Student Affairs and Academic Support programs and initiatives are consistently recognized as national, regional and state models of excellence.
The award recognizes successful efforts to create a bikeable campus using strategies that include design, education and planning. USC is among only 33 institutions in the country and the only school in South Carolina to earn an award.
USC received the Voter Friendly Campus designation from nonpartisan organizations Campus Votes Project and NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The designation recognizes universities for implementing plans to help students register and vote. It’s the third consecutive year USC has earned the honor.
The Institutional Excellence Award recognizes excellence and innovation in the field of student conduct.
The University of South Carolina has the top first-year student experience among the nation's public universities, according to the 2019 U.S. News & World Report annual undergraduate rankings.
The Center for Health and Well-Being won the Honor Award, the highest award conferred by the American Institute of Architects South Carolina chapter.
The University of South Carolina was named to the 2019-20 Military Friendly Schools list for the university's services to military and veteran students.
International House at Maxcy College's Carolina Global Scholars program won NASPA's 2019 Best Practices in International Education Award for International Programming.
USC is in the inaugural cohort of First Forward Institutions recognized by NASPA's Center for First-Generation Student Success.
The Salvation Army recognized South Carolina with its Doing the Most Good Award. The award celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Carolina Cares Drive, which includes participation in the Salvation Army's Stocking Stuffer Program.
South Carolina's Parent and Family Programs mobile app won the CASE District III Award of Excellence. Each year the awards recognize "superior accomplishments that have lasting impact, demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and deliver exceptional results."
The University of South Carolian received the 2019 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. The award recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that show a commitment to diversity and inclusion on campus.
NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation has presented South Carolina’s Campus Recreation Department with a Creative Excellence Award for Large Scale Signage. This recognition is given annually to a university with exemplary major signage in either indoor or outdoor facilities that promotes programs and events and is aesthetically pleasing.
The University of South Carolina was named a "Voter Friendly Campus" for 2018-19 for its efforts to encourage students to register and vote. The Voter Friendly Campus initiative is led by national nonpartisan organizations Campus Vote Project and NASPA and supports efforts that help students participate in our democracy.
Changing Carolina Peer Leaders won the NASPA Outstanding Peer Education Group 2018 award for their consistently excellent work in providing health education to the university's students.
USC’s International Career Accelerator Program -- a partnership between the USC Career Center and Shorelight Education -- received the Progressive Education Delivery Award at the 2018 PIEoneer Awards.
USC’s campus recreation facilities ranked No. 19 among College Consensus’ 50 best campus recreation centers at U.S. colleges and universities.
Student Health Services won a Silver Excellence Award in the Student Health, Wellness, Counseling and related category for their Mental Health Matters campaign.
Beyond The Classroom Matters won a Gold Excellence Award in the Administrative, Assessment, Information Technology, Fundraising, Professional Development and related category.
University 101 Programs' peer leadership program won a Gold Excellence Award in the Student Union, Student Activities, Greek Life, Leadership and related category.
USC is one of only seven colleges and universities in the nation to win the Active Minds Healthy Campus Award, which celebrates institutions that demonstrate excellence in prioritizing and promoting the health and well-being of their students.
The Parent and Family programs' Dinner Dialogues won a Grand Award in the external relations engagement category in the CASE District III Awards competition.
The ACPA Commission for Commuter Students and Adult Learners honored the Office of Off-Campus Living and Neighborhood Relations with two awards: the Outstanding Publication Award for the Off-Campus Living Guide and the Outstanding Program for Commuter Students Award for its Off-Campus Living 101 presentation.
The Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships was recognized by the South Carolina Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators for its promotion of wellness in the workplace.
Undergraduate Admissions won a Gold Education Digital Marketing Award in the electronic advertising category for its Facebook Canvas ad.
The University of South Carolina was awarded a Silver designation as a Bicycle Friendly University, joining more than 180 colleges and universities in the U.S. recognized by the League of American Bicyclists.
