Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award winner: Ayse Ozturk
August 26, 2026, Dan Cook
The Darla Moore school of Business marketing professor meets the moment by integrating AI into the classroom.
Stories for Alumni
2026 artificial intelligence faculty experts list
August 24, 2026, Gregory Hardy
University of South Carolina researchers explore how artificial intelligence can be used for advancements in health care, education, manufacturing, energy, disaster management and transportation. They are also helping shape and inform the ethics and policies surrounding these emergent solutions.
Newton elected USC Board of Trustees chair
August 21, 2026, Andy Shain
With Newton’s election as chair, USC joins a small but growing number of South Carolina college boards led by women.
Garnet Apple Award for Teaching Innovation: Amy Gerald
August 20, 2026, Thom Harman
Amy Gerald, an assistant professor of English at USC Lancaster, uses community-connected projects and experiential learning to prepare her students for whatever career they choose. Whether it’s partnering with local nonprofits to solve real-world business problems or assigning observational writing assignments at USC Lancaster’s Native American Studies Center, Gerald’s innovative approaches to teaching stand out both in and beyond the classroom.
USC to celebrate 225 anniversary
August 18, 2026, Collyn Taylor
Founded just 25 years after the signing of the Declaration, USC will celebrate its 225th anniversary throughout the 2026-27 academic year — beginning today (Aug. 18) with the start of the fall 2026 semester.
USC researchers work to better understand the human brain
August 14, 2026, Communications and Marketing
Understanding how the brain works and improving outcomes for patients are major priorities for USC researchers. That work gained momentum this year with the opening of the new Brain Health Center, which is just one of the ways the university is concentrating on the brain.
USC named best-in-state employer for 2026
August 13, 2026, Collyn Taylor
The University of South Carolina has been named one of America’s Best-in-State Employers for South Carolina for 2026.
USC expands faculty pipeline to strengthen South Carolina's nursing workforce
August 10, 2026, Gregory Hardy
A successful USC program that prepares future nursing faculty is now a statewide partnership to help address one of South Carolina's biggest healthcare workforce challenges. Expanding Nursing Faculty Pipeline is a College of Nursing initiative to prepare the next generation of nurse educators.
Social media interest in sororities fuels record-breaking recruitment class
August 10, 2026, Zoe Nicholson
The popularity of sorority life — including the recruitment process — on social media has sparked a surge of interest in Greek life at the University of South Carolina, which had the largest Potential New Member class in the nation this fall.
A Sharper Image: At USC, better brain health outcomes begin with cutting-edge neuroimaging equipment
August 10, 2026, Rebekah Friedman
The McCausland Center’s MRI scanner is a 3 Tesla, twice the strength of typical MRIs. Access to equipment of that caliber has enabled the center to bring in tens of millions in grant funding and has led to an explosion in research studies that have advanced our understanding of aphasia, stroke treatment and brain aging.
USC alumna Ashley Poston built a career writing magical love stories
August 07, 2026, Zoe Nicholson
Ashley Poston, USC alumna and New York Times bestselling author, shares how magic, romance and a relentless work ethic shaped her writing career.
USC professor wins state's highest scientific research honor
August 05, 2026, Kristine Hartvigsen
Susan Richardson, Arthur Sease Williams Professor of Chemistry at the University of South Carolina, has been named winner of the prestigious 2026 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Scientific Research.
USC donors power a record-shattering year of giving
August 05, 2026, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina system raised a record $357.6 million in private support during fiscal year 2026 — the most in its history, shattering the previous fundraising record of $259.7 million, set just one year earlier, by nearly $100 million.
Governor's Young Scientist Award recognizes excellence in infectious disease research
August 05, 2026, Gregory Hardy
Melissa Nolan, associate professor of epidemiology in the Arnold School of Public Health, has received the 2026 South Carolina Governor's Young Scientist Award for Excellence in Scientific Research. It honors her nationally recognized work to understand and prevent infectious diseases.
USC professor Julia Elliott wins one of fiction's most prestigious prizes
July 23, 2026, Kristine Hartvigsen
Known for her fluid, label-defying prose, author Julia Elliott found herself in excellent company last month among a literary cadre of distinct, even unconventional voices. She read the work of her fellow finalists with awe, never thinking she would win. But it was her name announced over the sound system as the winner of the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction for her critically acclaimed, genre-bending short-story collection "Hellions."
Top credit-rating agency backs USC's strong financial position
July 21, 2026, Andy Shain
USC's latest financial outlook from Moody’s Investors Service reflects the ongoing quality of the university’s disciplined stewardship.
Nursing students learn healthcare communication skills from patients with aphasia
July 20, 2026, Chris Horn
University of South Carolina nursing students are learning to communicate more effectively with patients through a unique simulation that pairs them with standardized patients living with aphasia.
After 1776, the founders designed a government that accounts for 'a degree of depravity in mankind'
July 20, 2026, Donovan Fifield
The Declaration of Independence was only the first step in making a unified country. A competing set of state and local interests required a defense of the U.S. Constitution (the Federalist Papers), which sought to define the role of government to keep basic human impulses toward political abuse, self-interest and even violence in check.
