
First-gen, Next-gen
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 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 27, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
Physics Professor Timir Datta was recently named a 2022 American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellow for his research on “high-temperature” superconductors. But it’s the puzzling nature of electromagnetism that has pulled at his imagination for the last half a century.
January 26, 2023, Dan Cook
Achieving a performance career as a professional musician is notoriously difficult. But Mak Grgic, a new assistant professor of guitar at the School of Music, has done just that — playing 80-100 concerts a year, commissioning new pieces and earning two Grammy nominations.
January 26, 2023, Kyndel Lee
Miss USA Morgan Romano knows all too well that only 28% of the STEM workforce is made up of women, and she's using her platform to spark interests in young girls and help create a pipeline for more women to purse careers in the STEM fields.
January 24, 2023, Grace Farrar
International business graduate students took part in an immersive experience from the university’s Rule of Law Collaborative, a whodunnit game designed to help in federal anti-corruption training efforts.
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 17, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
Indigo is tightly woven into South Carolina history, but few have worked with the rich natural dye since it fell out of favor nearly 150 years ago. Alumna Caroline Harper is bringing it back.
January 05, 2023, Page Ivey
Basketball-wise, Dawn Staley has done it all. As a player, she won MVP trophies and gold medals. As a coach, she has won national titles, coach of the year honors and more gold medals. As a mentor, she has watched Gamecock power forward turned WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson win season MVP and a WNBA championship. But Staley also transcends the sport, raising awareness for issues she cares about and money for causes she believes in. At her core, she is an advocate — for her players, first, but also for people whose voices might not be heard.
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.
December 14, 2022, Communications and Marketing
Did campus feel just a little bit livelier this year? A touch more spirited? A tad more optimistic? We thought so, too — and not only because we named a new president back in January. Yeah, that was one heck of a way to ring in the new year, and it set the tone for the months ahead, but in the end, 2022 was about all of us, from the President’s House to Russell House, from Colonial Life to Williams-Brice. It was about respecting tradition, rediscovering our identity, remembering our past and reimagining our future. In 2022, the University of South Carolina reminded us all what it means to be USC.
December 09, 2022, Téa Smith
On his way to earning his Ph.D. in computer science, Manas Gaur has worked to integrate more "human knowledge" into artificial intelligence. His work has applications in a wide range of fields from mental health care to autonomous driving.
December 08, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
When tenor Johnnie Felder finished the master’s program in vocal performance at USC’s School of Music, he had no intention of staying on for a doctoral degree. Now, he’s got teaching assignments across the state, a calendar filled with upcoming performances and freshly-minted Ph.D.
November 30, 2022, Kyndel Lee
USC researcher Melissa Moss has studied Alzheimer's disease for decades, and she's coming closer to finding medicines that will help patients keep their memories longer.
November 18, 2022, Megan Sexton
A USC alumnus who is an athletic trainer for the University of Tennessee football team donated life-saving blood stem cells, which were used to save the life of a South Carolina Board of Trustees member.
November 17, 2022, Kelley Barrett
Looking for a full-time job after graduation can be a daunting process. Mark Anthony from the Career Center has provided some insight and tips to help soon-to-be graduates get their first job.
November 16, 2022, Alexis Watts
2015 Broadcast Journalism graduate, Alyssa Lang gives fans an all-access pass to the most storied conference in sports. Lang is a host, anchor and reporter for SEC Network. She is now holding down studio shows, breaking major stories and doing the hard work of bringing fans essential reports about their beloved teams.
November 16, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Longtime University of South Carolina geography professor Kirstin Dow has devoted much of her career to understanding climate impact, vulnerability and adaptation. In other words, she recognizes the problems posed by our warming planet and is determined to help mitigate them, most recently by mapping heat islands so that urban planners can make better decisions about where to plant trees, generate more shade or support investment in affordable renewable energy and energy efficiency.
November 15, 2022, Chris Horn
A lot can change in four decades. Having served six presidents and shepherded more than 160,000 Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials and Gen Zers to graduation, the longest-serving VP for student affairs in school history is calling it a career.
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 14, 2022, Kyndel Lee
The West Columbia Outreach Program allows social work graduate students to complete field hours in the law enforcement field, giving them hands-on experience with case file management.
