The move comes as the second Ambassador Andrew Young Fellowship kicks off at 91福利社 on May 10; the Fellowship once again is bringing nearly 50 students and administrators from around the country to the AU campus to learn from the Gospel-based principles of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ambassador Andrew Young and other civil rights pioneers in an 听attempt to help heal dangerous political, social and racial divisions continue to threaten the future of our nation.

鈥淎t a time when student proficiency in U.S. history and civics remains a pressing concern, Professor Daniels鈥� work directly addresses these challenges,鈥� said Chris Neeley, superintendent of the South Carolina Charter Public School District. 鈥淗is curriculum, grounded in the enduring words and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., emphasizes themes of hope, civic responsibility and non-violent progress. It equips students not only with historical knowledge but also with the perspective and character necessary to engage as informed and thoughtful citizens.鈥�

鈥淭he real story here is the statewide distribution that we鈥檙e seeing for our K-12 curricula. This speaks to the positive impact AU has an educational institution in our home state鈥攑articularly since we鈥檙e living in an era when violence is so much of the domestic and international news,鈥� Dr. Daniels said. 鈥淏ut it does help to have some of the state鈥檚 leading school networks in our own backyard so enthusiastically embracing our educational vision.鈥�

South Carolina played an outsized role in our nation鈥檚 founding sin of slavery but has also been the scene of some of our nation鈥檚 greatest acts of forgiveness and racial reconciliation. By presenting this full historical picture, we respond to Dr. King鈥檚 belief that 鈥渨ith this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.鈥�

Dr. Daniels in June is participating in a panel discussion at the 2026 Palmetto Educational Summit, which convenes educators, administrators, community and business leaders, policy makers and partners around five priority areas: literacy, career readiness, civics and character and resilience education. Each keynote is intentionally themed around one of these areas and followed by a panel discussion that extends the conversation and considers practical implications.

鈥淢att has developed what can best be described as a comprehensive educational ecosystem鈥攕panning K鈥�12, higher education, churches, corporate leadership, and national scholarship pipelines,鈥� said South Carolina State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver. 鈥淗is human dignity curricula for K鈥�12 students, published by McGraw Hill and endorsed by Ambassador Andrew Young, are already in use statewide in multiple states and districtwide in major urban systems. That work has grown into the Andrew Young HBCU Scholarship Program, launched in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and supported by respected civic leaders, including the Mayor of Atlanta.鈥�

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Concord Baptist Church, of which Dr. Murphy is a member, and Concord Community Church, along with members of other churches in the Anderson area, have been working with Rev. Samuel Menyongar and other pastors in the Freetown and Makeni areas of Sierra Leone for more than 15 years. Freetown, a city of more than 1.2 million people, is the capital of the nation and is located along the western coast of Africa. The local Anderson church members鈥� efforts have helped fund the building of churches, orphanages, Christian schools and two clinics.听

Rev. Menyongar is a key teacher in Sierra Leone for Teach Every Nation, a global ministry founded by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, a prominent American Christian Preacher and Speaker who is best known for his book, The Prayer of Jabez.听

Partnering in the recent medical mission effort was Southeastern Medical International (SMI) of Florence, South Carolina, of whom Dr. Murphy is board chairman and cofounder. SMI recruits, trains, equips and sends short-term volunteer medical mission teams around the world. Through SMI it鈥檚 possible to send short-term medical volunteers to enter places missionaries are unable to access.听听

鈥淲e had nine members on the team鈥攆our nurses, a physician, an EMT, and I’m a paramedic and hospital administrator,” said Dr. Murphy, who is an associate professor and coordinator of 91福利社鈥檚 Emergency Services degree programs. 鈥淐linic operations were Monday and Tuesday, then Wednesday we traveled two and a half hours from Freetown to Makeni, Sierra Leone, to Pastor Bambay鈥檚 church; He has a school named Concord School, because Concord Baptist and Concord community church members helped fund it. Pastor Bambay also has a new clinic close to the school.鈥�听

