
Convocation
An annual tradition, our Convocation is a special time for faculty, new students and families.
Every August, the University of South Carolina invites the new academic class to attend
New Student Convocation, a ceremony commemorating your inclusion as a new student
at the university.
Along with new students and family members, additional participants include the President,
the university's chief administrator; the Provost, the chief academic officer; representatives
of the Board of Trustees, the institution’s governing body, to which the president
of the university is responsible; and the deans of schools and colleges, the chief
administrators and academic officers of their respective schools or colleges.
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Cookies with Cocky
Join us for a reception immediately following the ceremony on the CLA concourse for refreshments and the opportunity to take photos with Cocky.
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The Carolina Mace
The Carolina Mace, fashioned by English silversmith Leslie Durbin, is the symbol of the university’s corporate entity and authority, as well as of the endeavors of the university community. The mace, dedicated in 1967, is carried in procession on occasions of importance by the president of student government.
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President's Medallion
The significance of the mace is mirrored in the President’s Medallion and Chain of Office, designating the wearer as the temporary embodiment of the university’s power and authority. The gift of the medallion accompanied the gift of the mace. The silver Chain of Office was commissioned in 1991 by the Presidential Candidate Search Committee.
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University Seal
The university seal was adopted in 1803 and is comprised of two figures representing Liberty and Minerva, Roman goddess of wisdom, whose shield is a representation of the seal of the State of South Carolina.

Alma Mater
“We Hail Thee, Carolina”
(Tune: “Flow Gently, Sweet Afton”)
We hail thee, Carolina, and sing thy high praise;
With loyal devotion, rememb’ring the days;
When proudly we sought thee, thy children to be;
Here’s a health, Carolina, forever to thee!
— G.A. Wauchope