President Hopkins Named Chair of Tuition Grants Commission
From the SC Tuition Grants Commission Press Release
July 1, 2023 – The South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Boone J. Hopkins, President of Converse University, as Commission Chair. At its June 20, 2023 meeting, the Commission unanimously voted to appoint Dr. Hopkins to a three-year term as Chair of the Tuition Grants Commission, succeeding Mr. Scott Cochran, President of Spartanburg Methodist College.
As Chair of the Commission, Boone will work closely with the staff of the Tuition Grants Commission to provide critical support and oversight for the Tuition Grants Program, a need-based student aid grant awarded to eligible South Carolina residents who can utilize the funds to attend a participating in-state independent college or university. Since the program’s inception in 1970, nearly 500,000 college students have benefited from the Tuition Grant, which helps open doors to postsecondary success by making independent higher education more affordable for those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to attend the college of their choice.
“It is a privilege to serve as Chair of the Tuition Grants Commission,” stated Hopkins upon his appointment to the position. “Without this critical assistance, many students are unable to pursue the education they desire. The South Carolina Tuition Grant makes the dream of attending one of our outstanding institutions a reality for many deserving individuals.”
“The South Carolina Tuition Grant makes the dream of attending one of our outstanding institutions a reality for many deserving individuals.”
President Boone J. Hopkins
Originally from Gainesville, Georgia, Dr. Hopkins experienced an innovative undergraduate liberal-arts education through a unique partnership between Brenau University and Gainesville State College, a two-year state institution now known as the University of North Georgia. After completing a bachelor’s degree, Dr. Hopkins received his MFA in Directing and Acting Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University, followed by a Ph.D. in Theatre Studies from the University of Kansas.
Dr. Hopkins delights in helping those with whom he collaborates reach new heights and achieve excellence. In this spirit of collaboration, the Tuition Grants Commission looks forward to working with Dr. Hopkins to continue the success of our program and to support the Commission’s mission to provide access and opportunity for more South Carolinians to pursue a postsecondary education by providing need-based tuition grants to students who choose an independent higher education.