Stories for Alumni

Sydney Womack, graduating senior May 2021

Class of 2021: Sydney Womack

April 15, 2021, Chris Horn

Sydney Womack’s calendar has been booked nearly solid during her four years at South Carolina and little wonder — she majored in biomedical engineering, minored in mathematics, earned a performance certificate in the School of Music, conducted undergraduate research and co-authored a scholarly article and three poster presentations. She also attended football, basketball and baseball games whenever she could, held leadership positions in two engineering student societies and regularly volunteered to pitch STEM career opportunities to high school students.

Topics: Students, Student Voices, College of Engineering and Computing, South Carolina Honors College

woman wearing glasses in white shirt with red sweater tied around shoulders and holding a walking stick with foliage in the background

Blind poet's writing brings new beauty into focus

April 15, 2021, Bryan Gentry

Ann-Chadwell Humphries hardly touched poetry before she became blind in 2012. Today, she is immersed in South Carolina’s poetry community, and recently published a book titled An Eclipse and a Butcher. The collection of nearly 40 poems touches on topics ranging from art to family life, from eclipses to blindness. She wrote and workshopped some of the poems in graduate classes at the University of South Carolina.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Diversity, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences

baseball diamond in Truist Park in Atlanta with rain tarp in place and view of skyline in background

MLB's decision to drop Atlanta highlights the economic power companies can wield over lawmakers - when they choose to

April 15, 2021, Benjamin Means

Over 100 companies publicly denounced Georgia’s new restrictive voting law, Major League Baseball went beyond words by moving the 2021 All-Star Game from Atlanta to Denver. In The Conversation, law professor Benjamin Means writes about how corporations use their economic power as leverage to get what they want from lawmakers.

Topics: Faculty, Diversity, School of Law

Friendship 9 students who protested against racial discrimination and were put in prison, Rock Hill, South Carolina, February 1961

'Our ultimate choice is desegregation or disintegration' - recovering the lost words of a jailed civil rights strategist

April 14, 2021, Bobby J. Donaldson and Christopher Frear

In 1961, a group that would come to be known as the “Friendship Nine” hoped to reinvigorate the sit-in movement with a “Jail, No Bail” strategy to push the costs of enforcing segregation onto the city, rather than onto civil rights supporters, who paid substantial bail fees every time students were arrested. Bobby Donaldson, history professor and director of the Center for Civil Rights History and Research, writes about the strategy and a 60-year-old letter by activist Thomas Gaither – arrested with the Friendship Nine during a sit-in in Rock Hill, South Carolina – deep in a records box in the South Caroliniana Library.

Topics: Faculty, Diversity, History, College of Arts and Sciences, University Libraries

woman with brown hair, white shirt and navy jacket with a man's hand on her shoulder

Women frequently experience sexual harassment at work, yet few claims ever reach a courtroom

April 14, 2021, Joseph A. Seiner

Sexual harassment at work is a very common occurrence for women, regardless of age or income level. Among women who have experienced unwanted sexual advances in the workplace, almost all reported that male harassers usually go unpunished. Law professor Joseph Seiner writes in The Conversation about the unfortunate reality that engaging in this conduct will result in no real consequences.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Diversity, School of Law

The sphere at the top of the Maxcy monument

Major League Soccer and University of South Carolina announce multi-year education partnership

April 13, 2021, Abe Danaher

Major League Soccer and the University of South Carolina announce a historic multi-year partnership making South Carolina an Official Education Partner of MLS. Through the strategic partnership, MLS players and Greats (former players) will have access to online educational opportunities and unique post-secondary academic resources offered through the university system, as well as world-class personal and professional development.

Topics: University Leadership, Academics, Partnerships

man in blue check shirt and blue jacket with trees in background

Education professor honored for his commitment to empowering teachers

April 07, 2021, Carol J.G. Ward

Most of Barnett Berry’s career has been about advancing what he calls the profession that makes all other professions possible – teaching. As a scholar and researcher, he is an advocate for teachers and how they can and must be more instrumental in the future of education. Berry is the 2021 recipient of the James A. Kelly Award for Advancing Accomplished Teaching.

Topics: Faculty, Recognition, Leadership, College of Education

Jotaka Eady

UofSC alumna uses politics, technology to elevate the 'underestimated'

April 01, 2021, Megan Sexton

Jotaka Eaddy, a 2001 political science graduate and the first Black woman elected as the university’s student body president, is the founder and CEO of a Washington-based social impact consulting firm specializing in strategy development, management consulting, public affairs and community engagement.

