Author: Charleston Daily

Charleston Daily is a concept in community. Its mission is to promote, assist, and celebrate in everything Charleston, South Carolina. By partnering with businesses, community leaders, volunteers and events, we are spreading the love that is Charleston. As this city continues to grow and prosper, we want to help spread the message to all about how wonderful this community is. Charleston is about the people, community, water, land, history, heritage and the true southern warmth it brings with each and every day.

Lowcountry

The first majority Black-owned venture capital firm founded in South Carolina (Charleston), receives an equity investment from Bank of America

March 15, 2023 by 0 Comments
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Fund’s first close with Bank of America provides equity investment supporting women and BIPOC entrepreneurs.

CHARLESTON, SC – Hi Mark Capital, the first majority Black-owned venture capital firm founded in South Carolina, has received an equity investment from Bank of America as part of the company’s commitment to address the persistent gap in access to growth capital for women and minority-led businesses.

The investment from Bank of America comes as venture funding to Black-founded companies is experiencing a national decline. Recognizing the need for investments in minority-led businesses, Bank of America was the first bank to commit to the fund and partner for HI Mark Capital’s first close, which will catalyze growth and advance racial equality and economic opportunity in South Carolina and across the Southeast.

“HI Mark Capital is committed to investing in minority, female or Indigenous founders across the southeast that traditionally face barriers to accessing capital. Our inaugural fund will invest in or acquire, incubate, and scale sustainable startups or early-stage tech-enabled businesses,” said HI Mark Capital Managing Partner, Herbert L. Drayton III. “Bank of America’s partnership is a strong foundation from which HI Mark Capital can build toward our $20 million Fund target. This partnership will in turn help remove barriers to building wealth and reducing the wealth gap for minority and women entrepreneurs.”

The Team

Founded in March 2020, HI Mark Capital’s inaugural fund is committed to investing in women and BIPOC-led early-stage businesses in growing and competitive markets, while also providing the support and guidance new and experienced entrepreneurs need. HI Mark Capital invests in diverse entrepreneurial leaders who engage in our comprehensive approach to sustainability, which measures impact based on ESG standards.

The Bank of America investment will support broader access to capital for Black, brown and women-owned businesses, an ownership group that is underrepresented in the Southeast in part because of challenges with accessing capital. The partnership with HI Mark Capital builds on the bank’s local efforts to support and help grow small and minority-owned businesses in the Lowcountry community, including connecting business owners with wrap-around services like education programs, technical assistance vendors, and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) resources, and Bank of America’s education programs. 

“Our equity investment in HI Market Capital is just one example of the bank’s commitment to addressing the gap in access to capital and to deploy more into emerging companies led by diverse entrepreneurs. HI Mark Capital is well positioned to help more minority founders scale their business, which will ultimately spur job growth and more economic opportunities across South Carolina and the Southeast,” said Mark Munn, president, Bank of America Charleston/Hilton Head. “Bank of America has committed more than $400 million to more than 100 women and minority-led funds across the country through capital investments in mission-focused  funds, like HI Mark Capital.”

HI Mark Capital Fund I

HI Mark Capital’s inaugural fund provides investment opportunities in SEDI led early-stage businesses in growing and competitive markets, while also providing the support and guidance new and experienced entrepreneurs need. We invest in diverse entrepreneurial leaders who engage in our comprehensive approach to sustainability, which measures impact based on ESG standards. Good Growth Capital, HI Mark’s fund partner, is the most active venture capital fund in South Carolina and provides us with full fund administration services, and access to its team and network to assist in deal sourcing, due diligence, and portfolio management.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 68 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,900 retail financial centers, approximately 16,000 ATMs and award-winning digital banking with approximately 56 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, register for news email alerts.

Lowcountry

Charleston Housing Authority Opens College Scholarship Applications

March 14, 2023 by 0 Comments
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CHARLESTON, S.C. (March 14, 2023) – The Charleston Housing Authority today announced the availability of the Cynthia Graham Hurd and Jack C. Muller Memorial Scholarships, which are available to pending high school graduates currently living in Housing Authority residences or households that participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

To be eligible, applicants must be graduating seniors (May/June 2023) in Charleston or Berkeley County School Districts with a minimum grade point average of 2.75. Applications from students seeking admission to a technical, two-year or four-year college or university will be considered. 

