Dr. Thelma F. Sojourner
Dr. Thelma F. Sojourner is a 1971 graduate of Voorhees College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. She was inducted into Alpha Chi Honor Society during the fall semester of her senior year and, during the spring semester of 1971, she was one of five students selected to participate in the Student Teacher Exchange Program which partnered with the University of Rochester (New York) to sponsor student teachers in the public schools of East Irondequoit, NY. Upon graduation, Dr. Sojourner taught public school for 19 years in Denmark where she was named Teacher of the Year for Denmark-Olar Elementary School and worked as school coordinator for the Title I Program, Reading is Fundamental, and as a curriculum coordinator. She completed a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education at South Carolina State University where she was inducted into Phi Delta Kappa.
Dr. Sojourner served as past president of the Edisto Reading Council and participated in several sessions for curriculum writing for the district. She taught in the after school tutoring program and in community centers to help students learn to read. She also taught mathematics for several years and served as a teacher mentor, Girl Scout leader, Coordinator for Boys and Girls Club-Denmark, SC, and as president of Franklin United Methodist Church usher board. She also served on the Bamberg County United Way Board and is a certified Lay Speaker and a Bible Studies teacher.
In the fall of 1990, Dr. Sojourner accepted the position of Director of Federal Programs for Bamberg School District Two, a position she held until 2000. She served as principal of Denmark-Olar Elementary School from 2000-2004. During the fall of 2004, Dr. Sojourner completed her Doctorate in Educational Administration at South Carolina State University. She then became Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the district and held that position until June 2011. She first served as Interim Superintendent and accepted the position of Superintendent in September 2011. She has led the district to secure a $38 million bond referendum to build a Pre-K-8 grade facility and renovate the district’s high school.
She is totally committed to ensuring that educational opportunities are provided for the students on a continuous basis. In the midst of budget cuts, testing, reduction of programs, and changes in policies, Dr. Sojourner feels that the education of students is far too important to overlook. She firmly believes that the future lies in the abilities of the students who will make major decisions for the world and we, as educators, must do all we can to enable them to compete globally.
