In a rare opportunity, the newest scholarship recipients met and thanked those investing in their education at a recent scholarship luncheon hosted by the College of Mass Communications and Information Studies.

The scholarship luncheon was the first such event of its scale for the College, bridging students with their respective scholarship contributors. Students, scholarship givers, and College faculty and staff mixed and mingled over chicken, pasta, and fruit salads served at the Russell House ballroom.

Charles Bierbauer, the College's dean, said it has hosted smaller gatherings for students and scholarship contributors, but that this year’s scholarship luncheon was the largest "thank you" yet.

"I think it’s certainly a tribute to the people who believe in what the College is doing and have invested in its students," he said.

In his address to the luncheon participants, President Harris Pastides described the University as resilient and said it is doing well despite economic hardships such as state budget cuts. And while students are applying in record numbers, the decision for many comes down to the smallest amount of financial aid or scholarship assistance, he said.

Pastides said events such as the CMCIS scholarship luncheon are a great way for students and their supporters to get acquainted on a personal level. "I think it’s a wonderful coming together," he said.

The intimate gathering was hailed by many of the 70 participants as a success.

 "Opportunities to thank the people that make it possible for our students to succeed are rare. The more we can do it, the better we fare,"said Dr. Sam Hastings, director of the School of Library and Information Science.

Freshman Adam Harms of Toledo, Ohio, who was awarded the Sig and Judy Huitt Scholarship in Journalism and Mass Communication, said he was honored to meet the couple helping him pay for his education.

Harms always wanted to attend a big football school in the Carolinas – chiefly to break away from the Midwest’s cold seasons. He said the School of Journalism and Mass Communications was a top pick to study advertising. "I know I made the right choice," Harms said. He said he can't thank the Huitts enough "for giving me the opportunity to wear shorts and a T-shirt on Halloween."

Judy Huitt said the opportunity to meet Harms face-to-face was "exceedingly special."

"What a privilege, what a joy," she said.

Virginia Weathers, volunteer librarian and head of public services for Thomas Cooper Library, voiced similar sentiments about lunching with Library and Information Science second-year graduate student Bethany McGowan, recipient of the Cooper-Davis Fellowship.

McGowan addressed the luncheon participants and spoke highly of the financial assistance. Weathers, instrumental in developing the fellowship about two decades ago, said it was "very special for me" to hear McGowan speak.

Henry Haitz, president and publisher of McClatchy-owned The State newspaper, said after the luncheon that he was glad to have met School of Journalism and Mass Communications graduate student Anthony Palmer, who won the McClatchy Minority Scholarship and Fellowship.

"It’s fantastic, because you get to put an actual person as a reference to the fund that’s been created on behalf of the McClatchy family," Haitz said. "That was really terrific. The McClatchy Co. is one of the largest newspaper companies in the country with seven newspapers in the Carolinas – two in North Carolina and five in South Carolina. It’s our hope that the recipients get a good education at USC, which we’re confident that they will, and it’d be great if they stayed and worked in South Carolina."

View photos of the event >