On a Sunday they were there, Dr. Murphy preached at Rev. Menyongar鈥檚 church, at his invitation. His interpreter, Isaiah, is a Liberian pastor in his late twenties who has started five churches. At the service, nine young people dedicated their lives to full-time Christian ministry or mission. During the medical mission team鈥檚 work in Sierra Leone, 39 people accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.听

Reflecting on the trip to Sierra Leone, Dr. Murphy commented, “A question my son (Jack) asked me鈥攁nd it’s probably the most important question there is, 鈥榃hat did you learn when you were there?鈥櫶� I’ve been all over the world, worked with all kinds of people and in all kinds of places, and I told Jack with tears in my eyes, 鈥業 learned how much I really love them and how much they really love us.鈥欌��听

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Examples of opportunities available to MPSA graduates include city/county manager, legislative analyst, grant administrator, strategic planning director, healthcare administration, public health director, school district administrator, public safety director, urban planning director, parks and recreation director, personnel manager, labor relations manager, research director, economic development director, regional planning director, emergency services director, administrative roles in transportation that include aviation and ports, social services director, housing authority director, and public affairs consultant.听

The Master of Science of Public Service Administration Degree (MPSA), launching in Fall 2025, is a 30-credit hour online program that offers flexible courses for those who are seeking a work-life balance as they advance their career goals in a format that saves time and money.听听

Faculty who are experienced in public service leadership and management teach classes that include Crime, Law and the Legal System; Managing a Multicultural and Ethical Department; the Media and Political Survival; and Executive Liability.听

Key areas in the MPSA program include leadership and management, policy analysis, budgeting and finance, strategic planning, program evaluation, research methods, communication, decision making, problem solving and organizational development.听

Details about the 91福利社 MPSA program can be found online here.听

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Jackson Van Ness, a graduate of the 91福利社 School of Public Service and Administration and a new deputy with the Loudoun County Sheriff鈥檚 Office, was honored with the Male Fitness Award during the 151st Session of the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy. Van Ness is among 14 graduates of the program, which offers comprehensive training for deputy sheriffs and police officers across Northern Virginia. During the session he was also named class president.

Following 24 weeks of intensive training at the academy, Van Ness feels a sense of accomplishment and considers the award 鈥渢he cherry on top of graduation.鈥�听

鈥�I knew that I was in the running for it. I did not know that I was that high on the final standings,” he said. 鈥淚n our Academy class there were a lot of guys in incredible physical shape鈥攅x-NFL players and Division I football players and a lot of guys who were in the Marines, the Army or military reserves. These guys, they’re just in incredible shape.鈥�听

While he was a junior at 91福利社, Van Ness worked an internship with the Loudoun County Sheriff鈥檚 Office, located just west of Washington, D.C., and came to admire the staff he worked with.听

鈥�They have a really high standard of professionalism and it’s a phenomenal work culture,鈥� he said.听听

Van Ness has benefited from 91福利社’s pillar of Great Academics. He feels his Criminal Justice program at the 91福利社 School of Public Service and Administration鈥攍earning case law, forensics, policing and computer science鈥攇ave him foundational knowledge and confidence that helped him excel in his academy classes.听

鈥淭he professors that are teaching you are not just men and women of academia, but they are professionals in law enforcement. They know from first-hand experience,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ach professor has different experiences and have worked all over the country, and so to take little bits and pieces from each one of them and store it in your own database鈥攊t鈥檚 something you get AU that I think is really unique and rare.鈥�听

While at 91福利社, Van Ness was also a member of the Trojans Baseball Team and was active with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). He was also named FCA Athlete of the Year in his native Orange County, California.听

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Minto, a deputy with the Anderson County Sheriff鈥檚 Office, is also an adjunct instructor in the 91福利社 School of Public Service and Administration and, along with his wife Jamie, is working on completing his Ed.D. in the AU College of Education.听

