EDUCATION Photo/Courtesy of MUSC
comes to higher education. Many exciting programs are under way here, including the South Carolina Centers for Economic Excellence program. The state created the Centers for Economic Excellence program in 2002 to provide incentives for the state’s research universities to raise capital from private sources to fund endowments for specialized research professorships. The professorships serve a unique role in helping cultivate critical public-private industrial partnerships and expanding the state’s knowledge base. At the same time, South Carolina is grappling with decreasing state funds and increased tuition costs. Without money for new facilities, demand in the coming years may outstrip capacity. And schools are constantly challenged with training students for the evolving high-tech industry. The good news is that university officials and lawmakers spend countless hours studying, debating and creating innovative ways to advance higher learning in South Carolina — without putting the financial burden on students and their families. The state’s colleges and universities — including many in the Lowcountry — offer
Aspiring students in class at the Medical University of South Carolina. a competitive education to traditional and returning students. They also help fuel the local economy by serving as some of the area’s largest employers, by luring students and families to town, and by fostering relationships with the community and businesses. The Low-
country’s institutions of higher learning are — and will continue to be — a major part of the cultural fabric of this region. For more information on higher education institutions in South Carolina, visit the S.C. Commission on Higher Education at www.che.sc.gov.
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