SC State to honor veterans with Nov. 11 appreciation program featuring alumnus, retired Army colonel
Veterans Day observance will include military tributes and keynote address by Col. (Ret.) Larry C. Boyd Sr.
ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina State University will honor the service and sacrifices of military veterans and active-duty personnel during its 2026 Veterans Appreciation Program on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. in Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium.
Open to the public, the Veterans Day observance will feature a keynote address by Col. (Ret.) Larry C. Boyd Sr., an SC State alumnus and member of the university's ROTC Hall of Fame who served in numerous military command and leadership positions around the world.
The program will bring together university leadership, ROTC cadets and musical performers for a series of tributes recognizing the contributions of those who have served in the U.S. armed forces.
SC State President Alexander Conyers will deliver welcoming and closing remarks. Dr. Louis Whitesides, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, will preside, and Dr. Lakeisa Tucker, dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, will deliver remarks on the occasion.
The ceremony will include the posting and retiring of the colors by the Bulldog Battalion Color Guard, the national anthem, a military tribute video and a candle-lighting and wreath ceremony led by Lt. Col. Quentin Benjamin, professor of military science.
Musical performances will include a selection by the NCGCC-Orangeburg Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Rosemary Griffin and a performance of "Give Me Jesus," arranged by Moses Hogan, by tenor Jayden Wright, accompanied by pianist Dr. Jiyeon Lee.
The program also will feature a salute to service with the playing of taps.
SC State ROTC cadets will participate throughout the ceremony. Cadet Andrea T. Ellerbe, a senior criminal justice major from Rockingham, North Carolina, will narrate the military tribute video. Cadet Richard B. Williams, a junior psychology major from Moncks Corner, South Carolina, will deliver the scripture reading and invocation.
Cadet Tahze L. Vaughan, a senior business economics major and Bulldog Battalion commander, will introduce the keynote speaker.
About the keynote speaker
A native of Newberry, South Carolina, Boyd graduated with honors from South Carolina State College with a bachelor's degree in political science. Designated a Distinguished Military Graduate, he received a Regular Army commission as an adjutant general officer and entered active duty in May 1980. He also earned a master's degree in administration from Central Michigan University and a master's degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College.
Throughout his military career, Boyd held command and staff assignments in the United States and overseas. His leadership positions included commander of the 5th Replacement Company, 3rd Signal Battalion, 390th Personnel Group and 656th Area Support Group. He also served as commander of the 3rd Theater Personnel Command/390th Personnel Group and theater adjutant general for the 3rd Army at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, with operational responsibilities in Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa during Operation Iraqi Freedom III.
Boyd is a member of the SC State ROTC Hall of Fame Class of 2017 and a life member of several professional and civic organizations, including the SC State University Alumni Association, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., the Association of the United States Army, the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He also is a member of the 100 Black Men of the Pee Dee and serves as chairman of the Board of Deacons at Trinity Baptist Church in Florence, South Carolina.
Following his military career, Boyd worked as a manager for INROADS Inc. in Philadelphia and later served as senior Army instructor for the Army JROTC program at Darlington High School, retiring in 2021. He and his wife, Paula, have one son, Larry Jr., and one granddaughter, Larriah.
Honoring military service
The Veterans Appreciation Program is organized through SC State's Division of Academic Affairs, with a planning committee co-chaired by Whitesides and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Anthony L. Watson.
The observance will conclude with the university's alma mater, led by Dr. Rosetta Dingle, the retiring of the colors and a benediction.
Event details
- What: 2026 Veterans Appreciation Program
- When: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at 11 a.m.
- Where: Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg
- Keynote speaker: Col. (Ret.) Larry C. Boyd Sr., SC State alumnus and retired U.S. Army officer