About Lyric

Hailing from Columbia, South Carolina, Lyric Swinton is a proud 2016 graduate of W.J Keenan High School as well as a 2020 first-generation college graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science with Leadership Distinction in Sport & Entertainment Management.  During her time at UofSC, she was a TRIO Opportunity Scholar and the only undergraduate speaker selected to speak at the inaugural TEDxUofSC in 2018.  In 2020, she served as a member of the University’s Congressional Advisory Board where she advocated on behalf of first-generation college students to the South Carolina delegation on Capitol Hill. Her specific area of research was in first-generation student advocacy and she discussed how federal policy could better support first-gen students. 

Lyric has been honored with many accolades that include, but are not limited to:

• 2020 Caroliniana Award, issued by the University of South Carolina Leadership & Service Center 
• 2020 Dr. Paul L. Beasley Award, issued by the UofSC TRIO Opportunity Scholars Program 
• 2020 Outstanding Senior Award, issued by the University of South Carolina
• 2019 Citizen of The Year, issued by the Zeta Zeta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated 
• 2019 Forbes Under 30 Scholar, issued by Forbes 
• 2019 I. DeQuincey Newman Outstanding Student Leader Award, issued by the UofSC Office of Multicultural Student Affairs
• 2019 UofSC MLK Social Justice Award, issued by the UofSC Office of Diversity & Inclusion
• 2016 Richland County School District One Legend In The Making, issued by Richland One

Since her graduation in 2020, Lyric has been a South Carolina-based political & social impact strategist and consultant.  Most notably, she was the Digital & Outreach Coordinator for the Tameika Isaac Devine for Mayor of Columbia, SC campaign in 2021. 

Simultaneously in 2021, she entered the filmmaking world as the Production & Distribution Manager of The Backbone documentary alongside friends & fellow UofSC alumni, Hannah White and Kendric Lindsey. The Backbone documentary chronicles the contributions and experiences of Black women to the University of South Carolina since the institution's desegregation in 1963. The documentary officially premiered in March 2022 to international critical acclaim. In the fall of 2022, she returned to the University of South Carolina as an Educational Foundations Ph. D student in the College of Education. She Intends to both continue her TRIO & first-generation student advocacy and expand her community outreach while still finding creative ways to pursue her passions for sports & entertainment.

A public speaker since she was five years old, Lyric has spoken to audiences and presented workshops across the East Coast and globally about her advocacy for first generation & low income students as well as Black Gen Z civic & community engagement. Entities where Lyric has presented and/or spoken include:

• University of South Carolina 
• Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership - South Carolina
• Kenyon College (Ohio)
• Community College of Allegheny County (Pennsylvania)
• Jack & Jill Mid-Atlantic Region Teen Leadership Conference
• TEDxUofSC
• Sistercare
• Unlearning Racism

Lyric is also the creator of the "Blue, Gold, Garnet, & Black Scholarship" that provides $500 scholarships to W.J Keenan High School seniors planning to attend the University of South Carolina. Preference is given to applicants who will be considered first-generation college students. Since the scholarship's creation in 2021, it has supported three Keenan High School graduates.