GREENWOOD, S.C.—Shae Baldwin didn’t just graduate from Lander University in December 2025 — she left an indelible mark on the institution’s academic legacy.
Recognized with the Thayer Award, the University’s highest academic honor, Baldwin has been recognized not only for her exceptional scholarship, but for the intellectual curiosity, discipline and dedication that defined her journey and set her apart as one of Lander’s most accomplished graduates.
The Thayer Award is bestowed each semester upon the graduating student with the highest grade point average (GPA).
For Baldwin, of Mount Pleasant, the award is significant given the demands she balanced along the way. In addition to excelling in Lander’s rigorous nursing program, she was a dedicated member of the Lander women’s soccer team, successfully navigating two of the University’s most demanding arenas — academics and athletics — at the highest level.
“Receiving the Thayer Award is such a blessing. I have spent the past three-and-a-half-years pouring my heart into Lander University, and to be recognized for my work ethic and dedication is incredibly meaningful,” said Baldwin, who earned academic honors at Lander from the Honors College and now is working at MUSC’s Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital in Charleston as a nurse in the pediatric heart center.
When she received the congratulatory call about the award from Dr. Holisa Wharton, dean of the College of Nursing, Human Performance and Health Sciences, Baldwin said, “I was completely shocked and beyond grateful. This award represents the hard work, discipline and determination it has taken to become the best student and future nurse I can be. I am so thankful for Lander University and the opportunities it has given me.”