DUE WEST, S.C. (courtesy erskine.edu) — Erskine College received the first annual Palmetto Award for Best Overall Delegation at this year’s fall session of the South Carolina Student Legislature (SCSL).
The new Palmetto Award is to be presented annually to the delegation which, in the opinion of the SCSL Elections and Awards committee, “best represents the ideals of SCSL through Legislation, Activity, Cohesion, and Commitment.” For the Palmetto Award, one delegation is chosen from among the recipients of the Best Small, Medium, and Large Delegation awards. Erskine won the Best Small Delegation award for the eighth time in the past 13 years.
Representing Erskine College at the SCSL fall session Nov. 3-5 were junior Tome Filkov of Lackawanna, N.Y.; junior Andrew Gaines of Honea Path, S.C.; freshman Annaleah Gilreath of Aynor, S.C.; junior Emma Harrington of Lake Wales, Fla.; senior Roberto Monzalvo of Batesburg, S.C.; senior Josh Mundy of Aiken, S.C.; and senior Ethan Wise of Blacksburg, S.C.
At the in-person gathering in Columbia, S.C., Monzalvo served as secretary of state for the session and Filkov was elected president pro tempore for the upcoming year.
Members of the delegation introduced five bills: Filkov and Gaines presented a bill on animal cruelty; Gilreath, a bill regarding concealed firearms on school property; Harrington and Mundy, a bill on controlled substances; Monzalvo, a bill on establishing residency for in-state tuition, state scholarships and grants, and occupational or professional licensure; and Wise, a bill concerning comprehensive health education classes in public schools.
The Best Written Brief award, given at the fall session to a delegate who displays exceptional legal writing skills, was presented to Filkov.
The Blake Alexander Campbell Memorial Award, given to a freshman who is a positive representative for the future of SCSL through “statesmanship, honor, courage, and integrity,” was presented to Gilreath.
Marissa Niño, a staff member in the Student Development Office, serves as sponsor of Erskine’s South Carolina Student Legislature delegation.