Recent Stories

woman stands in a shower of confetti with hands raised to the ceiling

Championship Run: 2024 year in review

December 16, 2024

From a national championship and record research funding to a major engineering gift and a host of academic awards, 2024 was a banner year for USC.

Topics: Students, Faculty, University Leadership, University President, Diversity, Recognition, Economic Engagement, Health Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, Joseph F. Rice School of Law, Medicine (Greenville), School of Music, College of Nursing

Student taking notes in class

USC awarded federal grant to boost state's college and career readiness

November 12, 2024, Brandon Pugh

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded USC one of its largest-ever grants — $35 million — for the College of Education's GEAR UP SC program to help disadvantaged students overcome barriers to college and career opportunities.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, University Leadership, University President, Academics, Initiatives, Diversity, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, College of Education

Stan Brown in the Imperial Theater, New York City

Gamecocks Take Manhattan: Stan Brown

November 08, 2024, Craig Brandhorst/Photos by Kim Truett

This spring, actor Stan Brown made his Broadway debut at the age of 61. The theatre double alumnus, ’84, ’89 MFA, calls the role as Camel in the musical ‘Water for Elephants’ “a dream deferred,” but it’s not as if he has been waiting in the wings all these years. The Great White Way is just the latest chapter in a long and gratifying career.

Topics: Alumni, Recognition, Economic Engagement, Careers, The Graduate School

Eva Pilgrim laughs during her interview at GMA3 studios

Gamecocks Take Manhattan: Eva Pilgrim

November 08, 2024, Craig Brandhorst/Photos by Kim Truett

You’ve seen Eva Pilgrim in the co-host seat on ‘Good Morning America’ and ‘GMA3,’ but the broadcast journalism alumna has a rich life beyond TV. And while she’s been living, working and enjoying her career in New York City for nearly a decade, she remains true to her South Carolina roots. In fact, they’re a big part of her success.

Topics: Alumni, Recognition, Economic Engagement, Leadership, Careers, College of Information and Communications

man and woman embrace while looking at flooded buildings

How Hurricane Helene became a deadly disaster across 6 states

October 07, 2024, Cary Mock

Some hurricanes are remembered for their wind damage or rainfall. Others for their coastal flooding. Hurricane Helene was a stew of all of that and more. Its near-record-breaking size, storm surge, winds and rainfall together turned Helene into an almost unimaginable disaster that stretched more than 500 miles inland from the Florida coast. Geography professor Cary Mock writes about the hurricane for The Conversation.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, University Leadership, University President, Academics, Research, Safety, Economic Engagement, Leadership, College of Arts and Sciences, The Conversation

robert mcnair

McNair Institute fosters entrepreneurial mindset

August 05, 2024, Rebekah Friedman

Many students enter the University of South Carolina with entrepreneurial dreams. But the entrepreneurial mindset is as much about how you think about solving problems as it is about launching a new business or bringing an invention to market — and acquiring that mindset requires a very particular kind of educational environment. Since 2017, USC’s McNair Institute for Entrepreneurism and Free Enterprise has provided exactly that.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Experiential Learning, Economic Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Darla Moore School of Business

a large bank of batteries surrounded by sky and gravel

USC energy efforts boosted with new federal funding

July 02, 2024, Communications and Marketing

In a new round of funding announced by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the University of South Carolina will receive $10.2 million for its efforts to advance battery research. The funding is part of an overall award of $45 million to the SC Nexus consortium, of which USC is a founding member and core partner.

Topics: Faculty, University President, Research, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing

Humpy Wheeler poses at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Legendary NASCAR promoter Humpy Wheeler looks back at his career in racing and his days as a Gamecock in the 1950s

January 09, 2024, Craig Brandhorst

From 1975 to 2008, Humpy Wheeler, ’61, journalism, was president and general manager of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. And over those three high-octane, pedal-to-the-metal decades, he came to be regarded as one of the most colorful promoters in NASCAR history.

Topics: Alumni, Economic Engagement, Careers, College of Information and Communications

Gamecock alumni Casey Fissel dives in the tank at Riverbanks Zoo

USC graduates dive deep and discover dream careers at Riverbanks Zoo

August 23, 2023, Alexis Watts

Seven Gamecocks were on the frontlines of the March opening of the Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Aquarium & Reptile Conservation Center at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. With degrees ranging from advertising and public relations to biology and marine science, these University of South Carolina graduates play important roles in powering the No. 1 tourist destination in South Carolina, which attracts more than 1 million visitors annually.

Topics: Alumni, Experiential Learning, Economic Engagement, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Information and Communications

Students wear protective glasses while learning at camp

Carolina Master Scholars camps spark curiosity, forge connections

August 03, 2023, Alexis Watts

Summer camp memories don’t often include crime scene blood spatter analysis or creating culinary masterpieces, but the Carolina Master Scholars Adventure Series is not your typical summer camp.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Experiential Learning, Undergraduate Admissions, Initiatives, Diversity, Economic Engagement, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, Arnold School of Public Health, South Carolina Honors College

An image of a time clock.

