Spartanburg Methodist College Launches $25 Million ‘Keeping the Promise’ Campaign
Two-Year Initiative Will Renovate Montgomery Science Building, Strengthen Student Support, and Improve Athletics Facilities
Spartanburg Methodist College today announced the public launch of “Keeping the Promise: The Campaign for Spartanburg Methodist College,” a $25 million, two-year fundraising initiative to renovate the Walter S. Montgomery Science Building, strengthen student support, and improve athletics facilities in ways that advance SMC’s career-focused mission.
For more than a century, SMC has delivered affordable, supportive, career-focused education, what it calls The Way College Should Be. The Keeping the Promise campaign is how the college will sustain and strengthen that commitment in the years ahead.
The college enters the public phase, having already raised $9 million, or 36% of its campaign goal.
“Reaching $9 million before the public launch is a significant vote of confidence in Spartanburg Methodist College,” said Dr. Frank Lee, trustee and chair of the campaign’s quiet phase. “That early support reflects belief in the college’s leadership, its priorities, and its future, and it has given this campaign real momentum as we enter the public phase.”
The campaign launches after a period of strong stewardship under President Scott Cochran’s leadership, during which SMC reduced debt, grew enrollment, and strengthened its financial footing.
“Donors want to invest in institutions that are clear about their priorities and careful with their resources,” said the Rev. Lane Glaze, secretary and vice president-elect of the college’s Board of Trustees, and public phase campaign chair. “SMC has demonstrated both, and this campaign gives alumni, friends, and community partners a chance to invest directly in student success and career preparation.”
Campaign Priorities
The campaign focuses on three strategic areas:
Academics: Supporting modern science facilities, faculty development, and experiential learning opportunities that strengthen students’ foundation for transfer and career preparation in health and STEM-related fields.
Student Experience: Strengthening mental health and wellness services, expanding student engagement through clubs and weekend programming, deepening spiritual life opportunities, and providing leadership stipends that make student leadership accessible to all and help students build confidence, responsibility, and workplace-ready skills.
Athletics: Upgrading athletic facilities, creating dedicated coaching spaces, building a shared strength and conditioning center, and improving access to resources across women’s and men’s programs in support of student development, belonging, leadership, and success beyond the playing field.
Signature Project: Walter S. Montgomery Science Building Renovation
The centerpiece of the campaign is the complete renovation of the Walter S. Montgomery Science Building, which has served SMC students since 1967. The project will bring the building into full ADA compliance, modernize laboratories and classroom spaces, and improve the learning environment for students studying science, math, physics, computer science, and related fields.
Community Impact
The campaign advances SMC’s mission to make college affordable, supportive, and career-focused, particularly for first-generation students and those from the surrounding region.
SMC offers free tuition to students who maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher, removing financial barriers for academically qualified students. The campaign’s focus on facilities, student support, and athletics will help ensure those students have access to the environment and resources they need to stay enrolled, graduate, and move into the next stage of their education and careers.
Ways to Give
Community members, alumni, and friends can support the campaign through:
- One-time gifts
- Multi-year pledges
- Naming opportunities across campus
- Endowed gifts that support long-term impact
About the “Keeping the Promise” Campaign
SMC launched the “Keeping the Promise” campaign quiet phase in 2023 and enters the public phase having already secured 36% of its $25 million goal. The campaign will conclude in April 2028. Leadership gifts have come from alumni, parents, community members, and institutional partners who recognize SMC’s impact on student lives and workforce development in the Upstate. For more information about the campaign, to view detailed priority areas, or to make a gift, visit www.smcsc.edu/keeping-the-promise.