Minto feels God has given him a passion for people and feels a calling into the work he does, both as a deputy in the Anderson County Sheriff鈥檚 Office and as an adjunct professor at 91福利社.听听

While patrolling, Minto doesn鈥檛 always drive down Centerville Road, but he鈥檚 convinced the Lord led him to take that route at that specific time.听

鈥淚 was coming down Centerville Road and I was talking to my wife, she’s an elementary teacher. We normally talk in the morning and I had to tell her 鈥榮weetie, I鈥檝e got to go. I see a structure fire. I don’t see any fire department, no nothing.鈥� So when I called it into my radio, they were unaware of it. I was the first one on scene,鈥� Minto said.听听

Faced with a locked gate, Minto pulled his cruiser to the side of the road, scaled a fence and ran across the property to reach the burning residence. To further complicate things, he heard explosions as he neared the home. When he reached the house, he noticed toys in the yard, further concerning him that a family with children could be inside.听

鈥淏eing a Christian and loving the Lord, I don’t fear death. As Christians, we don’t have the fear of death because eternity is forever,鈥� Minto said. 鈥淟iving on earth is only for so long, but we have our wife and our kids and we just never know whether we’re going to step through that door again. You never know what you’re going to face.鈥濃��听

Minto banged on the door. Hearing no response from inside, he made his way in, though he can鈥檛 remember exactly how he got through the door. Once he entered the house, Minto was yelling out to get the attention of anyone inside. He found Holly Montes and her two children and told her 鈥淢a鈥檃m, we鈥檝e got to go. Your house is on fire.鈥�听

At this point, every second was crucial.听

鈥淭he flames were coming up and at that moment in time she handed me one child, we grabbed the other and we just took off running,鈥� Minto recalls. 鈥淎s we鈥檙e running, propane tanks are exploding. It almost seemed like a movie鈥攖hat’s how crazy it was. It’s one of those moments in life where it鈥檚 so surreal. We stood in the middle of the field, and my heart just sank with the mother. She’s crying, the kids are upset, and you鈥檙e just watching her property burn.鈥�听

Montes and her children were now safe but were heartbroken because they lost their dog and newborn puppies in the blaze鈥攅xcept for one puppy that survived, whom the family members named 鈥淒eputy Minto鈥� after the man who rescued him.听

鈥淚 praise the Lord for putting me at the right place and the right time, because if I didn’t show up at that at that time, that fire would have got to the mom and two children,鈥� Minto said.听

Anderson County Sheriff Chad McBride awarded Deputy Minto with the Star of Excellence, an award recognizing his outstanding service in the Anderson County Sheriff鈥檚 Office Community Patrol.听

Serving with Sheriff McBride has been a blessing for Minto in many ways.听

鈥淗e’s been so influential in my life,鈥� Minto said. 鈥淢y hat goes off to my department for fostering such a beautiful environment that sparked a lot of passion for teaching. I鈥檝e got to credit Chad McBride鈥� he really ignited in me that 鈥榶es, you’re a deputy sheriff, yes you love your community, but you’re also good at other things. Go out there and tap into those things.鈥欌�濃���听

In addition to his duties with the Anderson County Sheriff鈥檚 Office, Minto teaches a class in crime scene reconstruction for the 91福利社 School of Public Service and Administration. Having a passion for people he approaches not only on duty but in the classroom, Minto wants to go further into teaching. In addition to his class at AU, he also trains rookies as a field training officer at the Sheriff鈥檚 Office. His future goal is to go further into education and prepare the next generation of law enforcement professionals.听听

Though Minto is surrounded by classmates who work in schools, he鈥檚 committed to advancing professionally as an educator and is most of the way through his Ed.D. program at 91福利社.听听

Minto鈥檚 Ed.D. research focuses on how virtual reality (VR) is used in the training of officers, all the way from young rookies to senior veterans. Specifically, his research gauges the effectiveness of VR-driven training in improving officers鈥� skills in situational awareness and community-oriented policing.听

