Conference Location
We’ll be gathering in the University Conference Center on the University of South Carolina campus, which is the 8th floor of the Close-Hipp building at 1705 College St.
Lodging
A room block has been secured at the Graduate Columbia. Reserve your room online before Feb. 22, 2024.
Check in: 4 p.m., March 14, 2024
Check out: 11 a.m., March 16, 2024
The Graduate is located at 1619 Pendleton St., which is less than a block from the University Conference Center.
Travel
The closest airport is Columbia Metropolitan (CAE), 15 minutes from campus.
Detailed Conference Program
View the Detailed Conference Program.
Keynote Speakers
Major General (Retired) Todd McCaffrey, South Carolina Secretary of Veteran's Affairs
Major General (Ret) Todd McCaffrey is South Carolina’s Secretary of Veteran Affairs
where he advocates for and supports nearly 400,000 Veterans and 68,000 uniformed servicemembers
who call the state home. Prior to joining state government he served more than 34
years in the U.S. Army where he commanded units through division level and led both
an infantry battalion and brigade in combat. Secretary McCaffrey is a 1986 graduate
of the US Military Academy and holds master’s degrees in economics and national security
studies. He and his wife Lisa reside in Columbia and have three adult children, a
daughter-in-law, and a granddaughter.
Mary Whyte
Mary Whyte (b.1953) is an American figurative artist known internationally for her
watercolors of contemporary people. Her works are in private, corporate, university
and public collections nationwide, and have been featured in numerous media outlets
including CBS Sunday Morning, PBS and NPR. The author of seven books including We
the People: Portraits of Veterans in America, Whyte’s work has also been featured
in many international publications, including periodicals and books in China, Russia,
France, Germany, Canada and Taiwan. She is the recipient of numerous awards including
the Portrait Society of America’s Gold Medal, the Carolinas Freedom Foundation’s Freedom
Award, and the South Carolina Governor’s Award for the Arts, South Carolina’s highest
honor in the arts.
Host committee and contact information
Michael McGandy
803-777-2243
mcgandy@mailbox.sc.edu
Katherine Progler
803-777-5156
kcupp@mailbox.sc.edu
Hilary Brannon
803-777-9444
dyer@sc.edu
Resources
Register for the conference!
Things to do in Columbia: Experience Columbia SC
Learn more about:
Sponsors and Exhibitors
Sponsorship opportunities are available at levels from $250 and up. (A sheet with complete details is available.) Sponsors will have the attention of more than 200 conference attendees, and benefits include advertising space, logo placement, complimentary registration, and speaking opportunities at ViS 2024. January 19, 2024, is the deadline for becoming a sponsor.
Exhibitors will be able to share information about their organization with and sell their products to more than 200 conference attendees. Space is available for $250 for a display table. (Full details of the benefits of exhibiting at ViS 2024 are available.) January 19, 2024, is the deadline for securing space in the exhibit hall.
Advertising opportunities are included in the benefits for sponsors and exhibitors.
For more information regarding sponsoring and exhibiting at ViS 2024, contact Michael
McGandy, 803-777-2243
mcgandy@mailbox.sc.edu