The University of South Carolina's Department of Retailing is giving students the opportunity to make a difference in the world through a new partnership with national nonprofit, Delivering Good. The collaboration will include education, research, career development and community outreach components, bringing together leading retailing scholars and students with a nonprofit that is converting surplus into social impact.

Delivering Good has distributed more than $3 billion in new merchandise, from clothing to personal care products and more, to people who have been impacted by poverty, disaster, and other challenges. The nonprofit organization does this through a distribution network of more than 800 community partners located across the U.S. and beyond — helping businesses become more sustainable by donating their surplus products to benefit communities and individuals in need. 

"We are so excited to be collaborating with an organization that is driving positive change and serving a critical need in the retail industry and the world," says South Carolina Department of Retailing Chair Jeff Campbell. "Working together we can help Delivering Good make an even bigger impact while also enriching our students' education with career potential. Our goal is to help students understand philanthropy as a critical part of leadership and corporate operations success."

Retailing faculty will help lead research projects and hands-on learning experiences, such as disaster response innovation and analysis of environmental social governance, or ESG, in the retail industry and how it is shaping brands and business strategies. Students will also have the opportunity to make a local impact by getting involved in various partnership activations. 

"We are thrilled at the opportunity to partner with the University of South Carolina's Department of Retailing and see many opportunities to engage the faculty and students in our work connecting excess new merchandise with individuals and families dealing with poverty and disaster," said Delivering Good President & CEO Matthew Fasciano. "The University offers an abundance of resources that will help us do more good for the people we serve and I look forward to our work together."

The USC Department of Retailing offers a bachelor's degree in retailing with concentrations in retail management or fashion merchandising and digital innovations. Industry partnerships, technology integration and real-world experience have been cornerstones of the program which prepares students for a wide range of careers in sales, store operations, logistics, merchandising, product marketing, ecommerce, consumer trends, and more. The department  also plans to launch a new master's degree program this fall.