SC State to welcome high school students, offer look at university with Spring 2026 Open House on April 11

Campus tours, an academic showcase, an alumni tailgate, a Marching 101 Band performance, and a spring football game are among the activities planned for parents and students.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- South Carolina State University will provide high school students with a chance to experience campus life, connect with faculty and current students and gain insight into academic programs and extracurricular opportunities during its 2026 Open House on April 11.

Campus tours, an academic showcase, an alumni tailgate, a Marching 101 Band performance, and a spring football game are among the activities planned for parents and students as they explore what SC State has to offer during its spring open house. 

The event will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 11, at the university’s Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.

Dr. Manicia Finch, vice president for enrollment management at SC State, said the open house event began in 2022 with a distinct purpose.

“We came in with a very vivid and viable strategic plan to increase engagement, increase exposure and increase branding. It was in that order because if you want to increase enrollment, you have to increase engagement,” Finch said.

“As you increase engagement and exposure, we also know that the probability increases for enrollment. If students come and have a good experience and then see and actually touch the ground on the campus, they feel a connection,” she said.

Davion Petty, assistant vice president of enrollment management at SC State, said the university has worked to recruit students from across the state and nation, with open house serving to invite them to experience the university’s offerings leading into the Fall 2026 semester. 

“It’s like homecoming in the spring. Our alums will be out engaging our students; the alumni chapters will be there and engage with the students from their local regions. You would also have the spring football game going on that day. There will also be a tennis match and a softball game on that day,” he said.

“The idea is for the students to get a well-rounded experience when they come to the university,” Petty said.

With the academic showcase, for example, Petty said officials from every academic department will be on hand to showcase what they have to offer, along with and First Year Experience officials, who will be advising first-year students regarding their class schedules. Representatives from admissions, residential life and housing will also be among those at the showcase.

Finch said students can still apply for admission to the university, which has an enrollment goal of 1,000 new students for the Fall 2026 Semester.

Petty stressed that students can also pay their enrollment fee on the day of the spring open house.

 “We’re looking for another great event,” Finch said.

 For more information on the event, including how to register, or how to apply to the university, individuals can visit the following link: 2026 Spring Open House.

The open house schedule includes:

8 a.m. - 9 a.m.
Early Bird Tours begin at SHM Memorial Center.

9 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
Morning Sessions
Registration, academic showcase and open house preshow begin at SHM Memorial Center.

9:30 – 11 a.m.
Open House Program at the SHM Memorial Center to include a welcome from SC State President Alexander Conyers and First Lady Agatha Conyers and a Marching 101 performance.

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
STATE Club and SC State National Alumni Association Alumni Tailgate/Food Truck Experience
Staley Hall field

1 – 2 p.m.
Spring Football Game at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.