To bring forth new perspectives and enrich class conversations, every Diversity Leaders Initiative class is built to be reflective of South Carolina’s demographics, making scholarships critical to the success of the program. Honoring the legacy of the late Calder Ehrmann, who played an instrumental role in launching DLI and was a highly-regarded diversity champion in the community, the Calder D. Ehrmann Diversity Leaders Fund provides scholarships that ensure representatives of nonprofit, faith-based, and underrepresented groups in the Upstate can participate in the program.

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About Calder Ehrmann

Calder Ehrmann was Chief Diversity Officer for Michelin in 2002 when he heard Juan Johnson speak about a diversity leadership program he had implemented in Atlanta. Convinced that the Upstate needed such a program, he and Jim Foster, another Michelin executive, met with Riley Institute executive director Don Gordon, and Benny Walker, then vice president for enrollment at Furman, to talk about how to move forward. The idea took root.

Calder led the work of carefully crafting the mix of participants of the two annual Upstate classes. His passion for equity was infectious and helped make the state a better place to work and live. Calder passed away in 2015 but his legacy lives on.

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Scholarship Recipients