December 19, 2024, Carol J.G. Ward
University of South Carolina graduate Monique Garvin, '19 knows how critically important her work is in combatting various forms of abuse in South Carolina’s communities and acutely recognizes the impact violence has on individuals.
December 16, 2024
From a national championship and record research funding to a major engineering gift and a host of academic awards, 2024 was a banner year for USC.
December 16, 2024, Collyn Taylor
USC's Board of Trustees approved academic initiatives -- including a trio of new programs -- and contracts as well as pushed forward facilities projects during its final meeting in 2024.
December 13, 2024, Gregory Hardy
Through her studies at the Arnold School of Public Health, first-generation USC student Ebony Christie has realized the everyday impact of safety and wellness initiatives. With plans to pursue a master’s in public health before attending medical school, Christie is determined to address systemic health disparities as an OB/GYN.
December 11, 2024, Dan Cook
From the time she was in her high school marching band, Emily Ruth Allen has loved the atmosphere and celebratory tradition of Mardi Gras. Now the instructor of music and Southern Studies has made a career of studying festivals and celebratory rituals.
December 10, 2024, Alexis Watts
David Foreman, a 1987 College of Pharmacy graduate, has built a career as The Herbal Pharmacist®, educating others on blending natural remedies with traditional medicine. His gratitude for the education that shaped him inspires him to give back and create new pathways for students.
December 06, 2024, Hadley McCollester
In South Carolina, 97 percent of newborn infants are screened for hearing ability — and 3.1 percent do not pass. At the Arnold School of Public Health, there’s a clinic that can help.
December 06, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
Senior biology major Maggie Boyd is one of three drum majors in USC’s 2024 marching band. The Matthews, North Carolina, native has won the coveted spot two years in a row and has cherished every opportunity to lead her bandmates, but marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was a capstone experience.
December 05, 2024, Collyn Taylor
James L. Solomon Jr., a trailblazer at USC and a distinguished civil servant, passed away at the age 94. He was one of three students who desegregated the university over 60 years ago.
December 05, 2024, Jeff Stensland
USC President Michael Amiridis announced the hiring of Jeremiah Donati as the Gamecocks' new director of athletics following a Thursday (Dec. 5) Board of Trustees meeting.
December 04, 2024, Chris Horn
Pharmacy professors Alessandra Porcu and Chase Francis are conducting groundbreaking research aimed at developing new therapies for depression, stress and anxiety. Their work, supported by a developmental research grant from the National Institute of Mental Health, explores how circadian rhythms and brain regions like the nucleus accumbens affect mental health.
December 04, 2024, Gregory Hardy
The College of Pharmacy, driven by faculty like Jun Zhu, M.D., Ph.D., and Hippokratis Kiaris, continues to lead in pharmaceutical research with $13 million in sponsored awards in 2024, a 67% increase from last year. Zhu’s groundbreaking work on HIV-related cognitive care recently earned a $3.8 million NIH grant, while Kiaris’ COBRE Center has facilitated over $50 million in research funding. Their efforts contribute to USC’s record $309 million in research funding, solidifying its reputation for global health impact.
December 03, 2024, Laura Erskine
Senior Lauren Puttock has won the University of South Carolina’s third holiday card design contest for her acrylic painting of Cocky reading on a snowy day. President Michael Amiridis and First Lady Ero Aggelopoulou-Amiridis chose the artwork for the cover of their annual greeting card.
December 02, 2024, Chris Horn
One-third of the world’s GDP depends on chemical catalysts, and an industry-university research center led by USC is helping its members better understand how those chemical reaction boosters can be tweaked for peak efficiency.
November 26, 2024, Kristine Hartvigsen
Charleston native Keith Heyward Jr. was a restless third-grader when he realized his career goal was to teach. He knew that young Black boys craved a teacher they could relate to. Today, the University of South Carolina alumnus teaches kindergarten at James Island Elementary School. He makes sure the youngsters who step into his classroom feel safe and empowered.
November 25, 2024, Margaret Gregory
Two College of Pharmacy students are also members of the Carolina Coquettes dance team, and they have an exciting trip coming up in November. Logan Acker and Lexi Baldinger will be part of “The Mighty Sound of the Southeast” as it takes part in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
November 25, 2024, Téa Smith
Ridha Fatima, a biochemistry senior, joined the Network of Opportunities Toward Elderly Service her freshman year after seeing how hard isolation during the pandemic had been for many people, particularly her grandparents. During their twice-monthly visits to local nursing homes, students connect with the residents while participating in activities such as arts and crafts, gardening and talent shows.
November 22, 2024, Communications and Marketing
Every student has a different approach to studying and getting work done, and having the right location can make a difference as you power through the end of the semester. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite study locations across campus along with snack options nearby.
November 21, 2024, Kristine Hartvigsen
A native Texan who earned her bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate in information studies from the University of Texas-Austin, Information Science associate professor Jennifer Moore spent her early career years as an elementary school librarian and a middle school language arts teacher. For 11 years, she taught at the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University. Recently arrived in Columbia, Moore moved into a century-old house where she can indulge her love of cooking and gardening.
November 21, 2024, Collyn Taylor
Dawn Staley is no stranger to success with three national championships to her name, but one part of her legacy is the number of players now coaching the next generation of players.
November 20, 2024, Megan Sexton
As the December Class of 2024 prepares to walk across the commencement stage, graduates leave the University of South Carolina with memories of enduring friendships, newfound passions, supportive mentors and life-changing experiences.
November 20, 2024, Chris Horn
A team of USC scientists is using a $3.4 million grant to develop new technology for personalized medical treatment and more accurate medical diagnoses. USC faculty members from medicine, chemistry and mathematics are leading various aspects of the five-year project funded by the National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).
November 18, 2024, Communications and Marketing
As we celebrate the Mighty Sound of the Southeast’s appearance at the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, let’s also take a moment to celebrate the greater Gamecock spirit. From Times Square Studios to the New York Public Library, from Bryant Park to Broadway, New York is Carolina country, and we’ve got the stories and pictures to prove it.
November 15, 2024, Xinyu Huang
Flooding from hurricanes Helene and Milton inflicted billions of dollars in damage across the Southeast. It caused dozens of electric vehicles and other battery-powered objects, such as scooters and golf carts, to catch fire. Many consumers are unaware of this risk, and lithium-ion batteries are widely used in EVs, e-bikes and cordless power tools. Here is what owners should know about water and the risk of battery fires.
November 15, 2024, Sydnie Taylor
Each fall as the crisp November air sets in, the University of South Carolina comes alive with the spirit of rivalry. While the Carolina-Clemson football game may take center stage, another cherished tradition lights up the campus — literally. This is the annual Tiger Burn, an event nearly as old as the football game itself, fueling the Gamecocks’ spirit and the century-long rivalry between USC and Clemson.
November 14, 2024, Chris Horn
Students rarely end up later in life teaching the same undergraduate course they took in college, but that’s what Heather Dreano and Lesley Smith are doing now, thanks to an assist from their former University of South Carolina professor.
November 14, 2024, Communications and Marketing
USC President Michael Amiridis named Dan Dillon, who has over 30 years of marketing experience in the private and public sectors, as the new vice president for marketing.
November 14, 2024, Gregory Hardy
Nursing students at the University of South Carolina are getting hands-on simulation training with the newest generation of portable ultrasound equipment this November. Associate Professor Amy Dievendorf led the first immersion training with graduate-level nurse practitioner students in November at the College of Nursing’s new Clinical Education Building.
November 13, 2024, Carol J.G. Ward
School of Medicine Columbia researcher Ana Pocivavsek’s new four-year NIH grant will allow her to study the impact of sleep across the lifespan during windows that are critical to brain development, including pregnancy.
November 12, 2024, Kristine Hartvigsen
Long before she was traveling the world as senior director of business development and operations at CNN Sports, Amy Jordan was an Honors College student sending news releases around the world as a press intern for the late U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings. To date, Jordan has covered four different Olympic games, numerous Super Bowls, the U.S. Open and more.
November 12, 2024, Brandon Pugh
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded USC one of its largest-ever grants — $35 million — for the College of Education's GEAR UP SC program to help disadvantaged students overcome barriers to college and career opportunities.
November 11, 2024
More than a quarter of South Carolinians call a rural area home, but these populations have a higher incidence of medical emergencies and are at greater risk of death because of barriers to access to timely medical care. USC researchers and alumni are working to change that, both for the state’s communities and at the national level.
November 08, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
This spring, actor Stan Brown made his Broadway debut at the age of 61. The theatre double alumnus, ’84, ’89 MFA, calls the role as Camel in the musical ‘Water for Elephants’ “a dream deferred,” but it’s not as if he has been waiting in the wings all these years. The Great White Way is just the latest chapter in a long and gratifying career.
November 08, 2024, Megan Sexton
Cassandra Bosier is a new faculty member in the College of Education, but she isn’t new to the classroom. She spent 25 years as a teacher, mentor and principal in Richland County schools before starting at USC this fall.
November 08, 2024, Chris Horn
Around the clock and every day of the year for the past three decades, an environmental monitoring system has been keeping a finger on the pulse of 30 diverse estuaries across the country, collecting water quality and weather data. The integrated System-Wide Monitoring Program and Centralized Data Management Office is headquartered in Georgetown, S.C., at USC’s Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences.
