April 27, 2026, Megan Sexton
As the Class of 2026 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 22, 2026, Laura Erskine
This spring, doctoral graduate Zo Sediqi will walk across the stage to receive her diploma from USC’s College of Education. As a woman born and raised in Afghanistan in the 1990s, the moment carries special significance: Sediqi is one of only a handful of Afghan women anywhere in the world to earn a Ph.D.
April 06, 2026, Collyn Taylor
The University of South Carolina has numerous graduate programs ranked inside the top 20 nationally, including the College of Nursing and the Darla Moore School of Business's international MBA program.
March 27, 2026, Téa Smith
We’re back again for another year and another round of some of the coolest classes you can take for fall 2026. 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.
February 16, 2026, Molly Dawes
Teasing is a common but complex behavior that can serve pro-social functions, but it can also have anti-social functions and harm the targeted person. Teasing interactions are influenced by factors such as the relationship between teaser and target and the content of the tease. Molly Dawes, associate professor in the Department of Educational and Developmental Science at USC, writes for The Conversation about the complexities of teasing.
February 04, 2026, Chris Horn
Sophia Comose always dreamed of becoming a teacher. While she wasn’t sure if the on-campus college experience was right for her, she loved the idea of working full time while earning an education degree online from Palmetto College. The flexible program allowed Comose to gain hands-on experience in her field, and she landed a teaching position after graduating in 2025.
January 26, 2026, Dan Cook
The University of South Carolina's College of Nursing continues to be a national leader in online nursing education. Four nursing programs at the University of South Carolina rank in the Top 10 nationally in the latest online rankings from U.S. News & World Report, including its online master's in nursing program, which has been in the Top 5 for six consecutive years.
December 16, 2025, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina Board of Trustees gave final approval Tuesday (Dec. 16) to projects designed to reinvigorate several iconic buildings in the heart of the Columbia campus.
September 29, 2025, Megan Sexton
Chris Burkett, the assistant dean for student services in the College of Education, has been a member of Staff Senate since its inception five years ago, representing his colleagues in education before moving to the executive committee. He became president in August.
May 28, 2025, Communications and marketing
From creating social mobility by supporting first-generation students to providing resources for community members who need them most, the University of South Carolina is dedicated to strengthening our state and improving the lives of its residents. It’s work that goes beyond the college campus and extends into every corner of South Carolina.
May 19, 2025, Thom Harman, with Matt Klopfenstein
The Graduate School recently announced and recognized its 2025 Graduate Student Award winners and Trustee Fellowship recipients, as well as the graduates from the school’s scholarly initiatives. The school held its annual Recognition of Excellence Ceremony on April 25 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.
May 14, 2025, Téa Smith
Graduate student Morgan Grace Steele decided to change paths after participating in the South Carolina Washington Semester program — a program that gives students the opportunity to work and take classes in the nation’s capital — through the Honors College her junior year. After reflecting on her experience in the course University 101 and conversations with her professors and loved ones, she decided to pursue a master’s in higher education and student affairs.
April 29, 2025, Laura Erskine
For more than 50 years, USC has made an undergraduate education more attainable through TRIO programs. The foundation of these opportunities is the Pell Grant. Here, USC alumni share how the Pell Grant opened the door for them to achieve their dreams of earning their degrees and attaining fulfilling, impactful careers.
April 28, 2025, Megan Sexton
As the Class of 2025 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 11, 2025, Téa Smith
We're back again for another year and another round of some of the coolest classes you can take for fall 2025. 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 07, 2025, Megan Sexton
For the 12th straight year, the University of South Carolina has earned the No. 1 ranking in the country for its International MBA program, according to the 2025 Best Graduate School rankings released April 8 by U.S. News & World Report.
April 04, 2025, Communications and Marketing
April is Autism Acceptance Month. The CDC estimates that one out of every 36 eight-year-olds and one in 45 adults 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.
