Planning Ahead to Create Opportunities

It’s only about 50 miles from the peach orchards of Johnston, S.C., to the University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus. But for Ellen Boatwright Horn, leaving home to attend the university changed her life. She launched a successful career and shaped her appreciation for the value of a college education.

It’s only about 50 miles from the peach orchards of Johnston, S.C., to the University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus. But for Ellen Boatwright Horn, leaving home to attend the university changed her life. She launched a successful career and shaped her appreciation for the value of a college education. “We lived on a peach farm outside of town, so going to the university opened up a whole new world for me,” says Ellen, ’68 business education. “I met so many wonderful people and had a great time. The school has always been very important to me.”

Ellen moved to Atlanta after graduation, took a job in sales and met her husband, Gary, while they were both working for a large bank. Since then, they’ve lived along South Carolina’s coast and are now retired in Columbia. Keeping up with her Kappa Delta sorority sisters has spawned many happy memories about the university and prompted Ellen to give back.

“Gary has the same affinity for Georgia Southern University, his alma mater, that I do for Carolina, so we’ve made each institution the beneficiary of our retirement account,” Ellen says.