I bet you’ve never heard of the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. 

If you have it’s probably because you or someone you know received a HOPE, LIFE or Palmetto Fellows state merit scholarship – every year CHE administers these and other scholarship programs that total about $370 million in financial aid that helps nearly 100,000 South Carolina students achieve their dream of a college education.

As important as these scholarships are, they only scratch the surface of how CHE touches the lives of South Carolina citizens.  If you’re attending one of our state colleges, CHE has approved the program in which you’re enrolled.  And if you’re attending a private trade school, we’ve provided the licensing that ensures their quality.

If you’re a veteran – thank you for your service – CHE makes sure the school you attend meets federal standards. Members of the SC National Guard also have a special scholarship for which they can qualify. 

We help students and their families prepare the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which is the first stop in securing scholarships, grants, and loans that help make college a reality.  Then we partner with colleges and universities at hundreds of events statewide to help high school students identify and apply to the institution that best meets their needs. 

Every year CHE also collects massive amounts of data regarding higher education and the operation of campuses which we use in reporting to the General Assembly and governor to ensure colleges meet expectations (accountability). 

By the way, CHE generates more than 60 reports every year that are either required by statute or are requested by legislators.

I’m very proud that CHE serves as the state’s honest broker, providing the governor and legislators with the statistics and facts they rely on to make higher education policy for the state. 

And what’s the broader impact of our work at CHE?  Our K-12 schools depend on the teachers prepared at South Carolina’s colleges and universities.  Our roads and bridges are designed by engineers who were educated at a South Carolina institution, and they were built by graduates of our technical colleges.

You no doubt have depended on a doctor or nurse who themselves relied on a college or university in South Carolina to acquire their knowledge and skills.

These are just a handful of the hundreds of different career paths paved by a college education in South Carolina. CHE is a very active partner in the state Coordinating Council for Workforce Development, which collaborates with other state agencies to align our education system with the state’s workforce needs. 

With all these responsibilities you may think CHE has a large staff, but we’re only around 55 employees – and less than two percent of our budget goes toward operating costs.

If someone mentions “college,” one of South Carolina’s beautiful campuses may spring to mind. But behind our state’s system of higher education, you can trust that CHE is performing the quiet, essential work to drive post-secondary accessibility, excellence and accountability, delivering an outsized impact that shapes our communities, workforce, and individual prosperity every day.

L. Jeffrey Perez, Ph.D., became president and executive director of the CHE in July 2024, bringing 25 years of higher education leadership across three states, including 16 in South Carolina. He previously served as president and CEO of South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, where he strengthened organizational capacity, advanced advocacy and fundraising, and guided member institutions through the pandemic. His earlier roles include vice president positions at Winthrop University and The Citadel, as well as leadership roles at Shawnee State University and within the State University of New York system. He holds a Ph.D. from the College of William and Mary, a master’s degree from Binghamton University, and a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University.