On Thursday, October 24^th, the Greenville Chamber and the Riley Institute at Furman presented the 2024 recipients of the Upstate Diversity Leadership Awards during the Greenville Chamber’s Diversity and Economic Inclusion Summit.

Now in its 20th year, the Upstate Diversity Leadership Awards program honors outstanding individuals and organizations throughout the Upstate community for achievement in promoting diversity and inclusion.

The 2024 Upstate Diversity Leadership Awards recipients are:

• K-12 School: William “Bill” T. Wylie Valued Lives Award for School Excellence – AJ Whittenberg Elementary
• Outstanding High School Student – Chandler Sherman, Christ Church Episcopal School
• Outstanding College Student – Elizabeth Caldwell, Clemson University
• Outstanding Nonprofit Organization – Beauty Marks for Girls, Jennifer Jones
• Outstanding Business – Think Up Consulting
• Calder D. Ehrmann Outstanding Individual – Jil Littlejohn Bostick, Winnebago Industries
• Outstanding Contribution to International Diversity - Amberly Chirolla, Lutheran Services of the Carolinas

The Upstate Diversity Leadership Awards originated as part of a capstone project in the 2004 Upstate Class of the Riley Institute’s Diversity Leaders Initiative. This group of Riley Fellows shared a vision to create an annual event to honor outstanding individuals and organizations in the Upstate who are making a positive difference through diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

This was the first celebration of its kind in the state to recognize individuals and organizations for their accomplishments in uplifting diversity in the Upstate.

Check out the videos below to learn more about these outstanding leaders.