February 11, 2025, Allen Wallace
Dance Marathon, the university’s largest student-run philanthropic organization, brings together students from across USC to raise money and awareness for patients and families at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital. The Main Event is Feb. 22.
January 21, 2025, Megan Sexton
For the fifth straight year, USC'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 Tuesday (Jan. 21).
January 15, 2025, Anna Francis
Natasha Hastings came to the University of South Carolina with dreams of excelling as an athlete. Although her talent eventually would propel her to an NCAA championship, multiple world championships and two Olympic gold medals, her initial start on the Gamecock track and field team was less than stellar. Her body was sound, but she had psychological demons to slay.
January 14, 2025, Rebekah Friedman
The University of South Carolina wasn’t on Dave Bollinger’s radar until his daughter, Ruth, enrolled in CarolinaLIFE. Now both Bollingers are giving back to support the next generation of USC students with intellectual disabilities.
January 06, 2025, Rebekah Friedman
When Cathy Knox, ’72, started her career as an elementary school teacher, her principal played a critical role as a mentor. Now retired, she is helping the next generation of educators get the coaching and support they need by supporting the Carolina Teacher Induction Program.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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 20, 2024, Téa Smith
Edward Anderson’s lifelong love for education led 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.
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.
November 03, 2023, Megan Sexton
First-generation college students come from all sorts of backgrounds and bring a variety of perspectives to campus. At USC, about one-fifth of the student population identifies as first-generation college students, meaning their parents did not earn a four-year college degree.
October 11, 2023, Hannah Cambre
The Latino/a and Hispanic Faculty Caucus is a group of faculty members united by shared heritages and focused on advocacy initiatives to recruit, retain and better support the various needs of Latino and Hispanic faculty members.
September 26, 2023
Researchers at the University of South Carolina understand both the benefits and the challenges of getting people to exercise — as well as the societal repercussions when they don’t. And they are developing solutions to increase physical activity to the benefit of us all.
August 24, 2023, Toby Jenkins
While hip-hop has created a lot of good memories, good music and good times, the culture has gifted society much more than just entertainment. Toby Jenkins, a higher ed professor who researches hip-hop culture, writes for The Conversation about the genre's greatest gifts — freedom of thought, flexibility and truth-telling.
August 11, 2023, Alexis Watts
Ryan Buell has been a student, journalist, paranormal researcher, well-known TV personality, addict and now University of South Carolina counselor education graduate. “There's nothing anyone can say that will make me look down on them because I’ve been there,” Buell says. “If you're wanting help, if you're seeking to better yourself and you're seeking redemption, I feel like everyone should have that chance.”
August 03, 2023, Alexis Watts
Summer camp memories don’t often include crime scene blood spatter analysis or creating culinary masterpieces, but the Carolina Master Scholars Adventure Series is not your typical summer camp.
June 30, 2023, Chris Horn
Many children are not only minimally participating in physical activity but also have fallen behind in acquiring basic motor development skills that dramatically hinders their capability to play.
June 26, 2023, Alexis Watts
The University of South Carolina is growing the state’s pipeline of trained school counselors, thanks to a five-year, $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. College of Education faculty members will recruit and train 72 additional graduate students to work in high-need schools.
June 21, 2023, Page Ivey
When Tjuan Dogan came to USC to study advertising and public relations, her career goal was to carry a briefcase to work. From that beginning, Dogan, who has a bachelor’s in advertising and a master’s and a Ph.D. in education all from USC, crafted a career path that now has her helping nontraditional students find their careers and new lives through education.
May 25, 2023
South Carolina’s economic future depends on a world-class workforce in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. That’s why assistant professor Hengtao Tang is studying how to make STEM courses more effective, inclusive and accessible to a wider range of people.
May 24, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
Education professor Catherine Compton-Lilly traveled to Taiwan to help two indigenous communities reclaim their language through children’s books.
