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Tigerville, SC (February 1, 2023)��91������ is proud to recognize 665 students named to the Dean’s List for the 2022 fall semester.

To qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must earn at least a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and be a full-time undergraduate student registered for at least 12 semester hours.

About 91������

91������offers more than 115 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more.

Tigerville, SC (January 26, 2023) 91������’s Football program will move to Conference Carolinas in 2025. The transition means all 20 91������athletic teams will be aligned in one NCAA Division II conference.

Conference Carolinas (CC) announced on Thursday that it is adding Shorter University as a member, giving the conference six schools which field varsity football teams among the 15 CC member institutions across South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee.

Conference Carolinas Commissioner Chris Colvin on the campus of the Baptist university in Rome, Georgia.

With six varsity football member schools, Conference Carolinas meets the minimum number required to compete for a conference championship and NCAA Division II championship competition.

91������President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr., shared the news with the 91������community Thursday afternoon.

“This significant move allows 91������to reduce travel for our team and increase competition with institutions of similar size and mission,” President Fant said. “We are grateful to the Gulf South Conference for admitting 91������as an affiliate member for football in 2018, but we are a relatively small school in a conference where five of the eight member schools are state-funded universities with more than 8,000 students enrolled.”

91������already competes in Conference Carolinas for its 19 other varsity sports. With the addition of Shorter, the conference will have 14 faith-based institutions among its members.

“CC is emerging as a powerhouse group of like-minded institutions, and we believe this is the right move for the conference and for 91������at this time,” Dr. Fant said.

“We are excited about Shorter University joining Conference Carolinas and the addition of football as a conference-sponsored sport,” said 91������Director of Athletics Jan McDonald. “Our league continues to grow under the current leadership, and we are looking forward to what the future has in store.”

Conference Carolinas, which was formed in December 1930, now sponsors competition in 23 varsity sports. The conference sponsored football competition from 1931-1975. CC’s football history includes having Appalachian State as a founding member from 1931-67, and East Carolina as a member from 1947-61. The six football member schools starting in 2025 include North Greenville, Barton, Chowan, Erskine, UNC Pembroke and Shorter.

“We certainly welcome the opportunity for our entire athletic program to be under one conference umbrella,” said 91������Football Head Coach Jeff Farrington. “It will help our students, alumni, and other fans to know our teams all compete against the same schools. Being part of a newly formed league of competition is awesome.”

91������will continue to compete as an affiliate member of the Gulf South Conference for the next two seasons.

“We are thankful to the Gulf South Conference for allowing us the opportunity to come into the conference,” Farrington said. “Our affiliation with the GSC allowed us to be part of an NCAA Division II conference. But, with the transition to Conference Carolinas we will be able to see our team members be recognized with those from other sports in overall conference recognitions. We will all be together, unified as 91������in Conference Carolinas.”

91������began varsity football as a junior college in 1988, and started competing as a four-year program in 1995 as part of the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Mid-South Conference. 91������moved to NCAA Division II competition in 2006, competing as an independent before affiliating with the GSC in 2018.

NGU’s 2023 football season will begin with a road game versus Charleston Southern University on Thursday, August 31. 91������will open home play versus the University of West Alabama on September 16.

About 91������

91������offers more than 125 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more.

Tigerville, S.C. (January 24, 2023) 91������ (NGU) will present a concert from the Parrini Piano Trio on Friday, Feb. 3, from 7-8 p.m. in Hamlin Recital Hall on the Tigerville Campus.

Alberto Parrini, cello; Naho Parrini, violin; and Fabio Parrini, piano; will perform works from Haydn, Still, Montgomery, and Brahms during NGU’s first signature event of the spring semester.

