ORANGEBURG, S.C. — A South Carolina university is paying off the balances of 35 graduating seniors so that they can walk the stage for the spring commencement. But there's a twist.
According to South Carolina State, the recipients were required to sign a pledge with President Alexander Conyers. The pledge requires the students to donate back at least the amount received to the university over a three-year period. The goal is to make sure future graduating classes can benefit.
"Given this historic milestone in these students' lives, it would have been a letdown for them not to be able to participate,” Conyers said in a prepared statement. “I know that they have tried everything to make it happen and were unable to."
More than $150,000 was drawn from various sources including the SC State Foundation's Gap Scholarship Fund and the "Ready All to Do and Dare" fundraising campaign which marked the university's 125th year.
