USC Salkehatchie Leadership Institute graduates Class of 2026 in Allendale County

USC Salkehatchie’s Leadership Institute sent 13 graduates into the region’s civic pipeline on May 28, and the ceremony in Allendale was framed less as a farewell than as a recruiting ground for the next round of local problem-solvers.

The university paired the graduation with an alumni luncheon and a service-project presentation on “Truth in Nature” by Alex Murray, underscoring that the program is meant to do more than hand out certificates. Among the participants USC Salkehatchie identified in its Class of 2026 announcement were Adam Altman, Leeanna Biery, Beaufort Logan Colburn, Molly Crosby, Katrina Douse, Anthony Flowers, Stephone Glover, Patricia Hall, Thomas Higgs, Leslie Johnson, Erin Long, Kendall Malphrus, Sarah Miller, Racheal Neece, Leigh Ann Osborne, Brianna Parker and Kywana Ritter. The class drew professionals from government, schools, health care and business across Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties.

That cross-county mix is the point of the institute, which USC Salkehatchie says was established in 1998 to stimulate economic development in Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton and Hampton counties. An UNC School of Government case study says the institute has trained nearly 2,000 leaders since then, and USC Salkehatchie says accepted participants receive full scholarships after nominations from leaders in regional business, industry and education. For Allendale County, that matters because the program is built to feed the boards, committees, nonprofits and public agencies that decide everything from school support to workforce strategy.

The 2026 curriculum pushed participants through the systems that shape daily life in the Salkehatchie region: economic development, local government, education, health care, emergency response and institutional capacity. The class began with leadership assessments and a session on leading with purpose, then moved through state government and workplace culture. It also included visits to Hampton Regional Medical Center, an emergency simulation at Company Two Fire and briefings from SouthernCarolina Alliance, the kind of practical exposure that connects leadership training to hospital staffing, emergency response and employer recruitment.

Director Shelby Broomfield opened the ceremony and introduced keynote speaker Denzor Richberg, a Harvard Kennedy School Executive Leadership Program alumnus, author, entrepreneur and community leader. Richberg’s remarks centered on resilience, service and influence, using visual demonstrations to drive home the expectation that leaders must withstand pressure and still remain useful to the people around them. With local graduates now moving back into regional institutions, USC Salkehatchie is treating leadership development as a long-term investment in who will guide Allendale County’s next decisions.