November 08, 2024, Kristine Hartvigsen
University of South Carolina alumnus Robert Chambers LeHeup is a Marine Corps infantry veteran with two combat tours under his belt when he left the service in 2004. In 2012, he founded Bullets and Bandaids to heal and support vets through storytelling and artwork.
November 08, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
You’ve seen Eva Pilgrim in the co-host seat on ‘Good Morning America’ and ‘GMA3,’ but the broadcast journalism alumna has a rich life beyond TV. And while she’s been living, working and enjoying her career in New York City for nearly a decade, she remains true to her South Carolina roots. In fact, they’re a big part of her success.
November 08, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
As division president for London Times, a subsidiary of dressmaker Maggy London, Sara Bako is living two of her biggest dreams at once: She and her family live in New York City, and she works in the retail industry. But the ’04 retail management graduate is far from finished.
November 07, 2024, Grace Wilson
The university is planning a late-night weekend shuttle to provide students with safe, free transportation when they are out enjoying Columbia’s nightlife in Five Points and the Vista.
November 07, 2024, Katherine Progler
Military Times has ranked the University of South Carolina as the nation’s No. 7 “Best for Vets Colleges 2024,” making USC the top-ranked school in the Southeast.
November 04, 2024, Collyn Taylor
Shaq Wilson always dreamed about being in the NFL, so much so he worked in ever department possible before landing a dream job with the New York Jets.
November 04, 2024, Jabari Evans
Jabari Evans, assistant professor of race and media in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications writes for "The Conversation" about his experience as an expert witness in a murder trial involving the rapper Top5.
November 04, 2024, Kristine Hartvigsen
Artificial Intelligence advocates might defensively suggest, in good humor, that chatbots are “only human” and therefore prone to occasional mistakes. New research by a team at the University of South Carolina Department of Psychology basically confirms that notion with some important caveats.
November 04, 2024, Page Ivey
Ozgur Ince, finance professor in the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business, is always looking for new ways to make finance relatable for his students. Ince is a 2024 Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award winner.
October 31, 2024, Hannah Cambre
At USC, where one in five students identify as first-generation, the university is doing more than ever to help this important and growing population flourish with resources and support. We sat down with five first-gen students to learn more about their stories and the people and resources that have helped them thrive at USC.
October 31, 2024, Laura Morris
More than a quarter of South Carolina residents live in rural areas and must overcome greater health care challenges than their urban counterparts. USC faculty members are available to offer their expertise in rural health services and research. To coordinate an interview, contact the staff member listed with each expert entry.
October 28, 2024, Valerie Weingart
Two sisters at the University of South Carolina's Honors College are making waves in cybersecurity after both earning prestigious Department of Defense Cyber Service Academy fellowships. Emma and Madeleine McBride, despite taking different paths to computing, are now working to address critical cybersecurity challenges.
October 25, 2024, Gregory Hardy
Forensic social work is a specific discipline that examines how social workers intersect and interact with the legal system under domains both criminal and civil. Stephanie Hunter has 22 years of experience in the field, specifically working in criminal indigent defense. Now an assistant clinical professor at USC’s College of Social Work, she finds that both students and professionals often require an explanation about the field.
October 25, 2024, Faith Militello
Paul Toriello, assistant dean of clinical graduate programs, brings 30 years of experience in mental health counseling and academia to the School of Medicine Columbia. As a clinical professor in the Department of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science, he leads initiatives to integrate technology into health care education and expand mental health services, preparing students to become professional caregivers.
October 25, 2024, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina is developing a unique hospital that will house the Palmetto State’s first standalone comprehensive medical facility dedicated entirely to integrated care of patients with brain and nervous system illnesses.
October 24, 2024, Collyn Taylor
South Carolina's Board of Trustees pushed forward an ambitious project on the new Health Sciences Campus as well as Phase I for Williams-Brice renovations.
October 23, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
The first in his family to attend college, Bill Bloking’s engineering degree prepared him for careers at Exxon and BHP — and for boardrooms around the globe. His William F. Bloking First-Generation Scholars Fund will support Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing students and programs.
October 23, 2024, Dan Cook
Retired physician Eddie Floyd, the longest-serving member of the University of South Carolina Board of Trustees, has resigned. A former heart surgeon and chairman of the board from 1992 to 1996, Floyd earned a bachelor’s degree in business from USC in 1956, and he had served on the USC board since 1982.
October 22, 2024, Hannah Cambre
Jarett Mayfield, a senior sport and entertainment management student, has built a solid foundation for his future career in sports, thanks to opportunities at the University of South Carolina.
October 21, 2024, Téa Smith
Jeanne Britton, a curator in the Department of Rare Books and Special collections, is the winner of the university’s Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award.
October 21, 2024, Téa Smith
Cindy J. Lahar, a professor of psychology and the program coordinator for psychology at the University of South Carolina Beaufort, is this year’s Carolina Trustees Professorship for System Campuses award winner.
October 18, 2024, Communications and Marketing
There is also no doubt that nurses — an integral part of the nation's health care system — are in short supply. From opening a new building at Lexington Medical Center to being the home of the top-ranked online graduate program in nursing education, the University of South Carolina College of Nursing is committed to addressing the need.
October 17, 2024, Carol J.G. Ward
LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Deflection), a partnership between the West Columbia Police Department and the S.C. Department of Mental Health, is a community-based alternative to prosecution. Developed and staffed by two College of Social Work alumni, the program offers deflection and resources to people accused of nonviolent low-level offenses whose behavior stems from substance use, mental health challenges or poverty.
October 17, 2024, Collyn Taylor
Former South Carolina offensive lineman Lemuel Jeanpierre reflects on the move that changed his career and how it turned him into an NFL coach.
October 15, 2024, Collyn Taylor
USC is one of seven early polling sites in Richland County, providing access for registered voters to cast their ballots.
October 14, 2024, Rebekah Friedman
Associate professor of sport and entertainment management Armen Shaomian can’t help but give 100 percent. In addition to teaching students the business side of entertainment, he also guides them as faculty director of the Preston Residential College for Leadership.
October 11, 2024, Carol E. Harrison
At the current Vatican synod, whose purpose is to address “communion, participation, and mission” in the church, women’s role is on the agenda. History professor Carol Harrison writes for The Conversation on how Catholic women have historically found ways to speak to and about their church leadership, even when they have been excluded from its proceedings.
October 10, 2024, Chris Horn
Two new MRI scanners will help USC researchers differentiate possible causes of cognitive impairment as part of the university's new Brain Health Center.
October 09, 2024
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among American women, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The University of South Carolina has many faculty members who can offer expertise on this subject.
October 09, 2024, Rebekah Friedman
Dr. Sara Lindsey, a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics, helps School of Medicine students prepare for bedside care by guiding them in the classroom and during their clinical rotations.
October 09, 2024, Page Ivey
Carolina Distinguished Professor Qian Wang has been described as a “gifted teacher” by colleagues. Wang, who was awarded the 2024 Carolina Trustees Professorship in Public Health, Engineering, Medical Sciences and Sciences, says his teaching methods simply are to reach his students where they are.
October 09, 2024, Chris Horn
School districts in South Carolina that are in high need of more mental health counselors will get a boost from Project PRISMS, a U.S. Department of Education-funded initiative to fill the pipeline with trained professionals.
October 08, 2024, Grace Wilson
Check out these resources to prepare for Voting Day.
October 08, 2024, Hannah Cambre
The College of Information and Communications offers the university's largest faculty-led program, teaching summer classes on multimedia and international communications each year in Barcelona.
October 07, 2024, Téa Smith
Before going abroad to Italy, senior global studies major Ella Tocci wasn’t sure what her future post-grad would look like. Her eye-opening experience studying abroad helped her realize she wants to help college students get a similar experience as a study abroad coordinator.
October 07, 2024, Cary Mock
Some hurricanes are remembered for their wind damage or rainfall. Others for their coastal flooding. Hurricane Helene was a stew of all of that and more. Its near-record-breaking size, storm surge, winds and rainfall together turned Helene into an almost unimaginable disaster that stretched more than 500 miles inland from the Florida coast. Geography professor Cary Mock writes about the hurricane for The Conversation.
October 07, 2024, Chris Horn
When she moved into Preston College residence hall as a freshman this semester, Maleah Anderson probably felt more at home than any other freshman on campus. That’s because Anderson had already lived in USC’s only residential college for six years while her mother was faculty principal there.
October 07, 2024, Rebekah Friedman
As a 2024 Garnet Apple Award for Teaching Innovation recipient, Scott Smith has a knack for identifying future hospitality workers and leading them toward their dream careers.
October 04, 2024, Koby Padgett
University Facilities Services continues the university’s push for sustainability and environmentally friendly practices with new bathroom products across campus and greener cleaning products for custodial services employees.
October 03, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
Assistant professor of geoscience education Katherine Ryker wins Garnet Apple Award for Teaching Innovation for encouraging students to be more observant and follow their curiosity.
October 02, 2024, USC Communications and Marketing
Gamecocks unite to help those affected by Hurricane Helene in the USC community and beyond.
