October 10, 2026
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
University Conference Center
Close-Hipp 8th Floor

Seek First S.C. 2026 is a student-led civic engagement initiative designed to strengthen civil discourse, increase political awareness, and create meaningful opportunities for dialogue between students and public officials during the 2026 South Carolina election cycle.

Hosted by the Center for American Civic Leadership and Public Discourse, the event will give students the opportunity to hear directly from candidates, ask substantive questions, and participate in respectful political dialogue within a structured and educational environment.

The program will also include a paired conversation between elected officials on opposite sides of the aisle and a conversation on how parenthood has influenced elected officials in their efforts for civil discourse, providing an opportunity to model thoughtful discussion across different perspectives. 

Speakers

• Sean Bennett: Sean Bennett is the Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee and represents District 38. He is a S.C. Army National Guard veteran and past president of the Summerville Rotary Club. He holds a B.A. from the University of South Carolina and works as a financial planner. 
• Heather Bauer: Heather Bauer represents District 75 in the House of Representatives. She holds a B.S. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Arts from the University of South Carolina. She is Vice President of the Nickelodeon Theatre Board and serves on the board of the City of Columbia Food Policy Commission. 
• Joel W. Collins, Jr.: Joel Collins has taught “U.S. Constitution: Why and How It Was Created, How It Has Survived, and How It Impacts Americans” at the South Carolina Honors College since 2010. He is the founder of Collins & Lacy, a civil defense law firm, and graduated from the USC School of Law in 1968. Following law school, he served in the Judge Advocate General Corps and was appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. He is a past president of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He received the Order of the Palmetto award in 2018, the State’s highest civilian honor. 
• Dr. Mary Nickel: Dr. Mary Nickel is currently an Instructor of Philosophy at the University of South Carolina. Before joining the faculty at USC, she taught at the University of Virginia. She received her doctoral degree in Religion, Ethics, and Politics from Princeton University in 2023. Dr. Nickel’s research integrates religious ethics and political philosophy. Her current book-length project, “Bearings,” focuses on what pregnancy and motherhood teach us about collective agency and human sociality. Dr. Nickel teaches both metaethics and applied ethics. She holds a certificate in teaching from Princeton’s McGraw Teaching & Learning Center and received a teaching award from Princeton’s Religion Department in 2020.
• Russell Ott: Russell Ott represents District 26 in the Senate. He holds a B.A. from Clemson University and an M.P.A. from the University of South Carolina. He is a lifelong resident of Calhoun County. Before being elected to the Senate, he served in the House of Representatives for 11 years. He is a farmer and businessman. 
• Sylvia Wright: Sylvia Wright is currently running for Superintendent of Education for South Carolina and describes herself as a product of South Carolina’s public school education system. She holds a B.S. in Middle Grades Education from Fayetteville State University, a Master of Education from Columbia College, a Master of Arts from Texas Tech University, a Master of Education from the Citadel, and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Education from the University of South Carolina. She is a teacher, military spouse, and parent. 

Questions?
Please direct registration-related questions to conference services at confs@mailbox.sc.edu.
Please direct conference-related questions to Grace Cosby at gcosby@email.sc.edu.