For weeks, South Carolina State University found itself trapped inside a political and governance storm after the university invited Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette to deliver commencement remarks. Students pushed back. Alumni pushed back. Community members pushed back. Petitions circulated. Public debate exploded. Questions emerged about who was making decisions, whose values were being represented, and whether the institution was listening to its own people.

South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette is defending her role as commencement speaker at South Carolina State University amid ongoing student protests and backlash on campus. (WACH) UPDATE — April 29, 2026 | 7:45 p.m. EDT At the time of this article’s posting, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette has reportedly been stood down as SC State’s commencement speaker, with the university moving toward selecting a new speaker after sustained student protest, alumni backlash, and public pressure. Lo