The Cynthia Graham Hurd Memorial Scholarship was created to honor its namesake, longtime Housing Authority Commissioner, Charleston County and College of Charleston librarian, and Septima P. Clark Corporation President Cynthia Graham Hurd, who tragically lost her life in the June 2015 Mother Emanuel AME Church shooting. The scholarship is available in the amount of $1,000.

The Jack C. Muller Memorial Scholarship was established in 1980 to honor former Housing Authority Board Chairman and local architect Jack Muller, who dedicated his life to improving access to affordable housing, education and employment opportunities throughout the Charleston area. In his will, Mr. Muller designated a trust to be used as a scholarship fund for students residing at Charleston Housing Authority properties. The scholarship is available in the amount of $2,000, distributed in $500 increments. 

Complete scholarship details and application instructions can be found at www.chacity.org/scholarships. 

For more information, please contact Xavier Hampton at xhampton@chacity.org.

ABOUT THE CHARLESTON HOUSING AUTHORITY

The mission of the Charleston Housing Authority is to provide decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing to low and moderate-income citizens of the City of Charleston. Authority employees provide day-to-day operational support for 1,407 public housing households located throughout the city and more than 1,593 Housing Choice Voucher Program participants living in private accommodations.

Lowcountry

THRIVE Coworking Officially Debuts in Charleston, SC with Grand Opening Event on March, 30, 2023

March 14, 2023 by 0 Comments
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Phase 1 Occupancy at 95 Percent, Phase 2 Launching With Private Offices and Memberships

ATLANTA, March 14, 2023 – THRIVE | Coworking, a flexible workspace solution with a commitment to philanthropy and community involvement, today announced its Charleston, SC, location is hosting its grand opening on Thursday, March 30, at 4:30pm, with the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce joining for the official ribbon cutting at 5:30. Custom beverages and beautiful decor will be provided by Zest Vodka and Balloon Therapy, two businesses that are already utilizing THRIVE | Charleston as part of the space’s Phase 1 launch, which is at 95 percent capacity. Phase 2 is currently underway, offering private offices and memberships. THRIVE | Charleston is located on the third floor at 174 Meeting St.

As more professionals demand to work close to home, coworking spaces are filling this need to create a healthy work/life balance while providing the physical workspace necessary for team building and mentorship.

“As part of our strategy at THRIVE | Coworking, we are looking to work with any size organization looking for offices outside their main headquarters, as well as provide a professional environment for entrepreneurs, freelancers and students,” says THRIVE Chief Revenue Officer Chris Smith. “We look forward to hosting our members and guests at the grand opening and fully embracing the city of Charleston and this vibrant downtown neighborhood.”

Smith and THRIVE Co-Founder/CEO Ramon Gonzalez will attend the event, sharing the company’s community-focused philosophy and vision for the future of THRIVE | Charleston. The grand opening also offers an opportunity to tour the 10,000-square-foot space set in the cultural heart of Charleston, as well as enjoy catered food and drinks, games and raffles. 

Featuring open spaces, 32 private offices, three conference rooms (including one that doubles as a podcasting studio), and an onsite cafe, THRIVE |Charleston offers a variety of memberships designed to meet the needs of both large and small businesses and the modern, independent workforce. There are also bottomless coffee, tea and snacks, as well as monthly catered breakfasts, lunches and happy hours.

Located near the historic Charleston City Market, the city’s most-visited attraction, the new building offers lots of windows and natural light with all the desired workplace amenities. The walkable neighborhood is also full of historical architecture and offers delis, shops and restaurants. Parking is available, as well as public transportation. 

To RSVP visit https://workatthrive.com/rsvp-charleston-grand-opening/.

In addition to Charleston, THRIVE | Coworking members have access to all THRIVE workspaces located around the Southeast and Midwest, as well as around the country and internationally through reciprocal use of LExC coworking spaces. 

