Richland One to induct five into district’s Hall of Fame in January

Richland One will induct five new members into the Richland One Hall of Fame in January, district officials announced October 24.

The Richland One Hall of Fame recognizes graduates of Richland One schools and other people throughout the district’s history who have made significant contributions to Richland One, their communities, their professions and society.

Induction into the Hall of Fame is the highest honor awarded by the Richland One Board of School Commissioners; 106 men and women have been inducted since the Hall of Fame was established in 2004.

Pictured after the October 24 announcement are (from left) Richland One Board Chairman Robert Lominack; Commissioners Jamie L. Devine and Angela Clyburn; 2026 Hall of Fame induction class members Marlene McClerklin and Titus Duren; Debra Seymour (seated), mother of 2026 Hall of Fame induction class member Richard Seymour, and Dr. Beyonka Wider, Mr. Seymour’s cousin; Hall of Fame member Ida Thompson, W.J. Keenan High School classmate of 2026 Hall of Fame induction class member Judge Richard Gergel; 2026 Hall of Fame induction class member Brian W. Myers; and Richland One Superintendent Dr. Todd Walker. (Photo Credit: Mario Prezzy – Undying Xpressionz)

The five members of the 2026 Richland One Hall of Fame induction class are:

• Titus Duren – Mr. Duren is a Sumter, South Carolina native who was the first African-American principal at Lower Richland High School. He served as Lower Richland’s principal from 1990 to 2001 and transformed the school’s academic, cultural and community presence during his tenure.

• Judge Richard Gergel – Judge Gergel is a 1972 graduate of W.J. Keenan High School, where he was the school’s first Student  Council president and helped to unite people from diverse backgrounds during the emotionally charged time of school desegregation. In 2009, he was nominated by President Barack Obama to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, and he was confirmed in 2010 by the U.S. Senate.

• Marlene McClerklin – Mrs. McClerklin is a Fairfield County, South Carolina native who did her practice teaching at Booker T. Washington High School in Richland One and began her teaching career in 1963 as a mathematics teacher at C.A. Johnson High School. She gave 35 years of dedicated service to Richland One and retired as the district’s mathematics consultant.

• Brian Walter Myers – Mr. Myers was born and raised in the Eau Claire community of Columbia, and he graduated in 1994 from W.J. Keenan High School. He is the owner of Myers Mortuary and Cremation Services in Columbia. Mr. Myers has provided meals for the junior varsity and varsity basketball teams at W.J. Keenan for 15 years. He also partners with and supports several other Richland One schools, and he provides internships to students and graduates who are interested in the funeral industry.

• Richard Seymour – Mr. Seymour is a 1997 graduate of Lower Richland High School where he was a captain of the football team, and he was voted the team’s best defensive lineman during his senior year. A standout during his college years at the University of Georgia, Mr. Seymour had an illustrious 12-year career in the NFL, which included helping the New England Patriots win three Super Bowls. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2022. He is CEO of 93 Ventures and an owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. He continues to give back to Lower Richland High School and the community.

The Richland One Hall of Fame Induction Gala will be held in partnership with the Richland One Foundation on Saturday, January 10, 2026 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. The red carpet reception will begin at 5 p.m. and the program will begin at 6 p.m. Entertainment will be provided by Rod Foster and Company with featured vocalist Joshua Pegram, who is a teacher at Southeast Middle School.

Individual tickets and reserved tables may be purchased at www.R1GalaTickets.org or from the Richland One Office of Communications (1616 Richland Street, Columbia, SC 29201).

For information about gala sponsorship opportunities, contact Regina Brown at [email protected] or (803) 237-6548.