UofSC names MLK Social Justice Award recipients
Posted on: 1/16/2015; Updated on: 2/10/2015By Frenché Brewer, 803-777-3691
A student, faculty, staff and community member who demonstrate the philosophies of Martin Luther King Jr. through community service, social justice or racial reconciliation received UofSC’s Martin Luther King Social Justice Awards on Jan. 14.
Kim Cunningham, a December 2014 graduate of USC Lancaster, was the student award winner. In her pursuit of social justice, Cunningham is committed to working with at-risk and underprivileged youth and is the founder and instructor of a GED training program. Cunningham focused her Capstone course research on the problem of human trafficking in South Carolina. She earned her degree in criminal justice and psychology.
Jane Brewer, an associate dean for student services at USC Salkehatchie and also the director of the Walterboro campus, received the faculty award. The USC Salkehatchie campus has a robust international student population, and Brewer helps students adjust to campus. In the spirit of social justice, Brewer meets people where they are in life, and helps them get where they want to go. Brewer has a bachelor’s degree in English from UNC Chapel Hill, and a master's degree in school counseling from North Carolina State University.
Jim Glasson, a human services specialist at USC Beaufort, received the staff member award. Glasson’s lifelong commitment to equal treatment, social justice and racial reconciliation has been instrumental in growing the human services major at USC Beaufort into one of the fastest growing and best known programs in the region. Glasson and his students have contributed more than $1.2 million worth of services to the Lowcountry, and more than 500 of Glasson’s students have been placed with local human service agencies.
The community member award recipient was Bob Coble, who served as Columbia’s mayor for 20 years. Coble’s leadership led to him being named Ambassador of the Year by the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. He also was awarded the Knowledge Economist Award by the S.C. Research Authority, and received the John W. “Tootie” Williams Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes distinguished and meritorious service to the legal profession.
Finalists for the award were selected by a subcommittee of the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Committee.
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