March 08, 2013
Battey Champions USC Beaufort, Receives Public Service Honor
Alumnus Colden Rhind Battey, Jr., ’63, law, a senior partner from the Beaufort County firm of Harvey & Battey, has devoted substantial time and resources over the years to the growth and maturation of USC Beaufort.
His public service benefiting
USC Beaufort, Beaufort County, and the state was recognized during the campus’ 2012 graduation ceremony. Battey received a rare
Doctor of Public Service Award.
“It’s really a great honor,” said Battey, whose family scholarship, established about two decades ago for students, is but one example of his overall philanthropy. “And to receive it from USCB gives me a lot of pleasure because I’ve had such a long association with the school. It’s something I really cherish.”
For more than a dozen years, Battey served on the Beaufort Jasper Higher Education Commission. Its members helped lead USCB from a two-year program to a baccalaureate-granting institution, while a second campus was established in Bluffton. More recently, he co-chaired the Beaufort College Art Scholarship Committee, an entity tasked with establishing more scholarships for USCB.
Every giving gesture toward students is particularly pleasing for Battey, who offers: “If you can give to the expansion of higher education through a scholarship, it’s something that lasts and makes you feel good, too. Providing educational opportunity creates a tremendous ripple effect through the community and state.”
USCB now features a performing arts center, enjoyed by a student population of 1,850 that graduates 350 each year. The number of baccalaureate degrees keeps rising, which shows “remarkable success here,” he adds.
On the public service side, Battey has led numerous entities. He chaired the Beaufort County Council for eight years. He also chaired the Beaufort County United Way and served as commodore of the Beaufort Water Festival. He still chairs the Board of the Nemours Wildlife Foundation. He and his wife, Patricia, live in Beaufort and have three children: Colden III, Allison and Sue Ella.
–Larry Di Giovanni, Development Communications
