For some students, the transition from high school to college can be equal parts uncertainty and excitement, especially for students coming from out of state.

May 2026 graduate Andrew Pana says that reflecting back on his first weeks at the University of South Carolina, finding opportunities for support and connection on campus made his Gamecock experience memorable. And in the years since he stepped foot on campus for the first time, the South Carolina Honors College student has made a conscious effort to be that community for first-year students when they first arrive at Carolina.

“I don’t like the feeling when it seems like nobody is there for me. That's why I've really tried to take on leadership roles where I can advocate for people. I want to build communities and show them that I care and that I'm there for them,” he says.

Recently named the 2026 Dennis A. Pruitt Outstanding Advocate for First-Year Students, Pana has spent his time at USC creating intentional opportunities for first-year students to feel connected, supported and confident as they transition to college life. He says his leadership is rooted in his love for the communities he has found at USC and his desire to help younger students find their home on campus.

Resident assistant to the rescue

Pana, who graduated with degrees in biological sciences and Spanish while completing the pre-medical curriculum, came to USC from Chaska, Minnesota, and got his first leadership experience on campus working as a resident assistant (RA) for University Housing. Spending two full years as an RA at Green Quad, Pana says he grew a lot, learning how to help first-year students feel at home during a transitional and often overwhelming first year while balancing responsibility with building relationships.

But a move back to the Honors Residence Hall, where Pana lived as a first-year student, made Pana’s final year as an RA his best one yet. In award nomination letters this spring, Pana’s most recent residents noted his kindness and intentionality, including little things that made their residential experience special, like Pana greeting them by name on move-in day. His enthusiasm for helping first-year students find their place within the USC community and his intentionality in creating bonds between residents helped many students build friendships, confidence and a sense of belonging during their first year on campus.

“Andrew has taken the initiative to make everyone around him feel welcomed and accepted. He is truly passionate about what he does, hosting various hall events consistently, decorating the hall and maintaining a fun spirit, as well as introducing people to one another,” one nominator says.

Pana's residents credit him for really caring about and providing encouragement throughout their first year. Students remember both late nights playing Mario Kart and times that Pana took the group to career and internship fairs, supporting them through both the exciting and the more daunting moments that followed.

“When I applied to be an RA my freshman year, it wasn’t because I knew I had this passion for community building, or I knew everything. But I feel like over the years I really grew into that role. And I realized the impact that an RA can make and how important we are in building the USC community, and I feel like this year was the epitome of that. And I reached my full potential within the role,” he says.

Part of reaching his full potential was learning to be innovative in event planning and making memorable experiences for not just his residents, but all of the first-year students living in the Honors Residence Hall. Before the school year kicked off, RAs were welcomed by South Carolina Honors College staff, including Dean Steven Lynn, during their training. When Lynn told the students, “If we can help you with anything, please let us know,” Pana quickly jumped in with an idea — beyond smaller programming done by each RA for their hall, he wanted help organizing a fall event that centered on helping all first-year Honors students meet one another early in the semester and create lasting connections within the residence hall community.

“Over the course of several weeks, Andrew conceived an idea for a new and one-of-a-kind experience for Honors first-year students that would include multiple activity stations, games, prizes and even opportunities to interact with Dean Lynn himself as well as other staff in attendance,” one staff member remembers. “He led the planning team in working out logistics with the hall director and the assistant residence life coordinator, presenting the idea to the rest of the RA staff and organizing them to help with the various stations, marketing the event through posters/email lists and decorating the building the day of.”

Working with a team of six RAs, Pana spearheaded the brand-new Honors Hall Crawl, which included eight themed activity stations across the first floor of the building, free food from across Columbia, custom event t-shirts, an outdoor movie and a jam session led by Lynn. Nearly 350 Honors students attended the event, giving many first-year students an opportunity to build friendships and connect with peers, RAs and Honors College staff early in the semester.

Helping students along the pre-med track

Pana’s support and advocacy for first-year students does not stop when students leave their residence hall for the day. Over his final three years, he was a member of Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED), a pre-health honors society that aims to provide clinical exposure, networking and service opportunities for its members. As a senior, Pana took on the additional responsibilities of being new member chair for the organization.

Pana personally invested in helping newer pre-med students navigate opportunities that can feel intimidating during a student’s first years in college, including assisting prospective members with resumes and preparing them for the rush process. Once in AED, members had the benefit of a revitalized big-little program, after Pana made it his personal mission to deepen the relationships between new members and their older mentors.

As Pana leaves the organization, he is confident the mentorship within the group will remain strong, even meeting with the two new member chairs for the 2026-2027 year to help them plan programming before summer break. And for members going into their second year, his influence and exceptional advocacy set the bar for what they want to accomplish going forward.

“The new members of AED for the 2025-2026 school year received amazing support and guidance from his hard work that has enabled the success of both rush events and the members within AED. His attitude is one I strongly admire and respect, and I strive to have a similar one in my relationships with others. His contagious spirit can ripple through communities, enhancing the experiences of all. Being an out-of-state college student from Illinois intimidated me,” reads one nomination letter.

What’s ahead

Whether through residence life, mentorship or student organizations, Pana says his goal has always been to make first-year students feel seen and supported during one of the biggest transitions of their lives.

Now, after spending four years helping younger students navigate their transition to college, Pana is preparing for a transition of his own. After graduation, he returned to Minnesota for a gap year while applying and preparing for medical school, with the hope of starting in fall 2027.