Social work researcher explores impact on those who want more work hours but don't get them

January 18, 2023, Page Ivey

As many as 10 percent of U.S. workers want more work hours than their companies are offering — a condition known as underemployment. College of Social Work professor Jaeseung Kim is investigating the economic and personal fallout of underemployment, including the consequences of erratic weekends, shift cancellations or lack of control over hours.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Service, Leadership

President Amiridis cheers on the Gamecocks as they play against SC State.

Year in review '22: In with the old, in with the new

December 14, 2022, Communications and Marketing

Did campus feel just a little bit livelier this year? A touch more spirited? A tad more optimistic? We thought so, too — and not only because we named a new president back in January. Yeah, that was one heck of a way to ring in the new year, and it set the tone for the months ahead, but in the end, 2022 was about all of us, from the President’s House to Russell House, from Colonial Life to Williams-Brice. It was about respecting tradition, rediscovering our identity, remembering our past and reimagining our future. In 2022, the University of South Carolina reminded us all what it means to be USC.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, University Leadership, University President, Academics, Research, Diversity, History, Recognition, Economic Engagement, Signature Events, Campus Construction, Leadership, Careers, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Information and Communications

A bird’s eye view of a dark beer in a pint glass.

Prohibition-era beer laws persist to the present

December 02, 2022, Téa Smith

Craft beer is big business but that doesn’t necessarily mean business is booming.In fact, for many of the nation’s smaller brewing operations, competing with established large-scale “macrobreweries” is a David and Goliath story — and the laws are stacked in Goliath’s favor. But Scott Taylor Jr.. and his colleagues at the Wine and Beverage Institute at USC School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management are working on the first of three papers exploring the negative impact of Prohibition-era laws on competition within the alcoholic beverage industry.

Topics: Alumni, Faculty, Research, Economic Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

A nursing student practices on a mannekin while a professor observes.

Columbia, Upstate campuses to receive Prisma Health funding for nursing programs

October 03, 2022, Kyndel Lee

The University of South Carolina’s Columbia and Upstate campuses are recipients of an investment in scholarships by Prisma Health to help counter the state’s critical nursing shortage.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Academics, Research, Experiential Learning, Scholarships, Undergraduate Admissions, Graduate Studies, Initiatives, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Health Sciences, Leadership, Careers, College of Nursing

artist rendering of new UofSC nursing facility at Lexington Medical Center

UofSC, Lexington Medical Center enter new partnership

July 05, 2022, Kyndel Lee

The University of South Carolina College of Nursing and Lexington Medical Center have partnered to build a state-of-the-art nursing simulation lab and teaching space to provide clinical training for UofSC’s growing nursing student population.

Topics: Faculty, University Leadership, Academics, Experiential Learning, Graduate Studies, Initiatives, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Health Sciences, Careers, Medicine (Columbia), College of Nursing

David Cutler in steampunk style

Music professor gets creative in managing change

April 05, 2022, Dan Cook

When you think of change management, you might think of the Harvard Business Review or McKinsey’s global consultants. You probably don’t think about musicians. But in David Cutler’s new book, the distinguished professor of entrepreneurship and innovation in the School of Music takes lessons that began in the arts and translates them into a broad-based way of thinking about change in any other facet of life.

Topics: Faculty, University Leadership, Research, Experiential Learning, Initiatives, Recognition, Economic Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Careers, School of Music

Students walk down a path on the horseshoe

UofSC announces partnership to strengthen cyber security workforce in S.C.

March 28, 2022

The University of South Carolina announces a new partnership with Check Point Software Technologies, a global leader in Cyber Security Solutions. As a part of the ongoing cyber initiatives in South Carolina, the partnership will focus on providing UofSC students with innovative and collaborative learning opportunities that will prepare them for careers in the cyber security industry.

Topics: Initiatives, Economic Engagement

Nathalie Baulain

Driving innovation at Michelin

September 21, 2021, Office of Communications and Public Affairs

With an MBA from UofSC, Nathalie Baulain leads the customer innovation lab at Michelin, one of the world’s leading tire companies. The professional MBA program at the Darla Moore School of Business helped Baulain achieve the entrepreneurial and creative problem-solving skills she needed to take on a new role and to be successful in her position.

Topics: Alumni, Diversity, Economic Engagement, Leadership, Careers, Darla Moore School of Business

Bennie L. Harris smiles at the camera

USC Upstate has half-billion-dollar impact on local economy

August 25, 2021, Megan Sexton

USC Upstate is home to about 6,000 students and graduates about 1,300 each year. Studies estimate it has a half-billion-dollar economic impact on the region. As chancellor, Bennie L. Harris hopes the university can lead the way in increasing the number or residents in Spartanburg and Greenville counties who hold a four-year degree, while attracting more companies to a region that already is home to BMW and Michelin.

