New Faces to Campus: Here Are Some Notable New Hires at PC
Neville Hall.
September 26, 2022
Each year, Presbyterian College welcomes new students, post-graduates, faculty, and staff to the city of Clinton to begin their next chapter of being a Blue Hose.
Additionally, newcomers can also be seen at the administrative and higher levels as well.
Throughout the summer, the college announced new hires at various key positions that are expected to impact the school for years to come. Some of these jobs are brand new while others are filling key roles that will help PC’s ultimate goal of being one of the best liberal art schools in the country.
With the fall semester term in progress, here are some of the new faces that will be impacting the 2022-2023 academic year at PC.
Rev. Dr. Buz Wilcoxon (‘05)
A former PC alumni of the class of 2005, the Rev. Dr. Searcy Allen “Buz” Wilcoxon IV will be filling the college’s first role as the Marianne and E.G. Lassiter Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual Life.
Wilcoxon’s responsibilities will be to continue and strengthen the school’s long-standing relationship with the Presbyterian Church (USA) as well as serving the college’s motto: While We Live, We Serve.
“For this vital cabinet-level position, we sought a widely admired leader who brings tremendous charisma, interpersonal skills, and energy, as well as an ardent commitment to PC’s history, values, and strategic vision. Buz emerged from an impressive pool of candidates during our national search, and I believe he is ideally suited to help fortify PC’s status as America’s Presbyterian college,” Dr. Matthew vandenberg, PC’s president, said in a statement to the school’s website.
During his time at PC, Wilcoxon won notable awards including Outstanding Senior in Religion and Philosophy and the Jack and Jane Presseau Service Award. He was also named the valedictorian for his class.
After graduation, Wilcoxon was an associate pastor at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Greenville and recently served as a senior pastor at Spring Hill Presbyterian Church in Mobile, Alabama.
Dr. Selena Bair
For PC’s first Rogers-Ingram Vice President for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, the college selected Dr. Selena Bair to take on the mantle.
Bair comes from nearby Limestone University in Gaffney, where she served as the school’s director of equity and inclusion and the main Title IX coordinator. She graduated from Limestone with a bachelor’s degree in social work alongside a master’s degree in counseling at Webster University.
With her new role, Bair is excited to make Presbyterian a campus where everyone can be respected for being themselves.
“With the increased diversification of student bodies nationwide, now more than ever, colleges must be intentional with creating just, equitable, and inclusive environments where individuals can be fully embraced and respected for being their authentic selves. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to collaborate with all stakeholders to make this a reality for all who live, learn, work, and visit PC,” Bair said in a statement to the college’s website.
Throughout her career, Bair has been widely recognized for her active service in the communities that she has been involved with. A four-time recipient of the South Carolina TRIO Presidential Award for Exceptional Service, Bair also earned the Randall E. McNeal Spirit of TRIO Staff Award in 2012 and the USC Upstate Multicultural Programs Empowerment Award in 2014.
Bair’s newest position was announced by PC last fall thanks in part to a seven-figure philanthropic commitment from PC trustee Louise Rogers Slater. The position also gives recognition to longtime political science professor Dr. Booker Ingram, PC’s first African American professor.
Francis Schodowski
With a slot available for PC’s Vice President for Advancement, Francis Schodowski will fill the void after previously serving as an executive vice president at Columbia College.
In addition to his former role, Schodowski has served in many capacities across different colleges throughout the country including Lebanon Valley College, Millersville University, and Alvernia University.
“It is exciting to be part of such a vibrant and forward-thinking institution that builds on a rich history and remains focused on students. I look forward to making a difference in the lives of those students and the overall Presbyterian College community,” Schodowski said in a press release to the college’s website.
With bachelor’s and master’s degrees earned in Business Administration at Elizabethtown College and Northeastern University respectively, Schodowski has also served in multiple roles through different organizations.
These assignments include being the chair for the Columbia Housing Development Corporation, serving on the South Carolina Philharmonic Advisory Council, and being a treasurer for the S.C. Planned Giving Council.
