Dr. Uldrick's portrait by native South Carolinian Charlie Pate hangs in the Governor's School lobby.

Our Founder

The Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities exists because of the unique vision, tireless dedication and sheer determination of one individual: Dr. Virginia Uldrick. A trained musician and teacher who also founded the first arts magnet school for Greenville County, Dr. Uldrick initiated a Governor's School summer arts program in the early 1980s. While that five-week summer program was immensely popular and successful year after year, Dr. Uldrick came to the conclusion that the state's emerging artists would be better served by a year-round, residential program. And she set out to cultivate the relationships-in the both the private and the public sector- that would ultimately result in the construction and opening of the Governor's School in the fall of 1999.

Thousands upon thousands of South Carolinians have benefitted from Dr. Uldrick's desire to build one of the county's only public, residential arts high schools. Today, she continues to be an advocate for the Governor's School as she meets regularly with business and political leaders throughout the state. Not only is Dr. Uldrick respected as a visionary in arts education, she is known for her pioneering efforts to promote the economic benefits of the arts in South Carolina with an entrepreneur's zeal. To hear an interview about this arts-business partnership and the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts, please click on the link below.

Click here to view an interview with Dr. Virginia Uldrick.