October 01, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
Ken Shimizu, USC’s 2024 Michael J. Mungo Distinguished Professor of the Year, explores the complicated properties of molecules in his lab.
September 30, 2024, Grace Wilson
The Latin American Student Organization aims to represent Latino students of all cultures and backgrounds while giving them a space to celebrate their Hispanic heritage at the university.
September 30, 2024, Laura Morris
Health science researchers from the University of South Carolina are taking a new approach to address chronic health conditions and reduce patient hardships across the state.
September 28, 2024, Sydnie Taylor
Whether you're just starting your journey at USC or are already deep into your college adventure, you can always learn a little something from your classmates. We chatted with some upperclassmen who shared valuable advice they wished someone had told them as freshmen.
September 27, 2024, Collyn Taylor
USC's Board of Trustees pushed a trio of projects forward Friday including two from the USC Next master plan.
September 25, 2024, Carol J. G. Ward
As the USC School of Music celebrates its centennial, the revitalized, internationally recognized jazz program Dean Tayloe Harding envisioned more than a decade ago has become a reality.
September 25, 2024, Communications and Marketing
USC's Alumni Association announced its 2024 award recipients, seven alumni who will be honored during Homecoming Weekend.
September 24, 2024, Hannah Cambre
The Opportunity Scholars Program boasted its largest-ever enrollment of 33 students in a recent Maymester trip to Paris to explore African American history.
September 24, 2024, Nicole Meares
In a world of budding technology and virtual reality, there is an opportunity to view different perspectives on health disparities in new ways. That’s what the USC College of Nursing is aiming to do.
September 24, 2024, Laura Morris
In 2025, construction will begin on the College of Nursing's Biobehavioral Research Center that will provide dedicated space for faculty research, enhancing expertise and improving health outcomes for South Carolina and beyond.
September 23, 2024, Megan Sexton
Joynelle Jackson, an associate professor of nursing and the recipient of the university’s clinical practice teaching award, has been a full-time faculty member at the College of Nursing since 2007. But she’s been teaching much of her life.
September 23, 2024, Megan Sexton
The University of South Carolina is home to the nation’s top first-year student experience among public institutions, and its living-learning communities are ranked 10th best in the country, according to U.S. News and World Report’s annual undergraduate rankings released Sept. 24.
September 19, 2024, Grace Wilson
From tutoring and writing help to free school supplies, the Student Success Center is a big boost to academic and professional achievement at USC.
September 17, 2024, Megan Sexton
Kelly Goldberg, a clinical assistant professor of anthropology teaching in the South Carolina Honors College, is the winner of the university’s Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award.
September 16, 2024, Téa Smith
University ambassadors are often the first faces potential students see when they visit campus. The program provides prospective students a glimpse of student life through tours and ambassadors sharing anecdotes about their experiences as Gamecocks. Carlee Downs and Brianna Hughey are two of those ambassadors who have been sharing their passion for USC with visitors during their time at the university.
September 11, 2024, Dan Cook
This fall, roughly 60 faculty members will take part in a new artificial intelligence initiative from the Office of the Vice President for Research. Called Propel AI, the effort aims to empower faculty to incorporate artificial intelligence into their work — regardless of their academic area or previous experience with AI. We spoke with Bryant Walker Smith, associate professor of law and an expert on emerging technologies, about the new initiative.
September 10, 2024, Collyn Taylor
USC's Board of Trustees approved the first designs of USC's state-of-the-art center, which will serve as the hub for the university's Brain Health Network.
September 10, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
Civil engineering graduate Deepal Eliatamby left Sri Lanka to find opportunity and freedom. He found it at USC and is now paying it forward.
September 10, 2024, Chris Horn
Anna Hoppmann is a pediatric oncologist with Prisma Health and a clinical assistant professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia where she graduated nine years ago. She also chairs the S.C. Childhood Cancer Taskforce, which recently released a 25-year trend report on childhood cancer incidence, survival and mortality in South Carolina.
September 09, 2024, Thom Harman
Gamecock CommUnity Shop provides groceries, school supplies and even clothes to students in need.
September 05, 2024, Grace Wilson
Meet Gaurav Harshe, president of the Graduate Student Association. Harshe hopes to use his position to support the diverse community of graduate students on campus.
September 05, 2024, Megan Sexton
Betting on students who want to give back to society affords them more than a career path. It’s also a sound investment in our shared future.
September 04, 2024, Craig Brandhorst / photos by Kim Truett
Attorney Joe Rice capped an illustrious career last fall with a record gift to the law school that bears his name, but the self-styled cowboy is hardly ready to ride into the sunset.
September 04, 2024, Carol J.G. Ward
The Centennial Celebration Concert joins more than 500 student musicians in the first of a series of events showcasing School of Music programs, students and faculty.
September 04, 2024, Rebekah Friedman / photos by Kim Truett
The Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing is named after a family, not a single person. Brothers Alex, Carl and Ray Molinaroli showed us why.
September 04, 2024, Laura Morris
A new report led by the state Department of Public Health provides a comprehensive look at the burden of childhood cancer in the Palmetto State over the past 25 years. University of South Carolina health science researchers played a critical role in developing the report; additional partners include the South Carolina Children’s Hospital Collaborative and the South Carolina Cancer Alliance.
September 03, 2024, Dan Cook
The University of South Carolina reached a new research milestone in fiscal year 2024, attracting $309 million in sponsored awards during the one-year period that ended on June 30. This year’s funding level represents a double-digit percentage increase over last year in critical areas such as health research and energy innovation.
August 28, 2024, Kristine Hartvigsen
Soon all of us will experience an arts immersion like no other — autumn. We will marvel at breathtaking color — yellows, russets, reds and browns — brilliantly lighting up the landscape. The University of South Carolina similarly offers a wide spectrum of arts experiences to ignite your imagination this fall. Here is a sampling.
August 27, 2024, Koby Padgett
With total attendance at the University of South Carolina topping 38,000 for the first time, a new class of Gamecocks bring excitement and an energetic buzz back to the Columbia campus and metro area. Here are some numbers about our incoming students that help give a picture of the resources it takes to support them, the activities they take part in and how they’ll impact campus life.
August 26, 2024, Dan Cook
USC enrollment hits 38,000 for the first time ever while underrepresented minority students make up almost 28 percent of the freshman class.
August 26, 2024
The Columbia Fireflies will be celebrating University of South Carolina Night at their game against the Charleston RiverDogs on Thursday, September 5 at Segra Park.
August 23, 2024, Jeff Stensland
USC's Board of Trustees approved USC Columbia's master plan, which will help meet the needs of students, faculty and staff for decades to come.
August 23, 2024, Collyn Taylor
USC's Board of Trustees approved the university's master plan as well as other academic initiatives and infrastructure projects in the first meeting of the academic year.
August 23, 2024, Gregory Hardy
As Betty Wilson begins this fall as an assistant professor at the College of Social Work, she sees it as a return to her community. The research interests of the two-time USC graduate and South Carolina native cover community-police relations, criminal justice reform, historical and racial trauma, and family and community resilience.
August 21, 2024, Grace Wilson and Sydnie Taylor
For many of you, Saturday’s football game against Old Dominion will be your first Williams-Brice gameday experience. Here is advice from us and a few "old pro" upperclassmen about how make the most of one of the best college football experiences in the country.
August 20, 2024, Téa Smith
Pillars for Carolina is a four-day student-led leadership and service program designed to help incoming students learn and explore the University of South Carolina and the Columbia community. Student co-directors Evey Konstantopoulos and Jackson Hensley share their experiences participating in the program the summer before starting college.
August 19, 2024, Gregory Hardy
One of Susan Newman’s newest missions for improving the health of South Carolinians is to encourage more individuals with disabilities to explore nursing careers. The USC health sciences endowed professor joined the nursing faculty in July for a role that allows her to increase training opportunities for health care providers—particularly nurses who work with individuals with disabilities—and expand her research efforts.
August 15, 2024, Rebekah Friedman
Thanks to the Washington Media Scholars Foundation, students pursuing careers in media and policy have a little less to worry about and a lot more within their reach. Founded by University of South Carolina alumnus Robin Roberts in 2009, the foundation supports undergraduates from USC and other institutions around the country through two very specific initiatives.
August 15, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
When Carolinian magazine was looking for a scenic Low Country location for an interview and photo session with University of South Carolina alumnus and donor Alex Molinaroli and his brothers for the fall 2024 issue, Bowens Island was top of the list.
August 14, 2024, Koby Padgett
There are plenty of mobile apps students, faculty and staff can use to navigate campus this academic year that are free to the USC community. From placing and tracking food orders to finding parking to staying safe around campus, here are a few key apps for students, faculty and staff.
August 13, 2024, USC Social Team
As the home to the nation's best first-year student experience among public universities, you better believe that we pull out all the stops when we welcome Gamecocks back to campus each fall. This year is no exception. Get out your calendars and make plans to make the most of your Carolina Welcome experience.
August 12, 2024, Gregory Hardy
The University of South Carolina and Lexington Medical Center opened a new 52,000 square foot facility to train the next generation of nurses Monday (Aug. 12). Located on Lexington Medical Center’s West Columbia campus, the satellite clinical education building will be used primarily for the clinical training of the College of Nursing's third- and fourth-year nursing bachelor’s students as well as master’s program students.
