Inside Carolina’s record-shattering year of giving

The University of South Carolina closed fiscal year 2026 with $357.6 million in private support — the most in its history, shattering the previous record of $259.7 million, set just one year earlier, by nearly $100 million. A year like that is built on extraordinary generosity at every level, and this one had it all: transformational gifts that named schools and endowed futures, and a groundswell of support reaching every corner of the university.

But the total only tells half the story. The other half is the people behind it.

Nearly 48,600 donors gave to Carolina this year. More than 16,000 of them had never given before — alumni, families and friends making their first gift to the university, in the same twelve months. The record was powered by generosity at every scale, from landmark commitments to first-time gifts — a community that keeps getting bigger.

That momentum was on full display during Give 4 Garnet, the university’s annual day of giving, when more than 7,200 donors came together in a single day to support scholarships, academic programs, athletics, student organizations and initiatives across every USC campus.

“This historic year reflects great confidence in the mission of the University of South Carolina. Our alumni, friends and partners are investing in the people, ideas and discoveries that will shape USC’s future.”
  — President Michael Amiridis

The year’s defining moment came in May, when a $30 million gift named the Kay and C. Edward Floyd, M.D. School of Medicine, a milestone for health sciences at USC. A separate $22 million anonymous gift arrived alongside it, strengthening research, scholarships and hands-on clinical training for the physicians Carolina will send into the state and beyond.

Among the year’s largest commitments was a $25 million gift from the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation — the latest chapter in one of the most enduring philanthropic partnerships in the university’s history. Robert C. McNair, a 1958 Carolina graduate and founder of the Houston Texans, and his wife, Janice, established the McNair Scholars program in 1998, and it has drawn many of the nation’s most accomplished students to the South Carolina Honors College ever since.

The gift carries added weight this year. Janice McNair passed away in July at age 89, closing an extraordinary life of giving. Together, she and Bob gave more than half a billion dollars to the causes they believed in, and their legacy at Carolina will continue to shape generations of scholars and leaders.

The giving reached every corner of the university. The College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management named the new David and Nicole Tepper Department of Sport and Entertainment Management. USC Beaufort named the Jonathan Green Maritime Cultural Center, a celebration of the Lowcountry’s cultural heritage. The Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing received a $7 million planned gift to support future engineers and computer scientists. The College of Pharmacy received $2.5 million to advance pediatric oncology research, and the School of Music secured one of the largest gifts in its history to endow a chair in Baroque and early music.

Gamecock athletics had a landmark year of its own. Donors gave $81 million to athletics, supporting scholarships for student-athletes and program enhancements across every sport — and another $147 million was raised for Williams-Brice Reimagined, the transformational stadium renovation that will enhance the fan experience, expand premium seating and strengthen resources for student-athletes. On the academic side, the university secured approximately $129 million in support.

But follow the money to its destination and the year keeps coming back to the same place: students. More than $80 million was directed to student aid and scholarships, expanding access and affordability for students across the state. There were 108 gifts of $1 million or more — among the most in a single year in university history — and nearly $50 million in planned gifts, a foundation laid now for students who haven’t arrived yet.

For Michelle Dodenhoff, vice president for development, the year proved what’s possible when thousands of people rally behind a shared vision for Carolina.

“From first-time donors to transformational philanthropists, every gift moved the university forward. That collective generosity is strengthening every college, every campus and every student we serve. People want to be part of what’s happening at Carolina — and that momentum is only growing.”
  — Michelle Dodenhoff, Vice President for Development