What is the SC Higher Education Foundation?

The SC Higher Education Foundation was created as a partner to support the Commission on Higher Education (CHE) in its advocacy role for the state’s institutions of higher learning.  The SC Higher Education Foundation’s mission is to provide funding for statewide CHE programs that fall outside the scope of state funding.  

What does the SC Higher Education Foundation do?
Specifically, the SC Higher Education Foundation seeks financial and moral support for the overall mission of higher education in South Carolina. Charitable aims of the Foundation are to:

• Promote interest and participation in higher education in South Carolina; 
• Provide for statewide activities that enhance the quality of instruction, research, and service at colleges and universities in South Carolina through leadership and professional development;
• Support activities that realize the educational goals and objectives of the SC CHE;
• Secure necessary funding to create and support a funding base; and
• Distribute funds for the charitable purposes of the Foundation.

Appropriately, the Foundation has adopted projects to support, which involve public and private institutions across the state.  For example, the Foundation sponsors the South Carolina Governor’s Professor of the Year Award and an annual conference to improve campus safety standards at the state’s institutions as well as an annual training seminar for leaders of the state’s institutions of higher learning, rotating from trustee-training one year, to president- and board chair-training the next.  In addition, through the Harry M. Lightsey Jr. Society, the Foundation sponsors the annual SC Higher Education Hall of Fame Banquet.  As the Foundation increases their resources, they hope to fund more events that will ensure continuous advocacy and educational benefits for the institutions and students of South Carolina.
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Why do we need the SC Higher Education Foundation?
The Foundation sees many opportunities to expand advocacy for higher education in South Carolina, but can only do so with private support.  Too many South Carolinians have little or no family history with higher education and fail to see its vital importance to the economic development and future prosperity of the state and of their families.  The Foundation, led by its Board of Trustees, seeks ways to inspire a greater valuing of higher education among the public at large and its leaders. The Foundation helps bring the competing parts of the higher education system into focus as a whole, concentrating on the needs and challenges that affect the climate and resources higher education shares.

In a state with limited funding opportunities, and ever-increasing reliance on private support for public institutions, the institutions with widely varying histories and resources find themselves competing for scarce dollars. Some are more able than others to invest in the ongoing professional development of their leaders and faculties. And yet all encounter similar challenges within the same economic, cultural and political environment.  A holistic approach to the health of higher education can improve conditions for all, expanding each institution’s ability to grow and prosper. 

The Foundation also helps colleges and universities communicate so they can find solutions to problems, explore resource-sharing, increase efficiency, eliminate redundancy, and continuously lift their sights. 

An advocate for higher education, the Foundation helps unite the campuses to promote openness to wider progress and development.   It provides opportunities for dialogue, for inspiration and innovation across all institutions and fosters collaboration for the common good and the good of individual campuses.   To accomplish this, the Foundation sponsors activities that combine the expertise, guidance and mission of the SC CHE with the concerns of advocates to reach one goal: excellence in South Carolina higher education. 

What are the SC Higher Education Foundation’s funding goals?
Right now the Foundation needs cash gifts to meet annual fund obligations for ongoing projects, some of which are described above.   

In the long term, the Foundation hopes to build an endowment so it can ensure continuous advocacy and educational efforts on behalf of South Carolina’s institutions and its people.  You may show your support through cash, pledges, properties, planned gifts, bequests and/or by joining the Lightsey Society.  All types of donations can be used to bring the endowment to a productive capacity.   

What can you do to help?
Continue any support you have offered to South Carolina higher education institutions in the past. It is sorely needed.   But also consider this new and critical opportunity to help our system as a whole.  You’ll be helping improve the climate for higher education in South Carolina as well as the quality of the institutions throughout our state.  

Gifts should be payable to:

The SC Higher Education Foundation, Inc.

The SC Higher Education Foundation, Inc.
1122 Lady Street, Suite 300
Columbia, SC 29201
Tel. 803-737-2275, Fax. 803-737-2297   

        We make a living by what we get: we make a life by what we give. – Sir Winston Churchill