August 08, 2024, Kristine Hartvigsen
As refugee children struggle to assimilate, University of South Carolina College of Education Associate Professor Elif Karsli-Calamak has been leading grant-funded support for educators in Turkey who — without adequate resources and specialized training — face crushing disadvantages teaching them.
August 06, 2024, Kristine Hartvigsen
A summer in Bangladesh immersed young Emily Manetta in numerous languages, spurring the two decades of work on South Asian linguistics she brings to USC.
August 05, 2024, Rebekah Friedman
Many students enter the University of South Carolina with entrepreneurial dreams. But the entrepreneurial mindset is as much about how you think about solving problems as it is about launching a new business or bringing an invention to market — and acquiring that mindset requires a very particular kind of educational environment. Since 2017, USC’s McNair Institute for Entrepreneurism and Free Enterprise has provided exactly that.
August 01, 2024, Collyn Taylor
Everything you need to know about campus operations and traffic patterns as students begin to move in Aug. 12.
August 01, 2024
For a lot of University of South Carolina students, the realization that this is a special place comes quickly. One walk around the Horseshoe, one time cheering in the stands at Williams-Brice Stadium, and that’s all it takes. But those signature experiences are only a tiny part of what it means to be a Gamecock. Life-altering experiences can be found all over campus and beyond.
August 01, 2024, Megan Sexton
After a long military and government career, Augustus “Way” Fountain found his way back to the classroom. The chemistry instructor at USC is a winner of this year’s Garnet Apple award for teaching innovation.
July 31, 2024, Chris Horn
Qun Lu’s quest to develop an effective drug treatment for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases has brought him to the University of South Carolina. Lu, who joined USC in January as the new SmartState Endowed Chair in Neurotherapeutics Chemical Biology, has developed, with his research team, novel therapeutic molecules that have demonstrated effectiveness in rodent models that mimic Alzheimer’s disease.
July 31, 2024, Page Ivey
Khalid Ballouli’s path to academia took a detour through professional baseball, so it’s only natural this his teaching style is a little different. An associate professor in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, Ballouli teaches undergraduate classes in sport and entertainment marketing as well as graduate-level courses in research design and business research and analytics.
July 30, 2024, Collyn Taylor
Kate Lehman has spent her entire career in higher education, and now she brings her expertise to USC to spearhead the National Resource Center's research efforts.
July 29, 2024, Hannah Cambre
USC continues to lead in developing educational pathways that support the demands of the South Carolinian workforce, particularly emphasizing data skills and career-boosting certificates.
July 25, 2024, Thom Harman
Recently, the university was honored by both the state of South Carolina and the Midlands nonprofit Historic Columbia for its historic preservation efforts. In June, USC Columbia and USC Union were both recognized by the S.C. Department of Archives and History for their work in preserving, restoring and renovating buildings. Historic Columbia also honored the university’s Columbia campus with two awards: one for preservation, rehabilitation or restoration for Longstreet Theatre and one for revitalization for Campus Village.
July 24, 2024, Grace Wilson
A lifelong nature enthusiast, senior Eric Young has been leading outdoor adventure trips for five years and spent this summer as a trip leader for campus-run tours that are open to all University of South Carolina students. Young credits a childhood gift with getting him started on the rivers that flow through and around his native Columbia and ultimately why he chose to major in environmental science.
July 24, 2024, Page Ivey
Kitty Sutton began her professional life as an attorney and thinks the lawyerly ability to hear a person’s story without passing judgment is part of what makes her successful as a University 101 instructor. In fact, her students were so impressed with Sutton’s skills that she is the 2024 recipient of the M. Stuart Hunter Award for Outstanding Teaching in University 101.
July 23, 2024, Dana Woodward
The University of South Carolina has joined the STARS College Network, a coalition of 32 of the nation’s most prominent institutions dedicated to ensuring that students from rural and small-town America have the information and support they need to enroll and graduate from the college or university of their choice.
July 17, 2024, Allen Wallace
At 22 years old, just a few weeks after graduating from the University of South Carolina, Caroline Salisbury is leading a team of more than 350 people at the world’s most famous resort.
July 17, 2024, Chris Horn
In its first year of operation, USC’s Institute for Clean Water has launched a partnership with the state Department of Environmental Services to provide detailed analyses of water samples collected across South Carolina.
July 16, 2024, Communications and Marketing
The Dawn Staley Champions Fund Event is set for Aug. 13 with proceeds going to support scholarships and financial aid.
July 11, 2024, Thom Harman
Amber Fallucca is the inaugural director of the Carolina Experience, which will focus on the undergraduate experience past the first year — for transfer, sophomore, junior and senior students. As a coordinating office, they will collaborate with a variety of campus offices to elevate the entire student experience at USC.
July 11, 2024, Carol J.G. Ward
A team at the University of South Carolina College of Social Work has developed a series of online training sessions to combat health worker burnout.
July 02, 2024, Communications and Marketing
In a new round of funding announced by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the University of South Carolina will receive $10.2 million for its efforts to advance battery research. The funding is part of an overall award of $45 million to the SC Nexus consortium, of which USC is a founding member and core partner.
June 28, 2024, Valerie Weingart
Emma Jackson, who earned her degree from USC in marine science, is pursuing her passion for elasmobranchs: the family that includes sharks, rays and sawfish.
June 26, 2024, Téa Smith
Tamiko Fletcher, computer engineering ’02, didn’t know when she started interning at NASA in 1999 that she’d still be there nearly 25 years later. Now, she's the chief information security officer at John F. Kennedy Space Center and works to to minimize cybersecurity threats to NASA’s ground systems.
June 26, 2024, Dana Woodward
Beginning July 1, 2024, Dr. Phyllis MacGilvray will serve as dean of the School of Medicine Greenville. Dr. MacGilvray is currently the senior associate dean for academic affairs at SOMG and brings decades of leadership as well as clinical experience to her new role.
June 26, 2024, Collyn Taylor
USC is the top patent-producing university in the state and among the leaders in the SEC.
June 20, 2024, Susan Yeargin
When summer starts with a stifling heat wave, as many states are seeing in 2024, it can pose risks for just about anyone who spends time outside, whether they’re runners, people who walk or cycle to work, outdoor workers or kids playing sports. Susan Yeargin, an expert on heat-related illnesses, explains what everyone should think about before spending time outside in a heat wave and how to keep yourself and vulnerable family members and friends safe.
June 20, 2024, Hannah Cambre
Two University of South Carolina faculty members were recently honored with Fulbright Scholars Awards, which will allow them opportunities to mentor students, conduct research and build relationships with international partners.
June 19, 2024, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina is advancing a plan to spur development of nearly 900 acres of land near the Congaree River and Williams-Brice Stadium
June 19, 2024, Collyn Taylor
USC's Board of Trustees approved the university's annual budget that holds in-state tuition steady while approving new programs across the system.
June 14, 2024, Grace Wilson
Courtney Tkacs is committed to fostering a safe community for students on campus while prioritizing mental health activism.
June 13, 2024, Gregory Hardy
College of Social Work professor Ann Gowdy sees it as her goal to equip her students with the knowledge that people with lived experience should be invited to the table to talk about housing issues and solutions. One of the most effective ways she’s found to demonstrate to graduate students the need for rural social work is by hosting guest speakers from community organizations who can further their understanding by making deeper connections.
June 13, 2024, Brandon Pugh
By seeking survey input from both individuals in partnered households, policymakers and economists can get a truer take on consumer sentiment.
June 12, 2024, Hannah Cambre
On May 16, Stephen Thompson began his role as inaugural director of the First-Generation Living and Learning Community.
June 12, 2024, Chris Horn
A multidisciplinary research team at the University of South Carolina is developing a novel technique for injecting a next-generation therapeutic drug onto damaged heart tissue, a potential breakthrough treatment for millions diagnosed with heart failure.
June 10, 2024, Chris Horn
Jorge Crichigno, professor of integrated information technology in the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, is leading a three-year project to prepare a new generation of cyberwarfare professionals.
June 07, 2024, Dana Woodward
Donna Arnett, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, is pleased to announce the selection of a highly accomplished public health leader, Tara Sabo-Attwood, as the new dean of the Arnold School of Public Health. Sabo-Attwood will assume the role on August 1, 2024.
June 06, 2024, Gregory Hardy
The University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing has a new name that reflects the vision and generosity of generations of the Molinaroli family. The official name, the University of South Carolina Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, was announced on Thursday (June 6) during a signage unveiling ceremony at the college’s Swearingen Engineering Center on Main Street.
May 31, 2024, Rebekah Friedman
Co-founded by 2014 University of South Carolina graduate Kelsey Sawyer Carter, Camp Cole is named after her brother, Cole Sawyer, who died in 2004 at age 11. The fully accessible facilities offer fun and hope to campers facing challenges.
May 30, 2024, Craig Brandhorst and Kim Truett
A gallery of images that show the celebration of the women’s basketball championship in the Thomas-Cooper library reflection pool.
