Scholars Program
Building South Carolina’s
Future Teachers
Start Where You Are. Teach Where You’re Needed.
TalentRiseSC Scholars Program is a new education workforce initiative of the South Carolina Technical College System Foundation, the Greenville County Chamber Foundation, and seven innovative Technical Colleges across South Carolina. Designed to address the growing teacher shortage across South Carolina—especially in rural communities— the TalentRiseSC Scholars Program helps aspiring educators to begin their journey at a technical college and continue to earn a bachelor’s degree in education.
The TalentRiseSC Scholars Program responds to this challenge by:
Expanding Access – Opening doors for students across seven participating technical colleges.
Supporting Student Success – Leveraging Student Success Navigators who provide personalized guidance every step of the way.
Rewarding Progress – Offering milestone-based financial incentives to keep students on track to completion.
Strengthening the Workforce – Maximizing partnerships in local schools and districts, where students can build a career pathway within their community.
SC’s Teacher Shortage
South Carolina faces a critical shortage of early childhood teachers. Families, schools, and communities depend on qualified educators who can nurture strong foundations for lifelong learning.
Program Highlights
Academic Pathways
From associate degree to bachelor’s with ease.
Recruits from students enrolled in an Associate Degree in Early Care & Education at one of our partner technical colleges.
Students transfer seamlessly into a partner four-year program, some with accelerated completion options.
Student Success Navigators
Every scholar is paired with a Navigator who:
Helps design an Individual Success Plan.
Connects students with tutoring, test prep, and community supports, and emergency resources when needed.
Uses motivational coaching to keep students engaged and supported.
Student Achievement Milestones
Students earn milestone-based awards—including up to $5,000 in direct support— these milestones help accelerate graduation rates and increase retention through providing achievement-based resources at critical times in the education journey.
Completing credit hour milestones
Passing PRAXIS examsAdvancing into second- and third-year studies
Graduating and entering the workforce
Participating Colleges
The following colleges are active partners in are leading the way:
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College
Technical College of the Lowcountry
Central Carolina Technical College
Together, these seven colleges enrolled over 400 students in Early Care and Education programs in Fall 2023 alone.
Who Can Apply?
The program is open to:
Students pursuing Early Care & Education degrees at
participating collegesFirst-time college students, returning adult learners, and
career changersIndividuals committed to working in South Carolina’s 4K
through 3rd grade early education and special needs fields.
How it Works
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Apply to Your College
Begin enrollment in an Early Care & Education program.
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Become a Scholar
Sign up as a Scholar and meet your dedicated Navigator.
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Hit Milestones
Stay on track with coursework, testing, and academic goals.
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Earn Incentives
Receive funding as you progress.
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Graduate and Teach
Enter the classroom ready to make a difference.
Together, we are building a stronger future for South Carolina’s children, one teacher
at a time.
For more information about the TalentRiseSC Scholars Program, reach out to the South Carolina Technical College System Foundation:
Mission
The South Carolina Technical College System Foundation proudly supports the South Carolina Technical College System. The Foundation is dedicated to enhancing economic development and workforce empowerment within the state through impactful programming designed to ignite economic growth and empower our state’s growing workforce.
Vision
By creating impactful programs that are easy to access and more affordable, the Foundation partners with the System, and each of its colleges, to expand workforce development opportunities for residents in urban, suburban, and rural areas. The Foundation also helps connect employers with fresh and effective ways to develop workers for high-demand, skilled jobs in our ever-changing economy.