Each Homecoming we bestow alumni awards to alumni and other PC faithful for their contributions to the College. Josh Hinson ‘11 is the 2018 Mary F. Lehman Alumni Service Award recipient. The award recognizes an alumna or alumnus for outstanding meritorious service rendered Presbyterian College and the PC Alumni Association.

Now an attorney with Rogers Townsend & Thomas in Columbia, SC, Hinson says he gives back to his alma mater because he wants others to experience the opportunities PC offers.

“Going to PC allowed me to participate and learn from so many organizations and groups on campus,” Hinson said. “I would not have met the amazing professors and wonderful friends I have without attending PC. I would not be able to share my love and excitement for the law as an adjunct without choosing PC.

“I would not have the opportunity to be part of a community that cares about educating the entire person had I not decided to spend four years in Clinton, SC.”

Hinson frequently stops by the Alumni Office to see how he can serve the Alumni Association’s mission. He was instrumental in forming an alumni chapter in the Midlands of South Carolina and now serves as Chapter president.

A member of the PC Choir as a student, Hinson volunteers his time and talents for the Music Department as well. He collaborated with other music-interested alumni to form a nonprofit that provides scholarships so that high school students can attend music camp at PC.

“My loyalty to PC is rooted in ensuring that students who come from all over the Southeast have the ability to experience the ‘PC Bubble,’” Hinson said. “When alumni think about their collective experiences, I hope they think about investing in PC, not as a repayment for what they received, but as a guarantee that PC will be here to provide those opportunities for years in the future.”

Hinson, who earned a bachelor’s degree in political science, returned to the classroom in Harrington-Peachtree to teach Constitutional Law. As part of his work in the classroom, he’s taken students to Columbia to visit the USC School of Law, the South Carolina Court of Appeals, and the South Carolina Supreme Court.

“I have certainly seen in my time as a law clerk to Chief Judge Lockemy on the Court of Appeals, and now at Rogers Townsend & Thomas, shining examples of PC lawyers who are some of the most effective advocates for their clients,” he said.

PC prepared Hinson for law school and for his career in law. According to Hinson, many law professors encourage students to ask questions after class. Hinson says he was more prepared to interact one-on-one with his professors than his law school classmates were.

“It was easy for me to go from meeting Dr. Raber and Dr. Ingram to discuss political theory and elections, to meeting my constitutional law and civil procedure professors to discuss issues arising before the Supreme Court,” Hinson said.

Hinson also learned how to communicate and manage his time effectively while at PC, two skills required to be a successful attorney.

“There are business commitments, family commitments, civil commitments—and most of those commitments are based on someone else’s schedule,” Hinson said. “Balancing a demanding schedule, while also making time to fully prepare to represent your client well is tough.

“There are plenty of smart lawyers in this state, but the number who can effectively assert their position are the ones who will be most successful, and PC has been instrumental in my success thus far.”

Hinson lives in Columbia, SC. He has been a consistent donor to the PC Fund since his graduation.

For a list of all of this year’s award recipients, visit the Alumni Awards Recipients page.