South Carolina’s various rural regions are home to unique communities, steeped in rich traditions and culture. To celebrate the economic development opportunities and solutions as distinctive as the communities, statewide rural leaders convened in Rock Hill for the 32nd Annual S.C. Rural Summit on March 6 – 8.
Hosted at Winthrop University’s historic campus, this was the first in-person Summit since 2020. Over three days, 15 speakers presented to community leaders addressing a variety of important subjects.
This year’s Summit also marked the first such event under the agency leadership of Secretary Harry Lightsey and Deputy Secretary Ashely Teasdel. The two shared their time and vision with attendees throughout the event, emphasizing the importance of accessibility for open dialogue and collaboration around local interests.
Among the key topics, teacher recruitment and retention was a recurring priority, with a key takeaway being that childcare and early education play an integral role in workforce development across every community.
The 2022 Outstanding Rural Graduate Benjamin Gadson impressed and energized attendees with his entrepreneurial spirit. The Fairfax, S.C.-native is an undergraduate student at South Carolina State University and already a small business owner with major professional aspirations.
The Rural Summit concluded with the celebration and acknowledgement of Maceo Nance, senior advisor to the Secretary of Commerce, who has been a driving force behind nearly every Summit since its inception in 1990.
As emcee Jeff Black noted, the Summit was “really about information and inspiration.” For the nearly 150 attendees, the connections made and strategies discussed will help continue to drive our state forward. Exciting work is happening throughout South Carolina’s rural communities, and that work is poised to continue for many years to come.