鈥�Mitchell has contributed so much already to our Doctoral program. He brings in expertise from his law-enforcement background and merges it with the educational leadership knowledge that he is learning in our program,鈥� said Dr. Julie Smart, director of the Doctor of Education program at 91福利社 and associate professor of graduate studies. 鈥�He is a true leader in our program and his peers look up to him and the ways that he contributes to both his local community and our Anderson community. I have the privilege of serving as Mitchell’s dissertation chair and his research will be focused on exploring ways to improve training for law-enforcement officers using virtual reality. His commitment to this line of research and his vision for how it could positively affect law-enforcement training has been inspiring. Mitchell is going to do great things in the world and we are excited to see how he continues to grow and develop as both a student and a scholar. He makes us all very proud.鈥�听

鈥淚鈥檝e got some big aspirations,鈥� Minto said. 鈥淗aving such a supportive wife, she’s in the same program. She’s such a lovely wife. We’ve been married 12 years now and have two beautiful children. She’s my best friend. She’s my biggest supporter and she’s always telling me to chase my dreams and go big.鈥�听

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Stike, who is currently a Criminal Justice major with a minor in Forensics and Criminal Investigations, started considering her career path while in high school.听

鈥淚n high school I played competitive softball. I met a lot different people through that. One of my teammates鈥攈er dad is a police officer鈥攕he said she was going to major in criminal justice,鈥� said Stike. 鈥淲hen I was younger, I loved mystery TV shows and I watched older murder mystery movies with my dad. I was fascinated by those types of movies and I realized I could major in that.鈥�听

Growing up in southern Pennsylvania, Stike was seeking a Christian college or university in the South. When she discovered 91福利社 through a postcard she got in the mail and saw that they offer a Criminal Justice major, she made her decision and enrolled.听听

According to 91福利社 School of Public Service and Administration Dean Dr. Chuck Williamson, Stike is an 鈥渆xcellent ambassador for 91福利社 and the School of Public Service and Administration.鈥澨�听

As a member of the honors program, Stike has also served as president of the SPSA Club, been a Presidential Student Ambassador, an Alpha Leader, Base Camp guide and a member of the Homecoming Court. She is also involved in intramural sports. Stike has received an Anderson Area Crime Stoppers Scholarship and the Jerry Sloan Jr. Scholarship.听

鈥�I have loved working in the Student Involvement Office. I have worked for base camp and have been an Alpha Leader every year since my freshman year. I have met such amazing people and friends that I’ll have for the rest of my life. The people that I’ve met through that have been life changing. They feel like family. I met my roommates through the honors program and they鈥檙e like my sisters,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll of the faculty and staff鈥擠r. Williamson, all my professors, the people I’ve met through all these different opportunities that have been given me鈥攖hey have been my highlights at AU because they have been such an integral part of my success here.鈥�听

Stike鈥檚 internships have played an important part of her program at Anderson. Interning at the Anderson County Sheriff鈥檚 Office in their Criminal Investigations Division, she shadowed the detectives and learned about what they do every day.听听

鈥�I got to meet a lot of cool people and was able to see the different training facilities they have for their officers. They took the time to get me involved in every single facet of the department and I am very grateful for that opportunity,鈥� she said.听听

Stike is currently interning in the Probation Office of the United States District Court in Greenville. She looks forward to working in the court system as a probation officer and hopes she can make a positive impact on those she works with, helping them to make better choices and lead productive lives.听听

鈥淚’m very passionate about justice in general,鈥� said Stike, whose desire to help others is driven by adversity she鈥檚 had to face growing up.听

鈥淚’ve had very serious medical scares with the mentioning of thyroid cancer and other medical concerns at a very young age. Then the sudden death of my grandfather when I was 16 was probably one of the most difficult things I’ve had to endure, because he was like my best friend,” she said. 鈥淥ne of the things that I’m very passionate about is the fact that I had a great support system through my parents and my faith through these adversities; I had to really lean in on that. Believing in God has been the reason that I’m able to get through things… He has a plan for us and He will get us through it. Even in the darkest valley, though it’s hard to see the good ahead, there is going to be a way you can get out of it.鈥�听