Topics: Alumni, Academics, Experiential Learning, Diversity, Leadership, Careers, College of Arts and Sciences

two female and one male student wearing masks

Curiosity, scientific research lead to prestigious award for UofSC students

March 31, 2021, Carol J.G.Ward

Research opportunities, passionate faculty mentors and the chance to explore diverse interests drew the University of South Carolina’s 2021 Goldwater Scholarship recipients to the Columbia campus. The prestigious scholarships are awarded annually to undergraduate STEM majors across the country who are interested in pursuing research careers in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering.

Topics: Students, Scholarships, Recognition, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Computing, South Carolina Honors College

UofSC home to 60 ranked programs

UofSC med school leads nation for grads practicing in underserved areas

March 30, 2021, Megan Sexton

The School of Medicine Columbia is the top medical program in the country for graduates who are practicing in areas where there is a shortage of health care professionals, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate School rankings. The rankings also show that UofSC is now home to more than 60 nationally ranked programs.

Topics: Academics, Research, graduate-studies, Recognition, College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Engineering and Computing, The Graduate School, College of Information and Communications, School of Law, Medicine (Columbia)

A woman and a man make the Wakanda gesture. Man holds a photo of actor Chadwick Boseman.

Why Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is really something to celebrate this year

March 25, 2021, Franklin G. Berger

Colorectal cancer remains a major source of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. The American Cancer Society recently estimated that in 2021, there will be 149,500 new cases of colorectal cancer and 52,980 deaths in the U.S. alone. In The Conversation, Franklin G. Berger, professor emeritus in biological sciences, writes about two significant developments that could save lives.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Health Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences

Cantey Heath

A long ride draws to a close

March 25, 2021, Chris Horn

Cantey Heath’s 36-year career at the University of South Carolina began in alumni relations, pivoted to fundraising, then took another turn when he became special assistant and chief of staff to former university president Harris Pastides. Now, the university secretary and secretary of the Board of Trustees is headed for retirement.

Topics: University Leadership

photo of a bridge over a river with blue sky in the background

Concerts honor frontline workers, aim to strengthen community through music

March 23, 2021, Carol J.G. Ward

Celebrating Local Heroes with The Concert Truck, a series of 10 events performed aboard a mobile music venue will honor 10 frontline heroes with video vignettes that highlight personal stories of sacrifice and courage and live music composed and performed by music students and alumni.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, Service, College of Arts and Sciences, School of Music, South Carolina Honors College

Woman wearing a yellow scarf with blurred background

Education professor fights status quo to make schools more equitable

March 22, 2021, Carol J.G. Ward

For three and a half decades, University of South Carolina education professor Gloria Boutte has dedicated her work to creating school experiences that are more equitable for students of color. Her scholarship, teaching, leadership and service have been recognized with the 2021 Legacy Award from American Educational Research Association.

Topics: Faculty, Academics, Research, Diversity, Recognition, Leadership, College of Education

Long term health care workers with patients

Resistance, innovation, improvisation: When governments fell short during COVID-19, long-term care workers stepped up

March 18, 2021, Robert Henry Cox, Daniel Dickson and Patrik Marier

Political science professor Robert Henry Cox and colleagues Daniel Dickson and Patrik Marier write for the Conversation about why long-term care workers are key intermediaries in the implementation of policies designed to both contain the spread of the coronavirus and maintain a sense of normalcy for care recipients.

Topics: COVID-19, College of Arts and Sciences

students walk in building on campus

VIDEO: Team effort allowed students to return to campus in fall

March 18, 2021, Joshua Burrack

From the classroom to the research lab to the front lines of testing and tracing, the University of South Carolina community has taken extraordinary steps over the past year to safeguard its students, faculty and staff in the face of COVID-19. As we mark the one-year point of the pandemic, here’s the third in a three-part video series documenting the resilience, ingenuity and commitment that have guided us through this period.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Research, Initiatives, Safety, Health Sciences, COVID-19, Service, Leadership, Arnold School of Public Health

Reggie, Connor and Ian Bain

3 brothers, 3 Goldwater Scholarships, 1 passion

March 15, 2021, Aïda Rogers and Chris Horn

Reggie, Connor and Ian Bain all double majored in mathematics and a field of science, they’re all alumni of the University of South Carolina’s Honors College (Ian graduates in May) and Carolina Scholars and each was named a Goldwater Scholar, which is considered the nation’s most prestigious undergraduate award for STEM majors.