Naho, Alberto, and Fabio have performed individually as soloists and in ensembles across the United States and abroad. Naho holds a Bachelor of Music from the North Carolina School for the Arts and a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts from Stony Brook University. Naho has given recitals in the United States, Japan, Germany, France, and Bulgaria, and teaches at the Bloomingdale School of Music in New York City. Alberto is a graduate of the Curtis Institute and the Juilliard School, has performed with the New York Philharmonic, American Chamber Players, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet and teaches cello and chamber music at Princeton University. Fabio holds degrees from the Conservatory of Padua and Boston University, has released albums and recorded as soloist for the Italian National Radio in Rome and the German Swiss Radio in Zurich, and is Professor of Music at NGU. ��

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Want to go?

What: Parrini Piano Trio Concert

When: Friday, February 3, 7 p.m.

Where: Hamlin Recital Hall on NGU’s Tigerville Campus

Tickets: $15 adult tickets. $8 student tickets. Tickets may be purchased online.

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About 91������

91������offers more than 125 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic.��Learn more

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Tigerville, S.C. (January 24, 2023) 91������ (NGU) students, faculty, and staff came together to serve Soteria Community Development Corporation during the Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service on January 16.

Soteria CDC, a Christian ministry helping former prisoners transition back into society with job training, temporary housing, and discipleship programs, recently experienced a fire at its property in Greenville. Volunteers used a portion of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to assist with clean-up efforts.  

“It felt good to represent 91������as we blessed another local Christian organization,” said Dr. Paul Thompson, Dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences at NGU. “I hope 91������can continue some kind of community outreach annually on this special day.”

Dr. Feliccia Smith, Professor of Management for the College of Business and Entrepreneurship at NGU, said service efforts like this one move the community closer to Dr. King’s vision of a “Beloved Community.”

“The MLK Day of Service has garnered a lot of traction and has grown steadily in recent years because of its focus on encouraging and empowering Americans to participate in community service,” Smith said. “Each year, hundreds of thousands of volunteers engage in projects such as tutoring and mentoring children, painting schools and senior centers, delivering meals, building homes, and reflecting on Dr. King’s life and teachings. I’m certainly glad that North Greenville’s faculty, students, and staff were able to volunteer and affect change in our community by providing direct services to the Soteria Community Development Corporation.”

About 91������

91������offers more than 125 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more

Jeff Smith (’21) spent more than 28 years with the Greer Police Department.

Tigerville, S.C. (January 10, 2023) Over the course of a 28-year career in law enforcement, Jeff Smith served in a variety of roles. From Traffic Team Corporal to Sergeant of Community Policing, Smith spent time working on the crisis intervention team, emergency response team and criminal apprehension team at the Greer Police Department.

Now the Director of Campus Safety and Security at 91������ (NGU), Smith believes his experience in the field will help him be successful in his new role.

“My goal is to be morally, ethically and legally pure. If we can work under those three umbrellas, we’re doing things right,” he said. “I want to take something I believe is good and make it better. I want us to have a professional image and conduct ourselves with respect and empathy to others. We have a commitment to community.”

Smith retired from the Greer Police Department in 2022, joining 91������in November. As the Director of Campus Safety and Security, he oversees daily operations and special events at the university.

“God blessed me with this position,” Smith said. “His timing is perfect and he opened this door for me.”

Smith said he continues to prioritize relationship building and community involvement.

“I’ve always been about building relationships,” he said. “We don’t want to be simply riding around in patrol cars thinking that we’re doing good. You have to park those patrol cars, get out and mingle with students and staff. You don’t build relationships from a cruiser. You have to get to know people to understand what their needs are.

“Yes, we have to enforce standards and regulations, but I don’t want that to be all the students, staff and visitors see us doing,” Smith continued. “I want them to see us being involved in these students lives and treating people fairly across the board.”

Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from 91������in 2021.

About 91������

91������offers more than 125 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more

Tigerville, S.C. (December 16, 2022) A new economic study shows 91������ is making a total impact of $101,851,206 on the region’s economy in 2022. That impact includes funding of 888 jobs through the institution and its business partners.

