Attendees applaud the announcement of Project 100, a pilot program to expand the amount of childcare available in Spartanburg County. OneSpartanburg, Inc. photo 

Spartanburg County organizations partner to create new childcare seats through facility investments

Adapted from information provided by OneSpartanburg, Inc.

An innovative pilot initiative led by OneSpartanburg, Inc., Power Up Spartanburg, the Mary Black Foundation, Spartanburg County First Steps, and Quality Counts plans to expand the amount of childcare available in Spartanburg County through facility investments.

The effort, known as Project 100: Quality Child-care for Spartanburg’s Growing Future (or Project 100 for short), will invest in locally-owned childcare centers that are actively participating in Power Up Spartanburg – the county’s small and minority business development initiative – to achieve the goal of adding 100 new childcare seats countywide. 

This goal aims to reduce barriers to workforce participation, and foster workforce readiness, by addressing childcare challenges for parents and guardians, enhance early-childhood education by expanding access to high-quality learning environments, and strengthen local economies by supporting small businesses in the childcare sector.

“One of the greatest barriers to workforce participation is childcare. High-quality seats are limited and often taken as soon as they become available. This pilot initiative will enable parents to work and be assured that their child is in a safe and developmental environment,” said OneSpartanburg, Inc. President and CEO Allen Smith.” The data couldn’t be clearer. Investments in early childhood set the set stage for sustained academic success – this fact is yet another positive by-product of this collaborative initiative.”

The initiative outlines that Power Up Spartan-burg will commit $75,000 to capital improvement investments at participating childcare facilities, complemented by $25,000 in funding from the One-Spartanburg Vision Plan 2.0. The Mary Black Foundation will expand upon this work with a $100,000 investment.

Participating childcare facilities, in addition to remaining actively engaged in Power Up Spartanburg, will have to join Spartanburg’s Quality Counts program to receive funding for capital improvements.

“With a little capital support, small businesses can drive big impact. In tandem with our partners, the affected small businesses will be in a much better position to scale and sustain their businesses. That’s what Power Up is all about,” said Jay Jenkins, OneSpartanburg, Inc. Director of Small and Minority Business Development.

Proposals for capital improvement projects are being accepted through April 23, with a series of visits, verifications, and reviews scheduled before childcare facilities are notified of their improvement plans being funded, which should come in mid-to-late May.

“If minor infrastructure improvements are what’s standing in the way of a local childcare facility creating more available seats, we want to invest the capital needed for that expansion, with the caveat that you commit to Quality Counts as you add those seats,” OneSpartanburg, Inc. Chief Talent Officer Ron Garner.

“Research shows that the quality of early life experiences greatly impacts long-term health and well-being. As we think about the need for childcare in our community, the Mary Black Foundation is proud to partner with OneSpartanburg, Inc. to co-fund an innovative pilot project that will ensure that more children in Spartanburg County have access to quality early care and education programs,” said Mary Black Foundation President and CEO Molly Talbot-Metz. “This project aligns with our focus on supporting children and families during the critical early years, helping to build a healthier, stronger community for generations to come.”

Statistics used to build the OneSpartanburg Vision Plan 2.0 show a lack of childcare is a barrier to those who aren’t currently working but would like to reenter the workforce.

“If we want to get small business right in Spartanburg County, we must address the issue that inadequate childcare is holding us back,” said Spartanburg County Councilwoman Jessica Coker. “As a mother of three, with a fourth on the way, I know the barrier childcare can present to working parents.  Parents should have the choice to work or stay home based on their goals and priorities, not be forced into a decision based on a lack of options.”

An initiative of Spartanburg County and OneSpar-tanburg, Inc., Power Up Spartanburg is the county’s small and minority business development initiative aiming to make Spartanburg the #1 place in the U.S. to start and grow a small business.

The Mary Black Foundation is a private foundation with a mission to increase opportunities for health and well-being through strategic investments in the people and communities of Spartanburg County. Founded in 1996, the Foundation has invested over $71 million into the community.

Spartanburg County First Steps works with local businesses, nonprofits, churches, and schools to help all children enter school ready to thrive. 

