December 14, 2023, Carol J.G. Ward
Melissa Watson Ward grew up in a low-resource community in Columbia, South Carolina and has dedicated her career to helping people from communities like hers. When a career opportunity emerged to make a real impact on clients’ lives, she took it. Now she's training women and non-binary individuals to run at all levels of government from local to federal.
December 07, 2023, Megan Sexton
As the December Class of 2023 prepares to walk across the commencement stage, graduates leave the University of South Carolina with memories of enduring friendships, newfound passions, supportive mentors and life-changing experiences.
December 07, 2023, Marketing and Communications
It’s been a momentous year at the University of South Carolina. We welcomed a record-setting freshman class, renamed our law school, announced new research initiatives, hired new deans, held an investiture ceremony for President Amiridis — and so much more.
December 01, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
Since being named CEO of South Carolina’s largest food bank in 2021, University of South Carolina alumna Erinn Rowe has played an integral role in combating food insecurity across the state.
November 30, 2023, Michaela Taylor
The Carolina Coliseum has housed championship basketball programs, career fairs, events and more. Now, it’s home to one of the most valuable resources on campus: The Gamecock CommUnity Shop.
November 29, 2023, Lauryn Jiles
When taking a look at Carson Light’s Instagram profile, you’ll come across an array of fashion, beauty and lifestyle content. Her social media is a reflection of her personal interests and what she does for a living. The 2020 College of Information and Communications graduate has built her own personal brand through social media, accumulating over 31,000 followers on Instagram and over 4 million views on TikTok.
November 13, 2023, Thom Harman
Following in his father's footsteps, Roger Barnette attended the University of South Carolina, loved his college experience and learned what he needed to have successful career. Now he's helping the Honors College recruit today's top talent from the Atlanta area and beyond.
November 13, 2023, Lauryn Jiles
USC’s Interprofessional Education program brings together students in the university’s 12 health science professional programs across six colleges and schools to help them have meaningful interactions with others training to be pharmacists, doctors, nurses, social workers, physical therapists and speech pathologists, among other fields.
November 10, 2023, Peggy Binette
The University of South Carolina’s School of Law has a new name thanks to the generosity and vision of well-known alumnus and longtime benefactor, plaintiffs’ trial lawyer Joe Rice. The official name, the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law, was announced Friday (Nov. 10) during a signage unveiling ceremony at the law school building at the corner of Bull and Senate streets.
November 10, 2023
Living in a rural community brings lots of advantages: close-knit communities, easy access to nature, less noise and pollution, lower home prices. But a lack of population density also brings challenges, and access to health care is one of them. As daunting as the state’s health issues can seem, the University of South Carolina is well positioned to help.
November 08, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
Seth Rose, ’03, was a first team All-American in men’s tennis, and he paid his alma mater back by helping finance two courts on campus But Rose’s love for the Gamecocks extends beyond tennis. The 2014 Gamecock Athletics Hall of Fame inductee is also a huge Gamecock football fan, and his philanthropy reflects it.
November 06, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
South Carolina’s nursing shortage is an ongoing issue, and it is projected to worsen, particularly in the state’s rural areas. From Union to Walterboro, the USC system is on a mission to meet those needs.
November 03, 2023, Megan Sexton
First-generation college students come from all sorts of backgrounds and bring a variety of perspectives to campus. At USC, about one-fifth of the student population identifies as first-generation college students, meaning their parents did not earn a four-year college degree.
November 02, 2023, Gregory Hardy
The Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center at the University of South Carolina for years has researched what the business model of assigning a pharmacist to a patient-centered medical home could look like. Patti Fabel, a clinical associate pharmacy professor and executive director of the KPIC, made the most of a chance to make that work.
October 27, 2023, Lauryn Jiles
USC Alumnus, Stephen Brown does a little bit of everything.
October 16, 2023, Bryan Gentry
In the early 1970s, a USC administrator helped organize a committee to manage funds for humanities-related projects in South Carolina. That small step led to a 50-year relationship between the university and South Carolina Humanities, a statewide nonprofit that works to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of South Carolinians. This month, SC Humanities honors four USC-affiliated faculty and former faculty members.
October 16, 2023, Megan Sexton
Danny Morrison, former president of the Carolina Panthers and a sport management professor at USC, draws on his long career in athletics to inspire and educate the next generation of sport professionals
October 06, 2023, Téa Smith
Gabriela Castillo doesn’t often see herself represented onstage or onscreen. But in her career as professional actor, she hopes that she’ll be able to help shift the portrayal of Caribbean and Afro Latino cultures to be more accurate and diverse.