May 22, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
When it comes to understanding the challenges related to pregnancy, birth and early childhood, USC’s researchers deliver answers.
May 12, 2023, Téa Smith
Tori Edsel’s dreams of being a dancer came to an abrupt halt when she suffered a stroke at 16. The third-year early childhood education major’s experiences during her recovery helped change her outlook and gave her a new dream: helping children in similar situations.
May 05, 2023, Lauryn Jiles
When Jenna Wilson became director of the Carolina Closet, she never imagined she’d be in the graduation business. She launched a joint collection project for students unable to buy their own cap and gown.
April 24, 2023, Megan Sexton
The University of South Carolina’s master’s in international business program retained its spot as the best in the country for the 10th consecutive year, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate School rankings released Tuesday (April 25).
April 18, 2023, Toby Jenkins
Associate professor of higher education Toby Jenkins writes for The Conversation on the widespread educational impacts of hip-hop.
April 02, 2023, Erin Newman
To help you prepare for fall registration on the horizon, we have put together a list of 12 off-the-beaten-path classes to consider to fill that last elective gap.
March 22, 2023, Grace Farrar
An estimated 450,000 South Carolinians lack internet access, but the University of South Carolina is teaming up with the state Broadband Office to bridge that gap. Researchers from across the university have developed a survey to gauge broadband need statewide, a key step towards accessing federal broadband investments.
March 14, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
As a tribute to the Black alumnae featured in the student-produced documentary The Backbone, USC’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion installed 18 personalized bricks on the Horseshoe. The honorees' stories span seven decades of university history.
February 10, 2023, Page Ivey
CarolinaTIP focuses on teachers in their first three years as they transition from learning how to teach to leading their own classrooms. About half of all South Carolina teachers who leave their jobs each year are in their first five years of working in the classroom. The Carolina Teacher Induction Program has reduced the number of new teachers leaving the profession by offering them coaching support from more experienced classroom leaders — most of whom are retired instructors who want to give back to the profession.
January 30, 2023, Megan Sexton
Hope Rivers, a first-generation college student who earned three degrees from USC, is inspiring a new generation of students as the president of Piedmont Technical College.
January 25, 2023, Eva V. Monsma
Developmental sport psychology professor Eva V. Monsma writes for The Conversation on the negative effects of pressuring young athletes.
January 20, 2023, Megan Sexton
For the third straight year, the University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing is ranked No. 1 nationally for its online graduate nursing program, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual online programs rankings released Jan. 24.
January 09, 2023, Page Ivey
Four faculty members and a student have been recognized for their work on campus and in the larger community with 2023 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.
January 04, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
It’s no secret: public school teachers are leaving the profession at an alarming rate. “How Did We Get Here? The Decay of the Teaching Profession” (Information Age Publishing, 2022), edited by University of South Carolina associate professor of education Henry Tran and Iowa State University associate professor Douglas A. Smith, explores the causes and consequences of teacher attrition in South Carolina as a way to shed light on the larger crisis affecting America’s schools.
November 15, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Langston Moore and Preston Thorne made a big impact on the football field at Williams-Brice. Now the former Gamecock defensive lineman make their impact writing children’s books and visiting schools.
November 08, 2022, Page Ivey
Despite growing up the son of a special education teacher, Jamil D. Johnson did not set his sights on being a teacher himself until he was well into his undergraduate education as a history major at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
November 04, 2022, Megan Sexton
There is no typical first-generation college student. Some come from immigrant families, some from households where family members didn’t graduate from high school. But all add energy and variety to the University of South Carolina campus.
November 04, 2022, Megan Sexton
There is no typical first-generation college student. Some come from immigrant families, some from households where family members didn’t graduate from high school. But all add energy and variety to the University of South Carolina campus.
November 04, 2022, Megan Sexton
There is no typical first-generation college student. Some come from immigrant families, some from households where family members didn’t graduate from high school. But all add energy and variety to the University of South Carolina campus.
