COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Gov. Henry McMaster will give the commencement speech at South Carolina State University.
The Republican governor is speaking at the college’s graduation ceremony Friday evening in Orangeburg. The university says 500 students are set to graduate.
It marks the first time in 14 years a governor has addressed graduating seniors at South Carolina’s only public historically black university. Then-Gov. Mark Sanford delivered the address in 2003.
SC State President James Clark says McMaster’s presence on campus demonstrates his support.
Clark has been part of the school’s turn-around efforts. He was named president last summer after a year as board trustee. In 2015, the Legislature fired and replaced the previous board because of mounting debt and financial mismanagement.
McMaster received his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of South Carolina.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.