Veteran educator Warren Carson of Tryon has been elected to the Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry (Outreach) Board of Directors to fill an unexpired term that ends in 2015.

Dr. Carson has long been a leader in Polk County community affairs and currently serves on the Board of Trustees at St. Luke’s Hospital and as chairman of the board for Roseland Community Center.

“We are delighted that Dr. Carson has agreed to serve again on our board,” said Joe Epley, president of Outreach. “He was a member of the Outreach board 20 years ago when it operated out of the Columbus United Methodist Church. His return will provide us with broader perspectives and wisdom that will help us better serve folks in need here in Polk County.”

A Tryon native, Dr. Carson is the interim vice-chancellor for the USC Upstate campus in Greenville and also serves as the university’s chief diversity officer and senior associate vice-chancellor for academic affairs. He has spent 30 of his 40 years in higher education at USC Upstate.

With English degrees from the University of North Carolina, University of South Carolina and Atlanta University, he serves nationally as the chief reader for the College Board’s Advanced Placement exams in English literature and chairs the test development committee. He also is managing editor of the College Language Association Journal.

Outreach provides compassionate assistance to Polk County residents who are unable to provide for their basic life needs. Funded primarily by local contributions, the not-for-profit crisis assistance organization has served the area for more than 21 years.

– article submitted by Wendy Thomas