ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — President Joe Biden is coming to Orangeburg on Friday. He will be the commencement speaker for South Carolina State University's December graduating class.
“For the students at South Carolina State, Biden is just coming to speak at the commencement speech. But for us here in the small town of Orangeburg, Biden has already come," said Barber Tech Academy partner Leonard Pelzer.
Pelzer graduated from South Carolina State University in 2019. He says Biden's impact has already been felt in Orangeburg.
“It’s hard for the average student while they’re in college and they got rent, you got food, you got transportation, and they gave extra funding for those type of resources," said Pelzer.
Barber Tech Academy students say they hope Biden will use this opportunity to encourage people in Orangeburg to get vaccinated.
“More so down here, they don’t take this COVID serious. Nobody is getting vaccinated. Nobody really cares about it. They’re still going in stores without their mask. So, I hope he actually touches on those areas for South Carolina," said Oksana Mikell.
South Carolina State University's commencement takes place Friday at the Smith Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center. It begins at 10 a.m.