(Photo Courtesy of Greenville Chamber)

LaunchGVL, a partnership between the Greenville Chamber and Greenville County Schools, hosted its annual End-of-Year Celebration on Wednesday, April 30th. The event honored the 154 high school students who have completed LaunchGVL internships throughout the 2024–2025 school year. The program also honored the 40 employers who supported students in the past year.

 

Launched in 2018, LaunchGVL is a collaboration between the Greenville Chamber and Greenville County Schools that connects high school students with paid, work-based learning opportunities across Greenville County. The program empowers students to gain real-world experience, build professional networks, and better prepare for postsecondary education and careers.

 

As part of the celebration, USC Upstate and the Greenville Chamber Foundation presented surprise scholarships to twelve students.

 

USC Upstate presented scholarships to seven students who both completed a LaunchGVL internship during the past school year and have applied to attend the university. Four students will receive a $2,200 scholarship each year of their enrollment and three students were selected to receive full-tuition scholarships. The scholarships underscore USC Upstate’s commitment to transforming lives and advancing social and economic mobility by investing in students who demonstrate initiative, career readiness, and a strong foundation for lifelong leadership.

 

Students presented with USC Upstate Scholarships include:

The Greenville Chamber Foundation presented five students with $1,000 scholarships each. Students attending the ceremony were randomly selected through a live drawing for the scholarships. Scholarships were presented to Amari Anthony-Kittles, Lucero Fierros, Annelie Jones, Trisha Raj and Jamari Townsend.

 

“LaunchGVL provides a collaborative and innovative approach needed to expand and develop our region’s workforce,” said Cheryl Garrison, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Greenville Chamber Foundation. “These scholarships reflect our commitment to developing our talent pipeline of the future.”

“LaunchGVL has opened doors for our students to gain real-world experience while still in high school,” said Burke Royster, Ph.D., superintendent of Greenville County Schools. “It empowers them to explore career paths, build professional skills, and envision a successful future.”