The fiscal footprint of the private university, which started in 1892 as a school for children in the Blue Ridge foothills, will generate nearly $14.6 million in tax revenue for the year.

Those findings are part of a 2022 economic impact study completed by Lilly Consulting Group, LLC, in November. The analysis by the Sylva, North Carolina-based firm included multiplied economic impact of five factors: operations expenditures, labor expenditures, student spending, visitor spending, and capital expenditures.

“We, as a long-standing Upstate educational enterprise, are blessed to learn that providing a distinctive Christ-centered educational environment is also providing a distinctive catalyst for economic strength in our region,” said 91������President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “This institution was started to meet a critical need for education in the late 1800s. To be thriving in producing graduates and to be a significant economic engine in our area nearly 130 years later is a testament to God’s provision as we seek to follow a clear, biblically faithful mission.”

With an overall enrollment of nearly 2,150, 91������operates its main campus for undergraduate students in Tigerville, with graduate and online programs operated through its Tim Brashier Campus in Greer. The university’s fall 2022 enrollment included students from 41 states and 25 other countries.

Recent campus improvements and ongoing capital projects contributed to the strength of the impact findings, as 91������is in the midst of a $9.7 million transformation of its historic administration building, creating a new home for the university’s College of Business and Entrepreneurship. A total of 43 recent improvement projects on NGU’s campuses in Tigerville and Greer were part of the capital expenditures segment of the study. University officials said 91������anticipates being in “capital improvement mode” for years to come.

The economic impact study drew information from NGU’s 2020-21 Annual Report, financial statements spanning 2019-2021, and information on capital projects, as well as data from questionnaires developed for students and visitors. Lilly Consulting Group worked with the university’s Economic Impact Study Steering Committee. The seven-person committee. which included faculty, administrators and staff representatives, was chaired by 91������Executive Vice President Rich Grimm.

“The university’s impact on the region’s economy, as demonstrated in the Lilly Consulting Group study, is noteworthy and underscores the vital role 91������plays in the area,” said Grimm, the institution’s chief operating officer. “As we produce transformational leaders for church and society, we also are contributing significantly to the economic wellbeing of the Upstate, for which we give thanks.”

Along with the Labor Expenditures impact of the university providing direct and indirect jobs, the study’s findings were bolstered by local business sales to employees, students, parents, and summer camp participants.

“It is gratifying to see how a relatively small institution is having an outsized impact on the region’s economy,” said David Lilly, founder and principal consultant with Lilly Consulting Group. “From the capital projects undertaken, to the taxes contributed, to the jobs supported, 91������ is having a strong and lasting impact on South Carolina’s Upstate.”

About 91������

91������offers more than 125 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more.

Tigerville, SC (December 14, 2022) Seven students graduated from the Hispanic Bible Institute on Dec. 10, earning certificates in Biblical Studies and Ministerial Studies.

The ceremony took place at Iglesia Bautista Betania in Taylors, South Carolina. Those receiving certificates in Biblical Studies included: Gelasia Lugo, Maria Lorenzo, and Raúl Cruz. Graduating with certificates in Ministerial Studies were: Leonicio Gómez, Francisco Ramírez, Dulce Ramírez, and Rosa Jiménez.

The Hispanic Bible Institute, led by Dr. Jose Adan Delgado, has been affiliated with 91������ (NGU) since 2018 and met at the university’s Greer Campus this fall.

“We have a partnership with the Hispanic Bible Institute to offer these programs through 91������,” said Dr. Tawana Scott, Associate Provost for Academic Engagement at NGU. “It’s a great mission fit for us because it gives us an opportunity to reach beyond the traditional education to build onramps for students exactly where they are,” Scott said. “It allows us to help create leaders in our communities.”

Delgado said the institute now has 70 graduates and continues to expand its reach.

