OPINION: Lake City native works hard for Palmetto State

It seems there’s nothing Darla Moore can’t do.

The Lake City native has found success as vice president of Rainwater Inc., a private investment firm. She also is the founder and chairwoman of the Palmetto Institute, a nonprofit think tank aimed at bolstering per capita income in South Carolina — an issue near and dear to her heart.

In fact, her love of the Palmetto State and concern for its economic success prompted her to issue a fundraising challenge for the School of Business at the University of South Carolina, which is named in her honor.

Her challenge required the school to raise $30 million in funds beyond the university’s institutional commitment of $15 million by Aug. 3 and is considered by the university — her alma mater — the first step in a strategic renewal process that will redefine business education.

It also should be considered no small feat in the current economic climate.

“I am delighted that so many of our alumni and friends have taken this opportunity to invest in the business school of our state’s flagship institution, despite today’s difficult economic times,” Moore said. “By pledging their hard-earned dollars, these generous supporters are showing that they value our school’s unique strategy, mission, reputation and leadership. ...

“When times are tough, innovation is called for, and that’s exactly what happened here with the interdisciplinary gifts, corporate gifts-in-kind, planned giving and Internet marketing,” she said. “I couldn’t be more pleased.”

Moore has earned her reputation as a business leader and visionary whose forecasts for success should be trusted, especially in her home state. If she says other business leaders and educators should step up their game in the face of adversity, there’s no reason to doubt her.

And Moore leads by example. The leading female benefactor of any business school in the world announced her $45 million challenge gift to the business school —her second — in April 2004. In 1998, she announced a $25 million gift to the business school, as well.

According to the university, Moore’s April 2004 announcement laid the groundwork for the university and the school to raise additional monies for student scholarships, faculty support, a new building and initiatives to strengthen its position in international-business education and spur economic development in the Palmetto State.

The news that Moore’s challenge had been met and exceeded came just a week after the U.S. Department of Justice announced a 20-year lease on the Close-Hipp Building that houses the Darla Moore School of Business. USC said the proposal will bring more than 250 high-paying jobs to Columbia and will enable the business school to begin building a new facility in the heart of Innovista, the university’s research district.

USC President Harris Pastides said the Darla Moore School of Business total includes $42.4 million in gifts, pledges and in-kind donations, much of which has come during one of the most challenging fundraising periods in decades.

“This is a testimony to Darla Moore’s vision to offer students a world-class business education and the collective commitment and spirit of the university community,” Pastides said. “Everyone stepped up and came together at a critical time — deans, faculty, staff, students, trustees, alumni and corporations. ...”

“And she did all this while reinforcing her commitment to a better state for all South Carolinians,” he said.

Because Moore is working so hard to pave the way for her fellow South Carolinians to be successful, it seems there’s nothing we can’t do, either, if we only follow her lead.

— Unsigned editorials represent the views of this newspaper. Editorial Board members are Mark Laskowski (regional publisher), James Bennett (regional editor), Sam Bundy (sports editor), Kimberly Ginfrida (news editor), David Johnson (regional circulation director), Charles Tomlinson (Lake City News & Post editor) and Jackie Torok (metro editor).