South Carolina

Clemson University 

Our South Carolina Hub at Clemson University College of Education connects rural-focused research, teaching, outreach, and educator preparation across the state. Grounded in the place and possibility of rural, the Hub builds on community assets and relationships to strengthen rural schools and communities. Dr. Kristen Cuthrell, Dean’s Fellow for Rural Education and Outreach, and Dr. Steph Dean, whose work focuses on rural and place-based teacher preparation, serve as Hub co-leads.

Clemson's College of Education works through partnerships spanning educator preparation, literacy, behavioral and mental health supports, leadership development, and community-engaged research. 

The Hub recognizes rural communities for their relationships, knowledge, and possibility—and seeks to strengthen the relationships that allow rural students, educators, schools, and communities to flourish. The Hub connects and amplifies this work across four areas:

• Rural Educator Pathways: Rural Teacher Residency, Call Me MISTER®, clinical partnerships, and place-based teacher preparation.
• Rural Place, People, and Community: Learning Exchanges, asset mapping, and multilingual rural youth initiatives.
• Rural Well-Being: School counseling and mental health partnerships, behavioral supports, literacy, and family and community engagement.
• Rural Leadership and Research: Research-practice partnerships, the LEADERS Center, and the UCEA CIRCLE Center for collaborative rural leadership.