Alex Sanders is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 politician from the state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of South Carolina

South Carolina

South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

. He is the former chief judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals

South Carolina Court of Appeals

The South Carolina Court of Appeals is the intermediate-level appellate court for the state of South Carolina.-Jurisdiction:The Court of Appeals hears most appeals from the Circuit Courts and Family Courts of South Carolina that do not fall within the seven classes of cases over which the South...

 (1983–1992) and was the 19th President of the College of Charleston

College of Charleston

The College of Charleston is a public, sea-grant and space-grant university located in historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina, United States...

 (1992–2001). In 2002, he was the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant after the retirement of Strom Thurmond

Strom Thurmond

James Strom Thurmond was an American politician who served as a United States Senator. He also ran for the Presidency of the United States in 1948 as the segregationist States Rights Democratic Party candidate, receiving 2.4% of the popular vote and 39 electoral votes...

. He was defeated by the Republican candidate, U.S. Representative Lindsey Graham

Lindsey Graham

Lindsey Olin Graham is the senior U.S. Senator from South Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously he served as the U.S. Representative for .-Early life, education and career:...

.

Sanders grew up in Columbia, SC and attended AC Moore Elementary School, Hand Middle School, and Dreher High School. He received degrees from the University of South Carolina

University of South Carolina

The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...

 and the University of Virginia

University of Virginia

The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...

. He later taught in the Political Science Department at Harvard University

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

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As one of five founders, Sanders has been the President of the Charleston School of Law

Charleston School of Law

The Charleston School of Law is a for-profit private law school located in Charleston, South Carolina, established in 2003. The school was fully accredited by the American Bar Association in August 2011.-Inspiration and establishment:...

since its founding in 2002.