Quality Counts creates high-quality learning environments and promotes best practices for teachers that help prepare our youngest students for success in school and life. By providing targeted professional development, mentorship and coaching, and nationally recognized assessments, it lays the foundation for continuous improvement.

Graham Segars ’25 (right) spoke about his experience with sepsis at the World Sepsis Congress in April.

Survivor to advocate

By Sara Strakhov, Wofford class of 2026

Graham Segars ’25 became a sepsis survivor at the age of 21. He has now pledged to increase sepsis awareness across the United States.

Before the summer of 2024, Segars, an environmental studies major from Columbia, South Carolina, had never heard of sepsis. That changed quickly in July.

It began when he felt a pop in his right hip. Segars was on break at his job at Chick-fil-A when, in a matter of hours, the small pop grew into intense discomfort then immobility. Segars went to the emergency room, and a nurse diagnosed him with a pulled muscle. After two weeks of no improvement, doctors ordered an MRI. They discovered arthritis and extracted hip tissue for testing. The results came back as septic arthritis, meaning an infection had spread to his inflamed joint. If left untreated it could lead to septic shock.

“They found traces of the infection, very minimal traces of it, in my entire bloodstream,” Segars said. “That’s why my situation was so severe.”

During surgery, doctors realized that sepsis had caused his body to eat away the cartilage around his hip. Recovery took months, and Segars didn’t return to campus until late September.

“As soon as I moved in, my friends helped me bring in all my stuff,” says Segars, who is particularly grateful for his Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity brothers. “They made sure that everything was all set up and made sure I had everything I needed. Hurricane Helene happened that same week, so I moved right in and moved right back out.”

Being on crutches and having limited mobility was an eye-opening experience for Segars, and he began partnering with organizations across the globe to raise awareness for people with disabilities and to end sepsis mortality. He spoke at the fifth-annual World Sepsis Congress, held virtually April 8-9, as the North American representative for the Global Sepsis Alliance. During his session, he gave his testimony of his experience with sepsis and provide insights on how to encourage advocacy through sepsis education.

“I’m in the category of people who have survived. A lot of people haven’t, and there’s not much support, advocacy or funding,” Segars says. “If there were more studies, maybe we could figure out a way to stop sepsis sooner.” 

Julio Rodriguez works in a lab while still a Clemson student. Clemson University photo 

Powering the future: How GE Vernova and Clemson University are fueling the next-generation workforce and U.S. competitiveness 

Story by Paul Alongi for Clemson News Services

GE Vernova is looking to Clemson University as a key partner to fill the company’s workforce needs as it invests $650 million in its manufacturing facilities and supply chain over the next two years.

The investment includes $160 million at GE Vernova’s Greenville facility, where the company manufactures gas turbines and expects to hire 650 new employees.

GE Vernova and Clemson collaborated on over 40 different initiatives in 2024, most aimed at creating next-generation engineering talent.

GE Vernova leaders also served on 11 advisory boards at the University. Their business acumen and real-world experience are crucial to helping ensure the University’s curriculum and research align with industry needs.

The GE Vernova-Clemson collaboration and other relationships like are crucial not only to the companies but to South Carolina and the nation. Growing needs of advanced manufacturing, data centers and population growth are driving up demand for energy while rapidly changing the skills needed to succeed in the workforce.

John Intile, Vice President, Engineering GE Vernova Gas Power, said that industry and academia working together builds a pipeline of talent that benefits everyone.

“At GE Vernova, we invest in education because it’s essential to ensuring we have skilled engineers and leaders long into the future,” Intile said. “This collaboration isn’t just good for GE Vernova– it’s good for the economy, the industry, and the nation’s ability to compete on a global scale.”

Julio Rodriguez underscores how corporate-university partnerships can have a positive impact on students and shape the future workforce.

Rodriguez participated in two GE Vernova relationships while studying electrical engineering at Clemson. He received a GE Vernova Annual John Lammas Scholarship and volunteered to work with high school students as part of Next Engineers: Engineering Academy Greenville.

Rodiguez, who graduated in May 2023, has launched his career with the GE Vernova Advanced Research Edison Program, which gives him a chance to grow his technical and leadership skills.

