Every high-achieving, under-resourced graduating senior in South Carolina soon will have access to an affordable college education because of a unique public-private partnership that expands the Meeting Street Scholarship Fund.
The Meeting Street Scholarship, which is currently available to students in 14 counties through private philanthropy, will now be an option for students in all 46 South Carolina counties with the support of state funding. The $18.7 million recurring investment was approved by the General Assembly and included in Gov. Henry McMaster’s executive budget.
This means nearly 3,000 students in South Carolina’s high school class of 2027 will be able to attend any of the state’s best colleges without taking on significant student loans. An estimated 2,300 of those students will be supported with state funding.
"This is a transformational moment for South Carolina students statewide who will now have the opportunity to earn a college degree without worrying about cost," Ben Navarro, founder of the Meeting Street Scholarship said. "We are incredibly grateful to our state leaders and generous donors who’ve made this Scholarship possible for all students and we are committed to ensuring every eligible high school senior is aware of this Scholarship as they consider their options for college."
South Carolina’s hard-working, under-resourced students who have earned the merit-based LIFE or Palmetto Fellows Scholarship and qualified for a Federal Pell Grant still owe an average of $7,870 annually to cover basic college expenses. The Meeting Street Scholarship covers that gap by providing up to $10,000 per year for tuition, housing, meals and fees.
The Meeting Street Scholarship began with an idea to transform college access in one community. Since launching in 2021 for eligible public high school graduates in Charleston County, it has grown incrementally into a powerful force.
The Scholarship expanded across 14 counties as more donors invested in making the opportunity available in areas where they had deep connections.
Donors statewide have committed more than $87.8 million to 2,219 recipients, 48 percent of whom are first generation college students. Those donors include: Ben and Kelly Navarro; the Darla Moore Foundation; Susu and George Dean Johnson, Jr; Jessica and Todd Aaron; Dave Proctor; the family of Doug Buckminster and other anonymous donors.
“The generosity of our donors has been a catalyst for lasting change,” Josh Bell, president of Beemok Education, a portfolio of nonprofit education initiatives including the Scholarship, Meeting Street Schools and the Excellence in Teaching Awards said. “Because they believed in the potential of South Carolina students, thousands of young people have been able to pursue a college education without the burden of overwhelming debt. Today’s statewide expansion is a testament to what visionary philanthropy can accomplish.”
The program has achieved meaningful results in pursuit of its audacious goal of changing the status quo for college affordability in South Carolina.
Beemok Education covers all operating costs of the Scholarship; all public and philanthropic funds will go directly to support student scholarships.
This commitment of public funds accomplishes the goal of making the Scholarship available in every county, Bell said. The Scholarship hopes to continue to partner with the state to serve more students.
The Meeting Street Scholarship will continue to be funded by private philanthropy in 14 Legacy counties: Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Charleston, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Jasper, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Spartanburg or Williamsburg.
To renew the Scholarship in those counties and continue receiving up to $10,000 annually, students must maintain eligibility for the SC LIFE or Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, remain Pell eligible, stay enrolled full-time at an eligible college, and complete 250 hours of part-time work during their second and third years of college.
For Expansion counties, the $18.7 million in state funding will make one year of the Scholarship available to high school seniors who graduate in May 2027 and meet the eligibility criteria; it will not be available to current college students in Expansion counties.
The criteria are:
1. Reside in South Carolina
2. Graduate from a South Carolina high school in spring 2027
3. Complete the FAFSA and receive a Federal Pell Grant
4. Earn the South Carolina LIFE or Palmetto Fellows scholarship
5. Enroll in an eligible in-state college
In addition to financial support, the Meeting Street Scholarship offers students additional programming to help them thrive in college and beyond, including community, leadership development and work experience.
Research shows those with a college degree are better positioned for long-term success through higher earnings and greater financial stability.
“Higher education must remain affordable and accessible for the sons and daughters of South Carolina. By combining private donations with lottery revenue, we can help ensure more students can afford a college education and earn a degree without taking on significant debt,” McMaster said. “The Meeting Street Scholarship Fund is an example of the power of public-private partnerships and how they can give South Carolina students more opportunities to succeed.”
Students can check their eligibility for the Scholarship or fill out an interest form to be alerted when applications are available at meetingstreetscholarshipfund.org.
