SC State’s newest Bulldog leaders set the pace for 2029

 ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Every Bulldog class brings fresh energy, and the Class of 2029 has already set its tone. With new leaders stepping forward, these freshmen say their focus is on unity, confidence and building something lasting together.

A president’s perspective

Freshman Class President Peyton Hall of Atlanta said leadership has been part of her life for years. A criminal justice major with a minor in psychology, she sees her new role as a continuation of what she has always done.

“Leadership has always been something that I’ve done from middle school up until now,” she said. “I feel like that’s natural for me, and I also want to be able to make a difference wherever I am.”

She said choosing SC State was about finding a place where she could stand out and feel supported at the same time.

“I wanted to go to a smaller school, not such a big school,” Hall said.

As president, she wants her classmates to know their concerns matter.

“Everybody here pays to be here, wanted to come here,” Hall said. “So, make sure everybody feels comfortable in their education, in their housing, making sure that people’s voices are heard.”

Hall added that unity will be the key to the class’s success over the next four years.

“Why not make our voices as big as one?” she said.

Finding purpose as Mister Freshman

Mister Freshman Semaj Lewis of Columbia, a first-generation college student, said the university’s Summer Bridge program helped him believe he was ready for leadership.

“I really just wanted to show them what the Summer Bridge helped me do,” Lewis said.

For him, the position is about encouragement as much as representation.

“Some people just as nervous as us, so we need a voice to talk,” he said.

Lewis admitted that making the jump from high school to college takes adjustment.

“The challenge of me that I will have, I feel like guidance,” he said.

To stay on track, he is seeking mentors and joining groups such as 101 Black Men, which he said can help him “lock down on my work.”

As a first-generation student, Lewis said he wants to show others what is possible.

“I’m really going with the win,” he said.

A voice for her class

Miss Freshman Amanda Thomas of Cross, South Carolina, said she stepped into the role because she wanted her classmates to have a representative who would listen.

“I wanted to be Miss Freshman because I wanted to be the voice of my class,” she said. “I wanted to make a change.”

She hopes the Class of 2029 will succeed together.

“If we all work together and put our minds to it, we will all rise up to the challenge -- becoming one as a class.”

The three leaders were presented to the campus community during SC State’s Fall Convocation on Thursday in Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center, a tradition that welcomes the incoming class and sets the tone for the year.

Looking ahead

Hall said she hopes to pursue forensic psychology after graduation, while Thomas plans to teach early childhood education. Lewis said he is focused on strengthening his academic foundation while using his Mister Freshman role to support others.

Together, they reflect a Bulldog tradition of service, scholarship and connection, carrying forward the expectation that every class will rise to meet the moment.