January 31, 2025
Philanthropists Susu and George Dean Johnson Jr., Wofford Class of 1964, made a $40 million gift in the fall to bring the power of the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund to Spartanburg. Now, Wofford College has pledged to further close the funding gap for high-achieving, under-resourced students.
“Inspired by the transformative gift from the Johnsons, Wofford College will commit to meeting direct need — tuition, fees, housing and food — for up to 10 Meeting Street Scholars each year,” says Dr. Nayef Samhat, the college’s 11th president.
Currently, the Meeting Street Scholarship is an annual award of up to $10,000 to students who graduate from public high schools in the counties of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Charleston, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Jasper, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Williamsburg and now Spartanburg thanks to the gift from the Johnsons. High school seniors and students currently enrolled in college from these counties can apply for the scholarship for the 2025-26 academic year at meetingstreetscholarshipfund.org.
To receive the scholarship, students must enroll in a South Carolina college or university with a proven record of student success, defined as an average six-year graduation rate of 50% or higher. Wofford’s rate is well over 80%. The Meeting Street Scholarships is a last-dollar scholarship, meaning it leverages and is applied after the Palmetto or LIFE achievement-based scholarships, the federal need-based Pell grant and any institutional aid.
“Wofford is nationally ranked for its academic program, value, experiential learning opportunities, commitment to student success and supportive alumni network. High retention rates and graduation success rates make Wofford ideally suited to support Meeting Street Scholars,” says Samhat. “Wofford’s commitment to this program means that Meeting Street Scholars with the greatest academic and leadership potential will have the opportunity to take advantage of all that Wofford has to offer regardless of their circumstances or financial constraints.”
A goal of the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund is to ensure that students with demonstrated financial need benefit from a college education without accruing significant debt.
“That’s a huge advantage and one of the reasons that we chose to fund opportunities for Meeting Street Scholars from Spartanburg County,” say the Johnsons. “We are so pleased that Wofford College is responding with its own commitment. The talented and deserving students who benefit from a Meeting Street Scholarship will strengthen the fabric of our community, which aligns with Wofford’s mission.”
“Without being a recipient of the Meeting Street Scholarship, my goal of pursing a master’s degree would be far from attainable,” says Millie Rice, a junior philosophy and government major with a concentration in American politics from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. “The Meeting Street Scholarship has allowed for me to attend Wofford College debt-free, and now I am seriously considering different graduate programs.”
During summer 2024, Rice conducted research with Dr. Sam Fontaine, assistant professor of government at Wofford. They spent time in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
“This summer (2025), I have been selected as part of the Washington Fellows program (made possible by Paul Atkins, Wofford Class of 1980), and I’ll be in D.C., taking classes and interning in the nation’s capital. Both opportunities were possible because of Wofford,” says Rice.
Being a Meeting Street Scholar has provided peace of mind to Lillian Smith, a junior from Charleston, South Carolina, and her family.
“Having the Meeting Street Scholarship and others allows me to stay focused on my academic and professional aspirations,” says Smith. “Wofford has provided me with opportunities that I never thought possible.” Smith has studied abroad twice — in Ecuador and Switzerland. She also participated in the Washington Fellows Program, conducted research and is currently engaged in an independent study Interim.
Rice and Smith are two of a dozen Meeting Street Scholars who are currently members of the Wofford student body. The gift from the Johnsons to expand the scholarships to Spartanburg students combined with the college’s commitment to filling the funding gap mean that dozens more students will benefit from a Wofford education.
About 200 more students in Spartanburg are expected to receive funding annually from the Meeting Street Scholarship, making college more accessible and affordable in South Carolina.
Philanthropists Ben and Kelly Navarro launched the scholarship in 2020 for Charleston County students, and the Darla Moore Foundation expanded it to eight Pee Dee area counties. New donors, such as the Johnsons, continue to join the effort. The Navarros’ Beemok Family Foundation covers all administrative costs to operate the fund.
“This scholarship is a game changer,” says Josh Bell, president of Beemok Education, which manages the Meeting Street Scholarship. “It’s a guaranteed opportunity. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you earn it — no competition, no cap on the number of scholarships. This is an investment in the future of our students and our state.”
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