Scholars Program
TRANSFORMING FUTURES
Building South Carolina’s Early Care & Education Workforce.
The TalentRiseSC Scholars Program, powered by the South Carolina Technical College System Foundation – in partnership with the Greenville Chamber Foundation’s TalentRiseSC program and seven innovative colleges from around the state – is creating a stronger pipeline of skilled Early Care & Education (ECE) and special needs teachers across South Carolina. Through dedicated support, student achievement incentives, and direct pathways from technical colleges to four-year institutions, we’re creating pathways for the next generation of educators. Through the state’s technical colleges, students find they can learn where they live, stay in their community, and become part of helping shape South Carolina’s youngest learners right next door.
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.
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.
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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Join Teach-to-Tech
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.
Scholar
Benefits
For Colleges & Partners
The program is open to:
Personalized coaching and mentorship
Financial support for tuition, exams, and academic achievements.
Connections to internships, apprenticeships, and job placements
Belonging to a statewide community of future educators
A clear pathway to bachelor’s degrees and long-term teaching careers
The South Carolina Technical College System Foundation partners with local colleges and school districts to ensure:
Students have wraparound supports
Incentives are tied directly to student success
Communities benefit from a growing pool of qualified educators
Together, we are building a stronger future for South Carolina’s children, one teacher at a time.
For more information about the TalentRiseSC Tech-to-Teach 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.