USC alumna aims to showcase Gullah roots of iconic American opera
July 20, 2026, Zoe Nicholson
When the lights went down on Charleston’s Dock Street Theatre on June 26, 1970, history was made. It was the first time since its premiere that "Porgy and Bess" had been performed in Charleston. Now, filmmaker and alumna Lauren Waring Douglas is making that production the subject of a new documentary, "When Porgy Came Home."
USC bowling club took home national championship in 1976
July 16, 2026, Chris Horn
It was 1976 — 50 years ago — when the USC men’s bowling club posted a perfect 10-0 record in regular season play and went on to win it all at the national tournament held in Oklahoma City.
Braden Guliano builds technology career with internships, mentors and entrepreneurial spirit
July 10, 2026, Chris Horn
Braden Guliano has been a man on a mission at USC. In just three years, he completed a bachelor’s degree in integrated information technology at the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing while completing multiple internships and launching his own tech consulting business on the side.
Law alumni serve in state leadership to make South Carolina better
July 08, 2026, Carol J.G. Ward
University of South Carolina School of Law alumni are leading state agencies and advancing public service across South Carolina, using the skills they developed in law school to improve the lives of South Carolinians.
Recent graduate rises to the challenge of Venezuelan earthquakes
July 02, 2026, Zoe Nicholson
Like much of the world, Aquiles Agreda was watching the World Cup on June 24 with friends. But two massive earthquakes — a 7.2 magnitude followed by a 7.5 less than a minute later — shook Agreda’s native country that evening. He and his friends were unharmed, but within a day, he was helping with rescue and cleanup operations. Agreda plans to return to USC in August to begin the Master of International Business program. His only plan right now, though, is to help others.
Why rural healthcare fund's $50B focus on tech upgrades may not help vulnerable hospitals and providers
June 26, 2026, Kevin J. Bennett
An influx of cash would help stabilize rural health systems. Kevin J. Bennett, director of the Center for Rural & Primary Healthcare, writes for The Conversation on how the program’s focus on technology might leave other major issues unaddressed.
30 years after 'Reasonable Doubt,' Jay-Z's career embodies hip-hop's biggest contradictions
June 25, 2026, Jabari Evans
The cinematic complexity of Jay-Z’s first rap album “Reasonable Doubt” explains why it still matters 30 years later. Today, hip-hop powers advertising campaigns, luxury branding and streaming platforms. Jay-Z has played an outsized role in that transformation. Writing for The Conversation, USC assistant professor Jabari Evans explores the complicated history of hip-hop’s rise in a capitalist society.
Video: Hot Takes on the American Revolution
June 22, 2026, Hadley McCollester
Combine five incredible artifacts from the USC libraries special collections with four passionate university scholars, and you get 20 minutes of fun facts, lively debate and intellectual inspiration.
USC board approves freezing tuition, expanding Russell House, building Civil Rights Center
June 18, 2026, Andy Shain
University of South Carolina trustees approved a 2026-27 fiscal year budget that freezes in-state tuition systemwide and advanced key projects tied to the Columbia campus’s USC Next master plan.
Power in play and purpose in family inclusion
June 17, 2026, Anna Francis
Play is the language of children. Through a Duke Endowment-funded partnership with USC, Aiken County school counselors are learning play therapy and family engagement strategies that help students build resilience and feel heard.
How Wall Street is shifting electric utilities toward consolidation and profit
June 16, 2026, Conor Harrison
A corporate merger forming the largest electric utility in the U.S. is underway. What’s driving this deal and others like it is a rising demand for power to data centers for artificial intelligence systems and a desire to increase corporate profits. Conor Harrison explains in this article for The Conversation.
Inside USC's National Advocacy Center: Where hospitality and technology support federal training
June 16, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
The National Advocacy Center at the University of South Carolina provides an all-in-one training, lodging and learning hub for U.S. Department of Justice professionals, supported behind the scenes by USC Business Affairs and the Justice Television Network.
Anne Peters named USC's new vice president for marketing
June 11, 2026, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina announced Thursday (June 11) the appointment of Anne Peters as its new vice president for marketing following a national search. She will begin at USC on Sept. 1.
How are Saudis viewing the US-Iran war?
June 10, 2026, Robert Kubenic
Writing for The Conversation, Political Science Assistant Professor Robert Kubenic collaborates with Alexis Montambault-Trudelle, Postdoctoral Fellow in International Studies, Université Laval, to explore Saudis' opinions on the U.S.-Iran war.
Graduate's journey from softball to social work leads to selection as U.S. team therapist at Jewish Olympics
June 10, 2026, Carol J.G. Ward
After navigating the challenges of life beyond Division I softball, licensed clinical social worker Olivia Gott, now supports athletes facing similar transitions. She will serve as the U.S. team therapist at the 2026 Maccabiah Games, bringing both personal experience and professional care to the world stage.