Because of what she鈥檚 gone through, Stike feels blessed, but at the same time she realizes that those growing up without that faith base sometimes make choices that have a negative impact on their lives and the lives of others.听听

鈥淭hey make different decisions to cope with adversity鈥攄rug use or other crimes… I have empathy for them because without my faith, I would have had a very much more difficult time getting through these different adversities,鈥� she said. 鈥淲orking in probation is also a ministry opportunity because officers can guide others through the different opportunities and programs available to them to better their lives. Hopefully they can make better choices and develop the foundation of faith in their lives.听听

Stike鈥檚 goal is to enter the Accelerated Pathways Program and earn her master鈥檚 degree in Public Service and Administration and she then plans to pursue a doctorate degree to teach Criminal Justice someday.听

Her advice to others considering a Criminal Justice major is to go in with an open mind and take advantage of as many opportunities as they can to learn more about career paths within the field.听

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Jenkins, who graduated this past May after dual majoring in Homeland Security and Emergency Services and Criminal Justice, is one of approximately 500 American students across the United States to be selected from more than 5,000 applicants to study overseas or virtually during the summer of 2024. She is studying Russian in a virtual program that is an initiative within the CLS program, CLS Spark.听听

鈥�I was apprehensive at first because I had zero experience with the Russian language, and the idea of learning it virtually was daunting. I am a hands-on learner and found that I retain information better using traditional methods of handwriting everything and tools such as physical flash cards. However, my fears were misled because my instructor, who is based in Moldova, is an amazing teacher and is very receptive to our individual needs,鈥� Jenkins said. 鈥淭he class sizes are small. There are four other students in my group, which allows more one-on-one interaction with the instructor. It has been very surprising how fast we are all picking up the language. It has been challenging but exciting at the same time. I would advise anyone interested in learning a new language to explore the CLS Spark program.鈥�听

The CLS Program is part of a U.S. government effort to increase the number of Americans studying critical foreign languages. CLS scholars gain language and cultural skills that enable them to contribute to U.S. economic competitiveness and national security. The program includes intensive language instruction and cultural enrichment experiences to promote rapid gains.听

The CLS program, through its CLS Spark initiative, provides beginner-level virtual instruction in Arabic, Chinese and Russian for competitively selected U.S. undergraduate students. CLS scholars are encouraged to continue their language study beyond the program and apply their critical language skills in their future careers.听听

Recipients of the 2024 CLS awards come from all 50 U.S. states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and include students from more than 200 institutions of higher education, including public and private universities, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, military academies and minority-serving institutions.听听

The AU Center for Global Engagement听

The听91福利社 Center for Global Engagement听assists students who are interested in applying for national scholarships such as the Critical Language Scholarship, Fulbright, Boren, Gilman, and Fund for Education Abroad. For additional information, please email听international@andersonuniversity.edu.听

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Van Ness was honored recently by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) as Athlete of the Year in Orange County, California.

Van Ness, who plays as an outfielder for the Trojans Baseball Team, is a senior majoring in Criminal Justice and minoring in Homeland Security. He accepted Christ as his savior at a young age, then in high school he became involved in FCA.

FCA camps were an integral part of growing up for Van Ness. While in high school, Van Ness got the chance to pay it forward through a ministry role, coaching at FCA baseball camps and leading in ministry. He also became president of FCA for all of the high schools in Orange County, a populous county located just south of Los Angeles.

