The University of South Carolina's College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management is proud to welcome the fifth and newest cohort of Tepper Scholars. The four incoming freshmen will join the internationally acclaimed Department of Sport and Entertainment Management and its most prestigious scholarship program.

Created in 2020, the David and Nicole Tepper Scholars Program recruits the best and brightest sport and entertainment management students and enriches their education opportunities, and ultimately their careers. The Teppers own the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte FC and Bank of America Stadium. They are active philanthropists and strong supporters of access to education.

USC's Tepper Scholars are selected based on academic merit with an emphasis on supporting student diversity and first-generation students. The scholars receive funding to cover a substantial portion of their tuition costs for four years as undergraduate students. In addition, they benefit from direct mentorship and career development opportunities with The David and Nicole Tepper Foundation and Tepper Sports and Entertainment.

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Catherine Cory

Clemson, South Carolina

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Catherine Cory grew up surrounded by music, checking out bookcases full of her father’s collection and hearing his stories about seeing artists like Bruce Springsteen and Eric Church in concert. When her dad took her to see her first concert, she was hooked.

"The excitement of everyone buying a t-shirt and the atmosphere when the lights go low and the band walks on the stage — it's exhilarating. When it was time to start thinking about what I wanted to study in college, I knew pursuing tour management as a career was my dream," she says. "Some of my fondest memories are of singing along to my favorite songs at concerts and I want to dedicate my life to creating that experience for people all over the world."

In high school, Catherine's dedication to pursuing her dream earned her a 4.99 GPA. She also served as yearbook editor, National Beta Club president and as a member of Junior Leadership of Pickens County. As a member of her high school cross country team, she finished as state runner-up.

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Henry Della Penna

Bedford, New York

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Henry Della Pena excelled in high school as an honor roll student, National Honor Society member and varsity hockey player. His love of sports is at the heart of his choice to major in sport and entertainment management.

Henry has already combined his love of sports with the business side of the industry as an entrepreneur, collecting gently used gear and reselling it. To honor his late grandfather, he donates all the profits to an organization dedicated to suicide prevention.

"As a competitive athlete and avid fan,I’m passionate about sports and they’ve been integral to shaping my values, character, and aspirations," he says. "Working in the highly competitive arena of sport management is a great fit for me because of my competitive drive as a student, athlete, and ultimately as a professional in the world of sports."

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Lizzie Powell

Charlotte, North Carolina

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Lizzie Powell's life and career plans have already been influenced by David and Nicole Tepper, through the teams they own and through her first meeting with one of USC’s Tepper Scholars. 

A Charlotte native, Lizzie goes to Panthers and Charlotte FC games at every opportunity and says she was blown away when, on a visit to Columbia for USC Admitted Student Day she heard 2021-25 Tepper Scholar Ambar Ferra talk about her internships with the teams.

"I love the strategy, tactics, and training behind what makes a team successful on and off the field. I love the excitement of being in a packed stadium with passionate fans. Furthermore, I'm in awe of how talented sports and entertainment professionals put together this fantastic spectacle," she says. "I've been equally excited to see traditionally international sports, like soccer, becoming more mainstream in the U.S., like how Charlotte FC has quickly transformed my home city into a soccer city."

Lizzie’s goal is to work with sports teams to help expand their fan bases internationally. She excelled in the classroom and as a two-sport athlete in high school, earning a USC Admissions Merit award with her academic performance. She earned recognition as her school's Athlete of the Year and two-time Spanish Student of the Year. She also served as Beta Club vice president.

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Sydney Smith

Lexington, South Carolina

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Life-changing moments can happen at the most unexpected times. For Sydney Smith, one came while she was isolated in her bedroom after testing positive for COVID-19 and watching the Netflix docuseries Last Chance U, specifically the work of Brittany Wagner, an athletic academic counselor featured in the series.

"It was the catalyst for my shift from wanting to become an elementary teacher to now wanting to pursue a career in collegiate athletics," Sydney says. "I was intrigued and began researching and soon unraveled various careers in collegiate athletics, like operations, recruitment coordinators, and the NCAA CHAMPS/Life Skills. Immersing myself in the biographies and the social media profiles of women working in collegiate sports such as Sportsmist, Nicole Lynn, and Jordyn Foster helped me to realize that as an African-American woman, I too can thrive working in the sports industry."

As a River Bluff High School student, Sydney maintained an exceptional 4.48 GPA, earning a place in the National Honor Society and as a Palmetto Girls State delegate. She also served as Student Body Secretary and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator and as a member of the school color guard, chosen as co-captain and a junior staff member.