May 29, 2024, Grace Wilson
Student body President Patton Byars is a generational Gamecock dedicated to creating long-term improvements at the University of South Carolina and is focusing on enhancing campus safety and the four-year student experience.
May 29, 2024, Kathryn McPhail
Honors College alumna Kimberly Rogers recently completed her first year as a college president — an impressive achievement for anyone, especially a first-generation university graduate. She took the first steps on that path in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where she discovered a passion that would lead her far.
May 28, 2024, Carol J.G. Ward
Law school alumnus Joe Rice’s work ethic and tenacity sets an example for representing clients, while colleagues and staff say his commitment to inclusion and mentoring is a model for empowering employees.
May 23, 2024, Megan Sexton
This fall will mark the 25th year of the Carolina LifeSong Initiative, a program started by Carolina Distinguished Professor of Music Scott Price that provides piano lessons and creative music-making experiences for students with autism and other disabilities.
May 22, 2024, Kathryn McPhail
Honors College alumna Kayla Gardner’s passion for protecting the ocean and teaching others to do the same led her to pursue a career in marine science. Unlike many young people who are drawn to dolphins, turtles or sharks, much smaller creatures sparked Gardner’s interest.
May 22, 2024, Page Ivey
Janine Davidson was impressive when she arrived at the University of South Carolina in 1998, having spent a decade in the U.S. Air Force as an aircraft commander and senior pilot. After USC, she became even more impressive.
May 21, 2024, Page Ivey
Historic preservation consultant Janie Campbell, 2016 public history, has made a career of going into opportunities with low expectations and coming out of them realizing they were exactly what she needed at the time.
May 21, 2024, Kristine Hartvigsen
Carolina Distinguished Professor David Shields is a finalist for the 2024 James Beard Book Award for his book The Ark of Taste: Delicious and Distinctive Foods that Define the United States.
May 20, 2024, Gregory Hardy
USC’s College of Pharmacy is raising awareness that pharmacists can help patients and their medical providers manage high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. It is a leading factor in heart attacks, stroke and chronic cardiovascular issues.
May 17, 2024, Megan Sexton
Gamecock history is rich with standout student-athletes. A select few have taken it to the next level.
May 16, 2024, Thom Harman
The University of South Carolina’s first Staff Appreciation and Awards Day attracted staff members from throughout the Columbia campus to the Russell House University Union for food and fun on Tuesday, May 14.
May 16, 2024, Rebekah Friedman
Van Robotics founder Laura Boccanfuso has a vision for improving education, one dancing, smiling, fist-bumping robot at a time.
May 15, 2024, story by Craig Brandhorst | photos by Kim Truett
Study abroad can change a student’s life. For Bierkeller founder Scott Burgess, it led to a dream come true.
May 15, 2024, Megan Sexton
Dawn Pilotti, a long-time mathematics teacher and online doctoral student in USC’s College of Education, brought her sixth-grade students with learning differences from Tennessee to Columbia this spring to demonstrate their improved math skills.
May 15, 2024, Craig Brandhorst | photos by Kim Truett
The University of South Carolina is consistently recognized for having one of the top first-year experiences in the country. Carolinian asked nine random freshmen to share their perspectives on life at USC.
May 14, 2024, Laura Morris
The University of South Carolina opened a Brain Health clinic in Sumter during a ribbon cutting event on Monday (May 13) — expanding cognitive care to patients in rural and underserved areas of South Carolina.
May 14, 2024, Thom Harman
Maybe you were shouting from the stands in Cleveland as Dawn Staley’s remarkable women’s basketball team brought home the third national championship in program history. Maybe you were among the 24 million viewers watching on TV as they turned a so-called rebuilding year into an undefeated season and rings all around. Maybe you were even out there in the Thomas Cooper reflecting pool with several hundred other ecstatic Gamecocks, making a splash all your own.
May 09, 2024, Kristine Hartvigsen
Josh Dawsey, a 2012 University of South Carolina journalism graduate, added a second quill to his Pulitzer cap when he and his Washington Post colleagues received the 2024 national reporting prize for a series of articles exploring America’s gun history and culture.
May 08, 2024, Téa Smith
Kellie Martin thought once she completed her international studies degree, she’d become a foreign service officer, but that never happened. During her studies, she developed an interest in wine and that changed the trajectory of her career. Now, she teaches people the ins and outs of wine as the owner and chief sommelier of the Colorado-based SommSchool.
May 08, 2024, Donna K. Arnett and J. Rex Tolliver
We must do more to ensure that every student’s college experience is worthy of the investment required of students, their families and the public. That’s why we’re focused on innovating to meet the demands of today’s students and anticipate the needs of tomorrow’s.
May 06, 2024, Matthew Wilson
A recent survey shows that a substantial portion of people across countries feel unrepresented by their governments and are dissatisfied with how their democracy is functioning. Political science professor Matthew Wilson writes for The Conversation about this pattern of "democratic backsliding."
May 04, 2024, Michaela Taylor
When Tramont Miles first read the email, he thought someone was pulling an April Fools' prank on him. It was April 1, 2022 and the email was telling him he was selected for one of the most undercover jobs at South Carolina.
May 02, 2024, Hannah Cambre
Lara Lomicka Anderson has been named vice provost for undergraduate studies and dean of undergraduate education in the Office of the Provost effective May 1.
May 01, 2024, Laura Morris
The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1. Researchers at the University of South Carolina are available to discuss multiple aspects of the 2024 hurricane season, including preparation and communication, environmental impact and historical perspectives.
May 01, 2024, Communications and Marketing
Susan Cutter, director of the Hazards Vulnerability and Resilience Institute at the University of South Carolina, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences.
April 26, 2024, Dana Woodward
The University of South Carolina will welcome thousands of new alumni from across the system in a series of commencement ceremonies beginning April 26, 2024.
April 25, 2024, Megan Sexton
As the Class of 2024 prepares to walk across the commencement stage, graduates leave the University of South Carolina with memories of enduring friendships, newfound passions, supportive mentors and life-changing experiences.
April 25, 2024, Carol J.G. Ward
In a nation fragmented by racial, ethnic, political and socioeconomic divides, libraries are among the few institutions Americans still have confidence in. Graduates of USC’s master’s of information and library science program are serving libraries across the nation.
April 25, 2024, Laura Erskine
Carol Harrison is headed to Rome for the upcoming school year thanks to two major fellowships supporting her research on the First Vatican Council (1869-1870). A professor in USC’s Department of History, Harrison recently won both the Guggenheim Fellowship — one of the world’s most prestigious grants for scholars — and the Rome Prize from the American Academy in Rome.
April 24, 2024, Erin Newman
We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite study locations across campus that should set you up for success in acing your upcoming exams. No matter where you fall on the study spot spectrum, USC has the environment you need to focus and get it done.
April 24, 2024, Communications and Marketing
The University of South Carolina is focused on the brain. From autism and aphasia to Alzheimer’s and other related dementias, university researchers are working across several academic disciplines to better understand how the brain works and to develop solutions that will improve people’s health.
April 22, 2024, Gregory Hardy
Because data will play such a large role in the future of health care, the University of South Carolina launched the Big Data Health Science Center in 2019. The center held its fifth annual Big Data Health Science Conference in February, which attracted almost 100 presenters from five countries and 269 attendees. Here’s the big picture for what’s next for the Big Data Health Science Center and its supporters to accelerate cutting-edge research and discovery.
April 19, 2024, Page Ivey
USC alumnus Stephen Panus has written an inspirational book about surviving the loss of his teenage son Jake. Panus, who also established a scholarship for football walk-ons to honor the memory of his son, will be in town to talk about his book "Walk On."
April 19, 2024, Rebekah Friedman
The University of South Carolina unveiled a monument honoring the first Black students admitted since Reconstruction — Robert Anderson, Henrie Monteith Treadwell and James Solomon Jr. — whose enrollment six decades ago changed the course of university history.
April 18, 2024, Laura Morris
Jordan M. Ballou, a College of Pharmacy clinical associate professor, explains how to properly dispose of medication and supplements. With 40 percent of prescribed medications going unused, it’s important to reduce accidental or intentional misuse and limit environmental impact.
April 18, 2024, Communications and Marketing
Attorney, higher education advocate and University of South Carolina trustee Miles Loadholt passed away April 17 at the age of 81.
April 18, 2024, Communications and Marketing
While working on her degree in nursing, South Carolina Honors College student Natalie Trimble also served in various capacities in Student Government and worked in the larger Columbia community to improve the lives of students and residents. For her efforts, the Aberdeen, Maryland, resident is the recipient of the 2023 Steven N. Swanger Leadership Award.
April 18, 2024, Communications and Marketing
Edgar Lemus Rivera plans to continue his dedication to volunteerism and service as he works his way through medical school to become a physician. The biochemistry and molecular biology major from Toms River, New Jersey, is one of two winners of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award — the university’s highest student honor.
April 18, 2024, Communications and Marketing
A passion for helping others has led Shannon DePratter to participate in several service organizations while also completing her degree in biomedical engineering in just three years. The Newberry, South Carolina, native is one of two winners of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award — the university’s highest student honor. She also is a member of the South Carolina Honors College.
