Posted Nov. 6, 2017
When Charles Bierbauer announced his intent to step down as dean of the College of Information and Communications, friends and alumni rallied to honor his legacy by supporting a cause near and dear to his heart: student scholarships.
Cue #ThanksCharles. The crowdfunding campaign, which launched in April of 2017, asked donors to fund 15 CIC Alumni Society Scholarships in 15 days to recognize Bierbauer’s 15-year tenure. The fund was selected because it assists students in both of the college’s schools — and because it was on the verge of running dry.
The campaign was a success. #ThanksCharles brought in nearly $12,000, enough to fund 23 undergraduate student scholarships.
This year’s recipients are Frazier Bostic, a junior public relations major from Greenville, South Carolina, and Brian Mackenzie, a senior information science major from Plainsboro, New Jersey. We asked Frazier and Brian to share their stories with the donors who supported them.
What impact has the CIC Alumni Society Scholarship had on you this year?
The CIC Alumni Society Scholarship has been an immense blessing. Financial stress has, unfortunately, been a burden throughout my college education. This year, I am thankful to relax. This scholarship has allowed me to focus more on my studies and has pushed me to be even more proactive on campus.
The CIC Alumni Society Scholarship has enabled me to focus on my studies without having to worry about finances. This summer I worked at an unpaid internship, so the scholarship really helped me to afford the essentials for my apartment and my textbooks for the semester.
What would you like to say to those who donated to the scholarship fund?
Thank you for supporting CIC students! Your generosity is very much appreciated. By supporting this scholarship, you have helped students get even closer to achieving their goals.
Thank you so much to those that donated to the scholarship fund. It means a lot to me to be recognized by the Alumni Society and I really appreciate everyone who supports my education and education in general.
Why should others consider supporting the Alumni Society Scholarship?
Supporting the Alumni Society Scholarship is more than just supporting deserving CIC students. It’s an investment in their education. My mother is an alumna of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Her education propelled me to attend USC, and by supporting this scholarship, you’re encouraging even more future Gamecocks.
I would encourage anyone who values technological progress and the pursuit of knowledge to support the CIC Alumni Society Scholarship. The College of Information and Communications includes a number of important fields of study, including my own, information science. Scholarships like this one allow students like me to continue their studies in a quickly growing field that impacts the technology we use every day.
What do you hope to achieve with your degree from the CIC?
As a public relations practitioner, I hope to work with art institutions to raise awareness for art education. My entire early education was supported by art schools, so I am committed to connecting as many people as I can to the wonders of art.
I am using the skills learned from my major to do web design for a fast-growing company in Charlotte, N.C. Once I have completed my degree, I hope to continue doing web design. As the internet becomes more ubiquitous every day, functional websites that provide a good user experience are more necessary than ever. My education in information science puts me in a great position to understand the needs of the user while still creating a product that performs as it needs to. Ultimately, I hope to create web projects that both benefit people who use them and are accessible to everyone.