208 Osborne Administration Building
803-777-9795
foundation@sc.edu

Jerome D. Odom
Jerry Odom served as the Administrative Liaison to the Educational Foundation from 1997 to 2004 and participated in all committee and board meetings. In 2004, he returned to serving as a professor in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. The Board elected him to a new term as a faculty member.

Jerry Odom received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Indiana University. After a postdoctoral year at Bristol University in Bristol, England, he joined the faculty of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, as an assistant professor at the University of South Carolina. After many years as professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Dr. Odom was appointed dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. In March 1997, Dr. Odom was appointed executive vice president for academic affairs and provost.

He is the author of 150 peer-reviewed papers, five general chemistry textbooks, and holds two patents. Dr. Odom is the recipient of numerous awards and honors from the University, including the Amoco Teaching Award (1984), the Mungo Teaching Award (1993); and the Russell Research Award in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering (1994). The five USC Foundations paid tribute to Dr. Jerome D. Odom for his outstanding service to the foundations by establishing the Jerome D. Odom Fellowship in Chemistry.

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Russell H. Meekins CPA
Russ Meekins serves as Director of the USC Educational Foundation and Chief Financial Officer of the USC Foundations. He came to the University in June 1995 from the private sector having served as corporate CFO of two companies for eight years. He was previously employed for five years by the public accounting firm now known as Ernst & Young, LLP.

Russ received a B.S. in Business Administration-Finance in 1981 and a B.S. in Business Administration-Accounting in 1983. Both degrees are from the University of South Carolina. He has been licensed as certified public accountant since 1985.

Since 1991, he has been a member of the Board of Directors of AllSouth Federal Credit Union and volunteers as a member of the Heathwood Hall Episcopal School Athletics Committee.

He and wife, Joanna, have two children: Ben, a sophomore in the USC Honors College, and Catherine who will be entering the Honors College as a freshman in Fall, 2004.

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Richard H. Rockafellow
Dick Rockafellow serves as Director of the USC Development Foundation. He joined the Development Foundation as Executive Secretary in 1992.

Prior to joining the Foundation, he was Vice President of Edens & Avant, Inc, North Inlet Corporation, and McTeer Real Estate Company. He was also a Trust and Real Estate Officer of First National Bank of South Carolina.

He graduated from USC with a B.A. Arts and Science degree in 1961 and received his law degree in 1964.

His professional associations include the South Carolina Bar, National Association of College and University Associations, South Carolina Association of Realtors, Lifetime Member of the Million Dollar Real Estate Club of Columbia, SC, Institute of Real Estate Management, Certified Property Manager and a former member of the Columbia Estate Planning Council.

He has been active with civic organizations including the South Carolina Nature Conservancy, Richland Sertoma Club, Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Action Council and the Columbia Hearing and Speech Center.

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M. Sandra Bennett
M. Sandra Bennett joined University Foundations as assistant director on December 7, 1998 transferring from the Management Department of the Moore School of Business which she joined in February 1988.

She attended Newberry College prior to joining the Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, DC in 1961. After living in El Paso, Texas and the Denver, Colorado area, she returned to South Carolina in 1988.

She is a member of the American Rabbit Breeders Association, serves on the standards committee of the Lop Rabbit Club of America, vice president of the Southern Lop Breeders Association, and secretary/treasurer of the SC State, Southern Pride Rabbit and Cavy, and Southern Flemish Breeders Associations.

She was a Girl Scout leader for a number of years and a Junior Achievement volunteer.

She is a member of Bethany Lutheran Church serving as chair of the stewardship committee and secretary of the church council.

She is married to James W. Bennett and their family includes two daughters, two son-in-laws, and two granddaughters.