher education sectors and emphasized the importance of need-based financial aid to supporting student success. South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette spoke at the event and encouraged students to embrace lifelong learning.

“Technologies and career paths are constantly evolving,” Evette said. “We always have to make sure that we're on the cutting edge of education.” She highlighted higher education's critical role for South Carolina’s workforce to meet the demands of the state’s diverse industries. Evette urged students to view their education as a foundation for future growth and a pathway to career advancement.

College access: Statewide application events thrive, graduates celebrated

The CHE continued its dedication to college access and success at the third annual South Carolina College and Career Decision Day rally, held on May 7 at the South Carolina State House. More than 2,000 high school seniors from over 40 schools gathered to mark their decisions to attend college, enter the military, or join the workforce. This inspiring event, modeled after National Signing Day, brought together college representatives, military officials, and business leaders to recognize and celebrate the next steps in students' academic and professional journeys.

Statewide, College Application Month events continued to make a substantial impact, with participation from 249 high schools representing over 50,000 seniors. These events led to the submission of more than 31,000 college applications, reflecting the program’s steady growth since its inception in 2009. What began with 12 high schools and 2,000 applications has transformed into a cornerstone of the state's college access efforts, ensuring that more students—particularly those from underserved backgrounds—have the support and encouragement to pursue higher education.

The CHE also recognized Belton-Honea Path High School as a 2023-24 School of Excellence for its exemplary efforts in College Application Month. This is the fifth year of partnership between the CHE and the American College Application Campaign to recognize schools for their College Application Month efforts.

Enhancing excellence in higher education

The CHE completed multiple initiatives to promote excellence in higher education through innovative programs and collaborative initiatives.

The third South Carolina Transfer Convening, held on Oct. 3 in Columbia, brought together more than 100 transfer professionals and higher education leaders from public and independent institutions Themed “Facing the Future Together: Emphasizing the Power of Collaboration,” this event shared best practices and explored innovative approaches to improving transfer pathways while emphasizing the importance of working together to enhance student success.

Another key milestone in the CHE’s efforts to support transfer students was the launch of the South Carolina Transfer Outcomes Dashboard in April as part of a statewide Transfer Excellence Task Force initiative. This comprehensive tool offers insights into transfer trends, with data disaggregated by county, program, and demographic characteristics. By promoting transparency and data-driven decision-making, the dashboard empowers institutions to identify areas for improvement and strengthen pathways for transfer students.

To further enhance transfer processes, South Carolina joined a national pilot project with Ithaka S+R to streamline college transfers. As one of the first three states to participate in the “Transfer Explorer” platform, South Carolina is piloting the initiative at five public institutions. This two-year project aims to provide students and their advisors with accurate, accessible transfer information, simplifying the process and reducing barriers for students seeking to continue their education. South Carolina’s inclusion in this initiative underscores the CHE’s proactive approach to adopting innovative solutions that benefit students and institutions alike.

The CHE also celebrated advancements in teacher quality and student achievement through its second annual Centers of Excellence Symposium in May. This event highlighted the successes of the Centers of Excellence program, a competitive grant initiative that supports improvements in teacher education. In 2023, the program expanded significantly, adding three new centers for a total of seven and increasing school district partnerships from 35 to 43. Among the notable achievements were the replication of an alternative educator certification pathway between institutions and the creation of a collaborative center focused on the science of reading preparation for pre-service teachers. By addressing critical challenges such as teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development—especially in rural and underperforming schools—the program enhances the quality of education across South Carolina.

To further support South Carolina’s teacher education, the agency also launched a South Carolina Educator Preparation Programs Dashboard in October. The South Carolina General Assembly named the CHE as the lead agency to develop the dashboard and report card for South Carolina’s Educator Preparation Programs in 2022, and the agency collaborated closely with the South Carolina Department of Education, the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, and SC Teacher in the development of the project.

Workforce relevance

The agency continued efforts to align higher education opportunities with the state’s workforce development needs. A key highlight was the expansion of the BOLD™ (Better Outcomes, Less Debt) Career Pathways Nursing Faculty Loan Program to include students at South Carolina-based independent colleges. This initiative provides up to $90,000 in tuition reimbursement for students pursuing graduate-level nursing educator credentials, aiming to address the critical shortage of nursing faculty across the state. By covering up to $30,000 annually for tuition, the program supports students in Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice, Ph.D., and other qualifying programs. In return, participants commit to serving as nursing faculty in South Carolina, ensuring a sustainable pipeline of educators to train future nurses.

By expanding eligibility to include regionally accredited, not-for-profit private institutions, the CHE is leveraging the full capacity of South Carolina’s higher education system to meet critical workforce needs.

The CHE’s contributions to workforce alignment extended beyond healthcare. In July, the South Carolina Coordinating Council for Workforce Development released the inaugural Unified State Plan for Education and Workforce Development. The CHE is a key partner in the CCWD, which aims to streamline workforce development efforts and identify shared goals across state agencies and higher education institutions. A significant component of the Unified State Plan is the emphasis on high-value postsecondary credentials as a foundation for the state’s growing private sector. With more than 70 priority occupations requiring postsecondary education—from industry certifications to doctorate degrees—the CHE will continue to play a crucial role in fostering alignment between higher education and South Carolina’s workforce needs.

These efforts highlight the CHE’s unwavering dedication to enhancing the quality and impact of higher education in South Carolina, a mission that we look forward to continuing in 2025.