Gray Collegiate Academy Principal Dr. Brian Newsome Named Charleston Southern University’s 2026 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year

West Columbia, SC 11/02/2026 - Dr. Brian Newsome, principal of Gray Collegiate Academy (GCA), has been named Charleston Southern University’s 2026 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year, recognizing his accomplishments and the impact he has made since his time at the university.

Newsome was honored at the university’s Alumni Chapel and Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, Oct. 28. A 1998 graduate of Charleston Southern with a Bachelor of Science in law and communication, Newsome has spent his career raising academic outcomes in South Carolina schools.

He has served as principal of GCA since 2016. Before that, he was superintendent of Orangeburg Preparatory Schools from 2014 to 2016 and principal of Williston-Elko High School from 2010 to 2014. He also holds a bachelor’s degree with physical education certification from South Carolina State University, a master’s in sports management from the United States Sports Academy, and both an education specialist degree and a doctorate in education from South Carolina State University. He currently serves as vice chair of the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee.

Newsome’s leadership has been recognized well beyond his own campus. In December 2018, Gov. Henry McMaster appointed him as his educator designee to the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee. He served on the AdvanceED Accreditation Council from 2012 to 2017 and has twice been nominated for the South Carolina Association of School Administrators Secondary Principal of the Year Award. “I am humbled and grateful to receive this honor from Charleston Southern University. My time at CSU shaped how I think about service and leadership, and I have tried to carry that into every school I have been privileged to lead,” said Dr. Newsome.

“This recognition belongs to the students, families, teachers, and staff at Gray Collegiate Academy who show up every day and make our results possible.” Under Newsome’s leadership, GCA, a tuition-free public charter school, has become one of the strongest academically performing charter schools in the Charter Institute at Erskine’s portfolio MEDIA RELEASE and in the state.

The school has earned an overall rating of Excellent for both its middle and high school programs on the 2026 South Carolina School Report Card, released by the South Carolina Department of Education. GCA is one of only three Institute schools that serves multiple grade bands to earn an Excellent rating across every grade level served. GCA also posted a 100% graduation rate, standing out as one of just three Institute high schools to achieve a perfect rate.

Both the middle and high school programs earned Excellent ratings for school climate, while the middle school also achieved an Excellent rating for student growth. The school has held an Excellent rating on the state report card for six consecutive years for its high school and four consecutive years for its middle school. Those results have come alongside steady growth.

GCA opened a satellite campus in Irmo in August 2025, expanding access to its academic program and dual-credit opportunities for hundreds of additional students in grades 6 through 10. The school has now extended its proven culture of excellence to a full K-12 model with the August 2026 opening of its K-5 campus in Northeast Columbia.

The report card results reflect performance prior to the opening of the elementary campus. GCA is open to all students, and families do not pay tuition. Enrollment for the 2027-28 school year opens November 1 for students in grades K-12 across its West Columbia, Irmo, and Northeast Columbia campuses, and families from any community are encouraged to apply.

To learn more or to apply, families may visit www.graycollegiateacademy.org/enrollment.