Recognition and News

University 101 Programs and the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition® have received significant recognition and national attention for our work with students.

U.S. News and World Report Recognizes University 101 as a "Program to Look For"

For the sixth consecutive year, the University of South Carolina was cited by U.S. News and World Report for its outstanding programs for first-year students. USC was among 23 other schools lauded in the section, "Programs To Look For," for first-year programs that lead to student success.

National Resource Center receives ASHE Special Merit Award

Columbia, SC - The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition at the University of South Carolina received the 2008 Special Merit Award at the 33rd annual Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) conference held Nov. 5 - 8 in Jacksonville, Fla.

The ASHE Special Merit Award is traditionally presented to a person, group, or organization in recognition of influential leadership and for offering a valuable perspective for studying and understanding colleges and universities. Past recipients of the prestigious honor include the United Negro College Fund in 2006, Jerry Davis/Lumina in 2004, Clifford Adelman in 2001, and Jossey-Bass Publishers in 1992.

USC named an Institution of Excellence in the First College Year

The University of South Carolina has been named an Institution of Excellence in the First College Year by the Policy Center on the First Year of College, a national research center with a basic mission to improve the first year of college. The Policy Center,directed by John N. Gardner, is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and The Atlantic Philanthropies and is located in Brevard, North Carolina. The University of South Carolina joined twelve other colleges and universities in the US selected for this honor. These campuses were chosen from a field of 130 nominees through a competitive selection process. A national panel of higher education experts made the final selections based on the following criteria: an intentional, comprehensive approach to first-year student education; continuous improvement driven by meaningful assessments; broad impact on significant numbers of first-year students; strong enduring institutional support and leadership for first-year initiatives; an involvement of a broad range of faculty, student affairs professionals, administrators and others in first-year programs. The University of South Carolina was the only flagship institution selected for the award.

Source: The Policy Center on the First Year of College