South Carolina H 5105: Debbie Scoles-outgoing Surfside Beach Town Council member

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5105 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 05, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5105

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A house RESOLUTION

To recognize and honor Dr. Pamela Richardson Wilks 
upon her inauguration as the fourteenth president of Clinton College.

Whereas, the South 
Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that Dr. Pamela 
Richardson Wilks will be inaugurated as president of Clinton College on Friday, 
March 6, 2026; and

Whereas, as the 
fourteenth president of Clinton College, Dr. Wilks brings over twenty-five 
years of experience in higher education across public and private institutions 
and is widely respected for her commitment to academic excellence, 
institutional growth, and student-centered innovation, particularly within 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); and

Whereas, a native of 
Hollister, North Carolina, in rural Warren County, she is a first-generation 
college graduate, having earned bachelor's and master's degrees from North 
Carolina Agricultural and Technical (A&T) State University, as well as a 
doctorate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania; and

Whereas, Dr. Wilks 
began her stellar educational career teaching ninth through twelfth grade 
English at Western Guilford High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. She 
transitioned into higher education, teaching African American Studies at the 
University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Winston-Salem State University, and 
North Carolina A&T State University; and

Whereas, she served as 
assistant professor of languages and literature at Johnson C. Smith University 
where her passion for teaching and scholarship laid the foundation for her rise 
in academic leadership.

She has held senior leadership roles at several 
HBCUs, where her impact has been both strategic and transformative, including 
Wilberforce University and Shaw University, where she served as associate 
provost, vice president for academic affairs, and associate vice president; and

Whereas, during a time 
of institutional transformation at Edward Waters University, Dr. Wilks served 
as chief of staff, assistant to the president, and CEO for strategic 
initiatives, and later as associate provost, during which she contributed to 
the college's transition to university status and advanced efforts in 
accreditation, institutional effectiveness, and operational modernization; and

Whereas, as provost and 
vice president for academic affairs at Coppin State University, she oversaw the 
launch of new academic programs and strategic planning, managed a nearly thirty 
million dollar operational and grant budget, and worked to secure a 153% increase 
in research and sponsored funding; and

Whereas, most recently 
at Paine College, Dr. Wilks served as provost and executive vice president for 
academic services to oversee enrollment management, initiate the reaffirmation 
process with the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, 
and lead strategic planning and fundraising efforts to support academic 
innovation and institutional growth. Her student-success initiatives have 
resulted in year-over-year enrollment and retention growth at multiple 
institutions; and

Whereas, Dr. Wilks' 
professional academic honors include recognition as a W.E.B. Du Bois Scholar, as 
well as induction into honors societies, including Phi Kappa Phi and Sigma Tau 
Delta. In 2023, she was named a Distinguished Alumni Honoree by North Carolina 
A&T State University in recognition of her professional excellence and 
contributions to higher education; and

Whereas, together with 
her beloved husband, Dr. Christopher Wilks, she has reared three fine sons: 
Anthony, Christopher II, and Joshua; and

Whereas, the House of 
Representatives congratulates Dr. Wilks as she begins as president of Clinton 
College, and the members look forward to hearing of her continued success 
there. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the 
South Carolina House of Representatives, 
by this resolution, recognize and honor Dr. Pamela Richardson Wilks upon her 
inauguration as the fourteenth president of Clinton College.

Be it further resolved 
that a copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Pamela Richardson Wilks.

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This web page was last updated on February 05, 2026 at 10:57 AM