April 15, 2024, Gregory Hardy
Ashley Poyner is rapidly learning all about aerospace. As a first-gen student, she is earning her bachelor of science degree in engineering in only three years. A lot of doors also opened thanks to her acceptance into the Boeing Accelerated Leadership Program.
April 11, 2024, Communications and Marketing
Each year, Discover USC showcases the wide-ranging research being done by University of South Carolina students and postdocs. From health science to humanities and AI to public health, USC scholars — including undergraduate and graduate students, medical scholars and postdocs — are working with faculty mentors and others to explore topics that interest them, learn more about research skills and work on how to present their findings to an audience.
April 10, 2024, Téa Smith
When Vrutti Patel transferred to the University of South Carolina, she wanted to expand her horizons and get out of her comfort zone. In pursuit of her goal, the fourth-year biological sciences major has participated in undergraduate research and gotten involved with the on-campus organization the Alliance for Women in STEM.
April 10, 2024, Samuel Bagg
Samuel Bagg, assistant professor of political science, writes about the importance of having a democracy and why professional bureaucracies matter in today’s society.
April 08, 2024, Dan Cook
For the 11th straight year, the University of South Carolina has earned the No. 1 ranking in the country for its International MBA program, according to the Best Graduate School rankings released April 9 by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings show broad-based excellence at USC, with additional business programs also ranked and significant jumps in nursing and education.
April 07, 2024, Erin Newman
We're back again for another year and another round of some of the coolest classes you can take for Fall 2024. For this list, we've brought back fan favorites and added some new classes that are sure to make you say, "I want to take that!" There are a ton of unique learning experiences waiting to be uncovered. Whether you’re into sports, true crime, dancing, cooking or even something a little otherworldly, South Carolina has you covered.
April 05, 2024, Megan Sexton
The gold standard in string music education is marking its golden anniversary this year. For the past 50 years, the University of South Carolina String Project has been the national model in a program that combines music lessons with community service and teacher education.
April 04, 2024, Gregory Hardy
Where is it most difficult to access healthy food in South Carolina? It’s an important question. More than half a million South Carolinians experience food insecurity. National data shows that those impacted the most are Black, Latino or from indigenous, low-income and rural communities.
April 03, 2024, Emily Prillaman
An Honors College class is excavating the Horseshoe to raise awareness of the enslaved labor force that built the university. This is the first time in 51 years that archaeological research is being done at the heart of campus. Students in “Digging through the past: Exploring the Archaeological Resources of USC” work around three different mapped sites: the old president’s house that was demolished in 1939, enslaved quarters and an observatory.
April 03, 2024, Gregory Hardy
University of South Carolina researchers explore how artificial intelligence can be used for advancements in health care, education, manufacturing, energy, disaster management and transportation. They are also helping shape and inform the ethics and policies surrounding these emergent solutions.
April 02, 2024, Bryan Gentry
English and African American Studies professor Claire Jiménez has won the PEN/Faulkner Award, one of the highest prizes for American fiction, recognizing her debut novel "What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez" as the top novel of 2023. In addition to a cash prize, Jiménez has earned validation for her longtime dream of professional writing.
April 02, 2024, Allen Wallace
Aaron Gaga was born in 1987 as an unwelcome refugee in Uganda, his parents having fled his native Rwanda because of conflict. Thirty years after the Rwandan genocide, he is now a graduate student in the University of South Carolina’s highly ranked Master of Sport and Entertainment Management program, pursuing his master's degree in an effort to advance his career and help his country continue to rebuild.
March 29, 2024, Communications and Marketing
Three University of South Carolina students were awarded prestigious Goldwater scholarships Friday. They are: Caroline Rucker, a junior biomedical engineering major from Powhatan, Virginia; Jeremiah Tobin, a junior biomedical engineering major from Greenville; and Katelyn Wyandt, a junior computer science major from Summerville, South Carolina. All three are Honors College students studying in the College of Engineering and Computing.
March 29, 2024, Maddie Lee
The University of South Carolina’s Music Industry Studies program is offering a new and exciting venture into experiential learning — a live music venue. Live at the Underground features live music weekly on Wednesdays from 7 to 10 p.m. Located in the Russell House Underground, this venue is completely run and operated by students for students.
March 29, 2024, Chris Horn
Scientists at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia are researching important linkages between brain mitochondrial function and social behavior that could lead to a better understanding of autism spectrum disorder and post-partum depression.
March 28, 2024, Thom Harman
Minuette Floyd, a professor of art education in the University of South Carolina’s School of Visual Art and Design, won a governor’s award in the arts in education category. The award, announced by the South Carolina Arts Commission on behalf of the sitting governor, is the state’s highest award for exceptional achievement in practicing or supporting the arts.
March 28, 2024, Gregory Hardy
April is Autism Acceptance Month. The CDC estimates that 1 out of every 36 eight-year-olds is affected by autism, a lifelong developmental disorder. As South Carolina’s leader in health sciences, USC has researchers across disciplines who specialize in autism.
March 25, 2024, Communications and Marketing
The early technological and social connections Aaron LaBerge made at USC as an electrical and computer engineering student helped drive a tech career that ultimately led him to a sports Emmy and the C-suite at The Walt Disney Company.
March 22, 2024, Hannah Cambre
The university's First-Generation Center will launch this fall, providing support and guidance to first-generation students so they can maximize opportunities to succeed. On March 15, the center welcomed its inaugural director, LaNaé Budden.
March 22, 2024, Laura Morris
More than 200 Gamecocks learned where they’ll work as resident pharmacists and physicians during national Match Day events on March 13 and 15.
March 22, 2024, Alexis Watts and Michaela Taylor
Alumni, students and supporters united to make a difference during Give 4 Garnet for 1 day, 8 hours, and 01 minute. Thanks to the generosity of the USC community, Give 4 Garnet broke records reporting a preliminary $1.5 Million raised.
March 21, 2024, Gregory Hardy
Two decades ago, experts did not think fragile X carriers could have symptoms. Since then, research has revealed that mothers of children with fragile X who carry the FMR1 premutation are at risk for cognitive and physical health problems, which can be exacerbated by the stress of caregiving.
March 19, 2024, Alexis Watts
The Carolina Cares Fund helps students with immediate needs like housing and food insecurity and empowers students to achieve their educational goals.
March 18, 2024, Laura Morris
USC’s College of Engineering and Computing and the Darla Moore School of Business established a new 4+1 pathway partnership in 2024. This unique collaboration offers students the opportunity to earn an undergraduate degree from engineering and computing and a master’s degree from the Moore School in five years.
March 18, 2024, Collyn Taylor
South Carolina's Board of Trustees met Monday and approved a number of different campus projects.
March 15, 2024, Michaela Taylor
University of South Carolina staff are invited to the first Staff Appreciation and Awards Day on Tuesday, May 14.
March 15, 2024, Maddie Lee and Emily Prillaman
The Career Center helps students at every stage of readiness to prepare for what's next. Whether you’re a freshman or senior, there are tons of resources for you to make the most of your college degree.
March 11, 2024, Communications and Marketing
If you studied at the University of South Carolina and are now living and working in the Upstate, you might sometimes feel like you’re alone as a Gamecock. But the truth is that the Greenville area is home to more than 28,000 USC alumni — making it the top destination for graduates after Columbia. We spoke with several alumni who are making an impact in Greenville.
March 08, 2024, Maddie Lee and Emily Prillaman
Although it feels far away, the countdown to graduation is on. Spring commencement ceremonies will be held May 3-4 in Colonial Life Arena. For graduating seniors, we’ve compiled a roundup of what you need to do before then, along with some suggestions for enjoying the rest of your time at the University of South Carolina.
March 08, 2024, Chris Horn
Prevalence of autism among children is rising, but access to new, evidence-based interventions is often spotty at best, an obstacle that one University of South Carolina clinician hopes to improve through her research.
March 08, 2024, Alexis Watts
Gracie Vess’ eyes light up at the mere mention of history. But the South Carolina Honors College senior and McNair scholarship recipient doesn’t dream of chronicling the past. Instead, she hopes to shape the future by becoming a high school history teacher. “I want every student to realize their significance in shaping history," says Vess. “I want to teach my students that history is crafted by the collective actions of many people, which is why being an active citizen is so important.”
March 07, 2024, Hannah Cambre
Susan Richardson was elected to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering for her pioneering work in improving water quality by measuring disinfection byproducts.
March 06, 2024, Page Ivey
Growing up in the foster care system in Florida, Naida Rutherford found herself homeless with few prospects just two days after graduating from high school. But the faith of a classmate’s parents and her own determination to get a degree ultimately led her to a career in nursing. In 2020, Rutherford became the first woman, the first person of color and the first person with a medical background to be elected Richland County coroner.
March 06, 2024, Koby Padgett
USC's Emergency Management team works countless hours and through numerous exercises making sure the university is prepared for whatever comes.
March 06, 2024, Page Ivey
Helping courts and regulatory bodies determine who has a right to the coastline is the focus of University of South Carolina law professor Josh Eagle’s scholarly work. His goal is to get courts to recognize greater public rights and to expand access to beaches.
March 06, 2024, Collyn Taylor
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk is getting the best of both worlds balancing law school while playing Division I men's basketball.
