Stories for Parents

woman stands in a shower of confetti with hands raised to the ceiling
Nuerons in the hypothalamus responsible for regulating the body's circadian rhythms.

Research by 2 pharmacy professors aims at new therapies for depression, stress, anxiety

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.

Kindergarten teacher Keith Heyward in his classroom

USC alumnus finds his true calling in the kindergarten classroom

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.

Amy and her family pose with a statue of USC's mascot, Cocky

Honors College alumna is making her mark at CNN Sports

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.

Student taking notes in class

USC awarded federal grant to boost state's college and career readiness

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.

Rutvik Desai

New research explores the 'thoughts' and abilities of AI chatbots

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.

Photo of brick smokestack with USC in white letters

Faces of first-gen at USC

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.

The McBride sisters stand side by side.

Honors College students Emma and Madeleine McBride earn Cyber Service Academy national fellowship

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.

Paul Toriello in a navy suit

New Faculty Spotlight: Paul Toriello

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.

man and woman embrace while looking at flooded buildings

How Hurricane Helene became a deadly disaster across 6 states

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.

students walking on USC Horseshoe

US News rankings: USC tops in international business, first-year experience

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.

USC professor and alumna Anna Hoppmann stands in the atrium of the children's hospital at Prisma Health-Midlands.

Anna Hoppmann leads pediatric cancer research effort

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.

Two femaie dancers

Fall Arts Preview

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.

Two people holding a box during move-in 2024

Move-in by the numbers

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.

A person looking at their phone

Helpful campus apps

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.

Exterior of the College of Nursing's satellite clinical education building on the Lexington Medical Center campus

USC and Lexington Medical Center open innovative facility to train nurses

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.

three students stand in a radio station booth

From the classroom to the field, USC students carve their own Carolina paths

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.

man wearing a white coat stands in the middle of a laboratory with people and lab equipment in the background

New endowed chair brings focus in Alzheimer's drug research

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.

Overhead view of the South Caroliniana Library's reading room

Four USC building initiatives win awards

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.

Amber Fallucca on USC's historic Horseshoe

Inaugural director excited about Carolina Experience

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.

A young male jogs for exercise outdoors on a hot day.

Extreme heat can be dangerous for runners, cyclists and anyone spending time outdoors: 6 tips for staying safe

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.