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SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics: Celebrating 20 Years

August 26, 2008

The 20th Anniversary of the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics is in full swing with the start of the 2008-09 academic year.

Founded in 1988 by the late Governor Carroll Campbell Jr. and former Sonoco Products Company chairman Charles Coker, GSSM celebrates more than 1,100 alumni from all 46 South Carolina counties. Presently, more than 50 percent of them live and work in the Palmetto State, positively impacting our state’s knowledge-based economy. 

Earlier this year, the Governor's School broke ground on 70,000 square feet of much-needed additional academic and activity space at its Hartsville campus. Its new academic center will include a state-of-the-art Economics and Finance Institute, a World Languages and Culture Lab, a Digital Media Center for Music and Art and an array of advanced classrooms and laboratories. The new facilities will allow GSSM to more than double the size of its enrollment and faculty, with plans to grow to 300 students beginning in 2010.

“This is a tremendously exciting time for the Governor's School for Science and Mathematics,” said GSSM president Dr. Murray Brockman. “We are entering our 20th year at the same time we are embarking on the final phase of construction of our new campus. The new facilities will launch dramatic expansions of our school. Not only will we grow in size, we will increase the scope of our endeavors to include innovative new programs in economics and engineering. Simultaneously, we will expand our reach to include cooperative programs in Asia and Europe. It is a great time for the Governor's School and a great time for South Carolina.”

In addition to the groundbreaking held in April, other 20th Anniversary events will include the first-ever, all-class alumni reunion September 12-13, a special donor and community celebration on October 1, the annual Townes Award Dinner on March 4 and a special graduation ceremony on May 30.

For more information on the South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, please contact Jacqulyne Pouncey at the GSSM Foundation.