Lottery winner donates record gift to Midlands Tech

Midlands Technical College announced Thursday it has received the largest individual gift in the school’s 41-year-old history, the same day of new president Ronald Rhames’ inauguration.

Soloman Jackson of Columbia, a retired state worker who won a $260 million lottery jackpot in 2009, gave his alma mater a $1.25 million gift to be used for scholarships.

Jackson also has donated $10 million to Morris College in Sumter, $1.7 million to the University of South Carolina and $1 million to the S.C. State Museum.

Rhames is the first graduate of a S.C. technical college to become its president, Midlands Tech said. He succeeded Sonny White, who retired after nearly a decade at the school.

This story was originally published September 24, 2015 at 6:24 PM with the headline "Lottery winner donates record gift to Midlands Tech."