October 02, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
Through her job as director of behavioral health initiatives and workforce development at the South Carolina Office of Rural Health, Jessica Seel is doing the high-impact work she dreamed of when she came to USC for her master’s in public health.
October 01, 2023, Shalama Jackson
The University of South Carolina will commemorate Reconstruction and the 150th anniversary of the first Black student — Henry E. Hayne — who enrolled in the university in 1873. Hayne later served in the South Carolina Senate and as a South Carolina secretary of state.
September 11, 2023
The University of South Carolina commemorated the 60th anniversary of desegregation with an observance at the site where a monument will be placed in early 2024 to honor the three Black students who enrolled six decades ago.
August 30, 2023
The University of South Carolina will commemorate the 60th anniversary of desegregation with an observance at the site where a statue will be placed in early 2024 to honor the three Black students, Henrie Monteith Treadwell, Robert G. Anderson and James L. Solomon Jr., who enrolled six decades ago.
August 30, 2023, Lauryn Jiles
The university never sleeps, but it does slow down a bit during the summer. With the start of the fall semester, here’s a reminder of some recent happenings that you might have missed, plus a heads up about some major upcoming events.
August 30, 2023, Chris Horn
The first three Black students enrolled at USC on Sept. 11, 1963, but the university’s desegregation was a process, not a once-and-done event. In the years that followed, more Black students would enroll — a trickle that would eventually become a steady stream. What were their experiences at what had been an all-white university?
August 25, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
Wesley and George Bryan IV made their mark on the greens as Gamecock golfers. The brothers are now teeing off as golf course owners.
August 24, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
Defensive end Travian Robertson nearly gave up football when his NFL career ended. Now the Gamecocks D-line coach is giving back — plus more.
August 23, 2023, Alexis Watts
Seven Gamecocks were on the frontlines of the March opening of the Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. With degrees ranging from advertising and public relations to biology and marine science, these University of South Carolina graduates play important roles in powering the No. 1 tourist destination in South Carolina, which attracts more than 1 million visitors annually.
August 22, 2023, Thom Harman
Researchers from USC Lancaster’s Native American Studies Center contributed to a Columbia Museum of Art exhibition that honors Catawba Nation’s artistry and culture. It’s an event that’s been years in the making — at least.
August 17, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
No one expected Ray McManus to go to college. Three USC degrees later, he’s a professor of English at USC Sumter and a celebrated poet with three books under his belt.
August 16, 2023, Chris Horn
James Wolf has been a Gamecock since he saw his first football game at Williams-Brice at the age of 7. Wolf, a 2005 business school graduate and financial adviser, has been president of the Charlotte, N.C., chapter of the Gamecock Club and USC Alumni Association for 14 years. He brings an energy to the role that is equal parts motivational speaker and loyal alumnus.
August 14, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
Broadcast journalism graduate Alex Grant produces exciting social media video content for the Carolina Panthers. The Columbia native cut his teeth in Gamecock Productions.
August 14, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
In South Carolina, 42 percent of women have experienced intimate partner physical violence, sexual violence or stalking. Sara Barber knows the statistics. Since 2014, the University of South Carolina alumna has served as executive director of the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, a coalition of 22 organizations that connect survivors with emergency shelter, counseling and other services.
August 11, 2023, Alexis Watts
Ryan Buell has been a student, journalist, paranormal researcher, well-known TV personality, addict and now University of South Carolina counselor education graduate. “There's nothing anyone can say that will make me look down on them because I’ve been there,” Buell says. “If you're wanting help, if you're seeking to better yourself and you're seeking redemption, I feel like everyone should have that chance.”
August 11, 2023, Megan Sexton
Walk through the doors at All Good Books, a thriving bookstore in the heart of Five Points, and you’ll see neat shelves filled with classics and new releases, a counter for coffee, beer and wine and – perhaps most important of all — a welcoming vibe.
August 11, 2023
As a major city just an hour-and-a-half up the road from the University of South Carolina’s flagship campus in Columbia, it’s no surprise that plenty of Gamecocks end up in Charlotte, North Carolina. Altogether, there are more than 25,000 USC graduates living in the Charlotte area, making it the No. 3 destination for Gamecock alumni after Columbia and Greenville, South Carolina. We spoke with several alumni who are making Charlotte a second home for Gamecock Nation.