November 14, 2022, Laura Erskine
Nicole Maskiell is an associate professor of history and affiliate faculty in African American studies at the University of South Carolina. Her book, “Bound by Bondage: Slavery and the Creation of a Northern Gentry” (2022 Cornell University Press), examines the institution of slavery in the early American Colonies and how it created lasting ties between families of the elite classes, even across cultural lines, as well as ties among the enslaved people.
November 10, 2022, Téa Smith
Scholarship recipient and graduate student Kayla Lee has seen firsthand the effect lack of access to quality health care can have on a community. She is happy to be furthering her career in nursing and helping to create accessible quality health care throughout the state.
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 18, 2022, Megan Sexton
Claire Jiménez is a new assistant professor of English language and literature and African American Studies at the University of South Carolina. Her debut novel will be published this spring by Grand Central Publishing.
October 12, 2022, Margaret Gregory
College of Pharmacy professor Eugenia Broude had personal inspiration to pursue a career in science, and a newly awarded $3 million R01 grant from the National Cancer Institute will allow Broude and her co-investigators to continue their work in a groundbreaking area of breast cancer research.
October 03, 2022, Allen Wallace
Cutting-edge academics, deep industry connections and top-tier faculty combine to create a first-class training ground for football industry leaders in HRSM’s Department of Sport and Entertainment Management, recognized as one of the best and biggest programs of its kind.
October 03, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Julius Fridriksson loves a challenge. After climbing to the top of his field — and building out a research team of more than 40 faculty, post docs and graduate students at the Arnold School of Public Health — the onetime first-generation college student from a small village in Iceland agreed to become USC’s interim vice president for research in 2021.
October 03, 2022, Kyndel Lee
The University of South Carolina’s Columbia and Upstate campuses are recipients of an investment in scholarships by Prisma Health to help counter the state’s critical nursing shortage.
September 28, 2022, Megan Sexton
Meena Khalili’s work spans multiple mediums — including print design, animation, pen-and-ink illustration, moving images and augmented reality. As an associate professor who teaches design and interaction in the School of Visual Art and Design, she uses many technologies and devices to create art.
September 22, 2022, Shalama Jackson
Rafael Becerril Arreola, an associate professor of marketing in the Darla Moore School of Business, talks about why he came to the university, the focus of his work and how his background informs his outlook.
September 16, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Michelle Dodenhoff is a familiar face on campus. She was USC’s associate VP for development from 2004 to 2009, then vice president for development and alumni affairs from 2009 to 2013. She returns to campus for another run as vice president for development.
September 12, 2022, Téa Smith
The College of Nursing is slowly but surely taking steps toward making nursing education diverse.
September 08, 2022, Jeff Stensland
University of South Carolina faculty members in the liberal arts, humanities and social sciences can now apply for a new grants program that will provide up to $25,000 for scholarship and creative work in the arts.
September 01, 2022, Laura Erskine
On Aug. 1, Jack Sadle became the first University of South Carolina student to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Cyber Intelligence — a field where issues of cyber and national security meet.
August 31, 2022, Alexis Watts
It’s been a long road from journalism to children’s books for Angela McCurry May, an alumna of the College of Information and Communications. She always planned to report the news — and she has. Now, she is also making the news as a New York Times bestselling children’s book co-author.
August 09, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
New Provost Donna Arnett has a background in epidemiology and biostatistics. Her leadership will build on her skills as a scientist, her ability to formulate questions and her willingness to listen.
August 05, 2022, Chris Horn
Reedy Newton is the university’s new student government president. Her mom, Rose Buyck Newton, is on the Board of Trustees. Gamecock leadership is a family tradition.
August 03, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Assistant professor of nursing Michael Wirth is a busy man these days, with his hands on multiple projects. The overarching goal? Healthier diets and lifestyles for shift workers in high-stress occupations like nursing and law enforcement and better sleep for everyone.
July 29, 2022, Alexis Watts
School of Journalism and Mass Communications graduate and former Miss Gamecock, Meera Bhonslé will compete for the title of Miss USA on Oct. 3.
July 28, 2022, Megan Sexton
In a field where careers can change in an instant and big money is always on the line, sports agent and HRSM grad Aaron Henderson understands the importance of doing the hard work. He expects the same professionalism and commitment from his clients.
July 26, 2022, Allen Wallace
For the fourth consecutive year, the University of South Carolina is among the top 10 in the country in hospitality and tourism management and No. 18 worldwide, according to the ShanghaiRanking’s 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
July 05, 2022, Kyndel Lee
The University of South Carolina College of Nursing and Lexington Medical Center have partnered to build a state-of-the-art nursing simulation lab and teaching space to provide clinical training for UofSC’s growing nursing student population.