October 27, 2022, Anna Francis
Katey Tyler always knew she wanted to be a teacher. But when it was time to build her career, obstacle after obstacle stood in her way — military family life, motherhood and medical challenges among them. Rather than deter her from goal, her trials have reinforced her passion for the classroom.
October 17, 2022, Mitchell Yell
When schools shut down in March 2020, many of the nation’s roughly 7 million students in special education didn’t get the special education services to which they were entitled under federal law. Professor of special education Mitchell Yell writes for The Conversation about how school districts may have fallen short of providing special education services during the pandemic.
October 03, 2022, Abe Danaher
Thomas Hodges has been selected as dean of the University of South Carolina College of Education, effective Oct. 15. Among his priorities are further strengthening the college’s internal culture, increasing outreach across the state and diversifying the state’s teachers to better reflect the demographic makeup of South Carolina.
August 25, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
“The History of American College Football: Institutional Policy, Culture, and Reform,” edited by UofSC faculty members Christian Anderson and Amber Falluca, examines the role of the popular American sport on college campuses from its 19th century roots to its contemporary cultural dominance.
August 15, 2022, Henry Tran
The national teacher shortage is rooted is the longstanding lack of respect for teachers and their craft, which is reflected by decades of low pay, hyperscrutiny and poor working conditions. This disrespect to the profession is what is driving teachers away. Education professor Henry Tran writes for The Conversation on how the most recent efforts to recruit teachers do not address the real problems.
June 23, 2022, Page Ivey
Physical education professor Eva Monsma’s entire career seems to have led her to the new role she takes on July 1 — faculty athletics representative for the University of South Carolina.
June 21, 2022, Page Ivey
Alumna Molly Peirano is leading the university’s new Office of Civil Rights and Title IX. On the 50th anniversary of Title IX, Peirano discusses plans and goals for the office and the future of the landmark civil rights regulation that prohibits sex discrimination in any education program receiving federal funds.
June 08, 2022, Alexis Watts
The Anne Frank Center located at the University of South Carolina is now home to 100 letters and cards written by Otto Frank, the father of Holocaust victim and world-renowned diarist Anne Frank. The donation comes as the world honors her life and legacy on the 75th anniversary of the publication of her diary and her birthday on June 12.
June 07, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Anne Frank’s father, Otto Frank, corresponded with thousands of young people as he worked to promote his daughter’s legacy. His decades-long correspondence with author Cara Wilson-Granat is now the foundation of the university’s new Anne Frank Center Archive.
February 07, 2022, Chris Horn
A student residence hall near the Colonial Life Arena has become the first University of South Carolina building named for an African American. Formerly known as 700 Lincoln, the Celia Dial Saxon Building honors an educator and community advocate whose teaching career spanned six decades in segregated schools near the university campus.
January 24, 2022, Megan Sexton
The University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing retained the No. 1 national ranking for its online graduate nursing program, according to U.S. News and World Report’s annual online program rankings released Tuesday (Jan. 25).
January 10, 2022, Page Ivey
Two faculty members and a student have been recognized for their social justice efforts on campus and in the larger community as 2022 Social Justice Award winners.
December 14, 2021, Megan Sexton
Alumna Carrie Morey is the founder and face of Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit, which includes restaurants in three states, a thriving online and grocery store business, a new cookbook and a PBS television show.
September 15, 2021, Barnett Berry
Since COVID-19, some parents in search of educational alternatives for their children have turned to microschools. Barnett Berry, a research professor in the College of Education, explains for The Conversation what makes microschools distinct from other schools.
August 26, 2021, Megan Sexton
Few professions changed as abruptly in response to the pandemic as teaching. Amy Carter is South Carolina’s Teacher of the Year for 2022 and one of 10 Gamecocks Carolinian magazine spoke to about how the pandemic has changed the way we work.
