Lois Rhame West (September 5, 1921 – May 6, 2014) was an American health and physical fitness advocate, activist, and philanthropist.
Rhame West, a former faculty member at the University of South Carolina, made physical education and wellness the focus of her tenure as the state's First Lady.
[1][2] Lois West received a bachelor's degree in physical education from Winthrop in 1943, becoming the first married woman to graduate from the college.
[2][4] Lois West joined the faculty of the University of South Carolina, where she taught while her husband completed his law degree.
[1] In his inaugural address, Governor West promised to make South Carolina "colorblind" and erase "any vestige of discrimination" from his government.
[2] During the 1980s, the family established the Lois Rhame West Scholars program, which provided full scholarships to South Carolina residents.
[2] Lois West served on the national board of directors for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) for forty years.
[1] Under West and Campbell, the campaign brought in more than $30 million, which was utilized for research programs, scholarships, and improvements to the school's academic majors.
[2] In 2007, the university opened the Lois Rhame West Health, Physical Education and Wellness Center, the school's first LEED certified green building.