During high school, Van Ness started looking at college options. His mom encouraged him to think beyond colleges that might recruit him to play baseball, check out a few Christian colleges and consider where God might be leading him.听

鈥淚n obedience to mom, I started doing some research on my own and that’s actually how I found AU鈥μ� simply through just Google search and looking for some schools that that have the values that I have and good community and things like that,鈥� said Van Ness, who was also seeking a good Criminal Justice program. 鈥淭hrough that process, I ended up qualifying for the Presidential Fellows scholarship that we have here. Once I qualified for that, it was kind of a no brainer, 鈥榟ey, I might as well go through the steps鈥� and apply for that and send in the resum茅 and the essays and whatnot鈥�. And then spring rolled around, I ended up being a finalist for that, so I flew out here for a visit, spent a whole weekend here on campus, and I loved it. I love the people I met. It was an incredible experience going through the competition.鈥�

鈥淚t was right when COVID hit. I was a high school senior in 2020, they shut down my baseball season and I was still uncommitted. I was like 鈥榤an, I don’t know what I’m going to do now,鈥� and I got a letter in the mail from Anderson saying hey, congratulations, here’s the Presidential Fellows scholarship鈥攁t that point it was like a no brainer. God closed many doors and then opened up this really big one to give me the opportunity to play baseball here and then also add on the full ride scholarship.鈥�

Since coming to 91福利社, Van Ness has been involved in leadership for FCA on campus. He has a burden for student-athletes recruited to don the Trojan black and gold.

鈥淭here’s this mission field of students right here at AU. I want to reach these athletes,鈥� Van Ness said. 鈥淲e got to redesign how FCA looked at AU and got a full leadership team to be involved with the spiritual leaders from each team… We鈥檝e got an FCA director on campus.鈥�

Nate Norwood, FCA representative for 91福利社 and chaplain for male student-athletes, says Van Ness is all about making sure others come to know Jesus.

鈥淔or me, the thing with Jackson鈥� He鈥檚 phenomenal with what we do,鈥� Norwood said. 鈥淗e helps lead small groups we have after our gatherings each month this past year, but more importantly the example he sets for guys on his team, the heart he has and his ability to connect. He leads campus visits. Him reaching out to guys and being willing to go out of his way to connect with other athletes.鈥澨�

During the summer, Van Ness would go home and engage in ministry, working with kids young enough to be putting on their first cleats and into their teen years. While the young players enjoy playing baseball, they learn how much more rewarding it is to make Christ Lord in their lives.听

Isaac Friesen, director of Operations for the Summer FCA ministry team in La Mirada, California, first got to know Van Ness as a high school student and watched him grow in his FCA leadership roles. Friesen has seen Van Ness using his God-given gifts to engage with young players.

鈥淗is ability to speak and communicate is really up there as far as guys that we’ve seen,鈥� Friesen said. 鈥淚 love how passionate he is and he鈥檚 well spoken, very biblically focused. He also has a great ability to connect with people. He just finds connecting points and is able to bridge that gap of stranger to friend pretty quickly鈥攖hat means a whole lot.鈥澨�

鈥淭hree of my four summers here, I’ve gone back to work full time ministry for FCA in California. We do mission work in Mexico and inner LA and then we also do like eight weeks of summer camps,鈥� Van Ness said. 鈥淎thletic summer camps are our big thing we do. We get over a little over 1,500 campers and stuff. And so we’re in full ministry and then also bringing FCA here on campus at AU.鈥�

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To be effective as a school resource officer (SRO), it helps to have a big heart and a servant attitude.听

The South Carolina Association of School Resource Officers recognized those qualities in Officer Tracy Grate, a graduate of the Command College of the 91福利社 School of Public Service and Administration. Grate was honored as School Resource Officer of the Year for Upstate South Carolina, then was named School Resource Officer of the Year for all of South Carolina.

鈥淚 was quite surprised to receive the honor for the Upstate and SRO of the Year and then, as State SRO of the Year and I was quite shocked, to be honest,鈥� said Grate, who is starting his second year as a school resource officer at Palmetto High School in Williamston, South Carolina. Overall, Grate has spent five years in law enforcement, having worked also at the Anderson County Sheriff鈥檚 Office and the Seneca Police Department.

Speaking for Palmetto High School鈥檚 administration, Assistant Principal William Jones commented that since Grate came to them as an SRO in the fall of 2022, he has become an integral part of and an asset to the entire Palmetto community.