June 28, 2022, Kyndel Lee
UofSC alumna Taylor Wilson is playing a major role in advancing South Carolina's efforts in advocacy for support of the Alzheimer's cause at both the state and federal levels.
June 14, 2022, Page Ivey
Brenden Chavis, an informatics Ph.D. student in the College of Engineering and Computing, is able to pay for his own education thanks to programs funded by Fluor Corp.
June 14, 2022, Chris Horn
Bacteriophages are viruses that attack specific bacteria and were discovered a century ago. Phage cocktails, which combine several types of phages, could be administered on a broader scale and diminish the need for antibiotics.
June 03, 2022, Megan Sexton
Rick Noble has donated his substantial collection of Hootie & the Blowfish memorabilia – including CDs, T-shirts, posters and publications – to the University of South Carolina Libraries.
June 01, 2022, Chris Horn
For the past 10 years, Fabio Matta, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, has been engineering earthen building blocks made from local soil. Up close, the blocks don’t look like anything special, but their simplicity is the appeal — the blocks don’t require firing in energy-intensive kiln furnaces and can stand up to the worst Mother Nature can throw at them.
May 13, 2022, Chris Horn
In an ideal world, perhaps everyone would drive electric cars or use public transportation powered by renewable energy — and that world would have cleaner air and far less greenhouse gas emissions. But in the real world many consumers remain skeptical of plug-in electric and hybrid cars or shy away from those vehicle’s higher price tags. Government-sponsored incentives have helped to some degree, but research by two faculty members in the Moore School of Business reveals those incentives sometimes come with unintended consequences.
May 10, 2022, Dan Cook
University of South Carolina alumni Win McNamee of Getty Images and Josh Dawsey of The Washington Post are both part of teams that were awarded Pulitzer Prizes in journalism on May 9.
May 09, 2022, Chris Horn
In his nearly 40-year career as a photojournalist, Win McNamee has documented world history and national calamity — and periodically found himself in the thick of the action.
May 05, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Kev Roche has turned his artistic talent and quick wit into a lucrative "hustle" drawing illustrations for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. The 2005 studio art major also has illustrated a book by two former Gamecock football players as well as given UofSC's beloved mascot Cocky a cartoon makeover.
May 03, 2022, Megan Sexton
From ensuring students know where to sit to making sure the sound system works just right, university staff members work behind the scenes to ensure a memorable commencement day for graduates and their families.
May 02, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Incoming University of South Carolina President Michael Amiridis is going to miss the University of Illinois Chicago, but he has zero misgivings about the new job. In fact, the former UofSC faculty member-turned-administrator is thrilled to return to the campus where he cut his academic teeth.
April 25, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
A lot happens over the course of an academic year, and there’s absolutely no way to highlight everything. So, no, don’t think of this as a Best Of list. This is merely a smattering of the achievements and memorable moments that defined 2021-22, a small taste of the year that was. Trust us, there’s plenty more where this came from — and plenty more to come.
April 21, 2022, Megan Sexton
Darius Rucker, country music superstar, proud University of South Carolina alumnus and Gamecock superfan, will hold a free concert for students to celebrate the women’s basketball team’s national championship.
April 12, 2022, Megan Sexton
Alumna Kelly Adams, managing director of state government and regulatory affairs for the energy infrastructure company Williams, was instrumental in her employer’s gift of $1.5 million to the university's Center for Civil Rights History and Research.
April 11, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Romance, historical fiction, sci-fi — for young adult novelist Shanna Miles, it’s all fair game. It’s also rocket fuel for the imagination, whether she’s typing up the next interstellar adventure or turning kids on to reading and writing as a virtual school librarian.
April 05, 2022, Dan Cook
When you think of change management, you might think of the Harvard Business Review or McKinsey’s global consultants. You probably don’t think about musicians. But in David Cutler’s new book, the distinguished professor of entrepreneurship and innovation in the School of Music takes lessons that began in the arts and translates them into a broad-based way of thinking about change in any other facet of life.
March 28, 2022, Megan Sexton
The University of South Carolina’s international business program retained its spot as the best in the country, while the School of Medicine Columbia remained the best school for graduates practicing in underserved areas, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate School rankings.