Topics: Students, Scholarships, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences, South Carolina Honors College

researchers sample wastewater

COVID video series: Tracking wastewater

March 15, 2021, Joshua Burrack

From the classroom to the research lab to the front lines of testing and tracing, the University of South Carolina community has taken extraordinary steps over the past year to safeguard its students, faculty and staff in the face of COVID-19. As we mark the one-year point of the pandemic, here’s the second in a three-part video series documenting the resilience, ingenuity and commitment that have guided us through this period.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Research, Initiatives, Safety, Health Sciences, COVID-19, Service, Careers, Arnold School of Public Health

researchers work with test tubes

Resilience, ingenuity define UofSC's COVID response

March 11, 2021, Joshua Burrack

From the classroom to the research lab to the front lines of testing and tracing, the University of South Carolina community has taken extraordinary steps over the past year to safeguard its students, faculty and staff in the face of COVID-19. As we mark the one-year point of the pandemic, here’s the first in a three-part video series documenting the resilience, ingenuity and commitment that have guided us through this period.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Initiatives, Safety, Health Sciences, COVID-19, College of Pharmacy

Woman with gray hair, gray shirt and black mask standing at a table, displaying health items. Man and woman at table with back to viewer.

Researchers to help LGBTQIA+ populations navigate barriers to health information

March 09, 2021, Rebekah Buffington Friedman

Health disparities are common in LGBTQIA+ populations, in part because discrimination makes health information harder to come by. Over the next two years, a team of researchers from the University of South Carolina’s School of Information Science and Arnold School of Public Health will collaborate to recruit, learn from and develop specialized training for LGBTQIA+ community health workers.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Diversity, Partnerships, Health Sciences, College of Information and Communications, Arnold School of Public Health

image from 19th century painting of Horseshoe

2 centuries of complex history

March 08, 2021, Chris Horn

In one of his first official acts as the University of South Carolina's 29th president, Bob Caslen authorized the Presidential Commission on University History. Since then, the commission has been researching building and place names on campus and considering ways to expand and disseminate the history of the institution.

Topics: History

man with red tie, black coat, baseball cap standing with granite marker

UofSC civil rights center unveils historical marker commemorating landmark protest

March 03, 2021, Carol J.G. Ward

The Center for Civil Rights History and Research at the University of South Carolina unveiled a historical marker on March 2 to commemorate the courage of hundreds of students who marched on the South Carolina State House 60 years ago. Many of the students were arrested, and the appeal of their convictions eventually was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, leading to a legal precedent protecting the rights of protesters.

Topics: Faculty, Diversity, History, Leadership, College of Arts and Sciences, University Libraries

The USC smokestack rises above the skyline of Columbia

UofSC plays essential role in statewide economy, workforce

March 01, 2021, Dan Cook and Jeff Stensland

The University of South Carolina pumps approximately $6.2 billion annually into the state’s economy, according to a new study, representing a $700 million growth in annual impact over four years. The findings are from researchers at UofSC’s Darla Moore School of Business. Researchers have updated a 2017 report that found the university’s annual statewide economic impact was $5.5 billion.

Topics: Faculty, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Darla Moore School of Business

Richard T. Greener statue at thomas cooper library

Monuments, markers tell stories of pain and progress

February 19, 2021, CJ Lake

In recent years, the University of South Carolina has taken steps to better acknowledge its whole history, knowing that being honest about the past will build a better, more inclusive future. Here is a look back at ways the university has celebrated Carolinians who have contributed to our progress and who will shape our university's future for generations to come.

Topics: Alumni, Faculty, Diversity, History

An artist's concept of NASA's Mars 2020 rover

UofSC chemistry professor works with NASA in search of Martian life

February 12, 2021, Bryan Gentry

NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover will land on the Red Planet on Feb. 18 and begin to study rocks and soils in search for evidence of past Martian life, which might be anything from biogenic organic compounds to ancient fossils. University of South Carolina professor Mike Angel is one of hundreds of scientists who will work together to direct the rover.

Topics: Faculty, Research, College of Arts and Sciences

Technicians in a lab wearing gloves and safety goggles.

University of South Carolina to help lead Savannah River National Laboratory research innovation and workforce development

February 10, 2021

The University of South Carolina and the Battelle Savannah River Alliance are partnering to conduct critical research at one of the country’s premier national laboratories – the Savannah River National Laboratory. The partnership will contribute to workforce development and provide cutting-edge advancements in national security, energy and environmental research.

Topics: Research, Health Sciences, College of Engineering and Computing

artist rendering of mohammed dajani standing beside a railroad switching station

Dajani's cave

February 09, 2021, Craig Brandhorst

In 2014, Mohammed Dajani, longtime professor at Jerusalem’s al-Quds University, took 27 Palestinian college students to Auschwitz, the Nazi concentration near Krakow, Poland. He wanted them to confront the Holocaust, which he believes is downplayed in Palestinian schools, and to consider the complicated history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from multiple perspectives. The backlash would cost him his job and endanger his life. It would also embolden his commitment to reconciliation.

Topics: Alumni, graduate-studies, History, College of Arts and Sciences

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