The University of South Carolina has recognized students, faculty and staff members for their work on campus and in the larger community with 2025 Social Justice Awards.
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.
The award recipients will be honored at the university's annual MLK Commemorative Breakfast on Friday (Jan. 17).
Norah Dixon
'24 history, mass communication
When Norah Dixon stepped onto the University of South Carolina campus for the first time, she carried a commitment to making the world a better place that she learned from her parents — a high school teacher and a social worker.
“They instilled in me at a young age that you should use your talents and your natural inclinations to better your community, whether that be a career or extracurriculars,” Dixon says. “You just do something to better your community with what you've been blessed with.”
From her freshman year, Dixon immersed herself in campus life, driven by a desire to create inclusive spaces and uplift marginalized voices. Her early involvement with the Black Honors Caucus marked the beginning of her leadership journey.
“We basically create a safe space for minority students in a university where we're just a small few,” she says of the organization. “It's a place to convene and just be ourselves and grow academically, professionally and personally.”
Working for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions in her sophomore year, Dixon helped create the Scholar Recruitment Student Advisory Committee, which seeks to enhance inclusivity in the recruitment process for the university’s elite programs.
“Growing up with my parents, I saw the importance of education and how it impacts students and how it can open doors to something much greater.”
“I wanted to add student perspectives to how we approach recruitment for Carolina Elite Programs,” she says. “I also wanted us to add the perspective of how we can make it more inclusive and ensure that students from different backgrounds are drawn to the Carolina elite programs.”
In her junior year, Dixon began working with the Office of Access and Opportunity where she helps create an inclusive environment for everyone on campus, including faculty and staff.
“Throughout her time at the University of South Carolina, Norah has exemplified a deep commitment to community service, social justice, and the pursuit of equity, qualities that resonate strongly with Dr. King's legacy,” Kay Thomas, assistant dean for student affairs in the Honors College said in nominating Dixon for a Social Justice Award. “Norah has diligently worked to bridge divides and uplift the voices of marginalized students, using her own experiences to inspire others.”
Continuing King’s legacy is important work that likely will never be “done,” Dixon says.
“It's always important to make sure that everyone is uplifted regardless of their background, race, gender, whatever they may identify as,” she says. “I think that work's never going to stop. There's always going to be more to do.”
As for her future, Dixon, who graduated with a degree in history with a minor in mass communication in December 2024, will study at USC’s Joseph F. Rice School of Law starting in fall 2025 as a Carolina Law Research Scholar.
“Growing up with my parents, I saw the importance of education and how it impacts students and how it can open doors to something much greater,” she says.
Christina Plakas
Criminology and criminal justice graduate student
Christina Plakas, a fourth-year doctoral student in criminology and criminal justice, began her social justice journey when she was working at New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex.
She worked in the law library and saw first-hand how important access to legal resources are for people in the criminal justice system.
“Disparities do exist in what legal resources are available not just in one state, but across states, across the country,” she says. “That inspired my research on meaningful access to the courts.”
As Plakas looked for ways to deepen her understanding of the U.S. criminal justice system, she began looking at graduate programs and landed on the University of South Carolina.
“USC really stood out to me because the faculty are really engaged with the community,” she says. “I wanted a place where I would feel comfortable doing research, but also have advocacy work.”
While at USC, Plakas has led initiatives to empower people behind bars and has partnered with the Joseph F. Rice School of Law to gather and donate law books to local jails, including Richland County’s Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
“If you want to put forth a criminal or civil case, it really helps if you have legal support in the form of resources and guidance from other trained individuals,” she says. “One of the big problems was just not having access to law books.”
“Each person is going to develop their own personal narrative related to law and justice and the legal system. It gives a platform to voices that are often not heard and silenced.”
Her advocacy extends beyond resources. Plakas created — with the help of insights from currently and formerly incarcerated individuals — a career-readiness program at Alvin S. Glenn, focusing on equipping incarcerated women with essential skills for re-entry to the working world. Plakas leads the workshop with two other graduate students in her department and the program will resume in February.
“A few of these women in my career readiness program have stayed in touch with me afterwards, and they'll keep me updated with the jobs they’re applying for and all these ideas they have for what they're going to do next,” Plakas says. “It's nice to see that it's not just something happening on paper or just research … it’s actually changing people's lives.”
In the spring, Plakas plans to launch a storytelling workshop that will pair USC students with inmates and former inmates to develop and share personal narratives. She created this program with previous Social Justice Award winner Aparna Polavarapu and the South Carolina Restorative Justice Initiative.
“Each person is going to develop their own personal narrative related to law and justice and the legal system,” she says. “It gives a platform to voices that are often not heard and silenced.”
Her goal is to have a showcase where the storytellers can share their experiences with a public audience. “We just want to provide a very welcoming space where people can come in and learn more about the experiences of people impacted by the criminal legal system.”
Plakas work has had an impact on local prison populations, but also on her peers at South Carolina.