“The Hispanic Bible Institute began in August of 2008 at Taylors First Baptist Church. For several years, the Hispanic Bible Institute worked in association with the Baptist University of the Americas in San Antonio, Texas,” Delgado said. “Of the 70 graduates, some are serving as pastors and leaders in their churches, and in other countries, such as Mexico.”

Graduates receiving a certificate in Biblical Studies completed courses in Old Testament, Spiritual Life, New Testament, Worship, and Systematic Theology.

Ministerial Studies graduates completed courses in Biblical Interpretation, Preaching, Christian Education, Christian Counseling, and Pastoral Ministry.

Each certificate is obtained through two-year process.

“It’s a great opportunity for students to be trained for leadership in their church, and bible teaching,” Scott said.

About 91������

91������offers more than 125 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more.

Tigerville, S.C. (December 13, 2022) Nashville singer and songwriter Andrew Peterson will perform “Behold the Lamb of God: The True Tall Tale of the Coming of Christ” on Dec. 17 in 91������’s (NGU) Turner Chapel.

Now in its 23rd year, Behold the Lamb will feature guest artists Jess Ray, The Arcadian Wild, Andy Gullahorn, Jill Phillips, and Skye Peterson, along with an all-star cast of Nashville songwriters and session musicians.

“For many years, 91������has been committed to serving churches with excellent music and worship leadership,” said 91������President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “We are incredibly excited to host this event, which has encouraged the faith of so many Christians and celebrated the gospel to an entire generation. We hope that many in our community will be able to attend what will be the largest music event since before the pandemic.”

Peterson will perform two shows on Dec. 17. Tickets are still available for the 3 p.m. performance and the 7:30 p.m. performance. You can purchase tickets by visiting go.ngu.edu/andrewpeterson.

The two-part concert brings artists together for a “songwriters in the round” in the first half. The second half features the “Behold the Lamb of God” album performed in full. 

Known for songs such as “Dancing In The Minefields,” “Be Kind To Yourself,” “The Reckoning,” Peterson has been nominated for two Dove Awards.  

Author of “The Wingfeather Saga” series, Peterson is also host of “The Rabbit Room,” which fosters Christ-centered community and spiritual formation through music, story and art, and recently launched a film and TV production company, Shining Isle Productions, to produce animated film based on his bestselling books.

About 91������

91������offers more than 125 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more.

Tigerville, SC (December 9, 2022) Encouraged to remember the sunny days and follow biblical forecast guidance while weathering life’s storms, 162 91������ graduates were awarded degrees during the university’s fall commencement on Dec. 9 in Turner Chapel.

Chris Justus, Chief Meteorologist at Greenville’s WYFF News 4, drew on weather analogies while delivering the keynote address at the event, which concluded the university’s fall semester.  

During the evening ceremony, 91������President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. conferred 88 bachelor’s degrees, and 74 graduate degrees.

Following a welcome from President Fant and a reading from Psalm 118, an invocation was given by 91������Board Chair Mandie Boyd (’05).

“Your life will not go as planned, but the passions God has given you in your soul, stay true to those,” Boyd told the graduates being celebrated. “Walk closely with Jesus and he will make your path straight.”

The 91������ Choral Group performed a musical selection, and Clay Knight (’22) read Jeremiah 29:11-13 and Colossians 3:17.

Justus, who has worked as a meteorologist on air for 13 years, talked about forecasting and tracking major weather outbreaks throughout his career.

“My experience tracking storms has helped me enjoy the sunny days and the good times,” Justus said. “Often times I can overlook the good that’s right in front of me while looking ahead to track that next storm. Life’s a lot like that. We get caught up in the fear and worry of a storm that is yet to come. While character is built in the storms, life’s precious moments and memories are made on the sunny days.

Justus instructed the graduates to enjoy their accomplishments and hold firm to their faith.

He cited God’s promises in Isaiah 43:2: When you pass through deep waters I will be with you, And when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. And when you walk through fire, you will not burn.

