If you've got big plans for your Fall Break this week, you can thank alumnus Jim Franklin, the third African American student body president at USC, who says the mid-semester break was the “one wish” of his administration after he was elected in 1988.
Why it matters: The year prior to his presidency, 87% of the student body expressed that they were in favor of adding a break to the academic calendar.
What worked: Over the course of his tenure as student body president, Franklin worked with a dedicated team of student leaders to convince administrators to add a Fall Break.
- Franklin also led Students for a Better Carolina, the first ever student-run lobbying organization for more funding for USC at the State House.
What they’re saying: “Over 30 years have passed since that time, and I would like to think that our presence as student leaders genuinely made a difference. While we accomplished many of our goals during that year, nothing was more immediately impactful to our student leadership group and the student body than accomplishing, with a little “good luck” and some great advice, USC’s first Fall Break.” – Jim Franklin (Honors College; 1989 B.A., political science; 1992 law)