UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

About USC Connect

USC Connect is leading the transformation of students’ educational experiences through a university-wide focus on integrating learning within and beyond the classroom. The ultimate goal of USC Connect is for students to be thoroughly and deeply prepared with core knowledge, developed skills, and the dispositions to contribute and lead in home, community, and work settings.

USC Connect: Integrating Learning Within and Beyond the Classroom was approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) as USC’s Quality Enhancement Plan December 6, 2011.
 

Shared Responsibility

The Office of the Provost provides leadership for USC Connect through Dr. Helen Doerpinghaus, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Studies. Dr. Doerpinghaus oversees the Office of USC Connect which works directly and extensively with Columbia and the Regional campuses including colleges, schools, and numerous university offices. USC Connect is built on a strong partnership between academic and student affairs. Responsibility for implementation is shared by faculty, staff, and students across the university community.

The work of USC Connect is guided by the USC Connect Council and the Student Representative Board.
 

Integrative Learning as Defined by USC Connect

For USC Connect integrative learning means:

• Integrating knowledge and skills across within- and beyond-the-classroom experiences
• Including the ability to apply new understandings to solve problems in a variety of contexts

Integrative learning occurs when students systematically reflect on experiences and seek connections across classroom learning and beyond-the-classroom experiences. Examples include:

• Describing a solution to a problem “in the field” by applying principles from class
• Writing an essay describing how face-to-face experiences relate class concepts
• Creating a poster session describing research findings or conclusions from a study abroad experience
• Posting a series of blog entries to make a persuasive argument citing specific examples or raising questions based on experience
• Designing a work of art (painting, music composition, theatre production) that communicates a particular point of view in relation to a social need
• Formulating a PowerPoint or video with insights into a culture explored through interviews with a local group, study abroad, or domestic study away
• Developing an e-portfolio highlighting knowledge, skills, perspectives, and dispositions gained across experiences

Beyond-the-classroom experiences for USC Connect range from attending a one-time event to extensive involvement throughout a year or a semester. USC Connect focuses on 5 pathways of engagement:

• Community Service
• Global Study
• Internships
• Peer Leadership
• Research and Discovery

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