“Company engagement in universities is very important,” Rodriguez said. “I remember applying to different jobs and thinking to myself, these people have an opening in my discipline, but I don’t even know what the company does. You can go online and research, but what GE Vernova did differently was they would come to campus, they would hold events with students, and we could personally go and talk to people who work there. It’s a lot more genuine.”

Students who graduate and become engineers often go on to well-paying jobs that allow them to raise families, buy homes and contribute to the economy.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage was $100,000 or more for bioengineers, chemical engineers, computer hardware engineers, electrical engineers, environmental engineers and materials engineers.

For civil and mechanical engineers, the median annual wage fell less than $5,000 short of the $100,000 mark, the bureau found.

GE Vernova’s largest investments in Clemson were in the areas of talent development, research and campus and community impact programs. Some of the highlights include the GE Vernova John Lammas Annual Scholarship and Next Engineers: Engineering Academy Greenville.

Intile has been central to the GE Vernova-Clemson relationship. For several years he has provided valuable guidance as a member of the advisory board for Clemson’s College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences.

Intile now serves on the President’s Industry Council, where he joins fellow industry executive leaders in shaping the future of the University and driving corporate engagement that aligns with the Clemson Elevate strategic plan and business needs.

“I am thrilled to welcome John Intile to the President’s Industry Council and look forward to his continued leadership and commitment to elevating Clemson University even further,” said University President Jim Clements. “GE Vernova is an incredible partner, and through their investment in and support of our students and faculty, together, we are driving innovation in energy and advanced manufacturing fiercely forward.”

“Their support has already made a tremendous impact, and with John’s new role on the Council and our continued collaboration, we’re ready to take this collaboration to the next level and achieve even greater success together.”

Angie Leidinger, Clemson’s senior vice president for External Affairs and senior advisor to the Board of Trustees, said GE Vernova’s investments in Clemson help ensure that economic growth in South Carolina and beyond can continue long into the future.

“By working together to develop top-tier talent and cutting-edge research, we’re strengthening not just our University, but the entire region,” she said. “These collaborations fuel innovation, create opportunities and drive economic success for our region and the nation. Today’s students become tomorrow’s alumni and stewards of the economy.”

Anand Gramopadhye, dean of Clemson’s College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, emphasized the importance of industry alliances in preparing students for the workforce.

“The College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences provides world-class education and experiential learning that positions Clemson’s graduates for success and impact in industry and beyond,” Gramopadhye said. “Our relationship with GE Vernova exemplifies how collaboration between academia and industry prepares students with the skills and experiences needed to drive innovation and meet the evolving demands of the technological workforce.” 

Habitat for Humanity of Greenville teams up with 10 local credit unions

On Wednesday, April 9, members of the Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County team joined with staff and leadership of 10 local credit unions to raise a wall (and a family) up in the Nicholtown community of Greenville. This was the inaugural Credit Union Build for Habitat Greenville.

It is the latest house started by Habitat Greenville in the heart of this historic community. When finished, it will welcome the 15th Habitat family into a neighborhood where everyone now owns their own home.

“This section of Nicholtown was once apartments that aged well past their normal life spam,” said LaTonya Phillips, Habitat Greenville’s President and CEO. “With the help of our donors, we have transformed this part of the community.”

Wednesday’s wall raising, though, was more than ceremonial.  The staff from Carolina Foothills Credit Federal Credit Union, Vizo Financial Corporate Credit Union, Spero Financial, MTC Federal Credit Union, South Carolina Federal Credit Union, CPM Federal Credit Union, Truliant Federal Credit Union, Sharonview Federal Credit Union, Carolina Credit Union League and Greenville Federal Credit Union framed the walls of the house throughout the morning.

“I have always been a fan of Habitat because Habitat builds communities by providing affordable home ownership in safe neighborhoods,” said Scott Weaver, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carolina Foothills Credit Federal Credit Union. “Credit Unions are about people helping people, so it seemed like a perfect fit.  Being part of the Credit Union Habitat Build means a lot. It’s about coming together to support our neighbors and make a real difference. We’re not just building a house, we’re building a stronger community.”