THRIVE | Coworking

Provides freelancers, entrepreneurs and enterprises a remote workspace for the contemporary, hybrid workforce. The curated culture features scheduled events, 24/7/365 access, and monthly catered meals and happy hours in vibrant, walkable neighborhoods.

Global private-equity and real estate asset-management group 33 Degrees invested to open 500 THRIVE locations throughout the United States and Canada, enabling THRIVE to now serve enterprises struggling with their hybrid model and to acquire coworking operators who wish to exit or scale with THRIVE.

THRIVE | Initiative

THRIVE | Initiative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps charities, enterprises and communities thrive through the power of generosity. It does this by raising awareness of important causes, energizing corporate philanthropic cultures, and a micro-donation platform that inspires people to do good through service, giving and shopping locally. 

Lowcountry

SC Works Trident to Host Career Fair – Wednesday, March 22, 2023

March 14, 2023 by 0 Comments
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SC WORKS TRIDENT TO HOST CAREER FAIR FEATURING WIDE-RANGING OPPORTUNITIES

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC INVITED TO ATTEND, INTERVIEW ON-THE-SPOT

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (MARCH 13, 2023) – SC Works Trident will host a Career Fair featuring hundreds of job opportunities in wide-ranging local industries from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at SC Works Dorchester, located at 1325-A Boone Hill Road in Summerville, SC. 

During the event, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from representatives of a variety of regional employers (full list below) and may be invited to participate in job interviews on-the-spot. To facilitate the interview process, attendees are encouraged to come prepared with an up-to-date resume. 

The event is open to the public and registration is not required. 

Representatives of the following employers will be in attendance: Berkeley County Schools, BG Multifamily, Carolina Youth Development, Comfort Keepers, Dial America, Dobbs Equipment, Dorchester County Government, Event Partners, Inc., Healing Hands Companion, Job Impulse, KBR, Labor Finders of SC, Lee Distributors, Lineage Logistics, Nightingale’s Nursing and Attendants, Ready SC, Sanders Brothers Construction, SC Department of Corrections, SC Department of Motor Vehicles, SC Mentor, Staff Zone, Sundaram-Clayton, Transdev Services and Waffle House. 

ABOUT SC WORKS TRIDENT

SC Works Trident comprises one-stop centers in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. SC Works Trident offers a variety of services to help employers and job seekers meet their workforce development needs.  For the latest on SC Works, visit SCWorksTrident.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

An Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. Auxiliary Aides and Services are Available upon request.

For program funding details in compliance with the Stevens Amendment, please visit https://www.scworkstrident.org/.

Lowcountry

Hounen Solar establishing first U.S. manufacturing operations in Orangeburg County (South Carolina) – $33M investment and 200 jobs

March 14, 2023 by 1 Comment
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$33 million investment will create 200 new jobs

Hounen Solar (Hounen), a global solar panel manufacturer, today announced plans to establish its first United States manufacturing operations in Orangeburg County. The company’s $33 million investment will create 200 new jobs.

Headquartered in Chino, California, Hounen manufactures solar photovoltaic (PV) panels worldwide, serving the clean energy market. In addition to solar panels, the company creates other electrical products. With a commitment to sustainability, Hounen uses innovative power sources to create clean energy including sustainable systems, turbine energy and renewable energy.

Located at 145 Millennium Drive in Orangeburg, Hounen’s plans include leasing a 200,720-square-foot plant, marking the company’s first manufacturing operations in the U.S and first South Carolina location. The Orangeburg County facility will allow the company to develop, manufacture and sell one gigawatt (GW) crystalline silicon PV panels in the U.S.

Individuals interested in joining the Hounen team should email resumes to the company.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project. The council also awarded a $500,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF) grant to Orangeburg County to assist with the costs of building improvements.