From thesis to courtroom: Honors College honed skills, discipline for successful alumni
June 03, 2026, Carol J.G. Ward
Alumni Kathy Carlsten and Peter Siachos, who both graduated from the University of South Carolina Honors College in 1997 and the Joseph F. Rice School of Law in 2000, say they draw on the critical thinking and collaborative skills, the debate-oriented approach and intellectual ambition required in honors courses in their legal practices.
Investment banker found his way at USC and an inside track to a dream career
May 28, 2026, Chris Horn
As a student in the Darla Moore School of Business, Adam Lemp found a community of supportive peers and tapped into a network of business school alumni, which helped open doors into his dream job — investment banking.
As more athletes speak openly about depression, anxiety and suicide, a minority of fans are weaponizing it
May 27, 2026, Scott Parrott
Because elite athletes are seen as admired role models, many enjoy lucrative contracts as spokespeople for a variety of products. When Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran recently was harassed after revealing a mental illness, his expression of regret could potentially discourage others from talking publicly about their struggles for fear it could be weaponized against them. USC professor Scott Parrott explores this in a recent article for The Conversation.
University of South Carolina School of Medicine named in honor of Floyd family
May 22, 2026, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia is now officially named in honor of the late longtime trustee and surgeon Dr. Edward “Eddie” Floyd and his wife, Kay Floyd. The school is now known as the University of South Carolina Kay and C. Edward Floyd, M.D., School of Medicine.
USC K-9 units earn national recognition
May 21, 2026, Collyn Taylor
The University of South Carolina's K-9 unit took home nine awards this month as part of a national competition.
Alumna builds community as Washington Commanders executive
May 13, 2026, Megan Sexton
After earning her degree in sport and entertainment management, Lauren Greenfield went directly into Georgetown University’s sports industry management master’s program. Then she found her passion with the Washington Commanders. Greenfield focuses on innovative ways to create value for both new and existing sponsors — developing go-to-market strategy, examining industry-wide best practices, building sponsorable platforms across the business and working with internal and external constituents across the NFL.
Newest Udall scholar excels in work across surf and turf
May 12, 2026, Kristine Hartvigsen
Learn about USC's 19th Udall Scholar, Kayla Thompson, a first-generation, science-loving, rugby-playing, future environmental policy advocate. Her journey parallels that of her benefactors in many ways, and this honor motivates her to continually do more.
USC inks licensing agreement for prostate cancer screening tool
May 12, 2026, Andy Shain
The University of South Carolina has agreed to license an algorithm developed by a renowned cancer and nutritional epidemiologist to 20/20 BioLabs, a health sciences company that offers home cancer screening tests.
Behind the beak: The student inside Cocky
May 09, 2026, Michaela Taylor
Before the crowd sees him, there’s a quiet shift. The suit goes on. The posture changes. And Brayden Hensley becomes Cocky. To fans, Cocky is all energy and antics. But inside the suit is a criminology and criminal justice major balancing school and a role that demands constant performance.
Reading between the feathers: How two students turned a mascot role into years of service
May 08, 2026, Michaela Taylor
You may know Cocky from game day at Williams-Brice, but some of his biggest fans sit on classroom floors, not stadium seats. Behind the yellow beak are two seniors who’ve been involved with Cocky's Reading Express for the last four years. Meet Walker Weaver and Emma Connelly.
Carolina Band records for video game, masters Metallica
May 08, 2026, Craig Brandhorst
The University of South Carolina marching band won the 2025 EA Sports Metallica Collegiate Edition Marching Band Competition, a one-time chance to record a new arrangement of an iconic Metallica song for the next iteration of EA Sports popular College Football video game.
Internships help USC students explore their potential
May 07, 2026, Laura Erskine, Téa Smith and Craig Brandhorst / photos by Kim Truett
Internships aren’t just for building resumés. When students take that first big step into their chosen career, the hard work of college begins to pay off. We spoke to nine student interns from across the USC system to find out what they've gained beyond the books from their internship experiences.
Physicist Frank Avignone has fed his scientific curiosity with a steady pursuit of new ideas
May 07, 2026, Chris Horn
Frank Avignone has been fascinated by physics longer than most people have been alive, an intense curiosity that began in the waning days of World War II. Now, more than six decades after being recruited to the faculty of USC’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, Avignone continues to conduct particle physics research with renowned scholars, some of them at international laboratories he helped build decades ago.
Interior designer Amber Guyton's Blessed Little Bungalow brings home the joy
May 06, 2026, Rebekah Friedman
Bold colors. Bright ideas. Big dreams. Interior designer Amber Guyton turns ordinary houses into joyful homes.
Landscape designer Beau Welling also promotes an Olympic sport ... curling
May 06, 2026, Thom Harman
When Beau Welling isn’t designing golf courses, he’s planning other spaces. And when he’s not doing that, he’s ... promoting curling?
USC grad Stephen Panus takes steps to honor son after tragedy
May 05, 2026, Thom Harman
Stephen Panus creates ‘Walk On’ scholarship for USC walk-on student-athletes to honor son after tragedy.
Parking and Transportation Services staff earn international recognition
May 05, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
The University of South Carolina’s Parking and Transportation Services department continues to gain international recognition for its leadership, innovation and commitment to excellence in campus mobility.