SPARTANBURG, S.C. –  Ralph Driggers of Pawleys Island received the Alumnus of the Year Award during the Alumni Awards Luncheon held at Spartanburg Methodist College April 1.

Driggers graduated from the College in 1964 when it was known as Spartanburg Junior College. As a SJC student, Driggers was a member of the baseball team and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Fraternity. Driggers then attended Wofford College, where he graduated with a B.A. degree in Government.

A veteran of the Vietnam War, Driggers was an infantry platoon leader in the U.S. Army and received several citations for his military service. Driggers worked for CSX Railroad as a Division Chief of Police, retiring in 1999. He was married to the late Gail Johnson from Aynor and has four sons. Driggers is a native of Florence and attended public schools in Florence and Darlington counties.

While accepting the award, Driggers expressed appreciation to SMC staff, saying the award meant a lot to him. He added, “If I had not been for Spartanburg Methodist College I would not have gone to college.”