QUOTES

“We are excited to announce our first manufacturing operations in the United States. Our new solar panel assembly plant will allow us to produce one GW crystalline silicon PV panels for markets in the U.S. We are grateful for the help and support of the South Carolina team and look forward to providing more economic opportunities in the state.”
-Hounen Solar Chief Executive Officer Jufang Lv

“Hounen’s investment in Orangeburg County not only adds to the state’s growing renewable energy economy but also shows that South Carolina is a place where companies in every industry can thrive. We look forward to creating a strong partnership with Hounen for years to come and seeing the impact of these 200 new jobs.”
-Gov. Henry McMaster

“This investment by Hounen will further strengthen South Carolina’s growing reputation in the clean energy sector, and we are excited for the environmental and economic opportunities that they will bring to the state. We welcome them to Orangeburg County and look forward to seeing them excel.”
-Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III

“We are delighted to welcome Hounen to Orangeburg County. Orangeburg County is a dynamic community on many fronts, from our talented, quality workforce to being the prime location for diverse industries across the globe. Hounen’s $33 million investment and creation of 200 jobs demonstrate how our community and the state work together as a team and support one another for the betterment of all.”
-Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright Sr.

“As interest in alternative energy resources by businesses, communities and individuals grows, so too does the need for the means to access those resources. Investments like today’s from Hounen Solar create more than just a product for increasing solar demands – it also creates well-paying and stable job opportunities for workers. We welcome Hounen Solar to Orangeburg County, and congratulate the company and our county partners on a bright future.”
-Central SC Alliance Chairman Matthew Shaffer

FIVE FAST FACTS

  • Hounen Solar (Hounen) is establishing its first U.S. manufacturing operations in Orangeburg County.
  • The company’s $33 million investment will create 200 new jobs.
  • Hounen is a global solar panel manufacturer.
  • Located at 145 Millennium Drive in Orangeburg, S.C.
  • Individuals interested in joining the Hounen team should email resumes to the company.

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Lowcountry

$8.4 Million EDA Good Jobs Challenge Grant Awarded to Charleston Metro Chamber, E3 Foundation and Roper St. Francis Healthcare

March 13, 2023 by 0 Comments
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The Charleston Chamber Foundation, through the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, along with Educate, Empower and Elevate Foundation (E3) and Roper St. Francis Healthcare have been selected to receive an $8.4 million grant through the Good Jobs Challenge funded by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. This project is one of 32 Good Jobs Challenge grantees, from a competitive pool of 509 applicants, to receive funding.  

The Good Jobs Challenge, administered by the Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration, brings together employers who have hiring needs with other key entities to provide in demand skills training that leads to good-paying jobs and jobs that lead to better economic mobility for historically marginalized communities. Through the grant, the Chamber, E3 and Roper St. Francis will ignite inclusive and equitable workforce growth within the healthcare industry. 

“The Good Jobs Challenge grant is a transformational opportunity for our community to create career pathways offering upward mobility for our region’s underserved populations,” said Bryan Derreberry, Charleston Metro Chamber President and CEO. “Working alongside E3 and Roper St. Francis will ensure our efforts are equity-centered and are meeting the demands of one of our most important sectors, healthcare.” 

Through the grant, the three partners will develop the Lowcountry Careers Collaborative in Healthcare, an equity-centered, employer-led approach that builds upon existing regional training systems to offer pathways to higher level careers. This will be accomplished by: 

  • Empowering underserved populations to seek opportunities in promising sectors 
  • Collaborating across sectors to address skills gaps identified by employers  
  • Addressing workforce barriers within our community and with employers that have prevented inclusive work environments and equitable growth for all community members
  • Improving access to training for communities of color that will enhance pathways to high-earning potential jobs in healthcare, simultaneously boosting representative healthcare options  
  • Delivering thoughtful integrative services 

“We believe that the Lowcountry Healthcare Careers Collaborative could be a blueprint for how we increase the family wages of traditionally marginalized communities,” said LaTisha Vaughn, E3 Chief Programs Officer. “We are not just working on getting people ready for jobs; we are also working on making sure employers are ready for all members of the Charleston community in their work environments.”

Efforts will initially focus on the healthcare sector; however, the infrastructure is being established to add on additional sectors in the future.

Healthcare is a vital and important industry for our community. Earnings per job in healthcare in our region average $73,993, a wage 66% higher than the median household income for African American families in 2019. Of healthcare postings in 2021, 82% did not list a requirement for a bachelor’s degree. This signals a significant opportunity for targeted engagement of individuals without a college degree.

