FCSD3 Celebrates Dr. McNair's Life and Legacy

Florence School District 3 honored the life, legacy and enduring impact of Dr. Ronald E. McNair with a student-focused commemorative program on Thursday, January 29, at Dr. Ronald E. McNair School of Digital Communication and Leadership. This year’s event held special significance as it marked the 40th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion.

The annual program commemorates Dr. McNair, a Lake City native, physicist and astronaut, who tragically lost his life on January 28, 1986, when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff. The theme for this year’s observance was “Courage, Curiosity, Commitment,” reflecting the values Dr. McNair exemplified throughout his life and career.

Students from schools across Florence School District 3 participated in the program, sharing original poetry, music, artwork and step performances that highlighted Dr. McNair’s legacy and inspired future generations to pursue excellence in academics, leadership and service.

During the program, South Carolina State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver announced that Dr. McNair will be featured in the South Carolina Department of Education’s Palmetto Civics Project “Palmetto Pioneer” series. Designed to educate and inspire, the instructional materials will be made available at no cost to educators statewide, bringing the stories and legacies of influential South Carolinians to life while fostering a deeper appreciation of the state’s rich history.

The program’s guest speaker was Dr. Jordan Lewis, an alumnus of the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program at Winthrop University. Dr. Lewis shared his academic journey and reflected on the influence of Dr. McNair’s legacy on his own pursuit of scientific research and education.

Dr. Lewis conducted undergraduate research at Winthrop University before attending Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. His graduate research focused on the evolution of parasites and their hosts through experimental evolution with microorganisms. He also earned a doctoral certificate in bioethics, teaching interdisciplinary courses that explored ethical issues in medicine and scientific discovery. After completing his Ph.D. in 2022, Dr. Lewis received a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and continued his research at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Since 2024, he has served as a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of South Carolina-Columbia.