Andrew “Deboy” Graves from the Dillon County Council  was among 53 county officials who graduated on Sunday, Aug. 1 from Levels I and II of the Institute of Government for County Officials at the 43rd Annual Conference of the South Carolina Association of Counties (SCAC), held Aug. 1 – 4. The Institute of Government was held July 31 – Aug. 1. Graves graduated from Level II of the Institute of Government for County Officials. The SCAC — in cooperation with the Institute for Public Service and Policy Research, University of South Carolina, and the Strom Thurmond Institute, Clemson University — holds the Institute of Government for County Officials three times per year. The Institute of Government provides county officials the opportunity to enhance their skills and abilities to function more effectively. County officials must complete 27 hours of instruction, including 18 hours of required topics and 9 hours of elective topics, to graduate from Level I. They must complete 18 additional hours of instruction to graduate from Level II.