“Notice in that passage, it says ‘when’ you go through troubled waters, not ‘if,’” Justus said. “When it comes to life’s dark days, we do not have a radar to detect those storms, but we do have a playbook, written by God, on what to do.”

“Each day is truly a gift,” Justus continued. “Here you sit with a diploma in your hand and a job well done. You should enjoy this day. It’s one of the sunniest days of your entire life. We know that 2022 will quickly become 2032, seasons will change and in 10 years, I hope you can look back with some confidence and say that you truly enjoyed the sunshine.”

During the presentation of diplomas, the university recognized the family of Spartanburg County Deputy Austin Derek Aldridge, who was killed in the line of duty earlier this year. Aldridge was awarded a posthumous degree in Criminal Justice from the university.

Marie Kelly (’22) led the singing of NGU’s Alma Mater, and Dr. Becky Thompson, NGU’s Faculty Chair and Professor of English, concluded the ceremony with a benediction.

Graduate Spotlight

Cary Sanders (’17, ’22)

For Cary Sanders, the path to a Doctorate in Christian Ministry began in a prison cell.

Arrested 17 times before the age of 17, Sanders spent his adolescent years pursuing a life of crime.

“I was in and out of the Department of Juvenile Justice. Mental Health tried to help me. There were just a lot of people who tried to warn me about the destruction I was headed for,” Sanders said. “I didn’t have any regard for the future.”

Just after his 17^th birthday, Sanders committed an armed robbery that landed him in prison. Awaiting his sentencing and pondering the life choices that led him to ruin, he said he decided to open a Bible.

“I began flipping through it and there was an article titled: ‘How to Have a New Life in Christ.’ It was a presentation of the Gospel–How God had created a good world, the disease of sin had entered in and humanity rebelled against God, and now there was a curse upon the whole world. Nothing could fix it except a healthy relationship with God. That made sense to me. I had felt my own powerlessness to make any lasting change in my life.”

Sentenced to 45 years with the opportunity to be released early, Sanders began living out his faith behind bars.

“I was fortunate enough to have members from local churches come in and disciple me. They helped me learn what it means to follow Christ and how to put sin to death,” he said.

Sanders spent nine years in prison before being released. Making the most of his second chance in life, he started school at 91������ in January of 2014. Sanders received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Christian Studies from 91������in 2017 and returned in 2019 to pursue a Doctor of Ministry degree.

“What our society most desperately needs is individuals who are passionately pursuing Jesus with excellence,” he said. “North Greenville is a place that provides that and that is rare in today’s world. It’s a place where men and women are being equipped to be transformational difference makers for our Lord.”

Sanders now serves as the Executive Director of JUMPSTART, a nonprofit ministry dedicated to providing opportunities for incarcerated men and women and those re-entering society in a Christian environment.

“We have active programming in 17 different prisons,” Sanders said. “This is not jailhouse religion. It’s rigorous intensive discipleship. Nationally, the rate of recidivism is 70 percent. JUMPSTART, over the past 10 years, has a success rate of 96 percent. The Gospel works.”

About 91������

91������offers more than 125 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more.

Tigerville, S.C. (December 5, 2022) 91������ (NGU) hosted a Celebration of Life service for Davis Heller at Ray and Bea Dillard Field last Wednesday. Heller, a member of the 91������Baseball team, passed away suddenly in October at the age of 22.

“91������was blessed to have had Davis as a student for this short period of time, but we were blessed incredibly to be able to host the celebration of his life,” said 91������President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “The celebration was God-honoring and reminded us constantly of the hope of the resurrection and the importance of living as agents of grace and encouragement to those around us.”

Family members, friends and former teammates shared tributes during the event.

“He was a special guy,” Heller’s sister, Brianna, said at the service. “He made an impact on people no matter how well you knew him. He genuinely found joy in the success of those around him. His faith told him that God had a plan for him and there was plenty of success to go around.”