INSIGHT Into Diversity named the University of South Carolina a recipient of their diversity and inclusion award for the fifth straight year. The Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award honors institutions for making diversity and inclusion a high priority.
Off-Campus Student Services won the 2017 Award for Programming at a Public Institution of 7,500 or More Students for their “Off-Campus Living 101” program. This award, given by the South Carolina College Personnel Association, recognizes a program’s outstanding contribution to its campus and the field of student affairs.
For the second year, NASPA selected USC as a Lead Initiative Institution for its commitment to making civic learning and democratic engagement a part of every student’s college education. Institutions selected to participate in this initiative work collaboratively in cohorts to share resources, promising practices, and participate in professional networking opportunities. Lead institutions receive support and continuing professional development from NASPA.
U.S. News and World Report’s undergraduate rankings publication highlighted University 101 and USC’s living and learning communities in the 2017 “Programs to Look For” section, which recognizes programs that lead to student success.
The University of South Carolina has been chosen as a top school in the 2017 Military Advanced Education & Transition Guide to Colleges & Universities research study. This award recognizes institutions with the very best practices in military- and veteran-supportive education.
BestColleges.com named the University of South Carolina No. 4 in its list of top military friendly colleges and universities. The ranking recognizes USC's academic and emotional support for students who are veterans, active service members, reservists and military dependents.
The Student Success Center's Supplemental Instruction program earned the designation 2016 Outstanding SI Program from the International Center for Supplemental Instruction. The honor is given biannually to recognize excellence in supplemental instruction programs.
The Sophomore Initiative won a NASPA Gold Excellence Award in the enrollment management, financial aid, orientation, parents, persistence, first-year, other-year and related category. The annual awards honor “outstanding programs, innovative services and effective administration” at colleges and universities across the United States.
The Community Ambassador Program, coordinated by Off-Campus Student Services, received ACPA’s Outstanding Program for Commuter Students Award.
Parents Weekend, the annual event hosted by Parents Programs, received AHEPPP's 2016 Outstanding Institutional Initiative Award. The award recognizes "an innovative and creative program resulting in improved activities, services, and communication for/with parents of undergraduate students."
"Talking Points," publication on high-risk behavior prevention, won the AHEPPP 2016 Powerful Partnerships Award, which recognizes and encourages collaborations that benefit parents and families. "Talking Points" was produced by Parents Programs with Substance Abuse Prevention and Education, Student Health Services and other campus partners, won the Powerful Partnerships Award
In recognition of its array of academic, financial and social support for veterans, the University of South Carolina has earned a spot on the 2016 Military Friendly Schools list. The designation honors the U.S. institutes of higher education that employ best practices to welcome veterans and enhance their success. The list, compiled by Victory Media, was highlighted in the annual “Guide to Military Friendly Schools,” a resource for service members and their families.
The Association for Student Conduct Administration honored CREEDx with its Innovation Award. The award recognizes an institution that has implemented an outstanding and innovative program related to student conduct administration in the past year. CREEDx, modeled on TEDx, features a series of speakers sharing their thoughts on tenets of the Carolinian Creed.
Gamecock Gateway won a Bronze NASPA Excellence Award in the enrollment management, financial aid, orientation, parents, persistence, first-year, other-year and related category. The annual awards honor “outstanding programs, innovative services and effective administration” at colleges and universities across the United States. Gamecock Gateway launched in 2012 with a focus on enhancing access to a USC degree by creating a pipeline between Midlands Technical College and the university.
The Association of the Tutoring Professional recognized the Student Success Center’s peer tutoring program with its Program of Excellence Award for 2015. The organization praised USC’s program for attracting increasing student participation, delivering tutoring via a variety of methods, training its tutors and engaging in collaborations.
The university received the Gold Star Award from the South Carolina Hospital Association’s Working Well initiative and Prevention Partners. The award recognizes the university for achieving the highest standard of excellence for tobacco cessation programs.
