Govan earned his B.A. from South Carolina State University in 1982. He went on to pursue graduate studies at the University of South Carolina. Govan was a Personnel Specialist in the Department of the Navy from 1979 to 1980. In 1984, he worked as a Recruiting Officer for the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control. He then worked as Assistant to the Director of Personnel at South Carolina University from 1984 to 1985. From 1985 to 1986, he worked as Director of the Small Business Development Center for South Carolina State University. Govan then worked for the 1st Judicial Circuit's Pre-Trial Intervention Program as a Coordinator from 1989 to 1990. He has worked as Primary Drug Prevention Consultant since 1990.
