List of Presidents of the University of South Carolina
Encyclopedia
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...
from its founding as South Carolina College in 1801 to the present day.
Presidents of the University of South Carolina
| # | Name | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonathan Maxcy Jonathan Maxcy Jonathan Maxcy was the second president of Brown University ; the third president of Union College; and the first president of the University of South Carolina.Born in Attleboro, Massachusetts on September 2, 1768, Maxcy was educated at an academy in Wrentham, Massachusetts and... |
1804 – 1820 | |
| 2 | Thomas Cooper Thomas Cooper (US politician) Thomas Cooper was an Anglo-American economist, college president and political philosopher. Cooper was described by Thomas Jefferson as "one of the ablest men in America" and by John Adams as "a learned ingenious scientific and talented madcap." Dumas Malone stated that "modern scientific... |
1821 – 1834 | |
| Robert Henry | 1834 | President pro tem | |
| Henry Junius Nott | 1834 – 1835 | Chairman of the Faculty | |
| 3 | Robert Woodward Barnwell Robert Woodward Barnwell Robert Woodward Barnwell was an American planter, lawyer, and educator from South Carolina who served as a Senator in both the United States Senate and that of the Confederate States of America.-Biography:... |
1835 – 1841 | |
| 4 | Robert Henry | 1841 – 1845 | |
| 5 | William C. Preston William C. Preston William Campbell Preston was a senator from the United States and a member of the Nullifier, and later Whig Parties... |
1845 – 1851 | |
| Francis Lieber Francis Lieber Francis Lieber , known as Franz Lieber in Germany, was a German-American jurist, gymnast and political philosopher. He edited an Encyclopaedia Americana... |
1851 | President pro tem | |
| 6 | James H. Thornwell James Henley Thornwell James Henley Thornwell was an American Presbyterian preacher and religious writer.Born in Marlboro District, South Carolina, on December 9, 1812; Thornwell graduated from South Carolina College at nineteen, studied briefly at Harvard, then entered the Presbyterian ministry... |
1851 – 1855 | |
| 7 | Charles F. McCay | 1855 – 1857 | |
| 8 | Augustus B. Longstreet Augustus Baldwin Longstreet Augustus Baldwin Longstreet was an American lawyer, minster, educator, and humorist, known for his book Georgia Scenes.-Biography:... |
1857 – 1861 | |
| Maximillian LaBorde | 1861 – 1865 | Chairman of the Faculty | |
| Robert Woodward Barnwell Robert Woodward Barnwell Robert Woodward Barnwell was an American planter, lawyer, and educator from South Carolina who served as a Senator in both the United States Senate and that of the Confederate States of America.-Biography:... |
1865 – 1873 | Chairman of the Faculty | |
| Benjamin B. Babbitt | 1873 – 1875 | Chairman of the Faculty | |
| Anson W. Cummings | 1875 – 1877 | Chairman of the Faculty | |
| 9 | William Porcher Miles William Porcher Miles William Porcher Miles was among the ardent States' Rights advocates, supporters of slavery, and Southern secessionists who came to be known as the "Fire-Eaters." Born in South Carolina, he showed little early interest in politics and his early career included the study of law and a tenure as a... |
1880 – 1882 | |
| 10 | John McLaren McBryde John McLaren McBryde John McLaren McBryde was the 5th President of Virginia Tech serving from July 1, 1891-September 1, 1907. Born January 1, 1841 in Abbeville, South Carolina. McBryde entered South Carolina College in 1858 at age 17 before going on to the University of Virginia. In 1861, he returned to Abbeville... |
1883 – 1891 | |
| 11 | James Woodrow | 1891 – 1897 | |
| 12 | Frank C. Woodward | 1897 – 1902 | |
| 13 | Benjamin Sloan | 1902 – 1908 | Acting President from 1902 to 1903 |
| Andrew C. Moore | 1908 – 1909 | Acting President | |
| 14 | Samuel Chiles Mitchell | 1909 – 1913 | |
| Andrew C. Moore | 1913 – 1914 | Acting President | |
| 15 | William Spenser Currell | 1914 – 1922 | |
| 16 | William Davis Melton | 1922 – 1926 | |
| Leonard T. Baker | 1926 | Acting President | |
| 17 | Davison McDowell Douglas | 1927 – 1931 | |
| 18 | Leonard T. Baker | 1931 – 1936 | |
| 19 | James Rion McKissick | 1936 – 1944 | |
| Leonard T. Baker | 1944 – 1945 | Acting President | |
| 20 | Norman Murray Smith | 1945 – 1952 | |
| Francis Wright Bradley Francis Wright Bradley Francis Wright Bradley was a Dean at the University of South Carolina, as well as a professor of languages, and acting University President in 1952.In World War I he used his multi-linguistic talents as a translator in the Intelligence Unit of the U.S... |
1952 | Acting President | |
| 21 | Donald S. Russell Donald S. Russell Donald Stuart Russell was a Democratic Senator from South Carolina. He served from 1965 to 1966. He also served as the 107th Governor of South Carolina, 1963-1965. Russell was a protege of former Secretary of State James F. Byrnes and served as Assistant Secretary of State for Administration... |
1952 – 1957 | |
| 22 | Robert Llewellyn Sumwalt | 1957 – 1962 | Acting President from 1957 to 1959 |
| 23 | Thomas F. Jones | 1962 – 1974 | |
| 24 | William H. Patterson | 1974 – 1977 | |
| 25 | James B. Holderman | 1977 – 1990 | |
| Arthur K. Smith | 1990 – 1991 | Interim President | |
| 26 | John M. Palms | 1991 – 2002 | |
| 27 | Andrew A. Sorensen | 2002 – 2008 | |
| 28 | Harris Pastides | 2008 – | |