Frequently referred to as the “greatest teammate of all time,” Heller was remembered for the way he loved and supported others.

“Davis is referred to as the greatest teammate of all time, and quite honestly, that might be an understatement,” said Andrew Pinckney, who played with Heller at the University of Alabama.

“Everyone loved Davis,” added his South Mountain Community College teammate, Efry Cervantes. “He was the most loving, caring and supportive teammate I’ve ever had. He was the loudest person in the dugout when you did something great, and the first person to pick you up when you needed it. He was a once in a lifetime teammate.”

91������Senior Noah Takac said Heller was a role model for his teammates.

“He was the best of us. He was the person that we needed here,” Takac said. “He was a role model to everybody and somebody that we all looked up to. He was the greatest teammate, and I see now that he was the same guy everywhere he went.”

North Greenville Baseball Coach Landon Powell said Heller was also a competitor on the baseball diamond.

“Davis was a tremendous player. He could ball. He could hit. He could field. He was a great player,” Powell said. “He was such a great teammate that sometimes that gets overshadowed. I talk to the players a lot about building relationships, and Davis made that easy. He’d come every day for 10-15 minutes and just talk with me. It made me realize what kind of guy he was. His teammates gravitated toward him. He had an infectious personality.”

Mike Timlin, Heller’s high school baseball coach, led the ceremony. Hundreds were in attendance, including Heller’s former teammates from the University of Alabama.  

“He was a rough and tumble gentle giant,” Timlin said. “He was a fast friend to many, and patient and loving to many others.”

During the Celebration of Life, Heller’s parents, DJ and Melanie, announced the creation of a foundation in their son’s honor. Takac, an 91������pitcher, received the first $5,000 Davis Heller Foundation Scholarship Award.

“The scholarship is an incredible way to honor Davis’s memory, as it is a tangible continuation of his role on the team,” President Fant said. “I know that Noah was humbled by the award and future recipients will not only be humbled but will be inspired to live ‘large,’ just as Davis did.”

Heller’s obituary can be found . To learn more about the Davis Heller Memorial Foundation, click .

About 91������

91������offers more than 125 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more.

Tigerville, S.C. (November 30, 2022) Garry Smith, a long-time Affiliated Professor of Political Science at 91������ (NGU) and former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster earlier this month. The recognition is the highest honor a civilian can receive in the state of South Carolina.  

“For over 20 years, Garry Smith brought strong leadership and a steady hand to the General Assembly,” said Gov. McMaster. “His work not only made a tremendous impact on those in his district but for all of South Carolina. For this, and his many other contributions to our state, it was my honor to award him the Order of the Palmetto.”

Smith represented District 27 in the South Carolina House of Representatives for more than 20 years. During his tenure, he served in varied roles, including chair of the South Carolina House Operations Committee, board member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), chair of the Communications and Technology ALEC Taskforce, chair of the Greenville County Legislative Delegation, and member of the South Carolina Ways and Means Committee, where he served as chair of the Property Tax subcommittee.

“I’m honored to be recognized for service that I’ve given, not only in the General Assembly for 20 years as a representative of Greenville County in the South Carolina House of Representatives, but also for my soon-to-be 40 years in local government,” Smith said, “It’s something that I’m quite proud of and points to the things I’ve done in the community.”

Created in 1971 by South Carolina Governor John West, the Order of the Palmetto recognizes lifetime achievements and service by South Carolina residents.

“I love working with and for people. To have the opportunity to serve and give back to the community as part of your service, it’s really very rewarding,” Smith said. “I thank God for the opportunities he’s given me to take and share my life experiences from the local and state Government and pass them along to students and constituents that I have served.”

Smith has been recognized with the Legislator of the Year Award from South Carolina Habitat for Humanity, the Thomas Jefferson Legislator of the Year Award from the American Legislative Exchange Council, and the Terry Haskins Award from the Greenville County GOP.

About 91������

91������offers more than 125 areas of study across certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more.