Clyburn says he has raised nearly $2 million for S.C. colleges (+ video)

U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn said Thursday that he has raised nearly $2 million to support endowments at universities and historically black colleges in South Carolina.

Meeting with reporters, Clyburn said he decided to release the fund-raising numbers after reading comments by critics saying S.C. State’s alumni must do more to help the struggling Orangeburg school.

S.C. State’s deficit, most of it money owed to vendors, is expected to top $20 million by mid-summer, leading some to call for closing the state’s only historically black public college.

Clyburn said S.C. State’s problems stem from the state’s failure to spend on the college and the poor leadership of its trustees.

S.C. State’s trustees should be successful alumni and supporters who put their own money into the school and can add value – “policymakers who know what it is to manage,” Clyburn said.

Instead, he added, “You’ve got a lot of people setting policy and they can barely spell ‘policy.’ ”

Clyburn and his wife, Emily, are both graduates of S.C. State.

The couple has raised $1.67 million for S.C. State and another $304,000 for endowments at Allen University, Benedict College, Claflin University, the Medical University of South Carolina, Morris College and the University of South Carolina.

The Columbia Democrat said he donates money he receives from appearances and speaking engagements to the endowments, and also raises money for the schools through fundraisers he hosts, including the Rudolph Canzater Memorial Classic.

The golf tournament, more than 20 years old, has raised more than $500,000 for Clyburn’s S.C. State endowment, according to the event’s website. The fundraiser also has provided more than 500 needs-based scholarships to students in Clyburn’s 6th District.

This story was originally published April 2, 2015 at 6:30 PM with the headline "Clyburn says he has raised nearly $2 million for S.C. colleges (+ video)."