Presbyterian College honored its most stalwart supporters last week at the annual celebration of the William Plumer Jacobs Society at the Hyatt Regency in Greenville.

In her opening remarks, new society member Ruth Roper, the chair of PC’s Board of Trustees, said donors’ dedication and commitment to the college has touched countless lives, sparked hope, and made a real difference.

“Tonight, we celebrate the powerful impact that philanthropy can make on a small campus and in our broader society,” Roper said. “It is a testament to the belief that each one of us, regardless of our background or means, can make a difference and create a lasting legacy of kindness and compassion.”

PC president Dr. Anita Gustafson opened her address to the society by recognizing the Blue Hose women’s basketball team for representing the college on the national stage in the NCAA women’s tournament.

“It was a moment when so many Blue Hose fans gathered together, cheering everything that is PC,” she said. Our players made us proud, and the best thing is that there is now a national conversation about what it means to be a Blue Hose.”

Demonstrating a lifetime of giving and support to PC is also what it means to be a Blue Hose – particularly those whose gifts exceed $100,000 and earn them a place in the WPJ Society. Collectively, members of the society have given $168 million to PC.

Of those present at the event, 13 are current or former members of the college’s board of trustees, 24 alumni, and 19 parents of current or former students. In all, the gathered members of the society have given more than $17 million to PC.

Gustafson said those gifts fuel the success of the college’s students and propel them towards meaningful futures.

“Our academic program cultivates lives for leadership and service, and what it did for the alumni in this room, it continues to do for this next generation,” Gustafson said. “Ninety-five percent of our graduates from last year, 2023, were employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation. So don’t tell me a liberal arts education isn’t practical.”

Gustafson highlighted several academic successes this year, including students named the best small delegation at the S.C. Student Legislature, senior biology major Lorenzo Nagy’s win for best student poster at a biochemistry and molecular biology symposium, and pharmacy student Makenzie Chapman’s top 10 finish in a national pharmacy counseling competition. She also noted that PC School of Pharmacy graduates scored higher on their national examinations than any other pharmacy school in the state and higher than the national average.

Gustafson again hailed the accomplishments of the women’s basketball team, especially its 100 percent graduation rate, and the success of the women’s wrestling team, which finished its season in the top 10 in the nation and produced three All-Americans — all first-year students. She said PC’s success in the classroom and competition is primarily made possible through the kindness and generosity of its donors.

The William Plumer Jacobs Society honored its newest Distinguished Member, PC alumnus Jerry Smith ’50, for his longtime support of his beloved alma mater. In 2007, Smith and his late wife, Lillis, established the Lillis B. and Thomas Gerald Smith, Sr. Scholarship Fund. They also supported the Neville Renewed Campaign to renovate Neville Hall and construct the Cornelson Center, the Championship Spirit Athletic Facilities Initiative, and the Scotsman Club.

“There is only one Jerry Smith, that’s for sure,” Gustafson said. “He is always present at football games, in the stands, in the president’s box, at the tailgates. He’s seen sharing laughs at alumni gatherings on campus and in the community, and he attends more events and activities at PC in a year than many do in a lifetime. So, we celebrate both the individual alumnus and the couple who have done so much for Presbyterian College and for whom we owe much thanks and gratitude.”

The WPJ Society also welcomed nine new members for lifetime gifts ranging from $100,000 to $249,999.

New Members

• John ’81 and Ellen ’83 D’Andrea
• Paul and Susan Grier
• Greg Hatcher, The Hatcher Agency
• Bob Hunt ’52 (In Memoriam)
• Steve and Jerri Lynne Lamb
• Henry L’Heureux ’50 (In Memoriam)
• Ruth Roper
• Richard ’76 (In Memoriam) and Rachelle Shirley
• Walgreens

Gustafson recognized several current members of the WPJ Society whose gifts have elevated them to new levels within the donor group.

President’s Society ($250,000-$499,999)

• David ’92 and Dacia Fields
• John ’87 and Tish Inman

Bell Tower Society ($500,000-$999,999)

• Hartwell ’75 and Susan Dew
• Lillis B. (In Memoriam) and Jerry ’50 Smith
• Russell Vance

The Society of 1880 ($1 million or more)

• Tom Free ’91

College students expressed their gratitude to PC’s devoted donors by writing personal “thank you” notes left at each place setting during the dinner. Donors also watched a video presentation from senior computer science major Bri Santiago-Swindell of Rincon, Ga.

“I stand before you today with a heart overflowing with gratitude and a spirit filled with profound appreciation,” she said. “I am so honored to speak before you today and beyond grateful to represent not only myself but countless PC students whose lives have been touched by the generosity and care from the people in the room, beyond the room, and from those who have passed on.”

Santiago-Swindell said her academic strengths and scholarship opportunities convinced her early on that PC was the right fit for her college journey. Even with COVID-19 restrictions in her first year, Santiago-Swindell said she discovered PC is a special place.

“When I arrived, I found Presbyterian College to be a beautiful campus with a vibrant, tight-knit community whose professors and staff truly cared,” she said. I gravitated towards student organizations, active initiatives for inclusivity, and opportunities to enjoy life on campus. Because of your generous contributions, I’ve had the privilege of creating an enduring balance between my academics, my extracurricular activities, and service in other unimaginable opportunities.

“Your initial financial support may have brought me here, but your continued financial support is the foundation of a high-standard environment, supportive and caring community that gave me no doubt to continue my education at Presbyterian College. Your belief in students like me serves as a source of inspiration and motivation, reminding us that our dreams are valid and achievable.”

New society member Paul Grier closed the evening by reflecting on PC’s soul and why it remains relevant and transformative. He and his wife, Susan, sent their daughter Elizabeth to study and be a member of the Blue Hose acrobatics and tumbling team, and she graduated last spring to become a first-year third-grade teacher.

“Presbyterian College is in the business of changing lives,” he said,  and we are the happy recipients of that commitment, of your generosity, of an extraordinary faculty and staff. People like your president, (history professor) Roy Campbell, and (education professor) Patti Jones, who have shaped the life of a 22-year-old who is now shaping the lives of third graders one class at a time. And Susan and I are grateful.”

During Elizabeth’s second year at PC, a member of her team contracted COVID, Grier said, and he got a call from the former dean of students, Dr. Joy Smith, asking him to let five members of the squad quarantine at the beach house where he and Susan were staying.

“I said, ‘Joy, Susan and I are at the beach house,'” Grier said. “And without a moment’s hesitation, Joy said, ‘Well, Paul, y’all are going to have to leave. But buy some groceries before you do.’ Friends, that’s how you change the world.

“You change the world by caring about people enough to tell their parents what to do. You change the world by caring enough to ensure that students are safe, are nurtured, are educated, and are affirmed. Philanthropy is a counterintuitive act, but for each of you, it is obviously a lifelong commitment. And Susan and I are grateful. We’re grateful that PC is changing the world one student at a time, one family at a time. Keep up the good work, and continue investing in the lives of these students.”