Raymond and Florence Stern Endowed Scholarship

Eligible students must declare a major or minor in Jewish Studies, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and demonstrate financial need. Preference is given to students from a rural town in South Carolina or another state.

Raymond and Florence Stern were shining examples of South Carolina’s small-town Jewish citizens who balanced commitments to their families, their communities, and their Jewish heritage.

Raymond was raised in Andrews, South Carolina, where his family constituted the majority of the town’s Jewish population. His parents opened a clothing store, and were part of a loose network of Jewish merchants in small towns through the state. After attending the University of South Carolina and serving in the United States Air Force during the Korean Conflict, he met and married his wife Florence. He remained active in the Air Force Reserves, attaining the rank of Lt. Colonel and serving as a recruiter for the Air Force Academy, visiting rural SC high schools to encourage students to consider the Academy. In addition to maintaining the family store in Andrews, Raymond took a second job as a rural mailman to support the college educations of his children.

Florence Harris Stern was a life-long student who was passionate about education, family, culture, and improving the lives of others. Although she was raised in New Jersey and South Florida, she spent the majority of her life in South Carolina. Among her favorite activities in Charleston were being a substitute teacher at Addlestone Hebrew Academy, teaching English to Russian immigrants, and volunteering with both the Dock Street Theatre and the Spoleto Festival.

The Sterns started their family in Andrews, moving to Georgetown a few years later. While living in Georgetown, the Sterns were active in the small local synagogue, and exposed their children to Jewish learning by driving them every weekend to Charleston for Sunday school at Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim. The family later moved to Charleston to expose their four children to greater Jewish educational and cultural opportunities. In Charleston, their two sons attended Addlestone Hebrew Academy, and the entire family was active at the Jewish Community Center. In their retirement years, Florence and Raymond took advantage of learning opportunities at the College of Charleston, especially the Jewish Studies Program.

The Stern family has endowed this scholarship to honor Florence and Raymond’s love of Charleston, Jewish education, and helping others.