QUICK LINKS

SC GEAR UP Staff at the
SC Commission on Higher Education

Dr. Karen A. Woodfaulk
SCCHE Director of Student Services
Kwoodfaulk@che.sc.gov
(803) 737-2244

Karen Woodfaulk is a graduate of Barry University (B.F.A., 1974), New Mexico Highlands University (M.A., 1975), and Florida State University (Ph.D., 1987). She served as Coordinator of Academic Programs at the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (1992-97) and became Director of the Student Services Division in 1997.

She is the project director of the state GEAR UP grant awarded in 1999. Prior to that, she has served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Allen University, (1987-92);Research Assistant, Office of the Vice President for Minority Affairs, Florida State University (1985-19870); and Department Chairperson and Associate Professor at Claflin College (1979-84).

She is a member of the Executive Board of the South Carolina Women in Higher Education. Recent professional affiliations include membership in the American Association for Higher Education (AAHE) and the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE).

Sjanna Coriarty
Research and Evaluation Manager
scoriarty@che.sc.gov
(830) 737-3917

Sjanna M. Coriarty is a graduate of Limestone College and Webster University and is currently working on her doctoral degree. Originally from Florida, Sjanna has lived in Columbia for 11 years with her two sons. She worked for Midlands Technical College as Associate Director of Admissions before becoming the Research and Evaluation Manager for SC GEAR UP in 2006.

Leslie Williams
Program Coordinator
lwilliams@che.sc.gov
(830) 737-5702

Back to Top

SC GEAR UP Staff at the
SC Chamber of Commerce

Cynthia Bennett
Director of Business Relations for SC GEAR UP
Cynthia.bennett@scchamber.net
(803) 255-2542

Cynthia M. Bennett graduated from the University of South Carolina with a BA in Political Science. She is returning to serve as the School Support Liaison for the GEAR UP program. Prior to this position she served as the Partnerships Coordinator and Local Chamber Liaison with the initial GEAR UP program High Performance Partnerships. Cynthia brings seven years of experience working with schools and businesses to improve student's academic achievement and encouraging an educated workforce for South Carolina.

Sherry Prioleau
Assistant Director of Business Relations for SC GEAR UP
sherry.prioleau@scchamber.net
(803) 255-2626

Sherry Y. Prioleau graduated from Lander University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing & Management. She also received her Masters of Arts in Human Resources Management. She is a native of St. Stephen, SC and resides in Columbia. Her previous employment was an Account Specialist with Carolina First Bank.

Back to Top

SC GEAR UP Staff and Key Personnel at
SCGU Middle Schools

Back to Top

Military Magnet Academy

Dennis Muhammad
Graduation Coach
dennismuhammad@gmail.com
(843) 745-7102

Dennis Muhammad, a native of Conway, South Carolina and a 1992 graduate of the College of Charleston, became interested in making his mark in education after being invited by school officials to help solve a gang conflict at Morningside Middle School in 2000. Within months, the conflict was settled and Mr. Muhammad became a volunteer liaison between parents and the school. Because of his success and community activism, he gained a reputation for being able to reach out to at-risk youth.

Due to his work at Morningside Middle School, Jenkins Institute for Children, Interdenominational Youth Ministerial Alliance and other community activism, Mr. Muhammad was recommended to be a student concern specialist at Rivers Middle School in Charleston, SC in 2002, where he served until the school closed in 2005.

Mr. Muhammad has a background in manhood and disciplinary training for young men. He has been instrumental in organizing night street patrols to reach out to young men and stop the culture of drugs, guns, and violence in the streets of Charleston. Mr. Muhammad is now an SC GEAR UP site coordinator at the Military Magnet Academy in North Charleston, SC. He loves working with young people and is a passionate advocate for their rights. He is also a frequent speaker at several state and federal prisons in South Carolina. His future goals are to organize hundreds of concerned men to reach out to at-risk youth to eliminate crime and violence in the streets.

He is happily married (for 14 years) to Valerie Muhammad, who teaches third-grade students at Wilmot J. Fraser Elementary School in Charleston.

Back to Top

Renee Kinlock-Linder
Graduation Coach
hkinlock@mail.colleton.k12.sc.us
(843) 599-8586

Renee Kinlock-Linder, a native of Colleton County is the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Henry S. Kinloch.  Renee graduated from Walterboro High School, which is currently named Colleton County High School.  Upon obtaining her high school diploma, she attended South Carolina State University where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Guidance.  Renee later obtained her M.S. degree in Education from Wheelock College.  She is the proud mother of three daughters: Ashley, a senior at University of South Carolina/Upstate campus, Arielle, a student at the Cosmetic Arts Institute in Walterboro, and Alicia a junior at Colleton County High School.  She began working with GEAR UP in March of 2009.

St. George Middle School

Elzye Harrison
Graduation Coach
eharrison@dd4.k12.sc.us
(843)563-3171

Elzye Harrison is the Graduation Coach for the SC GEAR UP program at Woodland High School in Dorchester, SC. He is a native of McCormick, SC where he graduated from McCormick High School. He later received a bachelor�s degree from Morris College in Communications. Mr. Harrison is a first generation college graduate who fell in love with education shortly after, he graduated from college. He began to volunteer in the high school and community. He later realized how important it was to instill education into a child at an early age. He wanted to make a difference in student�s life like someone did for him. With the focuses of helping students get prepared for a postsecondary education, Mr. Harrison motto is the �The skies has no limits.

