Strategic Plan

Our strategic plan will help move GSSM forward and prepare more future leaders for our state.

Envisioning the Future

In 2017, GSSM undertook a comprehensive strategic planning process. This process drew heavily from the deep engagement of GSSM faculty, students, families and supporters.

These stakeholders gave hours of their time and their ideas to envision a GSSM that is able to reach and serve more students, provide more opportunities, and prepare more future leaders in the fields of science, mathematics and engineering for South Carolina.

Photograph of front of GSSM school building

Honoring Our Legacy

For thirty years, GSSM has provided unparalleled, advanced educational experiences to the state’s most academically motivated students. Starting with 64 students living on campus in 1988, GSSM now enrolls hundreds of new students into its residential and virtual programs each year, and thousands more into its summer and school-year programs.

This growth is the result of lasting relationships across the state built upon the knowledge that our programs provide uniquely challenging opportunities to learn and grow, while being accessible to all who are motivated to excel in science and mathematics.

Affirming Our Mission

Remaining true to our founding purpose, we understand that highly motivated and prepared students are found in a diverse selection of communities across the state and benefit from programs delivered in a variety of ways. Becoming a trusted partner in these communities is the key to continued growth and excellence in all of our programs. We express our understanding of these possibilities through this mission:

GSSM seeks out and advances our state’s most talented and motivated students, offering a transforming education in science, mathematics, and engineering that cultivates joy in learning and builds the confidence to engage as ethical leaders with the world’s most significant issues.

Building Our Future

As we enter our fourth decade of service to the state, we will enhance our contributions by focusing on key areas of academic excellence, talent cultivation, program access, and outreach:

  • Our residential programs will allow students more time to learn and mature, so that our graduates will be better prepared for college and career.
  • Our virtual programs will reach highly motivated students in all communities in South Carolina.
  • Our catalog will offer a broader array of challenging and relevant course offerings, giving our students meaningful experiences that are unique to GSSM.
  • As we engage with elementary and middle schools, we will inspire interest in math and science, develop knowledge, and help teachers in those schools achieve their educational objectives.
  • Knowing that many of South Carolina’s future opportunities rely on international relations, we will work to prepare our students to pursue complex global issues in college and career.
  • As a school with the highest aspirations for excellence and achievement, and supported by public and private partners, we will continue to be responsible stewards of our resources as we support the programs that are key to developing the state’s next generation of leadership in science, mathematics, and engineering.

We undertake this work from a shared desire to continue GSSM’s tradition of excellence and to better serve a broadening population of students who are ready and willing to challenge themselves for a better future.

 Download the full Strategic Plan (pdf)

Download the 2020 Strategic Plan Update (pdf)