In the late-70’s, Greenville County Schools music teacher Virginia Uldrick made a request to then-governor Jim Edwards to open a summer program for the arts—a Governor’s School for South Carolina. The Governor’s School for the Arts Honors Program, a five-week summer program, began in 1981, offering creative writing, dance, drama, music and visual art. In 1985, Uldrick began her campaign for a nine-month residential program, which opened its doors in August of 1999 to an inaugural class of 126 students. Uldrick served as Governor’s School president from 1999-2003.

Former U.S. Secretary of Education and SC Governor Dick Riley established the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts by Executive Order in October 1980 as an intensive, five-week summer program for talented young artists in South Carolina. He has been a staunch advocate of the Governor’s School ever since.

Former Governor Carroll Campbell signed the legislative bill in 1994 to create the nine-month residential high school—the first of its kind in the nation to be fully-funded by the state. Campbell was a former music student of Virginia Uldrick’s.

Well-known fundraiser and philanthropist, Mary R. Belser was co-chair of the Capital Campaign Steering Committee and instrumental in raising the $14 million dollar funds needed to break ground on the Governor’s School ‘s campus.

Musician Robert Blocker was the Dean of Music at Yale University when he served as a consultant to the Governor’s School to develop the school’s initial strategic plan and curriculum. He also served as chair of the school’s Board of Visitors.

An accomplished painter and printmaker from Orangeburg, Mac Arthur Goodwin helped establish the Governor’s School, as well as several other arts organizations in the state, including the Arts in the Basic Curriculum (ABC) Project and the South Carolina Alliance for Arts Education.

Business and civics leader Bob Hughes was instrumental in the site selection of the school and oversaw the construction of the Governor’s School’s campus. He served on the SCGSAH Foundation’s founding board and has also served as a Governor’s School board member.

An impactful leader in business, civics and philanthropy, Minor Mickel Shaw co-chaired the Capital Campaign Steering Committee, raising $14 million for the Governor’s School’s groundbreaking. She also served as a founding board member and as the first board chair of the SCGSAH Foundation.

As the legend goes, former State Senator Jefferson “Verne” Smith, who was a tire store owner in the 1950s, was the first to financially invest in Virginia Uldrick’s pursuits. He gave her $500 for her music program at the time, and then convinced his friends to do the same. It was this investment that led her down the long path to founding the Governor’s School. Sen. Smith chaired the Legislative Study Committee, tasked with determining if the state could afford to build the school and develop a plan to ensure that the state's artistically talented students would have the opportunity to attend. The school’s residence hall is named in his honor.

Renowned artist Leo Twiggs was a driving force in the development of the school’s first professional feasibility study with the specific goal of gathering concrete proof that a year-round, residential program was indeed a viable concept. He also served as a founding member of the SCGSAH Board of Directors.

Successful businessman Larry Wilson worked closely with Virginia Uldrick in the early days and during the first feasibility study. When the initial bill that would establish the Governor’s School had been tabled in the State House due to the inability for the school to serve the entire state, Wilson came up with the idea of distance learning. He also served on the Capital Campaign Steering Committee and as the first school board chair.

Lawyer, conservationist, and a leader in the transformation of downtown Greenville, Tommy Wyche helped convince the city to offer acreage for the school’s campus. He also served on the Capital Campaign Steering Committee and was a major benefactor to the school.