March 23, 2022, Megan Sexton
Susan O'Malley, the first woman to run a professional sports franchise, has brought her knowledge, insight and enthusiasm to the University of South Carolina, focusing on giving students a taste of the fast-paced field of sports and event management.
March 17, 2022, Rebekah Friedman
Alumna Lee Satterfield, ’89 journalism, has spent three decades in the political arena, gaining responsibilities with each stop. At the end of 2021, Satterfield was confirmed by the U.S Senate as assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the State Department.
March 17, 2022, Megan Sexton
As a Ph.D. student in the College of Nursing, Chigozie Nkwonta studied cervical cancer prevention, with the goal to increase HPV vaccinations and cervical cancer screenings in her home country of Nigeria.
March 15, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
Alumni Kenneth Moton, Eva Pilgrim and Sara Messer launched their broadcast careers at the University of South Carolina. Two decades later, they came back — as part of the "Good Morning America" takeover over Colonial Life Arena.
March 09, 2022, Chris Horn
Global warming is increasing the saltiness and temperature of the oceans, which adversely affect coral reefs and could worsen other aspects of marine ecosystems. Two scientists who earned their Ph.D.s from the University of South Carolina are gathering data on marine problems linked to climate change.
March 08, 2022, Rose Cisneros
As a forensic scientist and president of an international science academy, Carl McClary uses creativity in the way he approaches his scientific work.
March 02, 2022, Kelley Barrett
While virtual career fairs were born of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic, they are here to stay, says Mark Anthony, senior associate director of career development and experiential education in the university’s Career Center.
February 24, 2022, Craig Brandhorst; Photos by Kim Truett
In the age of digital overload and the COVID-19 pandemic, we need our public parks and gardens more than ever. Alumni Robin Salmon, Tracy Swartout and Karen Kustafik are here to help us escape.
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.
February 07, 2022, Chris Horn
Born to sharecroppers in 1944 in Yemassee, S.C., Edna Smith Primus was among the first Black graduates from the University of South Carolina in 1966. She became the first Black woman enrolled at the School of Law.
February 02, 2022, Kelley Barrett
Let's face it, the goal of a college education is to find a career. You’ve spent four years building your skillset, now it’s time to find that first job. Attending a career fair, while it may seem intimidating, lets you practice speaking to potential employers, which can boost your confidence and expand your network.
February 02, 2022, Page Ivey
Founded in 2015 by School of Medicine Columbia faculty member Dr. Rajeev Bais, the Carolina Survivor Clinic provides medical care and emotional support for traumatized refugees from violence in countries around the world.
January 31, 2022, Chris Horn
The University of South Carolina desegregated in 1963, but the history of Black people on campus extends back to the university’s beginning in the early 19th century. In 10 illuminating essays edited by Robert Greene II and Tyler Parry, Invisible No More (USC Press 2021) tells that story.
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).
December 21, 2021
Melissa Weisberg, a medical student at the School of Medicine Greenville, knew at 14 years old that she wanted to be a doctor. Now, as a second-year medical student, she’s already been able to work directly with patients by volunteering at the Greenville Free Medical Clinic.
December 16, 2021, Parker Blackburn
School of Journalism and Mass Communications sparked a passion for storytelling for Taylor Jennings-Brown, a 2021 mass communications graduate, who has landed a coveted Kroc Fellowship to work at NPR.
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.
December 08, 2021, Mollie Roe
At the College of Nursing, Gabs Amster used her personal journey to a healthy lifestyle to connect and empathize with her patients. After graduation this month, she will begin her career as a registered nurse in a critical care unit.
December 06, 2021, Savannah Bennett
Alumna Emma DeLoughry’s Macroplastics in South Carolina Waters: Connecting the Midlands to the Coast documentary is set to premiere on SC ETV Dec. 15.
November 17, 2021, Michael Ettlemyer
The COVID-19 pandemic created challenges to the quality of care not only by increasing the number of patients needing mental health treatment, but also by moving many appointments and communications from in-person to telehealth.
November 02, 2021, Page Ivey
University of South Carolina alumna Ebony Toussaint joined the university as a faculty member this fall, working with the Rural and Minority Health Research Center in the Arnold School of Public Health. One of her first research projects will be a study of how evictions impact mental health, on which she will work with her husband, Etienne Toussaint, who is a new law professor.