鈥淢ost importantly, Officer Grate has gone to extensive lengths to establish a positive rapport with all students; likewise, he has made tremendous efforts to build and maintain a healthy working relationship with all PHS faculty and staff. In addition, Officer Grate always displays a positive disposition when approached with daily activities and school situations. Furthermore, Officer Grate continuously demonstrates a passion for the success of student learning by engaging in academics, whether through teaching a lesson or expressing concern to students regarding their academic progress,鈥� Jones said.鈥� Palmetto High School Administration feels blessed to have Officer Grate as our school resource officer and is eager to see his future growth as a citizen and role model in today鈥檚 society as he continues to positively impact the lives of today’s youth.鈥�

鈥淚 was absolutely thrilled to learn of Tracy Grate鈥檚 receipt of the SRO of the Year award. From his first day at our agency he has been one of the most energized officers I have ever had the pleasure of working with. There are many things you can give an officer to make them successful, including ability and opportunity; however, Tracy naturally possesses the one thing none of us can give him and that willingness which comes from his heart,鈥� said Kevin Marsee, Williamston Chief of Police. 鈥淭he SRO of the year award is one of many honors that I foresee Tracy receiving in his career, as he is a rising star and will go far.鈥�

Grate feels that God placed it on his heart to be a servant leader, and sees his role as that of a law enforcement officer, an educator and a mentor who is there to counsel students.

鈥淭his past year has been a hard school year for the Palmetto community and the Williamston community. We had three students lose their lives鈥� At the same time, I know why God placed me there at Palmetto High School to serve as an SRO. And it was more evident this year than anything.鈥�

But with the challenges also come the joys as Grate looks to make a positive impact on young lives, interacting with students over lunch in the cafeteria or other places on campus. He says that in a world where the media can be harsh on those in the law enforcement profession, he finds that students appreciate most when he鈥檚 鈥渂eing real鈥� with them and they are able to talk openly with him about various life issues.

鈥淢ost of them come from diverse backgrounds where mom is raising a child or dad is raising a child or grandparents are raising the child, and so it just brings that uniqueness that I can as a positive role model be to someone’s life, essentially, and also be an inspiration to lead others to Christ,鈥� Grate said.

Grate enrolled in the 91福利社 master鈥檚 program in Criminal Justice after hearing about it from law enforcement colleagues.

鈥淏eing a law enforcement officer who has a bachelor’s degree, I thought this would be a great opportunity to pursue my master’s degree. At the same time, the administrative personnel or their professors there at AU were completely understanding in terms of my work schedule, being on the 12 hour shift rotation,鈥� said Grate.

Of his 91福利社 program, Grate commented that much of what he鈥檚 learned about developmental stages in students has helped him, especially as he speaks to parents, and that his professors speak from a wealth of experience in criminal justice.

Grate continued, 鈥淚t was very beneficial from Dr. (Michelle) Doscher鈥檚 class and Dr. (Howard) Murphy’s class on strategic and tactical planning and all the other professors at AU that I have used and implemented at my school to make it a safer place for all students and faculty and staff.鈥�

He feels that law enforcement needs good servant leaders who embody a servant attitude and can build a foundation of trust with the community and law enforcement.

鈥淚n my role as SRO I always tried to bridge that gap with the younger generation,鈥� Grate said. 鈥淪ROs are a best kept secret in law enforcement, just for the simple fact that we interact with the community on a daily basis with people’s kids going to school every day… It鈥檚 more of that personal-based relationship.鈥�

More information about the 91福利社 School of Public Service and Administration can be found online.

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Funding from South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) will help 91福利社鈥檚 South Carolina School of Public Service and Administration better train students to operate drones in public safety applications.