March 06, 2024, Chris Horn
Imagine smartphones that bend, twist and stretch like rubber. Or 3D-printed material that mimics the pliable characteristics of human cartilage found in knees, noses and ears. It’s not much of a stretch for Ting Ge, an assistant professor in chemistry and biochemistry who has just begun a five-year CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation to delve deeper into the field of ring polymers.
March 05, 2024, Page Ivey
Assistant professor of medicine Deepak Bhere was drawn to the study of stem cell therapy because he wanted to do research that has real impact on patients’ lives. His team at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia has the potential to do just that as they pursue new treatment options for patients with glioblastoma.
March 04, 2024, Téa Smith
Alex Alpert, a fourth-year mechanical engineering major, turned his childhood curiosity for how machines function into a passion for building machines to solve real world issues.
March 01, 2024, Rebekah Friedman
Artificial intelligence is making plenty of headlines these days — and, in some cases, even writing them. Some concerns are valid, some are overblown, but as the global economy embraces the emerging technology, there’s no avoiding the larger conversation. There’s also no denying AI’s real-world potential. For every Sports Illustrated byline scandal or news story about the danger of self-driving cars, there’s an untold story of how AI research promises to change our world for the better, and a lot of that research is happening right here at the University of South Carolina.
March 01, 2024, Tisha Felder
Public health and nursing researchers Tisha Felder and Joynelle Jackson write for The Conversation about the benefits of breastfeeding.
March 01, 2024, Maddie Lee and Emily Prillaman
Spring break is finally here. Whether you need a change in your routine or simply a break, here are some on- and off-campus activities to do when you don't have class March 3-10.
March 01, 2024, Communications and Marketing
With only a few short months until summer, it’s time for parents to find summer activities for their children. USC offers a wide variety of summer camps for all ages and all interests from music to soccer, dance and engineering.
March 01, 2024, Chelsea Fisher
Recent discoveries show how people in the past dealt with climate change and highlight success stories of how farming practices assisted civilizations.
February 29, 2024, Chris Horn
An experimental project led by a team of USC engineering researchers could lead to a more efficient process for converting landfill gases into cleaner fuel — and simultaneously deal with a silicone-based compound called siloxane that has become problematic for landfills.
February 29, 2024, Megan Sexton
Engineering professor Sarah Gassman and her team collect road performance data, the rutting and the cracking, and feed that data into a model that gives us better predictions for how a pavement will perform.
February 28, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
Toby Jenkins is a a professor in USC’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the College of Education and associate provost for faculty development. Jenkins’ latest book, “The Hip-Hop Mindset: Success Strategies for Educators and Other Professionals” (Teachers College Press), combines her scholarly expertise with her lifelong appreciation for hip-hop music and culture.
February 28, 2024, Téa Smith
Nicole Neely, music education ’05, turned her passion for music into a successful career in the music industry working with some of the biggest names in music — like Ms. Lauryn Hill, with whom she recently toured.
February 27, 2024, Alexis Watts
Noah Raganschmalz once orchestrated the inner workings of nuclear submarines as a Navy-trained engineer. Today, the 33-year-old first-year pharmacy student is working toward a career in community pharmacy. “Everyone has had to take medication or has needed help navigating through medical jargon,” he says. “I believe that pharmacy is the front line of helping people.”
February 27, 2024, Rebekah Friedman
Since graduating from medical school, former student body president turned OB-GYN Ross Lordo has been making meaningful connections with patients in Greenville.
February 26, 2024, Page Ivey
Brian and Nicole Cendrowski spent more than a decade dreaming of opening their own brewery before settling on a plan and a location. Their Fireforge Brewery & Taproom in downtown Greenville weathered the pandemic and is now a thriving member of the Upstate community they call home.
February 23, 2024, Kathryn McPhail
Shannon Bowen, a professor in the University of South Carolina’s College of Information and Communications, researches ethical decision making and AI within organizations, heads the AI-Ethics Advisory Board and conducts ethics training with leaders of organizations to help them avoid and solve problems and develop strategic communications plans.
February 23, 2024, Megan Sexton
Working as the director of philanthropy with the United Way of Greenville County and founder of the nonprofit organization LatinosUnited, Elvia M. Pacheco has come full circle — giving back to the community that helped mold her.
February 23, 2024, Megan Sexton
The School of Medicine Greenville, led by Dean Marjorie Jenkins is committed to educating and producing a new type of physician, offering a technologically advanced medical school environment, and addressing an ongoing shortage of doctors in a rapidly growing state.
February 23, 2024, Collyn Taylor
The University of South Carolina’s Board of Trustees met Friday (Feb. 23) and approved a number of academic initiatives as well as a few new hires and advanced other projects.
February 22, 2024, Emily Prillaman
After leaving her mark as a student reporter and editor at The Daily Gamecock, Jackie Alexander, 2009 journalism, has carved an impressive career, first at newspapers and now as director of University of Alabama at Birmingham Student Media. Alexander is currently serving as president of the College Media Association — the first woman of color elected to that role.
February 21, 2024, Page Ivey
As a Gamecock, Michael Roth made some significant pitches from the mound and helped lead South Carolina to three World Series title games. Today, the 34-year-old graduate of the Darla Moore School of Business is making pitches of a different sort — finding and closing real estate deals for himself and his clients while at NAI Earle Furman in Greenville.
February 21, 2024, Victoria Nelson
Having been first-generation college students themselves, Dr. Malcolm and Sandra Edwards understand the struggle firsthand. Now, they've established a full-ride student scholarship at the University of South Carolina Lancaster, the institution that helped them land the opportunities that have enabled them to give back.
February 21, 2024, Carol J.G. Ward
Building and understanding community has motivated Jackie Whitmore since he was captivated by his grandmother’s family stories during his childhood in Columbia, South Carolina. It led him to a career in social work and fueled a passion for African American history in his home state.
February 20, 2024, Téa Smith
Edward Anderson’s lifelong love for education lead him to working within the school system, but now he works to improve the school system from the outside as the executive director of OnTrack Greenville at United Way of Greenville County.
February 19, 2024, Communications and Marketing
As the state’s flagship institution, the University of South Carolina is well has many strengths in both research and treatment of stroke and aphasia — a common consequence of stroke characterized by difficulty speaking or understanding others’ speech. The research is critically important in the state with the seventh-highest incidence of stroke mortality in the U.S.
February 16, 2024, Hannah Cambre
Tammi Richardson's excellence in teaching and research have earned her the 2023 SEC Faculty Achievement Award and SEC Professor of the Year nomination.
February 16, 2024, Maddie Lee
Chicago native and race and media professor Jabari Evans explores the intersection on culture and baseball in producing Fitted in Black: How Hip-Hop Fueled the Greatest Rebrand in Sports.
February 15, 2024, Allen Wallace
USC Dance Marathon is the university’s largest student-run philanthropic organization, raising more than $8 million since its inception 26 years ago. Last year, the organization raised nearly $800,000 to support Prisma Health Children’s Hospital. Student volunteers hope to meet or exceed that goal at this year’s event on Feb. 24 at the Fitness and Wellness Center.
February 15, 2024, Victoria Nelson
After earning an undergraduate degree in business administration from the College of Charleston, Columbia native Jeff Kososki took advantage of his proximity to USC by enrolling in several accounting classes needed to earn his CPA designation. His love for the Gamecocks, and the community, never stopped. Now his family is honoring his legacy with the Jeff Kososki Endowed Scholarship Fund, which provides financial aid to accounting majors in the Darla Moore School of Business who are working toward their CPA certifications.
February 14, 2024, Seth W. Stoughton and Caroline McAtee
Law professor Seth Stoughton and law student Carolina McAtee write for the conversation about whether it's legal to seize a criminal without being a police officer.
February 14, 2024, Gregory Hardy
It’s natural for anyone to become anxious or scared about entering a new environment. As children cope with their anxieties, parents can help by building routines to follow.
February 12, 2024, Page Ivey
Bob Woodward brings his lifelong enthusiasm for practicing journalism at the highest level to the University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications when he speaks at the 2024 Buchheit Family Lecture on Feb. 28. Woodward will talk with students about his experiences over the past 50-plus years as a reporter — almost all of it at The Washington Post — and what he sees for the future of journalism.
February 09, 2024, Téa Smith
After earning her advertising degree in 2008, Amber Guyton never imagined she would be using it to help her run an interior design business, but she’s done just that. Now she owns and operates the Atlanta-based, Blessed Little Bungalow.
February 09, 2024, Communications and Marketing staff
On Tuesday, Feb. 13, alumni and advocates of the University of South Carolina will come together for Carolina Day. The annual event is a chance for Gamecocks near and far to show their love for the university as well as the importance of USC in improving the lives of every S.C. resident.
February 09, 2024, Maddie Lee and Emily Prillaman
Looking to celebrate love this week without burning a hole in your wallet? From romantic activities to spontaneous outings, here are date ideas around Columbia that range from budget-friendly to extravagant.
February 09, 2024, Gregory Hardy
February is American Heart Month. The University of South Carolina is home to many faculty members who are available to offer their expertise in cardio care and research.
