SC State head named to HBCU Advisory Board

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel A. Cardona has named South Carolina State University President Alexander Conyers to the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Capital Financing Advisory Board (HBCUCFAB).

In a letter dated April 20, Cardona informed Conyers that his appointment would begin immediately and end on Sept. 30, 2024. Per the board’s authorizing legislation, a member may continue to serve after the expiration of a term until a successor is appointed.

“Thank you for working with us to put students and their success in the forefront of all we do,” Cardona said in the letter.

The HBCUCFAB is established within the U.S. Department of Education to provide advice and counsel to the secretary and the Designated Bonding Authority (DBA) as to the most effective and efficient means of implementing construction financing on the campuses of HBCUs and to advise Congress regarding the progress made in implementing the program.

“I thank Secretary Cardona for this incredible opportunity to develop strategies at the federal level to enhance our beloved HBCUs,” Conyers said. “I met the secretary earlier this month in Washington, D.C., and his level of commitment to HBCUs is unmatched. His leadership regarding the needs of our institutions is paramount during this transformative era in the HBCU story.

“HBCUs, including SC State, offer a unique opportunity for students to immerse themselves in heritage and culture while securing excellent education,” Conyers said. “It is essential that the nation’s HBCUs collaborate to strengthen academic programs, keep pace with the employment needs in the country and seek resources to support our missions.

“To do so, we must work to offer first-rate buildings on our campuses that provide HBCU students with access to the most advanced technology, classroom environments, laboratories, athletics spaces and living accommodations available,” the SC State president said. “We are here to improve the lives of underserved and underrepresented families, and the Capital Financing Advisory Board is a key means to do just that.”

The SC State Board of Trustees appointed Conyers as the university’s 13th president on Thursday (April 28, 2022). He had served at university’s helm on an interim basis for the previous nine months.

Conyers is a 1989 SC State graduate who returned to his alma mater last year after a lengthy career in the U.S. Army. He retired as a colonel and arrived back at SC State as vice president for strategic alliances and initiatives in May 2021.

A Manning native. Conyers holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from SC State, a master’s degree in corrections from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree in public administration from Troy University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the University of North Carolina’s Leadership, Excellence and Development (LEAD) program. He is a member of several professional associations, including the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education, and a former adjunct professor at Upper Iowa University.