As a first-year biology student at South Carolina State University, Kelsey Whetstone is striving toward a career in pediatric medicine.
An Orangeburg resident, Whetstone is cozily familiar with SC State, having spent her pre-kindergarten years at SC State’s Childhood Development Learning Center and her K-8 years at Felton Laboratory School on campus before enrolling at the High School for Health Professions. Plus, her parents are Bulldog alumni, making her a legacy freshman.
As she pursues her premedical path, she has the enriching support of SC State’s Dr. Emily England Clyburn Honors College as one of nine newly inducted 2025 Clyburn Scholars.
“Grounded, serviceminded, and academically driven, Kelsey Whetstone exemplifies the Clyburn Honors standard of intellect, integrity, and impact,” said Dr. William H. Whitaker Jr., the Honors College’s dean. “She is a legacy Bulldog scholar preparing to care for South Carolina’s youngest patients and to lead with heart in the field of medicine, uniting science and compassion to help children thrive.”
At the Orangeburg High School for Health Professions, Whetstone earned a 4.8 GPA, ranked in the Top 5 of 100, and was recognized as a Junior Marshal. She is a Certi-
fied Nursing Assistant and an alumna of Palmetto Girls State (2024), where she was selected to return as a Production Junior Counselor for 2025.
Her leadership record includes service as a Student Government Association member-at-large, student activities director, and SGA vice president; a member of the HOSA Publication Team; and longstanding involvement with Jack & Jill of America, Inc., serving as Teen Foundation Chair and Teen Legislative Chair.
Whetstone has volunteered across Orangeburg and the region, supporting community health fairs, food and
holiday drives, senior outreach, and voter-awareness efforts, amassing over 75 hours of nonpartisan outreach to citizens in North Carolina and Georgia.
On campus, she continues that spirit through involvement in HOSA, Journalism Club, and Gardening Club.
Whetstone is a recipient of the Clyburn Honors College General Scholarship, which allows her to focus on rigorous coursework, research opportunities, and medical-school preparation. She noted that scholarship support empowers her to choose pediatrics out of passion and purpose, not pressure from debt.
