March 10, 2025 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu
Moving to the South after a decade abroad was a bit of a culture shock for Katherine Tse, who was raised in California. The Department of Health Services Policy and Management grants coordinator has found all of the upsides though, including a love for college sports and access to some of her favorite international cuisines.
After studying English at the University of California, Los Angeles, Tse earned two additional degrees during her global travels. An MBA from National Taiwan University and an MA in Translation from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom supported her work in marketing and then as a Chinese-to-English translator.
When her partner got a job at USC, Tse did too – joining the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing as a program coordinator. When HSPM created a grants coordinator position in 2022, she made the move to the Arnold School.
“It was a tough learning curve of navigating federal regulations and learning internal processes, as well as figuring out the scope of my own role,” Tse says. “But with the support and institutional knowledge of people like our Business/HR manager, Dantz Woodberry, and Charlotte Stalvey in the Office of Research, I think it’s safe to say we’re out of the woods now.”
Tse supports HSPM faculty with pre- and post-award processes, including everything from proposal development to budget reconciliations. Her favorite part about her job is when she can see the direct effects of her knowledge and efforts to enable principal investigators to complete their projects.
“I don’t have a background in public health, but it’s not hard to appreciate the importance of the research being carried out by our PIs, and contributing to that in a tangible way is really rewarding,” she says.
"Katherine is an invaluable member of the HSPM department, providing extensive knowledge and support to both faculty and staff," say Woodberry. "She has streamlined grant processes, enabling faculty to submit an increasing number of grants and secure new funding opportunities successfully. Her keen eye for identifying issues during proposal budget preparation is crucial for ensuring successful on-time submissions. Overall, Katherine is multi-talented and dedicated; she consistently goes above and beyond in her duties, contributing to the growth of our department. Her diverse skills ensure excellence in everything she undertakes."
Outside of work, Tse and her partner have been pulled into the electric atmosphere of Saturdays in the fall – despite never having given a thought to college football prior to their move to Columbia. They’ve also discovered authentic Korean, Japanese and Venezuelan restaurants and a favorite Asian grocery store, with Decker Boulevard being a go-to spot for their taste buds.
“Being in a mid-sized city with such an outsized university presence means there is never a shortage of options and activities,” she says. “We’ve also gotten to take advantage of Columbia’s location to explore places like Asheville or Savannah or the Swamp Rabbit Trail in Greenville.”
Among her favorite new-to-college-sports experiences includes her first time in the Colonial Life Arena in 2020, when the USC men’s basketball team came back from being 14 points down and hit a buzzer-beater-three-pointer to win against Kentucky (then ranked number 10). Tse will never forget the excited chants of “USC” that echoed off the walls and has since taken advantage of staff tickets to watch other Gamecock sports, like soccer, volleyball and tennis.
Her own favorite sport of choice is ultimate frisbee, which she and her partner have been playing for more than 15 years. They’ve coached the USC women’s ultimate club team, Scorch, since 2021 and will soon be adding a new player to the roster: their first child, who is due in April.
The Staff Spotlight Series is sponsored by the Arnold School's Office of Access and Collective Engagement.