Stories for Alumni

Satellite image of an Atlantic hurricane

2025 hurricane faculty experts list

June 13, 2025, University Communications

The Atlantic hurricane season officially began June 1. Researchers at the University of South Carolina are available to discuss multiple aspects of the 2025 hurricane season, including preparation and communication, environmental impact and historical perspectives.

College of Nursing assistant professor Lori Vick headshot

Shaping a smarter, more compassionate sickle cell nursing workforce

June 12, 2025, Gregory Hardy

College of Nursing assistant professor Lori Vick is advancing national efforts to train nurses to better understand and treat patients living with sickle cell disease. At the heart of that effort is the Sickle Cell Nursing Boot Camp, an initiative that promotes specialized knowledge in treating this chronic and often misunderstood condition.

Monique Garvin and a colleague talk with the South Carolina State House in the background.

SC Impact: Building stronger communities

May 28, 2025, Communications and marketing

From creating social mobility by supporting first-generation students to providing resources for community members who need them most, the University of South Carolina is dedicated to strengthening our state and improving the lives of its residents. It’s work that goes beyond the college campus and extends into every corner of South Carolina.

Head and shoulders photo of Jessica Gonzalez

Nursing faculty member achieves her goals by degrees and with determination

May 21, 2025, Chris Horn

Nursing faculty member Jessica Gonzalez was recently selected to become a Jonas Scholar, an elite cohort of emerging nursing leaders from across the country. And her current Ph.D. research, which focuses on disparities in breast cancer diagnoses, was recognized by the National Institutes for Health with an R25 training grant.

Ann Vail, dean of The Graduate School, puts an award around the neck of an award winner at the 2025 Recognition of Excellence Ceremony

Graduate award winners recognized

May 19, 2025, Thom Harman, with Matt Klopfenstein

The Graduate School recently announced and recognized its 2025 Graduate Student Award winners and Trustee Fellowship recipients, as well as the graduates from the school’s scholarly initiatives. The school held its annual Recognition of Excellence Ceremony on April 25 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

David Prim poses in front of the Paris skyline in spring 2024.

Biomedical engineering alum stays on mission with work in venture capital

May 12, 2025, Laura Erskine

USC alumnus David Prim has dedicated his career to fighting cardiovascular diseases — first as a researcher and now as a venture capitalist. He works for Broadview Ventures in Boston, helping the organization identify and invest in promising new technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Natasha Brison, associate professor in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management's Department of Sport and Entertainment Management

HRSM professor melds law and marketing expertise to prepare students

May 08, 2025, Thom Harman / photo by Kim Truett

Natasha Brison has practiced law and worked in the entertainment industry, starting a business as a marketing consultant for professional athletes. She also conducts research and came to South Carolina despite already earning tenure at another top institution. Now Brison brings her experience to USC's classrooms as an associate professor in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management's Department of Sport and Entertainment Management. Her diverse background is proving to be a great resource for her students as she prepares them to pursue their dreams after graduation.

rendering of a new school of medicine building

SC Impact: Building better health

May 08, 2025, Communications and Marketing

As a small state with an aging and rapidly growing population, South Carolina faces a shortage of health care professionals — even as it confronts high rates of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. The challenges are significant, but the University of South Carolina is working every day to address them head-on.

Brandi Revels smiles for the camera during her trip in Antarctica

For marine chemist Brandi Revels, remote work means an Antarctic cruise

May 07, 2025, Megan Sexton

It’s not hard to understand why Brandi Revels loves her job as a researcher aboard the expedition ship Viking Polaris. The sense of awe — for our world, for our planet — drew her to science. Her love of adventure took her from West Columbia, South Carolina, to the far ends of the Earth. Revels, who earned her master’s in marine chemistry from the University of South Carolina in 2013, now lives in Zurich, Switzerland — when she’s not spending months at sea as the chief scientist aboard the Viking Polaris.

Rick Layman smiles for the camera with Matt Bruccoli’s photo in the background

Richard Layman: Sharing collections

May 02, 2025, Craig Brandhorst / photo by Kim Truett

Rick Layman studied under English professor, publisher and F. Scott Fitzgerald collector Matthew J. Bruccoli and later became Bruccoli’s business partner. Like his mentor, Layman also became a collector — in his case of Dashiell Hammett. And both men’s collections are now housed in USC’s Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections.

A South Carolina road with a “Welcome to South Carolina” sign

USC health sciences graduates have major impact in rural areas

May 02, 2025, Rebekah Friedman / photos by Kim Truett

From obstetricians and nurses to social workers and psychiatrists, University of South Carolina graduates are especially needed in rural areas, where more than a quarter of the state’s residents live. And the impact isn’t only felt by the patient; it’s also felt by the communities themselves. Carolinian visited several alumni whose small-town efforts are having a big impact. These proud health care workers showed us the meaning of dedication and their commitment to the people and communities they serve.

The fountains and reflecting pool in front of Thomas Cooper Library

SC impact: Pell Grant recipients thrive in a wide range of fields

April 29, 2025, Laura Erskine

For more than 50 years, USC has made an undergraduate education more attainable through TRIO programs. The foundation of these opportunities is the Pell Grant. Here, USC alumni share how the Pell Grant opened the door for them to achieve their dreams of earning their degrees and attaining fulfilling, impactful careers.

