SC HBCU Drops GOP State Official as Commencement Speaker, Citing Safety Concerns

South Carolina State University says Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette will no longer serve as Spring 2026 commencement speaker, reversing earlier plans amid controversy over her selection.

In a statement released on April 28, University President Alexander Conyers said the school decided “to move in a different direction” for commencement.

Conyers said Evette was originally invited because of her record as a business leader and entrepreneur.

“From the outset, our decision to invite Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette as our Spring 2026 Commencement speaker was rooted in her record as a business leader and entrepreneur,” Conyers said. “Our intent was to provide students with a speaker whose professional journey could offer practical insight and inspiration as they prepare to enter the workforce.”

But Conyers said the university changed course “out of an abundance of caution for safety and with careful consideration.”

“The safety and well-being of our students, families, faculty, staff and guests will always guide our decisions,” he said. “Commencement should remain a moment of celebration focused on our graduates and their achievements.”

The university said it plans to welcome Evette to campus at a later date to engage with students, faculty and staff outside the commencement setting.

Evette responded to the news on the night of April 29 in a statement.

“The fact that a speech had to be canceled for credible safety threats is exactly why we cannot give up the fight to end indoctrination and DEI on campuses once and for all,” Evette wrote. ” The root problem is professors who gin up feigned outrage at the detriment of their students, who they should be teaching to think critically. End tenure now!”

The decision follows criticism from some students who objected to Evette’s selection and public debate over whether she should deliver the May 8 commencement address.

Just hours before the university’s announcement, Evette said during a virtual news conference that she still planned to speak and described her remarks as a motivational address focused on hard work and opportunity.

In his statement, Conyers also acknowledged student activism surrounding the issue.

“Our students have exercised their rights in a manner that reflects the importance of civic engagement and respectful discourse within a university community,” he said.

The university has not yet announced a replacement commencement speaker.

SC State's Commencement Controversy
Category	Details
The Institution	South Carolina State University (SC State), the state's only public HBCU.
The Speaker	Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette (R-SC)
The Controversy	Students strongly protested Evette's selection due to her political views, support for Donald Trump, and opposition to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Evette responded by criticizing "woke mobs" on social media.
The Decision	SC State President Alexander Conyers announced the university was moving "in a different direction" and rescinding the invitation, specifically citing an "abundance of caution for safety."
The Political Fallout	A group of conservative lawmakers in the South Carolina House of Representatives is now circulating a letter threatening to defund the public HBCU, arguing taxpayer dollars shouldn't support an institution that "capitulates" to students over opposing political views.
Evette's Response	She stated the cancellation proves why there is a need to "end indoctrination and DEI on campuses once and for all" and called to end faculty tenure.