GSSM Celebrates 2025 Convocation with Inspiring Alumni Voices

HARTSVILLE, S.C. (Sept. 12, 2025) ─ The South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) marked the beginning of the 2025–26 academic year with its Convocation ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 11, celebrating student achievement, resilience, and community while honoring alumni who continue to inspire the next generation.

This year’s keynote address was delivered by Ainara Garcia, Class of 2022, now a senior at Clemson University studying computer engineering. Garcia, who served as GSSM student body president, swim team captain, and ambassador, reflected on how her time at GSSM shaped her leadership journey.

“I really quickly realized that this was a place not about competition but about connection,” Garcia told students. “You’re not here to prove that you can do this alone… You’re here to grow safely, fully, and with an immense amount of support.”

Garcia urged current students to embrace community and self-care as part of their academic journey. “Governor’s School gave me the first taste of independence, of leadership, of purpose. But more than anything else, it gave me my people.”

The Outstanding Alumnus Award was presented to Avis D. Wright, Class of 1995, a sales leader and advocate for equity, mentorship, and community service. A chemistry graduate of Clemson University, Wright began her career with GE before moving into sales leadership roles and later the SaaS industry, where she quickly earned recognition as a top performer, including membership in the President’s Club. Today, she continues to excel as an Account Executive at Salesforce while also serving as a professional coach, helping individuals gain clarity and confidence to achieve personal and professional success.

A dedicated alumna, Wright has given back to GSSM through her service on the Alumni Board and by spearheading the Leann Watson and Edwina Edwards Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund, which honors two of her late classmates and supports future students.  

In her remarks, Wright encouraged students to pair ambition with compassion and authenticity. “It’s not about grades or your next big achievement… it’s about who you are becoming, how you treat others, and how you carry yourself into the future,” she said. “Compassion is not a weakness. It’s a strength. It allows you to build healthier relationships and a mindset that can withstand the most difficult challenges.”

GSSM President Danny Dorsel praised the Class of 2026 for their achievements and the growing impact of the school’s alumni. “Of all the great things about GSSM, our students take top billing,” Dorsel said. “The Class of 2026 is filled with future scientists, doctors, teachers and innovators. This class also has the distinction of having the 3,000th GSSM alumnus in it! Thanks to the state’s ongoing investment in GSSM students, the Govie nation keeps growing, reaching further, and making an impact across South Carolina, our country, and the world.”

Convocation, a longstanding tradition at GSSM, not only celebrates the beginning of the academic year but also highlights the strength of the school’s community and the lifelong connections built among students, faculty, and alumni.