August 10, 2023, Dan Cook
Curiosity has always been a driving force for Audrey Ware — and it has paid off. She earned three undergraduate degrees at USC: international business, marketing and French. Now, armed with a master’s degree in market research and consumer behavior, Ware continues to explore as a senior business analyst for the global firm McKinsey & Company in Charlotte.
August 10, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
Former Charlotte Motor Speedway president and general manager Humpy Wheeler was one of the most colorful racing promotors in NASCAR history. In the late 1950s, he was also a hard-nosed Gamecock football player — and he has the origin story to prove it.
August 10, 2023, Megan Sexton
As vice president and legal counsel at Belk in Charlotte, School of Law alumna Alysja Carlisle reviews and drafts commercial contracts, manages projects and addresses a wide range of general corporate, privacy and intellectual property issues. She also gives her time and talents to organizations around the region and her alma mater.
August 08, 2023
The Columbia Fireflies will be celebrating University of South Carolina Night at their game against the Delmarva Shorebirds on Thursday, August 31 at Segra Park.
August 07, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
After 46 years in the business, Bojangles knows how to do fried chicken. And alumna Stacey McCray, the company’s vice president of communications, knows how to promote it.
August 03, 2023, Alexis Watts
Summer camp memories don’t often include crime scene blood spatter analysis or creating culinary masterpieces, but the Carolina Master Scholars Adventure Series is not your typical summer camp.
July 31, 2023, Carol J.G. Ward
USC alumni fill leadership roles in public broadcasting across the U.S., from president and CEO to brand engagement and communications. What they have in common: a passion for broadcasting in the public interest, and a strong foundation formed at the University of South Carolina.
July 28, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
Gamecocks defensive line coach Travian Robertson almost walked away from football. But when he came back to the game he loves, he came back hard.
July 25, 2023, Michaela Taylor
When Stan Papajohn first met with the faculty at the College of Pharmacy, he was a man ready to retire after 40 years in the world of retail pharmacy. The deal they struck was for Papajohn to come on as a part-time clinical instructor for “just a few years.” Now, 23 years after he agreed to come on board, Papajohn is officially hanging up the white coat.
July 13, 2023, Page Ivey
Every summer, the South Carolina coast and the southeastern U.S. faces the threat of hurricanes that range in size from sustained winds of 74 mph to the state’s most catastrophic hurricane, Hugo in 1989 that resulted in $10 billion in damages. Helping minimize the damage from these storms is the job of several graduates of the University of South Carolina’s geography master’s program.
July 07, 2023, Allen Wallace
Students from the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management are learning all about minor league baseball this summer at teams throughout the Southeast and beyond. Providing these hands-on opportunities is a priority for USC’s Department of Sport and Entertainment Management, which emphasizes real-world experience and career development alongside classroom instruction.
July 06, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
Each year, close to 2,000 University of South Carolina undergrads venture overseas for once-in-a-lifetime educational opportunities. And behind the scenes, staff members are there to navigate new terrain, keep schedules running smoothly and provide emotional support when students feel stressed. USC TIMES sat down with five of them to learn more about what they do.
June 26, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
On the last Friday before the end of classes, USC TIMES invited three staff members to lunch at McCutchen House’s Garden Grill to discuss how our work lives change — or don’t change — over the summer. George Hendry, director of the McCutchen House and senior lecturer in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, shared his thoughts on troubleshooting through teamwork. Jennifer Asouzu, assistant director for special populations and communication with New Student Orientation, talked up partnerships and first impressions. Leroy Sims, a custodial zone manager with Facilities and a member of Staff Senate, discussed employee satisfaction and how to make the USC campus the happiest place on Earth.
June 21, 2023, Page Ivey
When Tjuan Dogan came to USC to study advertising and public relations, her career goal was to carry a briefcase to work. From that beginning, Dogan, who has a bachelor’s in advertising and a master’s and a Ph.D. in education all from USC, crafted a career path that now has her helping nontraditional students find their careers and new lives through education.
June 13, 2023, Bryan Gentry
Frank Avignone is looking for dark matter ― the mysterious substance that makes up much of the universe. In a lab at the University of South Carolina, he shows off a spectrometer that he recently repaired with support from the National Science Foundation. Purchased for his lab more than 50 years ago, the device proved to be just what he needs for his newest experiment.
June 07, 2023, Megan Sexton
When Clay and Grainne Owen’s son Killian died of leukemia at age 9, the family’s tragedy became their mission — to find better treatments and make childhood cancer a curable disease. Their charity, Curing Kids Cancer, has raised more than $25 million since 2005.
