89th Miss SC State and 12th Mister SC State ready to represent university with heart and purpose

Olivia Ratliff and Bryce McIntosh will serve as ambassadors for the university, representing the student body at events.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — From the jazz stage to the football field, two dynamic Bulldogs are stepping into the spotlight as South Carolina State University’s newest royal leaders.

Olivia Ratliff of Rock Hill and Bryce McIntosh of Lake City have been elected Miss and Mister South Carolina State University for 2025–2026. Together, they bring a blend of grace, grit and school spirit to the roles that will carry them through a year of service, representation and student engagement.

They will officially take the helm when they are crowned during SC State's annual Coronation on Oct. 1.

A steady rise through the Royal Court

Ratliff, a middle level education major, is no stranger to the royal court. Her path to the crown has been marked by a steady climb — Miss Freshman, Miss Sophomore and Miss 1896 — each chapter building to her latest role as the university’s 89th Miss SC State.

She will reign under the platform “Leading with Grace, Handling with Purpose,” reflecting a leadership style grounded in empathy and excellence.

On campus, Ratliff helped charter the SC State section of the National Council of Negro Women and performs as a member of the SC State Jazz Band. She’s also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and the Emily E. Clyburn Honors College.

Off campus, she’s earned a fellowship at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s Payne Center for Social Justice Research in Washington, D.C., and has interned with Congressman James Clyburn’s district office.

Scholar-athlete and servant leader

McIntosh, a speech pathology and audiology major, is making history as the 12th Mister SC State.

After transferring from North Greenville University in 2022, he quickly found his stride, earning MEAC All-Academic Team honors three years in a row and helping lead the Bulldogs to a 2024 MEAC championship and Celebration Bowl appearance.

McIntosh is active across campus life, including work as a speech pathology ambassador and involvement in the Sign Language Association and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.

His service extends to the community through outreach with the Samaritan House, church ministry and local cleanups. With plans to become a speech-language pathologist, he hopes to increase Black male representation in the field and eventually open his own practice.

Leading by example

As Miss and Mister SC State, Ratliff and McIntosh will serve as ambassadors for the university, representing the student body at events on and off campus while continuing to inspire through scholarship, service and leadership.