South Carolina Association of Colleges & Employers (SCACE)

What South Carolina Association of Colleges & Employers (SCACE) does

SCACE is a South Carolina-based non-profit membership association that connects college and university career services professionals with employer recruiters across the state. The organization serves as a two-sided marketplace of approximately 30 member institutions, spanning public and private higher education (Clemson, USC, College of Charleston, Furman) and major employers including BMW, Boeing, Eastman Chemical, Ingevity, Milliken, Verizon, and AAA. Its core offerings include an annual conference (50-101 registrants documented 2017-2026), recurring Drive-In employer site visits across the Upstate, Midlands, and Lowcountry regions, regional social events, Lunch & Learn webinars, a monthly newsletter (The Palmetto Statement), and the South Carolina Statewide Virtual Career Fair.

Revenue is generated through four streams: membership dues (individual $50, group $125), conference registration fees ranging from $50-$250 depending on membership status and timing, tiered conference sponsorships ($250-$2,500), and event registration fees for Drive-Ins, webinars, and the virtual career fair ($350 inclusive of membership). The organization operates with approximately 5 employees, uses Wild Apricot as its membership management platform, and is governed by a rotating board presidency drawn from member institutions. Distribution is entirely regional within South Carolina, with limited cross-state programming via joint conferences with NCACE and affiliation with SoACE. Professional development resources are routed through partnerships with NACE, SHRM, and NCDA, providing members access to national certification pathways without SCACE operating its own technology product surface.

Name

South Carolina Association of Colleges & Employers (SCACE)

Legal name

South Carolina Association of Colleges and Employers

Website

https://goscace.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

SCACE is a South Carolina non-profit membership association connecting college career services professionals with employers through an annual conference, Drive-In site visits, regional social events, and a monthly newsletter. It serves approximately 30 higher education institutions and major employers across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association / Career Services Membership Organization

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mentoring, Coaching, Alumni Networking & Peer Support Platforms (EDAFAMAN)

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Career services networking
• Employer campus recruiting
• Workforce development events
• Higher education partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Conference Registration: Revenue generated from conference registration fees at various levels including member, non-member, student, and single-day passes. Additional revenue from exhibitor booths and vendor showcase slots.
2. Conference Sponsorships: Sponsorship tiers including Presenting Sponsor ($2,500), Workforce Visionary ($1,000), Future Builder ($550), and Career Accelerator ($250) that provide advertising and recognition opportunities.
3. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for colleges, universities, and employers. Individual membership and group membership options available. New member packages bundle membership with conference registration.
4. Event Registration Fees: Fees for Drive-In employer visits, webinars, lunch and learns, and social networking events. Member and non-member pricing available.
5. Virtual Career Fair: The 2020 South Carolina Statewide Virtual Career Fair charged employers $350 which included a free one-year SCACE membership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SCACE is a nonprofit professional membership association that connects college career services professionals with employment recruiters and company representatives across South Carolina. It delivers value through annual conferences, employer Drive-In site visits, regional networking socials, a monthly newsletter, and curated access to national professional development resources via partnerships with NACE, SHRM, and NCDA. Membership is open to business and industry employers as well as the state's public and private colleges, universities, technical colleges, and junior colleges.