October 26, 2021, Rose Cisneros
Columbia native and University of South Carolina English graduate Catherine Baab-Muguira spent four years researching Poe’s life and career. Along the way, she found the strength to overcome one of the darkest periods in her own life and enough material for a book.
October 25, 2021, Megan Sexton
Jabari Evans is an assistant professor of race and media in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. He earned his doctorate in media, technology and society from Northwestern University after a 10-year career as a hip-hop artist.
October 21, 2021, Page Ivey
Civic engagement is a two-way street, and that’s particularly true in education. Professor Tia Stevens Andersen's mentorship class that pairs criminal justice students with at-risk high school students is paving the way to better outcomes for everyone involved.
October 19, 2021, Savannah Bennett
Alumna Hali Kerr says that environmental law and policy "puts a fire in my belly." Her new job at the Environmental Protection Agency drives that passion.
October 11, 2021, Chris Horn
Every year, the University of South Carolina attracts dynamic new faculty in a range of disciplines. Melissa Ellermann, an assistant professor of biological sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences, studies the role intestinal microorganisms play in our overall health.
October 07, 2021, Page Ivey
COVID’s impact on live theater has been well documented, but for performers like alumna Rebecca Krynski Cox, the show must go on. Cox is one of 10 Gamecocks Carolinian magazine spoke to about how the pandemic has changed the way we work.
September 30, 2021, Page Ivey
How long can a crew of astronauts live together and complete rote, and at times mundane, tasks without wanting to strangle each other? That is a question University of South Carolina graduate William Brown is hoping to help answer as one of two U.S. members of a NASA spaceflight simulation study.
September 21, 2021, Office of Communications and Public Affairs
With an MBA from UofSC, Nathalie Baulain leads the customer innovation lab at Michelin, one of the world’s leading tire companies. The professional MBA program at the Darla Moore School of Business helped Baulain achieve the entrepreneurial and creative problem-solving skills she needed to take on a new role and to be successful in her position.
September 21, 2021, Craig Brandhorst
As an executive vice president and global head of inclusion at ViacomCBS, Marva Smalls plays a crucial role in the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. And while her commitment to advocacy predates her time at the University of South Carolina, Smalls’ undergraduate and graduate experiences shaped her philosophy in profound ways.
September 16, 2021, Page Ivey
UofSC's public history graduates apply their knowledge and love of history to encourage civic engagement by making the past more understandable and accessible to the general public. They also are helping to refine our understanding of our past through new scholarship to tell a more inclusive history.
September 15, 2021, Page Ivey
Mandy Elmore realized early in her career as an engineer that part of her responsibility to the profession was to share her love of engineering, math and science with the next generation. The three-time UofSC graduate is now dean for the Engineering and Industrial Technology Division at Tri-County Technical College.
September 13, 2021, Megan Sexton
UofSC’s Belle W. Baruch Institute for Coastal and Marine Sciences offers students a first-hand look at a beautiful but changing ecosystem — and the chance to get a taste of fieldwork and perform research projects in the on-site labs.
September 01, 2021, Craig Brandhorst
Singers, teachers and public speakers can feel the effects of the pandemic, whether or not they contract the virus. Enter clinical professor of communication sciences and disorders and voice therapist Jamy Claire Archer, one of 10 Gamecocks Carolinian magazine spoke to about how the pandemic has changed the way we work.
August 26, 2021, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus is ranked the 12th best employer in South Carolina, according to a new national survey released by Forbes.
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 18, 2021, Craig Brandhorst
Capstone scholar Fatou Diedhiou began her college career in the age of COVID but adapted quickly to the “new normal,” despite contracting the virus early in her first semester. Diedhiou is one of 10 Gamecocks Carolinian magazine spoke to about how the pandemic has changed the way we work.
August 18, 2021, Craig Brandhorst
Broadcast journalism alumna Vicky Free was named vice president for global marketing at Adidas in 2020. Free focuses on marketing strategies, but the ethos of diversity, equity and inclusion informs her thinking every step of the way.
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 12, 2021, Allen Wallace
The University of South Carolina’s Apple Authorized Campus Store, Gamecock iHub, officially opens for business Aug. 13 with a grand opening ceremony. It is only the second in the nation to incorporate experiential learning into its business model.
August 05, 2021, Megan Sexton
COVID has upended tourism, from the way individuals travel to the way the industry does business. Tourism professor Simon Hudson is one of 10 Gamecocks Carolinian magazine spoke to about how the pandemic has changed the way we work.