The University of South Carolina is the only university in South Carolina to win the BlueCross BlueShield LiveLifeBlue Workplace Wellness Award. This award recognizes companies across South Carolina who are investing in wellness programs for their employees and transforming the culture of health within their workplace. USC received the award in recognition of its exercise facilities, tobacco-free policy, partnerships and collaborative efforts, healthy eating initiatives and weight management programs.
University Business magazine chose the Student Success Center program Success Connect as one of its spring 2015 Models of Excellence. The magazine’s recognition program highlights college and university initiatives that support student success in innovative, effective ways. Launched in 2014, Success Connect is a multi-pronged retention initiative designed to support students’ transition and success in their first year. Through the components of an early warning system, collaboration with campus partners and intentional outreach to all first-year students, Success Connect is designed to identify and support students at risk of attrition.
In recognition of its array of academic, financial and social support for veterans, the University of South Carolina has earned a spot on the 2015 Military Friendly Schools list. The designation honors the U.S. institutes of higher education that employ best practices to welcome veterans and enhance their success. The list, compiled by Victory Media, was highlighted in the annual “Guide to Military Friendly Schools,” a resource for service members and their families
For the second year in a row, INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine recognized Carolina as one of the nation's top universities for diversity and inclusivity. The Higher Education Excellence in Diversity award is given to institutions that demonstrate a commitment to a diverse campus experience. The 2014 award was given to 55 other schools, and USC is the only school in South Carolina to win it.
Green Quad Learning Community won the inaugural Collaborative Excellence Award from ACPA - College Student Educators International. The award recognizes a program that has demonstrated an exemplary partnership or an innovative, collaborative initiative among academic and student affairs professionals or departments.
The University of South Carolina was awarded the 2014 JedCampus seal for its comprehensive mental health promotion and suicide prevention programming. The seal was awarded to 42 U.S. colleges and universities by the Jed Foundation, a national non profit founded by Donna and Phil Satow, who lost their son Jed to suicide.
Healthy Carolina won the Bronze Excellence Award in the student health, wellness, counseling and related category from NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.
Healthy Carolina received the American College Health Association's Best Practices Award in health education and promotion services.
The American Heart Association named Healthy Carolina and Campus Wellness gold-level Fit-Friendly Worksites for creating physical activity programs in the workplace, providing healthy eating options and promoting a culture of wellness at work.
University Housing's assessment efforts earned a Bronze Excellence Award from NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. The annual NASPA Excellence Awards honor "outstanding programs, innovative services and effective administration" at colleges and universities across the U.S. Housing's submission, "Developing a Culture of Assessment in Student Affairs: Strategies for Successful Implementation," won the award in the administrative, assessment, information technology, fundraising, professional development and related category.
The University of South Carolina earned a place on the 2013 Military Friendly Schools list. The award honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools -- 1,739 institutions -- that excel in the recruitment and retention of students with military experience. The list, compiled by Victory Media, was highlighted in the annual "G.I. Jobs Guide to Military Friendly Schools." USC Sumter and USC Beaufort also were included on the list.
The University of South Carolina was recognized on the Princeton Review 2013 Green
Honor Roll, which measures how environmentally friendly an institution is. USC received
the highest possible score of 99, reflecting the Two Green Globes-certification for
Harper College and Elliott College and Patterson Hall's Gold LEED certification.
Stand Up Carolina won a Bronze Excellence Award in the violence education and prevention, crisis management, campus security and related category. The initiative, coordinated by the Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention and Prevention office, seeks to end interpersonal violence through advocacy and education programs that teach safe prevention and intervention strategies.
Causerie won a Silver Excellence Award in the administrative, assessment, information technology, fundraising, professional development and related category. A data-driven quarterly newsletter primarily for University of South Carolina faculty, Causerie highlights topics of institutional importance and describes student-focused programs and services, as well as evidence of their effectiveness. The publication demonstrates Student Affairs and Academic Support's impact on student success and, with its assessment-based approach, supports faculty in better serving students.