Never Give Up. That’s the motto that Emily Ryann Locklear has lived by, and it’s what has motivated her into the unstoppable young lady that she has become. At a time when others might have been defeated, Emily kept pushing forward to achieve her goals.
Emily graduated from Dillon High School in the Class Of 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was an honor student, voted Most Likely to Succeed, and received the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, the S.C. Girls State Scholarship, and a Wofford College Scholarship. After graduating, Emily started her freshman year at Wofford College under COVID restrictions. Most of her first year was spent in her dorm room with virtual classes and boxed meals—not the fun college experience that most have during their first year.
During this time, several of her immediate family members had several medical issues, and there were three deaths in her family. She had to make such hard decisions through these times because if you went home, you had to follow COVID rules and quarantine when you returned.
Two weeks into her senior year, Emily faced another challenge. She had her first epileptic seizure, and these seizures continued throughout the remainder of the year. She was offered medical leave from school, which she declined because she wanted to continue and graduate with her class. Emily had a goal –She wanted to succeed with the journey.
Through every adversity, Emily kept her eyes on the goal to “Never Give Up” and to “Succeed With The Journey” that she had started.
Emily’s efforts and determination paid off. She graduated from the Wofford College Class of 2024 with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Psychology and a minor in Religion. She will surely succeed in all she hopes to achieve.
Emily is the daughter of Stacey Hamilton.