Clay Hill Middle School

David Harris
Graduation Coach
dharris@dd4.k12.sc.us
(843) 563-3171

David Harris is a graduate of Newberry College (Dec. 08') with a BS in Art/Graphic Design and a minor in Business Administration. He is a native of Greenwood, SC but a graduate of Ninety-Six High School.

This is Mr. Harris first year being a part of the SC GEAR UP family where he is tutoring in the math department at Woodland High School in Dorchester County. There he is also a part of the Woodland High football coaching staff where he heads up the defensive line. Mr. Harris likes to involve life-related situations in his tutoring process to allow the kids to better understand and also have a good idea how it applies to life. His main focus as a part of SC GEAR UP staff is to get the kids to understand the importance of graduating and being aware of their futures.

Back to Top

Estill Middle School

Sherry Garvin
garvshe@hampton2.k12.sc
(803) 625-5200

Sherry Roberts-Garvin is married to Washington G. Garvin III of Estill, SC and the mother of three children: Jonathan, Imani, and Evan and grandmother of Tyasia Rodgers. She is the oldest of four sisters, and holds the role of mother for each of them as well as their children.

Sherry grew up in a very small rural community in South Carolina near Ulmer, SC and attended Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in the same area. She was reared by her grandmother and mother and enjoyed the simple living of the country. Days were spent playing with friends, exploring the countryside, and reading. The compassion that she gives to others is a reflection of the teachings and modeling of her grandmother and mother. Sherry remembers her grandmother stressing the importance of having strong faith in God, hard work, education and respecting yourself as well as others. One of her grandmother�s favorite sayings was, �Charity begins at home and spreads abroad.� As a result of their influence, Sherry identified an early desire to obtain an education that would prepare her for the world. Sherry�s mother, grandmother, and father are deceased but she continues to live her life and treat others in the way that she was taught by each of them.

She attended Allendale County Schools where she was an honor student. Sherry was a member of various clubs and received many honors. She graduated from Allendale-Fairfax High School in 1985 ranked eighth in her class.

She attended USC-Salkehatchie in Allendale, SC and obtained an associate�s degree in 1987, and a bachelor�s degree in psychology from USC Columbia in 1989. Upon graduation, she returned to the community where she was raised, and began her career in social work at Allendale County Department of Social Services as a case manager with Medicaid, Human Services, Family Independence, and the Young Parent Program.

For 15 years, she worked with families that experienced physical, social, and economic disruptions in intrusive settings. After working with the young adult populations, Sherry then realized that God�s purpose for her was to work in an atmosphere that would most benefit the needs of young people. Confirmation was provided for her, when SC GEAR UP began its work at Estill Middle School, and she was employed by Hampton District Two Schools as a source of guidance and encouragement for today�s youth there.

She is now the SC GEAR UP site coordinator for Estill High School, and since becoming employed with SC GEAR UP, Sherry is pursuing a master�s degree in guidance and counseling through the University of West Alabama.

In her spare time, she enjoys attending church, reading, traveling, listening to jazz, volunteering, and supporting Breast Cancer Awareness through the Best Chance Program, collecting African American artwork, representing Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and spending time with her family and friends.

Sherry's motto in life is, "Take the tragedies and disappointments in life and treat them as blessings; a blessing ALWAYS comes from it all."

Back to Top

C. E. Murray Middle School

Latoya Sabb-Davis
Graduation Coach
lsabb@wcsd.k12.sc.us
(803) 426-2121

Latoya Sabb is a native of Greeleyville, South Carolina, and the SC GEAR UP site coordinator at C. E. Murray High School�her alma mater. After high school graduation, Latoya attended Claflin University where she earned a bachelor�s degree in education. She is, currently, pursuing a master�s degree in school counseling from the University of West Alabama.

Her philosophy is to �be all that you can be� and to �strive for excellence.� It is widely understood that knowledge is the key and gives us the power to unlock closed doors. Latoya always wanted to work with children, to share her personal philosophy, and to show them how to gain the knowledge they need to unlock the doors to their futures.

She says, �It brings joy to your heart, when you see a child smile,� and she sees many smiling faces working with the SC GEAR UP students, coaching the junior high girls basketball team, and the volleyball team.

Kingstree Jr. High School

John Conyers
Tutor (ELA)
jconyers@wcsd.k12.sc.us

As a young lad he was always interested in the arts and humanities, but grew a fond love for creating and embracing the art of poetry. After graduating from Kingstree Senior High in 1998, he enrolled at Morris College, and graduated from there in 2004 with a bachelor�s degree in English.

After graduation, he taught seventh- and eighth-grade English/ language arts for two years. The next year John taught at the Character Academy. Presently, he is an SC GEAR UP math tutor. He fondly remembers this quote: "Life is a journey, not a destination."