August 23, 2021, Savannah Bennett
Marjorie Weber was a widow in her 40s when she decided to return to college to earn her teaching degree from the University of South Carolina where her late husband had been an education professor. She also served as a starting point for a string of family members attending South Carolina, including a granddaughter and two great-granddaughters, who are current education students. They are among the hundreds of students who follow family members to become Gamecocks each year.
August 17, 2021, Jessie D. Guest
Children, like adults, are feeling the stress of the uncertain times during a global pandemic. Playing has cognitive and emotional benefits for kids and can help them decompress and express themselves. In The Conversation, education professor Jessie Guest offers tips for connecting with children through play.
August 12, 2021, Cam Adams
The University of South Carolina is expanding its degree offerings with 13 new programs set to launch this fall that will better prepare students for careers in cybersecurity, education, nursing, business and music among other fields.
August 09, 2021, Carol J.G. Ward
The University of South Carolina is now home to a permanent exhibition and educational program in partnership with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, becoming one of only four partner sites in the world and the only one in North America.
June 16, 2021, Craig Brandhorst
Literacy is as much a reflection of a student’s cultural experience as it is a measure of what they have learned in school. As education professor Eliza Braden explains, “Students come into our classrooms as literate individuals in different ways. We want to honor those literacies.”
May 18, 2021, Carol J.G. Ward
Amy Carter and Christina Melton both had teachers who inspired them to choose education as a profession. Both are graduates of the University of South Carolina. Both have spent their careers in Palmetto State public schools. And now both have been recognized as the state’s best in their profession.
April 29, 2021, Abe Danaher
Thomas E. Hodges has been named interim dean of the University of South Carolina College of Education; he begins on July 1. Hodges succeeds Jon Pedersen, who served as dean of the college since 2016 and recently accepted a deanship at Oklahoma State University’s College of Education and Human Sciences.
April 07, 2021, Carol J.G. Ward
Most of Barnett Berry’s career has been about advancing what he calls the profession that makes all other professions possible – teaching. As a scholar and researcher, he is an advocate for teachers and how they can and must be more instrumental in the future of education. Berry is the 2021 recipient of the James A. Kelly Award for Advancing Accomplished Teaching.
March 22, 2021, Carol J.G. Ward
For three and a half decades, University of South Carolina education professor Gloria Boutte has dedicated her work to creating school experiences that are more equitable for students of color. Her scholarship, teaching, leadership and service have been recognized with the 2021 Legacy Award from American Educational Research Association.
March 08, 2021, Chris Horn
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in 1954 that racial segregation of school children was unconstitutional. When South Carolina's segregationist governor spoke out against that ruling, the School of Education dean at the University of South Carolina courageously spoke up. The dean kept his integrity — but not his job.
March 04, 2021, Chris Horn
The steady rise in podcast popularity has produced a bountiful crop of shows for listeners worldwide — 1.75 million and counting — including a growing list of podcasts produced by University of South Carolina faculty, staff and students.
March 03, 2021, Megan Sexton
Beth White, the undergraduate program coordinator and a clinical instructor of elementary education, offers insight into what we've learned about remote and hybrid learning.
January 31, 2021, Christian Anderson
The Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol represented an event unlike any other in American history. But how will it be portrayed in history textbooks used in America’s K-12 schools and colleges?
January 27, 2021, Chris Horn
He was the University of South Carolina's first Black professor and the first Black graduate of Harvard College. But Richard T. Greener's accomplishments in the years after the Civil War far exceeded those "firsts." No wonder there's a statue in his likeness on campus.
January 26, 2021, Tenell Felder
The University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing ranks No. 1 among all U.S. universities for its online graduate nursing program, according to U.S. News and World Report’s annual online rankings.
January 11, 2021, Megan Sexton
An endowed chair in the School of Information Science, an associate professor of higher education who directs the university’s Museum of Education, and a Gamecock football player who proclaimed “’Matter’ is the Minimum” during last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests are the university’s 2021 Social Justice Awards winners.