COLUMBIA — Steve Benjamin, the former mayor of South Carolina’s capital city and adviser to President Joe Biden, donated $1 million to his alma mater to promote student leadership and community service.
In response, the University of South Carolina named its leadership center, located inside the Russell House student union, in his honor. The center houses the school’s more than 700 student organizations and student government.
“As a student, I saw firsthand how mentors, service and a community that believes in you can help turn potential into purpose. My hope is that the Stephen K. Benjamin Leadership and Service Center will give students the same opportunities to learn, listen and serve alongside their neighbors while using their voices and talents to create meaningful change,” Benjamin said in a statement.
Benjamin earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1991 and a law degree three years later, also from USC…