Sharing Good News about Alumni of South Carolina State University!
State Sen. Deon Tedder
Class of 2012
At age 33, Tedder is the Senate’s youngest member. Having been a House of Representatives member since 2020, he won his seat in November to finish the term of a senator who resigned.
Tedder graduated from South Carolina State University where he was also a merit-based General University Scholarship recipient and held membership in the Dr. Emily England Clyburn Honors College. During his undergraduate years at his beloved alma mater, he was a member of Golden Key International Honour Society, the Marching 101 Band and the Beta Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
He graduated Magna Cum Laude, with a B.A. in Political Science in May 2012, after which he was accepted into the University of South Carolina of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctorate in 2015.
Tedder has spent much of his life in public service. While in college, he worked in the office of the late U.S. Sen. Edward "Ted" Kennedy (D-MA), where he assisted on the Health, Education, Labor & Pension (HELP) Committee. As a law student at the University of South Carolina School of Law, he advocated for the underserved by serving as a Guardian Ad Litem for Richland County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates Program (CASA).
He was first elected to the SC State House in 2020, where he served on the Education and Public Works Committee, the Operations and Management Committee, the Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee and the Invitations and Memorial Resolutions Committee.
Tedder is a member of the American Bar Association, South Carolina Bar Association, Charleston County Bar Association, and South Carolina Black Lawyers Association. Attorney Tedder joined David Aylor Law Offices as an attorney in June 2018 in Charleston, SC. His main area of practice is Personal Injury and Criminal Defense. Deon was also recognized by the National Black Lawyers Association as Top 40 under 40 Personal Injury attorneys.
David White Jr.
Class of 2012
White, who promotes Black food along with diversity and inclusion in the food industry through his social media initiative The Dropping Pin, has collaborated with major festivals and others, most recently collaborating with Food Network Canada. He also now leads media relations for the Black Food Truck Festival in addition to his leadership of R3 and his decade-long position with the Department of Social Services and serves on the boards of Charleston Promise Neighborhood and Always Awkward Hospitality Group.
White previously owned and operated Laundry Matters, a laundromat and community hub where he pioneered after-school programs, computer classes, and free laundry services for the homeless and area residents. He holds a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from South Carolina State University, which named him to its inaugural Forty Under 40 class.
Harriet W. Wilder
Wilder, a champion of Charleston’s children, has been a pioneer many times over during her 51 years in education. During her 20 years as a teacher and curriculum consultant for Charleston County School District, she saw that many children were not socially or academically ready for first grade. She took action, founding the first Black privately owned childcare center in West Ashley. Nine years later, she opened a second location on James Island.
Together, the two Hope’s Treasure Chest locations have guided the development of 2,500 children over a span of 31 years. She and a friend also founded Charleston Progressive Academy, a Charleston County magnet school, in 1997. She holds a bachelor’s degree in early education from St. Augustine’s College and a Master of Education degree from South Carolina State University.
Dr. BerNadette Lawson-Williams
Class of 1995
Dr. Lawson-Williams is in her 19th year of professorial service at Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU), where she is a tenured full professor of sport management, along with Founder and coordinator of its Esports and Gaming Trifecta and fully online Sport Management programs, both the first of their kind at an HBCU.
Dr. Lawson-Williams’ commentary regarding sport management and esports/gaming academia has been presented at state, regional, national, international, and congressional-level conferences, published in publications such as the Washington Post, Inc Magazine, AndScape (formerly ESPN’s Undefeated), and televised on NBC, ABC, and CBS. She was recently featured in an interview with Dr. Marc Lamont Hill on theGrio. Her research on the esports industry is featured in the 7th edition of the Human Kinetics’
“Contemporary Sport Management” textbook, which is widely regarded as one of the most popular introductory-level sport management textbooks on the market, globally.
In 2020 and 2021, respectively, Dr. Lawson-Williams was named the recipient of JCSU’s Lonnie Parker “Innovation” Award and the Sit Lux award for receiving the highest student evaluation scores during the 2020-2021 academic year. Last year, she was recognized by the Black Society of Sport Professionals and STRIDE (Tepper Sports & Entertainment human resource group) for her contributions to the sport business community in Charlotte, NC. Dr. Lawson-Williams is also the recipient of the Who's Who Among America's Teachers Award, the Who's Who in Black Charlotte Award, and the Health and Fitness Association's Young Professional Award.
