Recent Stories

Play therapy helps students express their experiences and feelings

November 07, 2019, Kathryn McPhail

In the 21 years that she’s been a school counselor, Elizabeth Balthazor has worked with children whose emotional – and sometimes physical – wounds run deep. Two-thirds of children report at least one traumatic event by 16 years old, and one in seven children are abused. Before she can help, Balthazor must figure out what’s wrong and that can be hard with children who don’t fully know how to verbalize their trauma.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Experiential Learning, graduate-studies, Careers, College of Education, The Graduate School

Education alumna wins SC Teacher of the Year

June 06, 2019, Kathryn McPhail

Education alumna, Chanda Jefferson, was recently named the 2020 South Carolina Teacher of the Year. Her passion for serving others began when she drove the church van as a teenager. Now a decade into her career as an educator, she finds herself teaching much more than biology to her students.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Academics, Undergraduate Admissions, graduate-studies, Diversity, Service, Careers, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, The Graduate School

The Long Run: Libby Foreman

May 20, 2019, Page Ivey

They arrived in the 1970s, some after serving in Vietnam, some fresh out of high school or college. More than 40 years later, they still come to work at the University of South Carolina — some after officially “retiring.” TIMES spoke with a few of these long-term employees to see what keeps them coming back to work on campus, long after they could have settled into that place in the mountains or that home by the sea.

Topics: Alumni, Faculty, Recognition, Darla Moore School of Business, The Graduate School

Culturally relevant teaching changes the game for students

May 13, 2019, Kathryn McPhail

Jackson Creek Elementary School, in Columbia, is committed to improving the way its teachers are educating students — both academically and socially. The school is collaborating with College of Education professors to offer all teachers and support staff ongoing professional development in culturally relevant teaching.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, Academics, Research, Experiential Learning, Undergraduate Admissions, graduate-studies, Diversity, Partnerships, Careers, Student Voices, College of Education, The Graduate School

Studying the link between mind and body

February 28, 2019, John Brunelli

The Behavioral-Biomedical Interface Program, funded by a prestigious National Institutes of Health research training grant, has been such a success that the NIH renewed it for a third five-year cycle.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Research, Experiential Learning, graduate-studies, Health Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, The Graduate School, Arnold School of Public Health

A teacher's path home

January 14, 2019, Kathryn McPhail

When Michelle Taylor walked across the stage at December’s commencement ceremony to accept her master’s degree, she culminated a journey of more than 7,300 miles and three countries. And though she didn’t step foot on campus during her two years in the Master of Education in Teaching program, she felt strongly about attending graduation.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Academics, graduate-studies, Student Voices, College of Education, The Graduate School

An educator's legacy

December 05, 2018, Kathryn McPhail

This month, Wendy Harriford Platt — a veteran teacher, mother, and daughter of a Carolina icon — will walk across the commencement stage to accept her doctorate degree in education with no regrets. Well, maybe just one regret — that her father will not be there to celebrate with her.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Academics, Research, graduate-studies, Diversity, History, Student Voices, College of Education, The Graduate School

Justice, justice you shall pursue

October 05, 2018, Kathryn McPhail

Education professor and rabbi, Meir Muller, is devoted to countering antisemitism and bias through education. His work is shaping school curriculum for children in Europe and ultimately, here in South Carolina.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, Academics, Research, Diversity, Student Voices, College of Education, The Graduate School

Lineup set for TEDxUofSC

July 31, 2018, Megan Sexton

The lineup of speakers is set for the inaugural TEDxUofSC conference Oct. 9 at the University of South Carolina Alumni Center.

Topics: Faculty, speakers, Academics, Research, Initiatives, Signature Events, Leadership, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, College of Engineering and Computing, The Graduate School, School of Law

Leading through service

July 06, 2018, Allen Wallace

Veshannah Lovelace served her country in the Army for 20 years, then put the skills learned there to work at the University of South Carolina.

Topics: Alumni, Experiential Learning, graduate-studies, Recognition, Service, Leadership, Careers, The Graduate School, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

Mentor. Feedback. Art.

June 13, 2018, Page Ivey

Storytelling is how we make sense of our world. Whether we’re scientists, mathematicians, poets or preachers, we tell ourselves stories to understand the world around us. The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program helps hone this natural talent into a craft — a craft that turns stories into art.

Topics: Students, Faculty, graduate-studies, Careers, College of Arts and Sciences, The Graduate School

Turning children into leaders and learners

April 18, 2018, Kathryn McPhail

University of South Carolina College of Education alumna and Pelion High School assistant principal, Erica Page, was named the 2018 National Assistant Principal of the Year. Though not a South Carolina native, Page began her career in education a decade ago in Lexington County after an adventurous 650-mile move south.

Topics: Students, Alumni, graduate-studies, Recognition, Leadership, Student Voices, College of Education, The Graduate School

Solving the equation

March 09, 2018, Kathryn McPhail

Though the College of Education is graduating an increasing number of science and math educators, the state – and nation – is still in desperate need of these teachers. To encourage more students to considering teaching science and math, Carolina is offering top students scholarships which are funded by a National Science Foundation grant program.

