/Art_Scholarship_Announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 28, 2011 MEDIA CONTACT: Candace Brasseur USCB Public Information Director 843-208-8030 brasse@uscb.edu

USCB announces Art scholarships and raises donor challenge September 28, 2011

Beaufort, SC- Harris Pastides, President of the University of South Carolina, recognized Brantley Harvey, Colden Battey, and Mayor Billy Keyserling, as he announced the results of their successful “Beaufort College Art Scholarship” campaign on the lawn of Beaufort College amongst local officials and community supporters. This campaign began in February 2011, when Mayor Keyserling, and long-time state and regional leaders W. Brantley Harvey, Jr. and Colden Battey, challenged the Beaufort community to raise 25 scholarships to encourage talented art students to study the arts in Beaufort. Pastides enthusiastically reported that 54 scholarships were pledged for a four year commitment of $1000 per year, resulting in a total of $218,000 dollars that have been pledged for over four years. According to Pastides, “I thank Chancellor Upshaw, Mayor Keyserling and all the local officials who have worked so hard to give this campus—which has a regional heritage that reaches back to the founding of Beaufort College in 1795—a new strategic vision for its future. We know that their ongoing commitment will inspire more people to give their support to making the Historic Beaufort campus a full-service residential arts campus.”

The surprise announcement of the afternoon was given by Tim Pearce, Chair of the Beaufort Jasper Higher Education Commission. Beaufort resident David Lott is offering a challenge gift to USCB supporters and arts enthusiasts. “This challenge is directed at entirely new donors who can generate even more broad support to this great first result.

Based on the success of the first phase of raising scholarship support for the Studio Art

program, the challenge gift reflects Lott’s belief that the University of South Carolina Beaufort’s strategic vision for the Historic Beaufort campus can be successful with demonstrated grass roots support.” One condition of the match is that it is payable only if the full amount required by the challenge is raised by March 15, 2012. Moreover, A single large donor cannot redeem the matching grant for the University. Lott’s challenge grant will be awarded only if 25 new donors pledge $4000, to be paid $1000 per year over 4 years, to support students pursuing arts degrees offered on the Historic Beaufort campus. Should the University meet the 25 pledge goal, David Lott will offer an additional match of $5000.

Altogether David Lott is offering $30,000 in challenge dollars to USCB supporters who value the arts. According to Pearce, “Together with the Beaufort community, USCB and the Beaufort-Jasper Higher Education Commission welcome Mr. Lott’s challenge.” Lott, who has lived in Beaufort since 2004, first learned of the opportunity for community involvement in Beaufort through the Senior Leadership program. He has served as a member of Beaufort-Port Royal Joint Plan Commission and was Chair of the Steering Committee for the 2010 Beaufort Comprehensive Plan. He presently serves as a director of the Beaufort Jasper Water & Sewer Authority. Lott has had a lifelong interest in education. His first job was as a teacher in New York City. He holds a law degree from University of Virginia, and a Master of Arts in History from University of Michigan.

Lott has four children, two of whom are working artists. He credits his children and his wife Helena Appleton for his interest in arts education.

USCB’s Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art was approved in January of 2009 and began in two new painting and drawing studios renovated with funds from the Heritage Golf Classic Foundation. USCB built its first studios for ceramics and graphic design and significantly upgraded its print-making capabilities in its existing art studio. A café for students and community members, “Outtakes,” opened in 2010. In 2011, the library was remodeled. As part of the larger vision for the campus, USCB purchased the former Bellamy Inn on Carteret Street as a location for its Sea Islands Institute. USCB also purchased the Grace White house, an historic home on Carteret Street, which will open in the Fall of 2012 as the first student housing on the Historic Beaufort campus.

Chancellor Jane Upshaw concluded the ceremony. “My colleagues and I inherited a great legacy from Old Beaufort College and a rich heritage from our Institution’s past history. But, the best is yet to come. With the leadership and support of this city and this region, we will seize this moment to rededicate ourselves to achieve a new vision with great hope, idealism, determination and conviction to reach our destiny. Thank you for your presence today. Thank you for your support. And thank you most of all for your dedication to the vision.”

Please see attached photo: USC President Harris Pastides, Brantley Harvey, Tim Pearce, David Lott, Colden Battey, and Mayor Billy Keyserling reveal the results for the first community challenge of the Beaufort Scholarship campaign alongside the second challenge put forth by the donor willing to match future funds, David Lott. ###

ABOUT PRESIDENT PASTIDES Harris Pastides was named the University of South Carolina's 28th president on Aug. 1, 2008, following a decade of service as a professor, dean, and vice president. He was the first internal candidate to be elected president of the University of South Carolina in more than half a century. Under Pastides' leadership as vice president for research and health sciences, research funding and sponsored programs at South Carolina have increased 89 percent since 2002, reaching a record $206 million for fiscal year 2008.

Pastides continues to take a leading role in the development of Innovista, the research innovation district he helped design and launch during his tenure. With Focus Carolina, one of his first major initiatives as University president, Pastides has launched the most comprehensive strategic planning initiative in the University's history. The effort is expected to result in transformational goals that will steer a course for the University's long-term future. For more information, please see http://president.sc.edu/PresidentPastidesBio.php

ABOUT USCB Located in the heart of the Carolina Sea Islands, the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB) is a senior institution of the University of South Carolina system serving the southeast coast of Georgia and South Carolina. USCB has been the fastest growing baccalaureate institution in the USC system since becoming a four year university in 2002.The University has two campuses which serve a diverse student body of more than 1750 students. The Historic Beaufort campus, located on Beaufort’s downtown waterfront, houses an innovative baccalaureate studio arts program in close proximity to Beaufort’s many art galleries. The Hilton Head Gateway campus in Bluffton, S.C., offers cutting-edge Computational Science and Nursing laboratories and is the home to Sand Shark athletics. USCB offers students an exceptional place to learn and live in an environment focused on growth, preservation and opportunity. For more information about the University of South Carolina Beaufort, please visit www.uscb.edu online or call the university’s Office of Public Information at 843-2088030.