Capstone Scholars Partnering Offices

Career Center
Community Service Programs
Fellowships and Scholar Programs
Leadership Programs
Office of Pre-Professional Advising
Study Abroad/ International Programs
Undergraduate Admissions
Undergraduate Research
University 101
University Housing

Enhance your experience at the University of South Carolina. Take advantage of special services and opportunities for Capstone Scholars offered through following offices.

• Introduce career development goals for each academic year
• Utilize FOCUS, an Internet-based computer assisted career guidance program, to help with self-assessment/career planning activities
• Develop career development goals for each academic year
• Promote job fairs to help students gain an understanding of what is available in the world of work
• Offer individual counseling as needed

Capstone Scholars will receive more details about specific session times for certain academic majors in the fall.
For more information about the Career Center , please visit: http://www.sc.edu/career/

Community Service Programs
Get involved in the greater community through service learning. The Capstone Scholars Program partners with Richland School District One to provide this opportunity. Pine Grove Elementary has been designated as Capstone Scholars’ volunteer sites for students interested in mentoring and tutoring children. The Capstone Scholars Program provides transportation to and from Pine Grove Elementary School on Wednesdays for Capstone Scholars participating in the program.

Interested in spending your fall or spring break helping others? Another option for service learning is participating in an Alternative Break during the fall or spring break. Capstone Scholars may organize their own volunteering trips to various areas around the country or join existing alternative break trips.
For more information about Community Service Programs at USC, please visit: http://www.sa.sc.edu/communityservice/

Fellowships and Scholar Programs
This office provides three levels of services and support to students:

• Awareness of the available nationally competitive scholarships. This includes coordinating a campus-wide process by which faculty can nominate students to visit our office; sending out publications such as flyers and newsletters to prospective applicants; speaking to students individually about scholarship opportunities.
• Education about scholarship and application processes by holding a series of 10 workshops each semester, as well as meeting one-on-one with students.
• Support for students as they work through the scholarship application process, specifically helping students work on written materials for applications (completing forms, reviewing personal statements, etc.), for the most professional application possible. A part of this process is advising students about obtaining transcripts, sending materials, and providing other clerical resources

For more information about Fellowships and Scholar Programs, please visit: http://www.sc.edu/ofsp/

Leadership Programs
The Office of Leadership Programs within the Department of Student Life at the University has developed a specific section of their Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) for Capstone Scholars. ELP is a series of eight interactive 75-minute workshops teaching basic leadership skills.
For more information about ELP and the Office of Leadership Programs, please visit: http://www.sa.sc.edu/leaders/emergingleader.htm

Office of Pre-Professional Advising
Students planning to attend medical, other health professional schools or law school following their degree at South Carolina, should work closely with the Office of Pre-Professional Advising to become the most competitive applicants they can be. The office assists students at the university with the preparation and application process to professional schools.
For more information about the Office of Pre-Professional Advising, please visit: http://www.sc.edu/oppa/

Study Abroad/ International Programs
Capstone Scholars are encouraged to study in another country as part of their University of South Carolina undergraduate program. The Office of Study Abroad can help students explore options for international study and financial aid. Every Capstone Scholar will have the opportunity to compete for a summer study abroad fellowship, which provides $2,000 in funding for a summer study abroad opportunity following the freshman year or throughout your undergraduate program. Additionally, there are special summer study abroad programs open to only Capstone Scholars during Maymester in Italy or Peru in 2009.
For more information about the Office of Study Abroad, please visit: http://www.sa.sc.edu/sa/

Undergraduate Admissions
Contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for questions regarding acceptance in the Capstone Scholars program. http://www.sc.edu/admissions/

Undergraduate Research
Take learning to the next level and research your passion while you engage with world renowned USC faculty. The Office of Undergraduate Research is available to help any undergraduate student who is pursuing a research interest (credit or no credit, funded or unfunded). Contact this office for more information on how to get started with a project or how to become involved with faculty’s research. Capstone Scholars will be able to compete for undergraduate research grants, valued up to $3000, through this office. Research mini-grants, valued at $500, are now available and can be used to purchase materials and supplies or to off-set travel costs required for conducting the research project. The Office of Undergraduate Research now offers the DISCOVER Program, an 8-week not-for-credit seminar open to first-year students in any major. This program will help you gain some of these basic research skills and techniques. For more information about the Office of Undergraduate Research, please visit: http://www.sc.edu/our/

University 101
All Capstone Scholars are required to take a Capstone Scholar section of University 101, South Carolina ’s nationally acclaimed nationally and internationally renowned first-year seminar course dedicated to helping new students succeed. Students may choose a general Capstone Scholars U101 course or other Capstone Scholars U101 section related to their academic interest (Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Journalism, Pre-Med, and Pre-Law).
For more information about University 101, please visit: http://www.sc.edu/univ101/

University Housing
Your residence hall is more than a place to sleep. University Housing at the University of South Carolina has implemented many programs to enhance your academic and personal development during college. Resident mentors (RMs), upperclass students who live in the residence halls, assist residents daily on their transitions to college life. First-year Capstone Scholars have preferred housing in Capstone House, a suite-style living community in the north area of campus.
For more information about University Housing’s living and learning initiatives, please visit: http://www.housing.sc.edu/

If you are faculty member and would like to get involved with the Capstone Scholars program, please contact Dr. John Spurrier, Capstone Scholars Faculty Principal, at spurrier@stat.sc.edu or call (803) 777-4436.