“At Roper St. Francis Healthcare, we want our teammates to be a reflection of our greater community. We are thrilled to partner in this meaningful effort to create more career pathways for residents in underserved communities because we know we are our best together,” said Dr. Michael Moxley, Vice President and Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity Officer at Roper St. Francis Healthcare. “As coworkers and healthcare providers, we must be committed to not only embracing our differences but pursuing them for perspective. This is central to carrying out our mission of ‘healing all people with compassion, faith and excellence’ and making our communities stronger.”

The Lowcountry Careers Collaborative in Healthcare is designed to bridge historic gaps in employment representation by training a diverse coalition of healthcare workers. Partnering with E3 will ensure the program is inclusive to populations that have historically been excluded from accessing quality career pathways in the local healthcare industry. Roper St. Francis will serve as the leading employer and backbone organization to identify real skills needs and facilitate job placements.

“By integrating industry in every step of the talent development process, these awardees are focused on supporting underserved communities in diverse areas across the country, helping to remove systemic barriers for workers and connecting employers with the trained workforce they need to grow and sustain competitive local economies,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Castillo.

The Good Jobs Challenge is part of a suite of  American Rescue Plan programs  developed by EDA to equitably distribute its $3 billion allocation to assist communities nationwide in their efforts to build a better America by accelerating economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and building more resilient, shockproof local economies. 

Charleston Metro Chamber Media Contact:  Erin Aylor, SVP of Marketing – eaylor@charlestonchamber.org | 843.805.3053 

E3 Media Contact: Tonita Perry, APR, Principal/Chief PR/Marketing Communications Strategist – tperry@eaddyperry.com | 704.965.6956

Roper St. Francis Healthcare Media Contact: Andy Lyons, Director of Corporate Communications & Content Strategy – Andy.lyons@rsfh.com | 843.958.1272 

About the Charleston Metro Chamber: With approximately 1,600 member organizations representing 160,000 professionals, the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce serves as the collective voice of the business community, and a catalyst for regional economic advancement and member success through Talent, Advocacy, Leadership and Business Development. Visit charlestonchamber.org.

About Educate, Empower and Elevate Foundation (E3): E3: Educate, Empower, Elevate Foundation, is a 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to ensure those most impacted by inequities are educated, empowered, and elevated to exercise their agency collectively in the South. E3 works to educate Black and Brown families through culturally competent, relevant, and sustainable engagement, to empower through the coalition building of Black and Brown led-organizations, leaders, educators, children, and families, and to elevate Black and Brown communities to act in their power and purpose. E3’s guiding principle is that those most impacted by systemic inequities – people of color – must be at the center of all decision-making. It is not only their North Star but is fundamental to their approach. E3 Founding Partners are Black women, with 55 years of collective cross-sector experience, who are competent, committed, community-minded, and have experience across sectors including non-profit, advocacy, corporates, and public education. They provide a voice to those closest to the problem and most impacted.

About Roper St. Francis Healthcare: As the area’s only private not-for-profit healthcare system, Roper St. Francis Healthcare chooses purpose over profits by putting our extra money back into our system to help meet the health needs of our community. The largest healthcare system features four flagship hospitals: Roper Hospital, Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, Roper St. Francis Mount Pleasant Hospital and Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital. In an emergency, the healthcare system offers six strategically placed ERs. With roughly 6,000 teammates, RSFH is the Lowcountry’s largest private employer with nearly 1,000 doctors representing almost every medical specialty. RSFH’s 657-bed system consists of 117+ facilities and services across five counties.

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Lowcountry

Reimagining the Charleston Peninsula? – SC Ports plans to redevelop parts of the Charleston Peninsula

March 13, 2023 by 0 Comments
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The SC Ports Authority released plans to redevelop a significant portion of the Charleston peninsula. The project, Union Pier, would reimagine an approximately 70-acre site to include mixed development use for residential, commercial and recreation purposes. For context, this area is located between Market and Laurens Street where the current cruise ship terminal operates. SC Ports announced in May 2022 that this cruise ship terminal will cease homeport cruising operations in 2024.

he SC Ports Authority recently gave a presentation of the project to both the Regional Policy Committee and Business Advocacy Committee. During this presentation, members were given an overview of the public input process, site architectural plans and general concepts for site use.

