Rick Wade on Education

All 6 siblings attended public schools

"I had very humble beginnings," he says. "A father who didn't graduate from high school, was a fork lift operator in the textile mills, a mother who graduated from what then was called Lancaster Training School and was a nurse's assistant her entire life. And six of us; five boys and one girl and we all went to the public schools. All of my brothers; four other brothers had distinguished military careers, following in my father's footsteps as a war veteran. And I was the first person in my family to pursue advanced education at the University of South Carolina and then ultimately at Harvard University."

Vision for S.C. focused on education and jobs

Wade believes he can articulate a vision--one focused on education and jobs, among other things--that many South Carolinians would agree with. He said he would take "my message to the people, wherever they are, whoever they are."