Office of the President
J. Rion McKissick
1936-44

Biographical Note: J. Rion McKissick was elected 19th president of the University in 1936. A Union native and 1905 graduate of South Carolina College, McKissick was a trained newspaperman and had served as dean of the school of journalism before being elevated to the presidency. A beloved figure on campus, he served as president until his death in 1944. He is buried on the Horseshoe in front of South Caroliniana Library. In 1951, the Trustees dedicated the University Library built in 1940 (now McKissick Museum) to him. Finding Aids: 1936-1937 1937-1938 1938-1939 1939-1940 1940-1941 1941-1942 1942-1943 1943-1944