June 07, 2023, Rose Cisneros
For Terrance Weik, the gravesite of his great-grandmother was a sacred place: Her headstone memorialized a place where he could remember her and those who came before. Weik is working on research and preservation efforts at three burial grounds across South Carolina: sites in Blythewood, Daufuskie Island and Hilton Head.
June 02, 2023, Page Ivey
Steve Benjamin, former mayor of Columbia and two-time graduate of USC, is director of the Office of Public Engagement and a senior adviser to the president and the White House. Benjamin sat down with USC Today earlier this year to discuss the job and how his experiences as a political science major and law school student prepared him for his 12 years as Columbia mayor and for his new role in the White House.
May 31, 2023, Laura Morris
Three University of South Carolina faculty members and five alumni are featured in the Top 50 Women in South Carolina list published May 22 by the website Women We Admire.
May 25, 2023, Alexis Watts
You never know what will be behind the next open door. Evan Delp and Bob Magee (both 2021, international business) had no idea that a chance meeting during a scholarship interview at the Honors College would lead to a lifelong friendship and joint pursuit of their musical passion.
May 17, 2023, Megan Sexton
Ashley Poston, who earned her English degree from USC, has published nine books across multiple genres. Her first adult novel, "The Dead Romantics," was a Good Morning America Book Club selection and a N.Y. Times bestseller. Her latest book, "The Seven Year Slip," will be published June 27.
May 11, 2023, Abbey Smith
Sarah Davis’s endometriosis diagnosis spurred the NIH-funded researcher to pursue motherhood while completing her Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences. As she prepares to celebrate her first Mother’s Day, Davis reflects on what it means to have a successful academic career while starting a family.
May 06, 2023, Michaela Taylor
Sarah Sylvester and the Cocky persona have become incredibly close over her two-year stint as one of the most recognizable mascots in college sports.
April 25, 2023
As the Class of 2023 prepares to walk across the commencement stage, graduates leave the University of South Carolina with memories of enduring friendships, newfound passions, supportive mentors and life-changing experiences.
April 21, 2023, Hannah Cambre
The Center for Integrative and Experiential Learning is celebrating the Graduation with Leadership Distinction Program's tenth anniversary. Take a look at some of the earliest graduates with leadership distinction.
April 19, 2023, Téa Smith
When Lee Patterson earned her master’s in social work from the University of South Carolina in 2012, she never imagined putting it to use at Richland Library — or any library. But 10 years later, she is doing exactly what she set out to do when she entered the field: help people.
April 14, 2023
For the past decade, Palmetto College has helped students from the Upstate to the Lowcountry attain degrees where they live and work.
April 13, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
Alumnus Jim Barrow prefers to keep his philanthropy quiet, but when you’ve given as much support to your alma mater as he has, a thank-you is in order.
April 13, 2023, Reagin von Lehe
The Discover USC event showcases student research at the university, especially the work of seniors, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. These projects represent all disciplines in research, scholarship, leadership and creativity. Sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research, the annual, systemwide showcase will be held 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 21 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.
April 10, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
As senior director of policy and research at Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina, Chynna A. Phillips is taking on poverty one partnership at a time.
March 31, 2023, Megan Sexton / Photos by Kim Truett
Blue Sky begins a conversation about his six-decade career as an artist this way: “I should have been an engineer.” He swears he’s not joking. But think what Columbia would have lost if Blue Sky had not filled the public arena with color and whimsy and boldness and giant pieces of art that have become Capital City landmarks.
March 29, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
Alumna Isabelle Khurshudyan loved her career as a hockey reporter. She found her calling as a war correspondent.
March 28, 2023, Megan Sexton
April Cone, the dean of the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie, plays a key role in her community — a region where she has lived her entire life.
March 24, 2023, Reagin von Lehe
From editor-in-chief of Garnet and Black magazine to interviewing Martin Scorsese, Erika Ryan has left an impression on every newsroom in her career path. The mass communications alumna has explored almost all forms of news media.
March 23, 2023, Page Ivey
Many of the fans following the South Carolina women's basketball team through the NCAA Tournament have been with the Gamecocks since the beginning — some quite literally since that first women’s team played in 1974 — sitting in mostly empty arenas, cheering on their team in good years and bad. Now South Carolina is No. 1 not just on the court, but also in filling arenas with average attendance at women’s games over 12,000 and frequent sellouts of all 18,000 seats.