Topics: Students, Academics, Scholarships, graduate-studies, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, The Graduate School

Big grant hunting

February 16, 2018, Megan Sexton

Tommy Coggins directs the Office of Sponsored Award Management, talks about the role his office plays in assisting faculty members searching for funding and how faculty can improve their chances of bringing in big grants.

Topics: Faculty, Research, graduate-studies, Economic Engagement, Careers, The Graduate School

The 'SEARCH' for purpose

January 12, 2018, Kathryn McPhail

A cherished, childhood friendship led Tori Vaeth to study special education at the University of South Carolina. Now, the College of Education double alumna is leading a program that’s training and placing young adults with intellectual disabilities in rewarding careers.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Academics, Experiential Learning, Undergraduate Admissions, graduate-studies, Diversity, Economic Engagement, Service, Leadership, Student Voices, College of Education, The Graduate School, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

A thousand passions, 1 heartbeat

October 20, 2017, Kathryn McPhail

University of South Carolina College of Education alumnus and Chapin High School principal, Akil Ross, was named the 2018 National Principal of the Year on Friday, October 20. The honor is the culmination of a passionate career as an educator that began just a few miles away from our campus 16 years ago.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Academics, graduate-studies, Diversity, Recognition, Leadership, College of Education, The Graduate School

From refugee to global education advocate

September 22, 2017, Kathryn McPhail

At just 6 years old, Noella “Binda” Niati was forced to flee her home in the Democratic Republic of Congo, amid intense violence and political upheaval. More than two decades later, she is headed back to Africa to study ways to encourage children, especially girls, to stay in school longer.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Academics, Research, Experiential Learning, graduate-studies, Diversity, Leadership, Student Voices, College of Education, The Graduate School

Head of the class

August 21, 2017, Kathryn McPhail

As 28,000 students file through the doors of Richland Two schools for the first day of a new year, a College of Education alumnus will be leading the way.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Academics, graduate-studies, Diversity, Partnerships, Leadership, College of Education, The Graduate School

When tracking math students doesn't add up

July 21, 2017, Kathryn McPhail

Education professor Rhonda Jeffries and graduate student Hope Reed wanted to close the achievement gap for underrepresented students, specifically those tracked to be in remedial classes. So, they took a risk with a group of freshman students at Blythewood High School and conducted a secret experiment of sorts that proved to be powerful.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, Academics, Experiential Learning, graduate-studies, Diversity, Leadership, Careers, College of Education, The Graduate School

The hidden parents of South Carolina

June 26, 2017, Kathryn McPhail

Raised by a Cuban father and Colombian mother in Boston, Massachusetts, Julia López-Robertson experienced first-hand the challenges that come with being a member of an underrepresented population in America. Now as a professor in the College of Education, she is helping other Latino families through her research and outreach.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Research, Experiential Learning, graduate-studies, Diversity, Partnerships, Service, College of Education, The Graduate School

Planting a love of learning

March 27, 2017, Kathryn McPhail

A self-proclaimed “outdoorsy” person, Todd Beasley started his own small business at just 10 years old gardening for other families in his neighborhood. Now three decades later, the College of Education alumnus is the new director of programs at one of the largest botanical gardens in the country — the San Antonio Botanical Gardens.

Topics: Alumni, graduate-studies, Careers, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, The Graduate School

Twenty-Sixteen: By the Letters

December 15, 2016, USC Times

A is for alphabet, at least according to USC Times. To help close out 2016, the University of South Carolina’s monthly magazine for faculty and staff devoted its entire December issue to the ABCs of 2016 — with each letter representing a different accomplishment, announcement or notable arrival from the past year.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, University Leadership, Academics, Research, Experiential Learning, College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Education, College of Engineering and Computing, The Graduate School, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, College of Information and Communications, School of Law, Medicine (Columbia), Medicine (Greenville), School of Music, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, Arnold School of Public Health, College of Social Work, South Carolina Honors College, University System, University Libraries

Strengthening Carolina's neural network

May 27, 2016, Steven Powell

The 140 attendees of the second annual Neuroscience Community Retreat are part of a network growing all sorts of new connections.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Academics, Research, Health Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Computing, The Graduate School, Medicine (Columbia), College of Pharmacy, Arnold School of Public Health

Tracking mercury in the sea

April 08, 2016, Steven Powell

Graduate student Blaire Umhau’s time spent on ocean cruises involves hard work in the serious business of defining how mercury contamination makes its way through the marine environment. But she still describes sleep-deprived days out on the sea as “the best thing in the world.”

Topics: Students, Faculty, Research, Experiential Learning, Health Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, The Graduate School

Graduate students get involved

April 08, 2015, Liz McCarthy

Balancing family, work and studies is a challenge most graduate students face, but the Graduate Student Association wants to add one more thing — getting involved on campus.

Topics: Students, graduate-studies, The Graduate School