UofSC celebrates fall graduates
Posted on: December 6, 2021; Updated on: December 6, 2021
By Dana Woodward, ddhaesel@mailbox.sc.edu, 8037773691
Thousands of students will earn their degrees at the University of South Carolina’s annual fall commencement ceremony held Monday, Dec. 13 at the Colonial Life Arena. The ceremony, which begins at 2:30 p.m., will include graduates from associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and professional degree programs across the USC system.
The university expects to award 2,030 degrees from the Columbia campus, including graduate and professional degrees. System December graduates include 321 from USC Aiken, 94 from USC Beaufort, 28 from USC Lancaster, 17 from USC Salkehatchie, 24 from USC Sumter, nine from USC Union and 529 from USC Upstate.
Three honorary degrees will be conferred this year during the ceremony. The recipients include:
- McGhee Williams Osse, co-CEO of Burrell Communications Group, one of the leading and most highly regarded multicultural advertising agencies in the country. Osse holds a B.A. in English from Spelman College and completed post-graduate course work in advertising at the University of South Carolina. She will be conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.
- Nigel Redden, president of the Spaulding-Paolozzi Foundation and general director of the Spoleto Festival USA from 1995 until 2021. The son of an American diplomat, Redden was born in Nicosia, Cyprus and graduated from Yale University in 1972 with a degree in art history. He will be conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Music.
- Leon Lott, Richland County Sheriff. Lott earned an associate’s degree in police administration from USC Aiken, a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree in emergency management from Lander University. He will be conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Public Service.
Interim President Harris Pastides will deliver remarks to graduates.
The university’s doctoral hooding ceremony will take place at the Koger Center at 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 13 with associate professor of political science and African American studies Todd Shaw as featured speaker.
Visit the university’s commencement website for information on parking and free shuttle service to and from the arena, and visit the Colonial Life Arena website for information about COVID-19 protocols and the clear bag policy.
For those who cannot attend, both the Koger Center and Colonial Life Arena ceremonies will be livestreamed via Facebook.
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