March 21, 2023, Page Ivey
DeAndrea Gist Benjamin, ’97 law, is only the second woman of color to serve on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Benjamin sat down with USC Today after her recent confirmation to the federal bench to talk about life choices and how her experiences in law school have guided her career.
March 16, 2023, Reagin von Lehe and Cecilia Dore
Former student body presidents share their accomplishments since graduating and reflect on the notable role.
March 15, 2023, Alexis Watts
The Columbia-Richland Fire Department is now equipped with unexpected tools to battle blazes: maps, graphs and statistics. A University of South Carolina geography graduate lead the way in bringing these tools that calculate and cut off many fire risks before they even occur.
March 14, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
As a tribute to the Black alumnae featured in the student-produced documentary The Backbone, USC’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion installed 18 personalized bricks on the Horseshoe. The honorees' stories span seven decades of university history.
March 08, 2023, Michaela Taylor
Poetry has been ingrained in Jennifer Bartell Boykin’s life since she was young, and it’s followed her through adventures as a student, journalist, teacher, advisor and more. Now, it’s empowering her as Columbia’s new poet laureate.
February 27, 2023, Dan Cook
Former Columbia mayor Steve Benjamin, a two-time alumnus of the University of South Carolina, has been named as a senior advisor to the White House and director of the Office of Public Engagement.
February 25, 2023, Reagin von Lehe
Through her marketing major, Jala Lewis is learning how to manage her cosmetology business that she started in high school. Jala’s Extensions became a reality for Lewis when she posted her progress in learning how to braid on social media — her peers in school were impressed. Now, she has braided Zia Cooke’s, Bree Hall’s, and Chico Carter Jr.’s hair in USC athletics.
February 23, 2023, Reagin von Lehe
Chance and Mackenzie Edwards packed a lot of life into a short time period: They got married, went on a honeymoon; he got laid off and they started a business — all during a pandemic. But for the College of Information and Communications graduates, the struggles led to something they’re now thankful for.
February 17, 2023, Megan Sexton
Researchers from the College of Engineering and Computing and the Arnold School of Public Health are studying how a person’s walking speed affects health and well being.
February 17, 2023, Page Ivey
Tourism is the main driver of South Carolina’s economy, accounting for about 10 percent of jobs in the state and an estimated annual impact of $29 billion. The University of South Carolina helps keep this economic engine humming by preparing graduates of the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management to take on key roles in a variety of businesses and by helping those businesses adapt and grow.
February 10, 2023, Page Ivey
CarolinaTIP focuses on teachers in their first three years as they transition from learning how to teach to leading their own classrooms. About half of all South Carolina teachers who leave their jobs each year are in their first five years of working in the classroom. The Carolina Teacher Induction Program has reduced the number of new teachers leaving the profession by offering them coaching support from more experienced classroom leaders — most of whom are retired instructors who want to give back to the profession.
February 09, 2023, Dan Cook
The U.S. Senate voted 53-44 to confirm DeAndrea G. Benjamin to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Benjamin is a 1997 alumna of USC’s School of Law.
February 09, 2023, Chris Horn
Peden McLeod, a 1967 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law believed in public service. Founder, chairman and CEO of the Bank of Walterboro as well as a state legislator, McLeod worked tirelessly to establish and support the USC Salkehatchie campus. It’s fitting, then, that the only building named for an individual on the campus in Walterboro honors McLeod: the Peden McLeod Library, which was dedicated in 1998.
February 09, 2023, Reagin von Lehe
Growing up, USC alumna Kimberly Elchlepp religiously watched sports TV when she wasn’t playing volleyball or softball. The public relations graduate went on to make her women’s sports enthusiasm into a career at ESPN as a senior publicist on the college sports team.
January 30, 2023, Megan Sexton
Hope Rivers, a first-generation college student who earned three degrees from USC, is inspiring a new generation of students as the president of Piedmont Technical College.
January 26, 2023, Kyndel Lee
Miss USA Morgan Romano knows all too well that only 28% of the STEM workforce is made up of women, and she's using her platform to spark interests in young girls and help create a pipeline for more women to purse careers in the STEM fields.
January 17, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
Indigo is tightly woven into South Carolina history, but few have worked with the rich natural dye since it fell out of favor nearly 150 years ago. Alumna Caroline Harper is bringing it back.
January 04, 2023, Rose Cisneros
Archaeologists with the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology at USC have studied the Camden Battlefield for decades, but their most recent finding is the discovery of a lifetime.