Product overview

SCACE is a professional membership association serving as a platform connecting college career services professionals with employer recruiters. The organization does not offer a unified software product but rather provides a portfolio of event-based and informational services including annual conferences, employer drive-in visits, monthly newsletters, and professional development resources. The core offering consists of networking events and educational programming designed to facilitate connections between South Carolina's colleges, universities, and employers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Conference Annual multi-day conference event bringing together college career services professionals and employer recruiters for networking, educational sessions, panel discussions, and professional development. Held at rotating South Carolina venues; 2026 event scheduled for May 27-29 at Hilton Columbia Center.
• Drive-In Employer Site Visits Employer facility tour events held at member companies allowing career services professionals and students to visit South Carolina workplaces, observe hiring practices, and meet recruiters. Past hosts include BMW, Nephron Pharmaceuticals, Arthrex, Ingevity, Boeing, and Red Ventures.
• The Palmetto Statement (Monthly Newsletter) Monthly email newsletter distributed to SCACE members covering industry news, member updates, career development resources, event announcements, and association information. Distributed via MailChimp with archives available from 2019 onward.
• Professional Development Resources Curated continuing education and credentialing resources directing SCACE members to NACE Learning Platform and Coaching Certification, SHRM certification programs, and NCDA Facilitating Career Development Training for professional credentials.
• South Carolina Statewide Virtual Career Fair Virtual career fair event connecting SC students and alumni with employers statewide. Free for colleges and universities; employers pay a fee that bundles a one-year SCACE membership.
• SCACE Membership Annual membership program for colleges, universities, and employers, providing access to networking events, the annual conference, professional development resources, regional social events, and the monthly newsletter. Individual ($50) and group (up to 3 members for $125) options historically offered.
• Regional Social Networking Events Networking socials held across South Carolina's three regions — Upstate (Greenville/Spartanburg), Midlands (Columbia), and Lowcountry (Charleston) — coordinated by regional representatives. Free for members; nominal fee for non-members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Regular annual conference attendance of 50-101 professionals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Young Men United (YMU) at United Way of the MidlandsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026YMU is an immersive character and workforce development initiative at United Way of the Midlands designed to create pathways for young men to discover, plan, and achieve academic and career goals. SCACE features YMU as their 2026 conference philanthropy partner, supporting their continuum of wraparound services including mentoring, college and workplace exploration, professional development workshops, paid internships, and job shadowing.
• North Carolina Association of Colleges and Employers (NCACE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2018North Carolina state-level ACE organization. Joint 2018 conference 'Better Together' held at Omni Charlotte Hotel, combining SCACE and NCACE members for expanded networking and professional development opportunities.
• IT-ologyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 February 2017Columbia-based technology company using innovative programs to connect and inspire students and professionals to develop problem-solving skills. Partnered with SCACE for February 2017 networking event at IT-ology Theater with up to 80 employers, schools, and connectors participating.
• National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational professional organization for college career services and employer relations. SCACE directs members to NACE Learning Platform, Coaching Certification Program, and Recruiter Leadership Institute for professional development.
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading HR professional organization providing certification and professional development resources. SCACE connects members to SHRM resources for advancing education, organizations, and profession through certification recertification activities.
• National Career Development Association (NCDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional organization focused on career development. SCACE directs members to NCDA's Facilitating Career Development Training program for professional credentials.
• Southeastern Association of Colleges & Employers (SoACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional collaborative organization for career services and employer relations professionals in the southeastern United States. SCACE participates in joint conferences (2018 NC/SCACE Joint Conference) and co-hosts the Employer Relations Summit. Provides professional development opportunities beyond state borders.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• North Carolina Association of Colleges and Employers (NCACE): State-level ACE organization for North Carolina that jointly hosted the 2018 'Better Together' conference with SCACE. Directly comparable in scope, structure, and dual college/employer membership base, making it the closest single-state peer.

Broad incumbents

• Southeastern Association of Colleges & Employers (SoACE): Regional umbrella covering southeastern US states including South Carolina; co-hosts the Employer Relations Summit with SCACE and is a confirmed strategic partner. Operates at a wider regional scope than SCACE's single-state focus.
• National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE): National umbrella organization for college career services and employer relations; SCACE directs members to the NACE Learning Platform, Coaching Certification Program, and Recruiter Leadership Institute. Operates nationwide across all 50 states versus SCACE's SC-only scope.
• College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR): National HR-in-higher-education association with overlapping employer and institutional membership base. Covers a broader HR-domain remit but competes for the same professional-development, conference, and networking attention as SCACE.

Regional players

• Carolinas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (CACRAO): Regional association serving admissions and registrars professionals across the Carolinas (including South Carolina). Adjacent higher-ed membership base but a different functional focus (admissions vs. career services), making it a complementary rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South Carolina Association of Colleges & Employers (SCACE)