Professor David Williams (second from right) received the 2023 SCICU Excellence in Teaching Award, which includes a $3,000 grant award for his project, 鈥淒rones and Remote Piloting for Criminal Justice Education and Research.鈥� (Williams is pictured above with Dr. Chuck Williamson, dean of the 91福利社 School of Public Service and Administration; Dr. Nathan Cox, assistant provost and Dr. Ryan Neal, provost.)

Drone technology is increasingly being used in public safety organizations. Even smaller agencies, who would have never been able to afford a helicopter, are able to purchase and use multiple drones.

 鈥淵ears ago, to purchase a professional drone suitable for search and rescue was upwards of $80,000; however, drone technology is so advanced and affordable now, you can get a professional drone with FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) for about $8,000,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 needed are more public safety personnel trained in the use of drones for search and rescue, crime scene investigation and in other areas of public safety. The number of uses is still being developed. It鈥檚 only limited to our imagination how we might use this developing technology. One of the things I鈥檝e always tried to do is blend academic theory with real-world practical application and to put our students on the cutting edge of technology. However, in the case of drones, it is also to equip our students with knowledge that ensures they comply within the legal framework of state and federal law, and the privacy concerns of the communities they will be sworn to protect. Since drone technology is advancing faster than the law, this work continues to be challenging for criminal justice educators.鈥�

While there are drone programs offered at colleges and universities, according to Williams, few can be found within a criminal justice program.

Andrew Culp (pictured at right with Williams), a deputy sheriff with the York County Sheriff鈥檚 Office and a specialized team member in their drone unit, was the first in 91福利社鈥檚 program to become a certified drone pilot in 2020. Culp feels that Williams and the School of Public Service and Administration opened professional doors for him that would have not been possible otherwise. He noted that his class instruction went beyond just the mechanics of flying a drone and offered him an in-depth exposure to constitutional law and other regulations affecting the use of drones in law enforcement work. Culp used this knowledge for his internship with the Chester County Sheriff鈥檚 office to write their first drone policy prior to his graduation from 91福利社. 

鈥淭hat class, along with getting certified through (Williams鈥�) program was a big reason I was able to get into York County’s drone program so quickly. Usually there’s a wait period of 18 months prior to being able to put on a specialized team, but seeing as how I had as much experience as I had, they were able and willing to waive that for me so I could then just go ahead and jump right in and start flying,鈥� Culp said.

Gabriel Lindner, a homeland security major, was the first in his class this year to achieve his Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 commercial drone pilots license. 

鈥淢y family has a history in aerospace. Dad鈥檚 an educator and a former pilot, so that鈥檚 what sparked my interest, and then knowing that it would be handy for the future,鈥� Lindner said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure exactly what I鈥檓 going to be doing yet, but certification is always good to have.鈥� 

鈥淥ur team at the School of Public Service and Administration is trying to provide undergraduate students with actual real-world licenses, certifications鈥攁nything that鈥檚 in their career field. For instance, Dr. Howard Murphy, who teaches Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, provides instruction for certifications in CERT classes, Basic First Aid, CPR, AED, Stop the Bleed (combat medical care for active shooter situations), intermediate and advanced incident command systems鈥攁ll kinds of things,鈥� Williams said. (Above: pictured from left are Gabriel Lindner, Shane Harris, Markel Samuel, Matthew Saul, Zachery Seiter and William Becknell.)

Markel Samuel, a cybersecurity major, also taking the course this semester said, 鈥淎s the world continues to evolve as far as security measures and other forms of technology, drones are at the forefront of that; so as we continue to utilize drone technology more and more for security purposes, for safety purposes, things of that nature, I think it鈥檚 very beneficial to learn this kind of stuff. In cybersecurity, one of the big things we are studying is using different technologies to either promote awareness or to strengthen security within organizations, and drones are a huge part of that, whether that be for surveillance purposes or just securing drone technologies in general.鈥�

Williams, who came to 91福利社 after retiring from the Greenville County Sheriff鈥檚 Office as their Administrative Commander, was honored at an awards banquet at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center April 18. Professors from 21 SCICU member institutions were honored with awards. 

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