Parent reaches out hand to hold daughter's hand.

Mentoring program empowers families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

April 29, 2025, Carol J.G. Ward

Preliminary results from a five-year NIH-funded study at the University of South Carolina show that the Autism Parent Navigator Program improves mental health, parenting confidence and caregiver relationships for families with children diagnosed with autism. Led by social work professor Robert Hock, the program connects parents with experienced peer navigators to offer guidance, emotional support and skill-building.

Woman offers comforting embrace to peer during group counseling session

New USC clinic tackles mental health provider shortage in rural South Carolina

April 29, 2025, Carol J.G. Ward

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia is opening a free mental health clinic to serve rural communities in Bamberg, Calhoun, Fairfield, Orangeburg and Chester counties. Launching this summer, the student-operated, faculty-supervised clinic will offer in-person and telehealth services to those with limited access to care.

Jennifer Baumstark stands in a white coat outside the College of Nursing at the University of South Carolina.

Jennifer Baumstark leads Nurse-Midwifery program, advancing maternal health in South Carolina

April 29, 2025, Gregory Hardy and Laura Morris

Jennifer Baumstark, a seasoned certified nurse-midwife and newly appointed director of the University of South Carolina’s accredited nurse-midwifery program, is spearheading efforts to improve maternal health across South Carolina. With a focus on mentorship, advocacy and expanding the nursing-midwifery workforce, Baumstark brings over two decades of clinical and academic experience to this pivotal role.

Student in cap and gown stands with fists in the air
man and woman stand in front of chairs

USC's College of Arts and Sciences renamed following transformational gift

April 22, 2025, Kristine Hartvigsen

The University of South Carolina College of Arts and Sciences has a new name honoring the vision and generosity of a prominent alumnus and his family. The official name, the University of South Carolina McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, was announced on Wednesday (April 23) during a ceremony on USC's Horseshoe.

A student pours a bucket of ice water on Wade Jefferson, splashing another student.

USC MIND club's mental health awareness challenge goes viral

April 21, 2025, Laura Erskine

The Ice Bucket Challenge is back, and a student organization at the University of South Carolina is behind it. In March, USC's Mental Illness Needs Discussion (MIND) club launched the #SpeakYourMIND challenge, which went viral and hit the national news. Who doesn’t love to see videos of friends, family and even strangers getting doused in buckets of ice water?

a woman standing in front of greenery

USC geographer Jessica Barnes awarded prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship

April 18, 2025, Rose Cisneros

Associate professor Jessica Barnes has been awarded a 2025 Guggenheim Fellowship — one of the nation’s most prestigious honors for scholars, artists and scientists. Barnes is known for her research on how people interact with the environment in their everyday lives — especially how resources like water, food and air are used, controlled and experienced unequally across different communities.

Rear view of a student walking on a path on USC campus

US News rankings: USC's International MBA remains top in the country

April 07, 2025, Megan Sexton

For the 12th straight year, the University of South Carolina has earned the No. 1 ranking in the country for its International MBA program, according to the 2025 Best Graduate School rankings released April 8 by U.S. News & World Report.

woman stands in front of a glass wall

New Economic Policy Center offers data-driven analysis to state agencies, other policymakers

April 07, 2025, Chris Horn

In a perfect world, state agencies and local governments would implement each new policy and program only after rigorous economic analysis that maps out the cost benefits, potential side effects and hidden costs of choosing one option over another. That data-driven approach to policymaking is the focus of S.C. EPiC, the South Carolina Economic Policy Center based in the economics department of the Darla Moore School of Business at USC.

Gates to Horseshoe of USC campus

2025 Autism Acceptance Month: USC faculty experts list

April 04, 2025, Communications and Marketing

April is Autism Acceptance Month. The CDC estimates that one out of every 36 eight-year-olds and one in 45 adults is affected by autism, a lifelong developmental disorder. As South Carolina’s leader in health sciences, USC has researchers across disciplines who specialize in autism.

A table covered in multiple dishes from The Spur

The Golden Spur lives on in two campus dining spots

April 03, 2025, Michaela Taylor

The Golden Spur legacy lives on through two new campus dining destinations: The Spur in Campus Village and The Golden Spur at 650 Lincoln. These modern eateries draw inspiration from the original hotspot, blending Gamecock spirit with a fresh take on American fare.

Award statues aligned on a table

USC celebrates 2025 Governor's Award for the Arts winners

April 01, 2025, Brandon Pugh

The Koger Center, USC School of Music professor Gail Barnes and USC School of Visual Arts and Design alumnus Wade Sellers have been named winners of the 2025 Governor’s Awards for the Arts by the South Carolina Arts Commission, recognizing exceptional practice or support of contemporary and traditional art forms.

Multicolored brain scan on computer screen over shoulder of researcher

USC neuroscience experts working to understand, improve brain health

April 01, 2025, Communications and Marketing

The University of South Carolina is focused on the brain. From autism and aphasia to Alzheimer’s and other related dementias, university researchers are working across several academic disciplines to better understand how the brain works and to develop solutions that will improve people’s health.