Here are a few key takeaways: 

  • A designated 40 acres of mixed-use development will include 300,000 sq. ft. of office space, 300,000 sq. ft. of retail space and 1,600 dwelling units 
  • A planned unit development (PUD) application for the project was submitted to the City of Charleston in January 2023 
  • Building plans will address storm water management and flood mitigation  
  • Port-of-call cruise ship operations will continue in the same location 
  • A transfer fee of 1% of the sales price for every transaction in Union Pier, including the initial sale and not to exceed $1 million per transfer, will go to the City of Charleston’s Department of Housing & Community Development for affordable housing assistance  

Public input is encouraged throughout this process. Stakeholder groups can schedule meetings with the planning team and leave comments on the project website. The Chamber will continue to work with SC Ports to track the progression of this project and if you have any questions, please email me at dcurry@charlestonchamber.org.

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Diamond Curry, Manager of Government Relations

Lowcountry

Clemson University’s Data Science and Analytics Master’s Program ranked 5th in the Nation by Forbes

March 13, 2023 by 0 Comments
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Fortune has ranked Clemson University’s online master’s degree program in data science and analytics the fifth best in the country.

Headshot of Ellen Breazel
Ellen Breazel

Clemson’s program is a collaboration between the College of Science and the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business. It was rated 14th in Fortune’s inaugural ranking last year.

“There’s so much data produced every second, and there are not a lot of people who are trained to interpret that data,” said Ellen Breazel, a principal lecturer in the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences and co-director of the program. “Data science is a niche that is an overlap of statistics, math and computing. What makes our program unique is that we fold in some business content as well. Our goal is to create what we call translators — people who can analyze the data and interpret that for the managers and CEOs in terms that everyone can understand.”

Influence of data

In announcing the rankings, Fortune said the influence of data — and the technology developed to manage, analyze and utilize it – has grown immensely over the past decade. But companies still find it difficult to find trained professionals who can turn its potential into results, the magazine said.

The data science platform Anaconda said that in 2022, 90 percent of industry professionals were worried about what a talent shortage in the space could mean for the field.

Fortune’s ranking considered selectivity, success and demand. A program’s selectivity score considered the average undergraduate grade point average of incoming students and the program’s acceptance rate. The success score measured retention of students and graduation rates. Demand was measured by the program’s total enrollment and the number of applicants for the most recent year.

Russ Purvis, professor, mugshot
Russ Purvis 

Russ Purvis, professor of management and the DSA program co-director, said the key to Clemson’s program is that it is an interdisciplinary degree.

“In addition to core coursework that includes data mining, data visualization and statistical analysis, the program also offers mandatory project-based learning opportunities. These projects focus on the real-world application of skills learned in the program and can be an opportunity for students to display the skills learned during the program to potential employers,” he said.

Clemson’s first DSA cohort began classes in summer 2020. Forty-seven students are enrolled in the program. Thirty-two students have already graduated.

Love of numbers

Bob Germaine, a December 2022 graduate of the program, had always liked numbers and statistics.

Germaine was working as a structural engineer in his home state of Arizona when he watched the luge competition in the 1984 Olympics. He decided he wanted to try it and attended a two-week camp in Lake Placid to learn how to slide. He was a member of the U.S. luge team from 1985 to 1990.

Man wearing red shirt sitting in an office.
Bob Germaine

His daughter, Raychel, decided she wanted to compete in luge but was trying to overcome the misbelief that smaller stature athletes weren’t competitive in the sport. 

“I did an analysis on different tracks and looked at body profiles, aerodynamics and friction to help her understand that it was a bit of a falsehood, that the statistics didn’t really hold up to that. It just kindled an enjoyment of digging into the numbers,” he said. His daughter competed for 10 years and finished as high as seventh in a World Cup competition.

Shortly after his daughter retired from the sport, Germaine’s wife saw an ad for the Clemson DSA program.

“It looked like a fun thing that I could do while I was working,” he said. “It was not easy, but it was fulfilling.”

Now, Germaine uses what he learned in his job as a project manager at Jacobs.

He also uses what he learned to help his son with a start-up business that involves physical fitness and athletic coaching.

