Class of 1972 graduates Nathaniel Howard and Carolyn Clark Cannon say the university
shaped their careers, broadened their perspectives and created lifelong connections.
Class of 1972 graduates Nathaniel Howard and Carolyn Clark Cannon say the university
shaped their careers, broadened their perspectives and created lifelong connections.
ORANGEBURG, S.C. — South Carolina State University helped shape the lives of Nathaniel Howard and Carolyn
Clark Cannon long before the two alumni built careers in education, counseling, engineering
and business. Now, both say they are proud to support the university’s historic $41.2
million capital campaign.
SC State has officially launched The Power of SC State: A Capital Campaign to Elevate Excellence, a comprehensive fundraising initiative designed to transform the student experience
and strengthen the university’s position as a premier research institution.
"We have some good memories."
“I support South Carolina State because it supported me when I was here — my professors
and my friends. I came from a very small town and didn’t know very much about Orangeburg,
but I had a very good experience,” Cannon said.
The Camden native majored in Spanish while at SC State, where she said she and other
alumni were prepared for careers in a variety of fields, including education, business,
government and engineering.
“I had some really good teachers, many of whom helped me develop as a young woman.
They enhanced my growth and development,” Cannon said.
She recalled the support she received from Dr. Alfredo Sharpe, who was then the chairman
of the Department of Foreign Languages and a professor of Spanish, as well as her
academic advisor.
“He was instrumental in ensuring that students majoring in foreign languages would
receive broad cultural training in languages, as well as preparation for career opportunities
in teaching, government and business,” Cannon said.
“I still remember being in awe of Professor Charles Muse, who taught History and Philosophy
of Education. He impressed me as a walking book of knowledge …. I loved this class,
and he was an encouragement for me to pursue a career in education,” she said.
Cannon said her small classes made it possible for her and her advisor to have a close
relationship and created an effective learning environment for her.
“I learned a lot; I learned a lot about me. My class came right after the Orangeburg
Massacre, so it was an interesting time to be here,” she said.
The university annually commemorates the Orangeburg Massacre, in which Henry Smith,
Samuel Hammond Jr. and Delano Middleton were killed on Feb. 8, 1968, when officers
opened fire on a crowd of unarmed Black students protesting segregation at a local
bowling alley.
“We were here at a trying time, but we had some good memories. I was involved in a
lot of stuff. I had to not only be a student, but also an activist, and that was really
important,” Cannon said.
“I met friends during my first year at State who remain in my life, some of whom for
more than 50 years. These individuals are more than friends; they are my chosen family,”
she explained.
Her first job after graduation was teaching Spanish to ninth- and 10th-grade students
in South Carolina before moving to Newark, New Jersey, where she also taught.
“I went back to the University of Connecticut in 1975 and received my master’s degree
there. From there, I went into higher education and focused on advising and counseling
students, but SC State gave me my foundation.
“Without a foundation, you have nothing to build on. I believe alumni support and
enthusiasm for this (capital) campaign are vital to our university’s success,” Cannon
said.
"I liked the dedication of the professors."
Howard, who grew up in Awendaw, South Carolina, was a math major at SC State.
“I like the dedication of the professors that I had. They prepared us. My very first
job was as an eighth-grade math teacher in Harlem, New York. I had a lot of confidence.
I knew the subject matter very well,” he said.
“I was an education minor, so I had some knowledge and experience with management
of a classroom with students who really didn’t want to be there,” Howard said.
He went on to use his skills at Consolidated Edison, a utility company in New York
from where he retired in 2013.
“The great thing about working for the utility company is that you can virtually —
and I did — change careers within the company. I started off as a trainer in the training
department, I was an administrator in the employee benefits department, and my last
assignment was in the gas engineering department, where I did mentoring, tutoring
and testing,” Howard said.
He is glad that SC State has launched a capital campaign, which he is proud to support.
“I joined the alumni association in 1977 and have been giving back to South Carolina
State ever since. Previous administrations have talked about having a capital campaign,
and I was always disappointed when we never followed through.” Howard said. “So once
we launched the capital campaign, I definitely wanted to be a part of it.
“I’m proud to be a part of it because I know that the funds raised will help students
with tuition, but it will also help to grow the campus from the physical point of
view,” he said.
What is his vision for SC State?
“My vision for SC State going forward is to continue to grow, nurture students and
provide an education for not only students who are qualified, but for students who
are marginalized. I mean those students who, were it not for SC State and similar
institutions, would not have gotten a chance for a higher education,” he said.
