COLUMBIA, S.C. — Despite the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, generous donors helped SCICU exceed fundraising goals for fiscal year 2019-2020. Faithful, long-term donors, new scholarship programs, and an over-subscribed matching grant challenge helped SCICU raise nearly $600,000.
“SCICU is deeply grateful for how donors have stepped up this year and increased support for students attending independent colleges and universities in South Carolina,” said SCICU president & CEO Jeff Perez. “Fully 100 percent of funds raised by SCICU goes toward making it more affordable for South Carolina resident students to attend the independent college or university of their choice in their home state.”
Student retention scholarships and student emergency grants were a large focus for increased donations during fiscal year 2019-2020.
SCICU was selected as the first recipient of Power:Ed funding from the S.C. Student Loan Corporation. The program provides $50,000 for distribution to SCICU’s 20 member colleges and universities to aid in student retention and student degree completion during the 2020-21 academic year.
The Council of Independent Colleges (cic.edu) challenged SCICU to raise $20,000 in new funds for a $10,000 matching grant to benefit the SCICU Discretionary Grants Program. With the support of signature sponsors Comporium, Nephron Pharmaceuticals, and Williams & Fudge, as well as other new or increased gifts, SCICU exceeded the 2-for-1 fundraising threshold required for the $10,000 CIC challenge grant.
Security Federal Bank joined other South Carolina businesses and charitable organizations in supporting SCICU’s Named Scholars Program in 2020. Each of the 14 major donors specify the financial need and academic qualifications for scholarship recipients chosen to participate in their respective scholarship programs.
SCICU is proud to recognize the following donors for their contributions to the Named Scholars Program during the 2019-2020 fiscal year:
- The Bailey Foundation
- Colonial Life
- Dominion Energy
- Duke Energy
- Nephron Pharmaceuticals
- Sanders Family Foundation
- S.C. Student Loan Corporation
- Security Federal Bank
- Sonoco Products Company
- Truist Bank
- UPS Foundation
- Wells Fargo Foundation
- Williams & Fudge Company
The funds received from Named Scholars donors during the 2019-2020 fiscal year were distributed to scholarship recipients in September 2020.
Undergraduate student research is also a major focus of SCICU’s annual fundraising campaign. SCICU recognizes the following donors who contributed during the 2019-2020 fiscal year specifically for funding undergraduate student research opportunities for undergraduate students attending SCICU member colleges and universities:
- The Belle W. Baruch Foundation
- BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
- The Daniel-Mickel Foundation
- The Mills B. Lane Foundation
- The Milliken Foundation
- Nephron Pharmaceuticals
SCICU welcomes gifts of all sizes for supporting independent higher education at its member colleges and universities. Eddie Shannon, SCICU executive vice president, is always available to help with establishing new scholarship programs for students who choose to attend an independent college or university in South Carolina. Eddie can be reached by phone (803-730-2369) or email (eddie@scicu.org). Should you wish to donate to SCICU online, please visit https://scicu.org/new/donate/.