“Christina has exemplified what it means to be a criminology and criminal justice scholar and social advocate, reminding us of who we aim to support and uplift and demonstrating her commitment to equity in justice,” fellow graduate student Hannah Sedlacek said in nominating Plakas for the Social Justice Award. “She has been an inspiration to her peers, her professors, her students and those within the community she has worked to engage and assist.”
Devin Randolph
Clinical assistant professor, College of Education
Education professor Devin Randolph's professional journey reflects his dedication to social justice, equity and community empowerment.
As a former assistant vice president for student development and services at Claflin University, Randolph cultivated an inclusive campus culture that encouraged students from diverse backgrounds to excel.
His leadership extended to his role as director of special projects at USC’s Anne Frank Center, where he championed Holocaust education initiatives. Through partnerships with American University, Claflin and others, he inspired students to embrace social justice and understand historical injustices.
Randolph has worked with previous social justice award winner and fellow College of Education professor Rabbi Meir Muller on several initiatives, including a project to understand antisemitism and racism from a global perspective. As part of their research, they traveled to the University of Oxford in England.
“One of the things we were really passionate about is trying to understand some of the contours of antisemitism and racism more broadly,” Randolph says. “At the University of Oxford, we worked with an organization that forced us to really think about how do we bring new content back to our host and home institutions.”
Through collaboration with the Academic Engagement Network, the content became a special topic course for graduate students, both in education as well as other disciplines.
“It gave us an opportunity to really do something different in terms of having a graduate-level course that looked at these types of issues for the first time for the University of South Carolina,” he says.
“One of the things we were really passionate about is trying to understand some of the contours of antisemitism and racism more broadly.”
Randolph also has spearheaded initiatives that foster alliances between historically Black colleges and universities and Jewish communities. Through a four-year project with the Academic Engagement Network, he has partnered with HBCUs across South Carolina to build restorative tools for combating racism and antisemitism.
“Dr. Randolph’s work at Voorhees University and across multiple HBCUs builds essential relationships between Black and Jewish communities, furthering Dr. King’s vision of intercommunal solidarity,” Muller wrote in his nomination of Randolph for the award. “His previous initiatives at the Anne Frank Center continue to engage students, youth leaders, and educators in social change, establishing a foundation for long-term impact on future generations.”
This program has included over 300 participants and is a part of leadership development for students.
Randolph credits growing up in a rural community, where he learned resilience and the importance of community from his grandmother, for his commitment to social justice. He views inclusivity as a process that begins with self-reflection and extends to engaging all stakeholders in decision-making processes.
He says the work is similar to the training he does as a marathon runner, which requires persistence, discipline and collective effort. His leadership emphasizes the importance of building authentic relationships and understanding the lived experiences of marginalized communities.
Althea Counts
Director, TRIO programs
Althea Counts, affectionately known as "Mama Counts" by her students, embodies the spirit of service and advocacy that the Rev. Martin Luther King championed. For 22 years, Counts has helped transform the lives of low-income and first-generation students, helping them navigate the complexities of higher education and realize their potential.
As director of the university's TRIO programs — federally funded initiatives designed to address educational inequities for first-generation, low-income and disabled students —Counts' leadership extends across four programs: Educational Talent Search, Upward Bound, Opportunity Scholars and Ronald E. McNair Scholars. Each initiative plays a vital role in providing financial, academic and social support to students who might otherwise not be able to access a college education.
“I think about what I needed as a student here to be successful and not to have so many bumps and bruises along the way. Our goal is to help our students make that transition with the least amount of friction possible.”
She has also championed the establishment of the First-Generation Center, which opened its doors in 2024. This center serves as a vital resource for the 20% of students on campus who are the first in their families to attend college, providing support and a sense of community.
“Althea is an equity minded social justice advocate,” LaNaé Budden, director of the center, said in nominating Counts for the Social Justice Award. “Through Althea’s guidance, more first-generation students will receive the support they need to graduate and excel post-graduation. She works enthusiastically and relentlessly to ensure low-income and first-generation students receive fair treatment and share equally in the benefits of receiving a college education.”
A double graduate of USC with a bachelor’s degree in economics (1993) and a master’s degree in education (1995), Counts knows firsthand the challenges faced by low-income college students and that experience fuels her passion and gives her a unique ability to connect with the students she serves.
“I think about what I needed as a student here to be successful and not to have so many bumps and bruises along the way,” Counts says. “Our goal is to help our students make that transition with the least amount of friction possible.”
Counts has been instrumental in securing funding and expanding programs to support more students. When the university introduced the Gamecock Guarantee in 2008, Counts played a key role in integrating the scholarship into TRIO’s services, enabling hundreds of students to afford their education.
“I get a lot of personal gratification in seeing an 18-year-old student come into the university, unsure of their ability — even though they've been fully admitted — to come here, be successful academically, to find their passion, to have some enriching experiences,” Counts says. “It's personally gratifying and deeply personal as well.”