February 07, 2024, Jessica A. Schoenherr
On Feb. 8, the Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Trump v. Anderson. Scholars dive into the importance of this case as it could affect the legitimacy of the court and shine light on the legality of his ballot removal.
February 06, 2024, Chris Horn
When it comes to risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, the Palmetto State checks every box, from high incidence of stroke and diabetes to heart disease and obesity.
February 06, 2024, Page Ivey
Health care professionals refer to the southeastern United States as the “Stroke Belt” for a reason. And South Carolina is essentially the buckle.
February 05, 2024, Chris Horn
Puggy Blackmon wants to improve more than your swing. As part of the team at PRISMA Health’s Motion Analysis and Performance Lab, the former USC golf coach is also improving lives.
February 05, 2024, Megan Sexton
For the fourth straight year, the University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing is ranked No. 1 in the country for its online master’s in nursing program, according to U.S. News and World Report’s annual online program rankings released Wednesday (Feb. 7).
February 05, 2024, Sabrina Habib
Teachers explore whether or not AI tools are beneficial in the classroom by researching the way college students brainstorm with and without technology.
February 05, 2024, Téa Smith
When Lee Patterson earned her master’s in social work in 2012, she never imagined putting it to use at Richland Library — or any library. Ten years later, she is doing exactly that.
February 02, 2024, Maddie Lee and Emily Prillaman
We’re counting down the minutes until the big game when the San Francisco 49ers face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas on Feb. 11. Football fan or not, here’s everything you need to know.
February 01, 2024, Koby Padgett
Autonomous robot food delivery is now available on the historic Horseshoe and the University of South Carolina’s core campus.
January 31, 2024, Hannah Cambre
The Office of the Provost has named Sam Todd to a two-year appointment as associate vice president and vice provost for Global Affairs effective Jan. 29.
January 31, 2024, Laura Erskine
Public history student Stevie Malenowski spent his summer digitizing images from boxes of archival materials, uncovering the history of the Williams Furniture Company, a staple of Sumter, South Carolina, for decades, alongside specialists at University Libraries. The archival materials are a key resource for a traveling exhibit coming in 2024.
January 26, 2024, Maddie Lee and Emily Prillaman
During the spring semester, there’s plenty to do while we wait for the weather to warm up. Here’s a preview of arts and entertainment on and near campus.
January 26, 2024, Thom Harman
From a new program home to new music to continued research, Matt White, Jazz Studies Program chair, is rather busy. His novel approach to a 2023 release, “Lowcountry” — incorporating Gullah histories and stories with contemporary jazz — has earned White and his collaborators a chance to perform the piece during the 2024 Spoleto Festival.
January 25, 2024, Carol J.G. Ward
Former South Carolina Gov. David Beasley will join the faculty of the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law on March 1.
January 24, 2024
As clinical director for the new USC Brain Health Network, Leo Bonilha brings a wealth of research expertise related to language recovery for aphasia patients and outcomes of epilepsy treatment.
January 24, 2024
As director of the S.C. Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare, Kevin Bennett understands the challenges facing one of South Carolina’s most vulnerable populations.
January 24, 2024
When Patti Fabel was named executive director at USC’s Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center in 2017, the move marked a new phase in the clinical associate professor’s career.
January 24, 2024, Chris Horn
Engineering research teams at USC have progressed in several key areas in the first year of a project to design a non-carbon fuel supply chain for the U.S. Navy. The three-year project aims to reduce the Navy’s carbon dioxide emissions with practical alternative fuels for the next-generation fleet.
January 24, 2024
An associate professor in the Arnold School of Public Health, Elizabeth Crouch is dedicated to improving health outcomes among rural and other vulnerable populations.
January 22, 2024, Hannah Cambre
The University of South Carolina is committing to providing more comprehensive support to its first-generation student population, including a First-Generation Center launching in August 2024, a living and learning community for first-gen students, and an expanding partnership with the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
January 22, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
In March 2023, University of South Carolina alumnus Leroy Chapman Jr. made headlines — as the first person of color to be named editor-in-chief of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It was a big deal for the 155-year-old paper, for the city of Atlanta and for journalism in general. It was also a big deal for Chapman’s alma mater, which recognized his professional achievements with the 2023 College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Award.
January 19, 2024, Maddie Lee and Emily Prillaman
Budgeting is in for 2024. Here is a roundup of free things on campus that all students should be taking advantage of.
January 17, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
Attorney Joe Rice is one of the most respected plaintiff’s attorneys in the country. The cofounder of the Charleston-based Motley Rice law firm has secured hundreds of billions of dollars for clients, taking on Goliath-sized opponents like Big Tobacco and the financiers of 9/11.
January 17, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
MapQuest co-founder Chris Heivly has a history of helping early stage entrepreneurs. Now, he’s lending his expertise to a Columbia nonprofit aiming to boost the city’s tech sector.
January 16, 2024, Communicatons and Marketing staff
Pioneering jazz drummer and USC music professor Colleen Clark will have two of her biggest supporters in the audience as she fills in as guest drummer on "Late Night With Seth Meyers."
January 16, 2024, Chris Horn
Analyzing large datasets of heart rhythms and brain wave activity with AI and machine learning, a team of University of South Carolina professors is making progress toward better understanding of autism spectrum disorder and identification of ASD diagnostic biomarkers.
January 12, 2024, Maddie Lee and Emily Prillaman
Now that you’re back, it’s time to throw yourself into the new semester. To get started on the right foot, here’s a roundup of events and tips for Spring 2024.
January 12, 2024, Rebekah Friedman
Since being named Miss South Carolina last June, School of Journalism and Mass Communications alumna Jada Samuel has been on a mission to promote high self-esteem and positive body image for girls across the Palmetto State.
January 12, 2024, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina is hiring an experienced higher education innovator to lead information technology efforts at the state’s flagship research institution, President Michael Amiridis announced Friday. John “Brice” Bible Jr. will serve as vice president for information technology and chief information officer, beginning March 1.
January 11, 2024, Rebekah Friedman
After losing her mother to Alzheimer’s, journalist and TV personality Leeza Gibbons devoted her second act to helping caregivers through Leeza’s Care Connection.
January 11, 2024, Laura Morris
FoodShare South Carolina received approval from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to accept SNAP online for purchases of fruits and vegetables sold through its Fresh Food Box program. FoodShare SC is one of only a few community-based organizations in the nation selected to participate in the online purchasing program.
January 11, 2024, Jeff Stensland
The Statewide Transfer Partnership Agreement announced by Gov. Henry McMaster, USC President Michael Amiridis and other higher education leaders on Thursday (Jan. 11) will allow for easier transfer of course credit from the state’s 16 technical colleges to USC and Clemson University.
January 10, 2024, Allen Wallace
The annual Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments ranks USC No. 1 in the Southeastern Conference and No. 3 in the United States overall. South Carolina has ranked in the Top 5 in every edition of the U.S. sport science rankings, compiled by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy, finishing first six times.
January 10, 2024, Gregory Hardy
Disaster Day is an annual professional development event at which Greenville-area emergency workers, first responders and School of Medicine students tend to volunteer victims in a simulated emergency.
January 09, 2024, Page Ivey
Two staff members have been recognized for their social justice efforts on campus and in the larger community as 2024 Social Justice Award winners. The University of South Carolina created the Social Justice Awards to recognize individuals who have exemplified the philosophies of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. through acts of community service, social justice or racial reconciliation.
January 09, 2024, Craig Brandhorst
From 1975 to 2008, Humpy Wheeler, ’61, journalism, was president and general manager of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. And over those three high-octane, pedal-to-the-metal decades, he came to be regarded as one of the most colorful promoters in NASCAR history.
January 09, 2024, Megan Sexton
Rates of sexually transmitted infections and HIV are higher in rural communities than urban areas in South Carolina. The Rural and Minority Health Research Center is working to understand and address the problem.
January 08, 2024, Megan Sexton
USC’s newest residential community opened last fall. Carolinian caught up with several new residents and their alumni parents at Move-In.
January 08, 2024, Téa Smith
Sophia Dudley, a fourth-year fashion merchandising and digital innovations major at USC, has spent her time at the University of South Carolina balancing her responsibilities as a student and owner of SuperThrifty, a multichannel thrift store. SuperThrifty grew from a hobby sparked by her interest in sustainability to a thriving business that has informed what she wants to do in the future.
January 05, 2024, Gregory Hardy
It’s inevitable that children of all ages will struggle with the social and academic expectations of their years in school. Parents can easily feel overwhelmed with providing answers, especially as children continue to struggle with stress and anxiety from the disruptions of pandemic shutdowns. Cheri Shapiro, a research professor in the University of South Carolina’s College of Social Work and the director of USC’s Institute for Families in Society, focuses her research on prevention of social, emotional and behavioral problems in youth and implementation of evidence-based interventions in community settings.
January 04, 2024, Megan Sexton
Stephen Shapiro, a sport and entertainment management professor at USC, looks at the characteristics of those who gamble on sports, how much money they wager, and how the increase of gambling can change how people consume sports.
January 02, 2024, Gregory Hardy
In January, Kevin Bennett has started his term as president of the National Rural Health Association. He’ll be working to turn years of research into policy and action, continuing the impactful work he's spearheaded in South Carolina at the national level.