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Friday, March 29, 2024 - 12:18 AM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

SC Judicial Panel press

North Greenville University Political Science, Criminal Justice & Legal Studies Department will host a panel of SC esteemed judges on Tuesday, Nov. 16, on the Tigerville Campus.  

The North Greenville University (NGU) Political Science, Criminal Justice & Legal Studies Department announces it will host a panel of esteemed judges from South Carolina to discuss important legal issues and the South Carolina Judiciary on Tuesday, Nov. 16, at 6 p.m. in Hamlin Hall on NGU's Tigerville Campus. No tickets are required, and the event is open to the public free of charge.

For the past three years, NGU Affiliated Instructor of Political Science and member of the SC House of Representatives Garry Smith has put together a panel of judges to come to his State and Local Government class. 

"This has been such an enlightening part of our discussion on the judiciary each year.  I hope to bring this same enlightenment to the NGU community," said Smith. "We are so blessed to have some of the best legal minds in South Carolina who are willing to take their valuable time to come to our campus to share their wisdom with our NGU community.”

The panelist members for this discussion will be South Carolina Supreme Court Justice John Kittredge, Circuit Court Judge Letitia Verdin, Probate Court Judge Debora A. Faulkner, and Municipal Court Judge and NGU Board of Trustee member Ike Johnson.

In countless professions, the world needs leaders equipped in law and politics. NGU’s political science program takes a Christ-centered approach to prepare students for a lifetime of public service and servant leadership. Opportunities like this panel discussion given at NGU can influence students to pursue a variety of careers in criminal justice, law, politics, and public service.

Hunter Conrad, a 2007 NGU alumnus, was named 2021 Young Alumnus of the Year by the Alumni Association. He said his accounting professor, who was a CPA and an attorney, was his most significant mentor and advocate while at NGU. The professor advised Conrad that he would be well suited for employment in public service. Conrad pursued education in accounting and law.

"He [professor] always provided sound advice and took it upon himself to personally help me prepare for professional success by giving me advice inside and outside of the classroom," Conrad said. "Whether you practice law in the traditional sense or use it as an avenue to pursue other career opportunities, it will prepare and equip you for a number of important life skills."

After graduating with honors in accounting from NGU, Conrad earned his Juris Doctor from the Florida Coastal School of Law and currently serves as the St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller and as Captain in the United States Air Force Reserve, where he is certified trial counsel as an assistant staff judge advocate. 

Dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences Dr. Paul H. Thompson said this panel discussion is an exceptional opportunity for NGU students to understand how our state's judiciary functions.

"I have personally heard most of the panelists speak before and know that whoever attends will find this a most informative experience," said Thompson. "In previous years, Professor Smith has hosted this panel only for his State and Local Government class and opening it up to the entire NGU community as an evening event is a generous and brilliant move."

Thompson said NGU is blessed to have Garry Smith as an affiliated professor. He is the state representative for District 27 in Simpsonville and chairman of the House Operations and Management Committee. He has a long and illustrious career serving in public administration at the local government level.

NGU offers more than 115 areas of study across certificate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and early college opportunities. Online. In-person. At our main campus in Tigerville, SC, the Tim Brashier Campus in Greer, SC, or several educational centers around the U.S. One university, many locations. Every day. Epic. Learn more.

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