SCSU Welcomes New Students Following Difficult Year

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ORANGEBURG, S.C. (WOLO) — Students return to South Carolina State University for the first Fall semester since lawmakers threatened to shut down the school. “I chose S.C. State, my first year of high school, I said this is the school I want to go to,” says new SCSU student, Rachel Green. Heading off to college is an experience students dream about, but for those wanting to attend South Carolina State University it became a nightmare last year when debt and financial struggle threatened to close the school. Green’s mother Linda says,”It was very upsetting because she wanted to come here… I mean she’s been wanting to go to South Carolina State for a long time, before she even graduated from high school.” With the help of state leaders, the new president and board members are working to get university back on its feet. According to James Clark, a member of the University’s Board of Trustees, “We had to go back and reset a lot of what we were doing here within the university, we had to scale back in certain areas, we had to commit more in some areas commit less in some areas, restructure certain things.” The SC State President says that the university will be looking to students and alumni for time and financial support in the coming years. Dr.Franklin Evans, President of SCSU says,”Philanthropy is something that we’re focusing on. Letting students and their parents know that it’s so important to give back. Not only with time and service, but with finances.” Welcoming this years class of nearly 750 students, board members say they’ve exceeded their target enrollment numbers and are focused on the future. “In terms of the rear view mirror, we don’t look at that. We came in and we assed where we were at that moment and go forward,” says Clark. Giving students and their parents, something to celebrate… “It feels like home, I think it’s going to feel like home,” says Green. “WOOOOO HOOOOO, Thank God. God was on my side,” says her mother.