Intrigued by the possibilities

Sherri Goodwin, another December 2022 graduate, is a data science engineer for Indorama Ventures, a chemical company that specializes in PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and fibers.

She decided to attend the DSA program after working on a project that utilized machine learning. A data scientist at the company, who is a Clemson graduate, showed her how the data could identify problems in the production process.

Woman in hard hat standing in front of an industrial building
Sherri Goodwin

“I was intrigued by the process of machine learning and how it could take data investigation to the next level,” Goodwin said. “I started looking into how I could learn some of the methods and found out I could get a whole master’s degree. It was a dream come true.”

Goodwin said the program covered the various machine learning programs and why a data scientist would choose one over another. In addition, projects had students using “unclean” data, preparing them for real-world scenarios.

Goodwin is now putting what she learned through the DSA program to use in her job. She said the company does a lot of anomaly detection. She said that by using analytics, the company’s data scientists can see patterns and check out equipment before it fails.

“If we can catch something before failure, we can save considerable amounts of money,” she said.

Goodwin said data science and analytics can be used to predict physical properties such as color. Using this technology, it is possible to provide high quality products for the customer, she said.

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Lowcountry

State Senator Marlon Kimpson leaving South Carolina Senate to join Biden administration

March 13, 2023 by 0 Comments
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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — State Sen. Marlon Kimpson, a South Carolina lawmaker and early backer of President Joe Biden, is leaving his legislative post more than a year early to take an appointment in the Biden administration.

The departure makes Kimpson the latest in a string of South Carolina Democrats taking positions in the administration as the state prepares to hold the nation’s first Democratic presidential nominating contest of 2024.

On Sunday, the Charleston Democrat told The Associated Press that he would step down from the Senate later this year to focus on his role on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.

Last week, the White House announced that Kimpson was one of 14 appointees to the entity that advises the U.S. Trade Representative on overall trade policy strategy.

“Charleston is the entry and exit point for a significant amount of goods and products from American and foreign countries,” Kimpson told AP.

Noting that his district is home to the Port of Charleston, as well as aerospace manufacturer Boeing, Co., Kimpson added that, among the other appointees, he “will have a unique voice on this august list of CEOs, business leaders and union presidents.”

Kimpson’s departure from the state Senate was first reported by The Post & Courier of Charleston.

Kimpson, 53, has represented the 42nd District since winning a special election in 2013. As a Black leader in South Carolina’s Senate, Kimpson has been at the forefront of a number of debates, including the 2015 effort to remove the Confederate battle flag from the Statehouse grounds following the massacre of nine Black parishioners at Mother Emanuel AME, a church in his district. 

Also that year, he made a successful push to require South Carolina law officers to wear body cameras following the shooting death of a Black South Carolina driver by a white North Charleston police officer.

A special election will be scheduled to fill the remainder of Kimpson’s four-year term, which runs through 2024. Democratic state Rep. Deon Tedder, a Charleston attorney first elected to the House in 2020, announced Sunday that he would run for Kimpson’s seat.

“The Lowcountry needs an advocate on important issues like public education, affordable housing, and criminal justice reform,” Tedder said in a news release. “That is what I have been fighting for in the House and it is what I will continue to fight for if elected to the Senate.”

South Carolina’s legislative session ends in May, and Kimpson said he had spoken with Senate leadership about coordinating his official last day on the job, saying that he wanted to continue shepherding debates on parts the state budget.

Making several White House visits since Biden took office, Kimpson spoke at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, listed as one of the party’s “rising stars.”

Kimpson is the latest notable South Carolina Democrat to take a job with Biden, whose 2020 primary win in the state helped him cement that year’s Democratic nomination. Last month, former Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin was announced as the new director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, taking over from former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

n 2021, Biden named Jennifer Clyburn Reed as federal co-chair of the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, aimed at addressing poverty in the Southeast. Reed is a daughter of Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn, a top Biden ally whose endorsement ahead of the 2020 primary helped boost Biden’s campaign in the state.

Biden has yet to formally announce an expected reelection bid for 2024. National Democrats recently announced that South Carolina would hold the party’s first presidential nominating contest for that cycle.

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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP

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