COLUMBIA, S.C. — Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands will honor six Columbia area women at its annual Women of Distinction Awards Celebration on Thursday, drive in movie style.
The evening tribute recognizing women who exemplify excellence in service, leadership, community visibility, and professionalism begins at 7:00 p.m., but you'll want to arrive early to park at 3401 Trenholm Road in Columbia.
This year’s honorees are:
- Dr. Roslyn Artis, President of Benedict College;
- Rep. Beth Bernstein, Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives;
- Meghan Hickman, Executive Director of EngenuitySC and Partner and Chief Operating Officer of Sagacious Partners;
- Nikole Mergo, Member and Office Managing Partner of Nexsen Pruet;
- Dr. Aubrey Sejuit, Social Work Preceptor I for Limestone College and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran; and
- A’ja Wilson, Team Captain for the WNBA Las Vegas Aces.
In a statement, Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands described the honorees and the qualities that make them stand out as Women of Distinction.
Dr. Roslyn Artis is the first-female President in the history of Benedict College. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, where she earned a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership and Policy. She also holds a Juris doctorate from West Virginia University College of Law, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from sister HBCU, West Virginia State University.
A prolific speaker, critical thinker and fierce advocate for educational access, Dr. Artis has been recognized for her work locally and nationally and is frequently engaged as a mentor, lecturer, and catalyst for strategic transformation. Her passion for education, youth development, and service to the community is manifested through her work with numerous organizations including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Links, Inc. and Jack & Jill of America.She also serves as a MentorLinks.
Rep. Beth Bernstein is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, representing House District 78, Richland County, Columbia, SC. In November 2012, Beth was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives for House District 78, and was re-elected in November 2014, 2016, and 2018. Currently, she serves on the House Judiciary Committee, serving as General Laws Subcommittee Chairwomen, and has been elected by the legislative body for three-consecutive terms to serve as one of ten members on the House Ethics Committee, and currently serves as its Secretary. She also has been appointed by the Speaker of the House for two-consecutive terms to serve on the Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children.
She currently is a member of University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing Foundation Board and is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Columbia. She is Past President of the Richland County Bar Association and was selected as The State’s Top "20 under 40" in 2006. She has previously served on the following boards: Palmetto Health Cancer Center Board, Three Rivers Heritage and Music Foundation, Columbia Jewish Federation, Beth Shalom Synagogue, Cutler Jewish Day School, South Carolina Philharmonic, and is a 1998 Graduate of Leadership Columbia.
Meghan Hickman is Partner, Chief Operating Officer and Integrator at Sagacious Partners. Meghan runs Sagacious Partners and has deep experience leading large nonprofits, industry groups and regional collaborations.
Meghan’s passion and expertise is rooted in strategic thinking and planning, facilitation and project management. Her sweet spot is crafting strategies that create clarity from chaos. She uses her experience as an expert Integrator and Certified Kolbe Coach to help clients get more done and build healthy teams.
Meghan was awarded 2017 Outstanding Young Alumna Award by the UofSC Honors College; the 2017 20 Under 40 Award by The State newspaper; Outstanding Young Alumni in 2016 by the UofSC School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and named to Columbia Business Monthly’s “50 Most Influential” in 2014 and 2015 and Columbia Regional Business Report’s “Influential Women in Business” list in 2014.
Nikole Mergo is a member and the Office Managing Partner of Nexsen Pruet. In this role, Nikole is responsible for overseeing day to day operations and leadership for the 65 attorneys and 115 staff members based in Columbia. She helps direct the firm’s outreach and involvement in the community, and represents some of the world’s largest manufacturers, health care providers, and financial institutions. Nikole also serves as a mentor to many of the young associates and females within the firm.
Nikole grew up in West Columbia and is the daughter of Senator Nikki and Ada Jane Setzler and she has been married to Joe Mergo for 20 years. They are the parents of three beautiful boys Parker, Paxton, & Paiden (ages 15, 13, and 11). Nikole has three sisters, Jamie, Sabra and Amber, all of whom live and work in Columbia. The “Setzler 19” are a force to be reckoned with. Nikole and Joe are members of Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church and she loves her “5 am workout crew” at the Body Shop, traveling with her family and spending time at the baseball field. Nikole attended Brookland-Cayce High School and is a proud Double Wahoo having received
Dr. Aubrey Sejuit is the Social Work Preceptor I for Limestone College’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program for the Evening & Online Program in Columbia, SC. She is a first-generation college graduate and an Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veteran. Dr. Sejuit serves as one of only two campus Counselors for the entire Limestone College community. Providing psychoeducation and life skills training, she currently serves as a Counselor for Palmetto Place Children & Youth Services—an emergency shelter.
As a member of the South Carolina Counseling Association (SCCA), she received the “Distinguished Professional Service Award” in 2019 for her commitment to the field of counseling. In addition to her professional accomplishments and long list of academic credentials and degrees, Aubrey is passionate about issues affecting the Midlands community, specifically veterans’ affairs and children and family services.
A’ja Wilson is a player and team Captain for the WNBA Las Vegas Aces. She was WNBA 2018 Rookie of the Year and a WNBA 2x All Star. A’ja played basketball for the South Carolina Gamecocks in college and helped lead the team to its first NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship in 2017. She won the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player Award.
A’ja is an advocate for equality for women and has been recognized by many organizations and notable celebrities for her courage to speak out on issues that others shy away from. A’ja serves as a volunteer in many youth based initiatives in South Carolina and Las Vegas, from feeding the homeless, toy drives for disadvantaged youth, school based programs for anti-bullying campaigns, just to name a few.
A’ja participated in the Girl Scouts as a Daisy, Brownie, Junior and Cadette.
