USC Salkehatchie celebrates 127 graduates, marks 60th anniversary milestone

USC Salkehatchie closed out its 60th anniversary celebration with a commencement ceremony that put Allendale County’s role in higher education front and center, awarding 127 degrees through USC’s Palmetto College and in partnership with sister campuses. The class reflected a reach far beyond the county line, with graduates from 41 cities in four states and 11 international students representing eight countries.

For Allendale County, that range matters. USC Salkehatchie remains one of the area’s most important access points for college and career training, and the ceremony offered a visible reminder that a campus rooted in a small rural county can still connect students to opportunities across South Carolina and well beyond it. The breadth of the graduating class showed how local students learn alongside peers whose paths begin in different communities but meet in Allendale.

The ceremony also drew a notable group of university and civic leaders. University President Michael Amiridis and Palmetto College Chancellor Craig Wilson attended, along with trustees, legislative representatives and members of the Western Carolina Higher Education Commission. USC Salkehatchie used the occasion to recognize those who help sustain the campus and the region, honoring Camille Nairn, the Coastal Empire Community Mental Health Center and Amy Stanley, who received the faculty and staff excellence award.

Dean April Cone said the ceremony reflected how far the campus has come since 1965, tying that history to USC Salkehatchie’s continuing mission of creating transformative opportunities for students. That message carries particular weight in Allendale County, where keeping a strong local college presence helps support retention, builds a pipeline for workforce training and gives families a reason to see a future at home.

The anniversary milestone and commencement celebration together underscored USC Salkehatchie’s place in the county’s civic life. As graduates moved into their next steps, the campus marked six decades not just with ceremony, but with a renewed reminder of what local access to higher education can mean for community pride, economic stability and opportunity close to home.