GSSM to honor students and alumni with Townes Award
September 22, 2019
The South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) and its Foundation will honor GSSM students and alumni with the 2019 Townes Award during “Transforming Lives,” the 26th annual Townes Award Celebration, Wednesday, September 25, 6-9 p.m. at 1208 Washington Place in Columbia.
Named for Dr. Charles H. Townes, South Carolina native and Nobel Laurate in physics, the Townes Award is presented annually to honor individuals, businesses, or institutions that have transformed South Carolina and the world.
An alumni representative from each of the three decades of GSSM’s history, along with a current student, will address attendees and share their own stories of how GSSM transforms lives.
- Shiva Hodges ’91, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of South Carolina in Columbia, SC
- Marcus McLaughlin ’04, Head of Engineering at Amitree in San Francisco, CA
- Reilly Kilpatrick ’14, pursuing a Masters in Physician Assistant Studies at MUSC in Charleston, SC
Patricio Ortiz ’20, current GSSM senior and Student Body President from Greenville, SC
“Having recently celebrated GSSM’s 30th anniversary, it is fitting to honor the students and graduates of GSSM with the Townes Award,” said Beth Dinndorf, executive director of the GSSM Foundation.
“The 2,416 alumni and students are a testament to GSSM’s power to transform lives,” said Dr. Ershela Sims, GSSM Interim President, “and they are transforming South Carolina and the world in so many ways.”
Tickets to the event are $100. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.scgssm.org/townes or call 803.252.9152.
About GSSM
Founded in 1988, the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics is a nationally recognized school serving over four hundred of the state’s most accomplished STEM students in the 10th through 12th grades through its residential and virtual programs. GSSM offers college-level courses and experiences in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics at its campus in Hartsville. The school also delivers virtual curricula in engineering and STEM disciplines to students in partner school districts throughout the state. GSSM’s dynamic outreach programs, including science summer camps and teacher training, impact over 5,000 K-12 students every year. Learn more by visiting www.scgssm.org.