Dr. Lawson-Williams graduated Cum Laude with a B.S. degree in Physical Education. After completing her M.S. in Exercise and Sport Science with a concentration in Sport Administration from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, she returned to SCSU, where she worked as an Instructor and Assistant Professor of Physical Education. However, most notably, while at SCSU, she developed academic programs in Sport Communication and Physical Activity Management, the first in the state of South Carolina. She was also twice named the recipient of SCSU's Department of Health and Physical Education’s "Teacher of the Year" Award and in 2007, she was inducted into the Physical Education Hall of Fame.
Dr. Lawson-Williams is the author of two books “Blossom Bee’s Golf Adventures” and “I Don’t Mean to Smash Your Tomatoes, Honey!” She earned a Doctorate with Honors in Sport Management from the United States Sports Academy and has successfully completed post-graduate coursework at North Carolina Central University's prestigious School of Law.
Dr. Lawson-Williams is a proud fourth-generation SC State Bulldog. She recently established the Dr. BerNadette Lawson-Williams Academic Excellence Scholarship Award to recognize high-achieving students majoring in sport communication and physical activity management, the programs that she developed while an assistant professor at SC State.
Wilbur Jenkins
Jenkins joined WoodmenLife in April 2023 as senior vice president and chief operating officer. Prior to joining the company, he had a long career in the insurance industry, starting out as an underwriter and progressing through various senior operational leadership roles. He has also successfully led sales, marketing and human resources functions at a regional level.
Jenkins has a Bachelor of Science from South Carolina State University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He also holds Executive Leadership and Business Management certificates from Harvard Business School and Babson College, respectively.
Jenkins is an active community member, contributing his time to Assault on Illiteracy, Junior Achievement, Meals on Wheels, Rescue Mission Homeless Shelter, and the Food Bank for the Heartland.
Michelle Simmons
Class of 1997
Simmons has served as the district’s interim CAO since July 2022. Prior to her role as interim CAO, Simmons served as the Associate Superintendent of the Elementary Learning Community. She has served the students and families of CCSD for the past 25 years.
Simmons came to CCSD as an elementary school teacher at Mary Ford Elementary School (now Mary Ford Early Learning and Family Center) in 1998. While at Mary Ford, Simmons served as an instructional leader of students with varying abilities and needs for four years before being promoted to lead teacher. As lead teacher, Simmons assisted the principal with the daily operation and management of the school in addition to providing professional development and instructional support to staff.
In 2003, Simmons joined the administration at nearby W.B. Goodwin Elementary School as assistant principal. In this role, Simmons assisted with the daily operation and management of the school while also supporting the implementation of the school’s vision, goals, and programs.
A standout in her field, it was not long before Simmons was promoted to the position of principal at [the former] C.C. Blaney Elementary in Hollywood, SC, in 2007. At Blaney, Simmons served as the manager and supervisor of a rural elementary program with approximately 250 students. She spent three years serving at Blaney before accepting the principal position at Stono Park Elementary in West Ashley. At both C.C. Blaney and Stono Park Elementary, Simmons led alongside talented teachers to increase each school’s respective report card ratings.
Simmons was named associate superintendent of elementary schools in 2020 where she managed and supervised over 38 schools and saw academic growth in 60% (Reading) and 70% (Math) of her schools.
Simmons earned a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from South Carolina State University and a Master of Education in elementary administration and supervision from The Citadel. She also holds an Education Specialist degree from The Citadel. Simmons is actively pursuing a doctoral degree in Education Leadership at Charleston Southern University
Erinn McCullough-Wylie
Class of 2007
McCullough-Wylie, equipped with a BS in Accounting from South Carolina State University and an MBA from Duke University, offers a distinctive perspective on homeownership. Through her program, clients receive in-depth education which includes treating their homes as assets for wealth accumulation and financial independence.
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Are you an SC State graduate with good news to share?
Tell us about career changes, promotions, awards, births of children and other important milestones.
Email details to Sam Watson, SC State director of university relations: swatson2@scsu.edu.