If you spend any time on Greene Street, you might have seen Ashley Reynolds hustling between classes and budget meetings. She’s a finance and risk management major — but she’s also student body treasurer, so her days tend to move fast.
As a scholarship recipient, Reynolds carries gratitude with her everywhere she goes. A big part of the reason she pours so much into serving as treasurer, she says, is that her own USC experience was made possible by people she may never meet.
This year, she’s focusing that passion even further by volunteering to serve on the Give 4 Garnet engagement subcommittee and helping lead the effort to bring an event back to where the energy always is: right in the heart of campus on Greene Street.
We sat down with Reynolds to talk leadership, philanthropy and why this year’s event means so much.
Q: What inspires you to be involved in so many organizations across campus?
USC is my second home, and getting involved is how I made it feel that way. I serve
as student body treasurer, and I’m active in Alpha Kappa Psi, Omicron Delta Kappa
and our IHSA equestrian team. In Student Government, I help allocate about $250,000
to student organizations and initiatives each year, which has given me the opportunity
to serve on groups like the Give 4 Garnet Campus Engagement Subcommittee.
But my biggest inspiration is my mom. She was a first-generation Gamecock, and this
university gave so much to her. I’ll never fully repay that, but I want to try. I
also care deeply about making sure every student’s voice is heard and valued across
campus.
Q: What excites you most about helping bring Give 4 Garnet back to Greene Street?
Greene Street is the heart of campus. Bringing Give 4 Garnet back to a physical, central space creates an energy you just can’t replicate online. Students will be able to walk through, meet different departments and organizations, and actually see how many people care about supporting USC.
A visible celebration makes philanthropy tangible. So many students benefit from donor
support without even realizing it. When Giving Day is right in front of you, it connects
the dots: scholarships, leadership programs, campus spaces, student organization funding.
It is all made possible by generous donors.
No gift is too small because Give 4 Garnet is about participation and collective impact.
Showing up and participating matters. It says we believe in this place, and we’re
willing to invest in its future.
Q: When you think about giving to USC during Give 4 Garnet, what does it mean to you?
To me, giving is about stewardship and gratitude. I’ve received significant scholarship
support, and donor generosity is the reason I’m at USC. Without it, I would have had
to make a different college decision.
Giving back is my way of honoring the investment others made in me and helping create
opportunities for future students. I want students who come after me to have the same
life-changing experience I’ve had.
Showing up and participating matters. It says we believe in this place, and we’re willing to invest in its future.
Q: How is USC preparing you for your future goals, and how does philanthropy help make that preparation possible?
As a finance and risk management major with a minor in criminal justice, I’ve been able to combine academic rigor with leadership experience and professional opportunities. USC has given me hands-on experiences, exposure to industry professionals and the ability to serve at a high level on campus. Philanthropy helps make that possible by funding scholarships, supporting faculty and programs, and creating the infrastructure that allows students like me to thrive.
This year, as Give 4 Garnet returns to Greene Street, Reynolds hopes students show up not just for the food,
music and games but to be part of a moment that celebrates what it means to invest
in each other. Join the fun on Wednesday, March 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Greene Street.