Topics: University Leadership, Diversity, Economic Engagement, University System

Display rack of Apple products at the University of South Carolina's Gamecock iHub store

Gamecock iHub, UofSC's Apple Authorized Campus Store, opens

August 12, 2021, Allen Wallace

The University of South Carolina’s Apple Authorized Campus Store, Gamecock iHub, officially opens for business Aug. 13 with a grand opening ceremony. It is only the second in the nation to incorporate experiential learning into its business model.

Topics: Students, Faculty, University Leadership, University President, Experiential Learning, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Careers, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

Solar Trailer

Solar trailer spurs sustainability efforts at UofSC

April 30, 2021, Audrey Hill

The Office of Sustainability along with mechanical engineering students worked together to create a sustainable solution for providing power to events at UofSC. The solar trailer is a converted, movable trailer that is able to store energy from the sun and power electrical equipment.

Topics: Experiential Learning, Initiatives, Economic Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing

President Bob Caslen gestures above a podium while Governor Henry McMaster observes in the background

UofSC announces strategic partners for statewide cyber ecosystem effort

April 06, 2021, Jeff Stensland

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and University of South Carolina President Bob Caslen unveiled a statewide initiative in February 2021 to develop a cyber ecosystem strategy. The first step in this effort is to conduct a nine-month study to assess the state’s current cyber assets and analyze strengths and gaps. To perform this critical work, UofSC’s Office of Partnerships, Innovation, and Economic Engagement (OIPEE) engaged longtime university partner kglobal, a Washington, DC-based strategic consulting firm.

Topics: Economic Engagement

A set of hands hovers over a Mac keyboard

Governor Henry McMaster, University of South Carolina, and Benedict College announce statewide education initiative with Apple products

March 30, 2021, Jeff Stensland

Gov. Henry McMaster awarded $6 million in Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funds to the University of South Carolina, who, in partnership with Benedict College, will establish eight Apple computer labs statewide. The labs will be strategically located for use by local school districts, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), the South Carolina Technical College System and citizens in the community.

Topics: Economic Engagement

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

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, Economic Engagement, Health Sciences, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing

Darla Moore School of Business economist Joey Von Nessen speaks at the University of South Carolina's 2018 Economic Outlook Conference

UofSC economic forecast for 2021: Palmetto State's economy largely rebounded, but significant gaps still remain

November 25, 2020

With a current unemployment rate of 4.2 percent — less than two percentage points away from its pre-pandemic low of 2.5 percent — South Carolina’s economy has largely recovered from the pandemic-induced recession of 2020, but UofSC economists caution that a COVID-19 vaccine will be required to return to full strength across all sectors in 2021.

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

Overlooking the fountain outside Thomas Cooper Library looking at the smokestack near the Horseshoe

UofSC among top universities granted U.S. utility patents

July 08, 2020, Communications and Public Affairs

For the eighth-consecutive year, the University of South Carolina stands among the top 100 universities in the world, based on the number of U.S. utility patents faculty members received in 2019. South Carolina ranks 90th worldwide, named as the lead on 31 patents last year.

Topics: Faculty, University Leadership, Research, Recognition, Economic Engagement, College of Arts and Sciences, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, Medicine (Columbia), Arnold School of Public Health

3D printer

COVID-19 response: Prisma Health collaborates with UofSC on ventilator device

March 25, 2020, David Lee

A collaborative effort involving Prisma Health and the University of South Carolina has resulted in emergency use authorization for a ventilator expansion device to support multiple patients during times of acute equipment shortages such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Topics: Faculty, University Leadership, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Health Sciences, COVID-19, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, Medicine (Greenville)

AI Institute

Intelligence, all over campus

March 05, 2020, Megan Sexton

While artificial intelligence research and programs are growing around the country, the University of South Carolina’s AI Institute is among the first in the Southeast to include diverse colleges and departments.

Topics: Faculty, University Leadership, Academics, Research, Graduate Studies, Initiatives, Economic Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Careers, College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Education, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, College of Information and Communications, College of Social Work

teacher with students in computer lab

Grant-funded initiative helps fill gaps amid SC's teacher shortage

January 14, 2020, Kathryn McPhail

More than 5,300 teachers left South Carolina public schools at the end of the 2018-19 school year. That seems like a staggering number, but it’s not an anomaly. It puts students at risk of missing out on the quality instruction they need and deserve, and the University of South Carolina’s College of Education is stepping in to help with a new initiative aimed at recruiting and retaining teachers.

Topics: Experiential Learning, Graduate Studies, Diversity, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, College of Education

Maxcy monument on the historic Horseshoe

UofSC research partnerships generating over $790 million for the Palmetto State

October 02, 2019, Jeff Stensland

The Office of Economic Engagement, with its corporate and government partners, has created over $790 million in indirect economic impact since its founding in 2013. The figure includes ongoing industry partner investments along with grant generation, software gifts, and new job creation.

Topics: Research, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing

Yellow lightbulb icon

Nephron, UofSC researchers improving medication safety through automation

August 23, 2019, Jeff Stensland

Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation has joined forces with the University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing to design and implement an automation process that significantly boosts production of pre-filled medication, reducing the physical burden on workers and increasing patient safety.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Economic Engagement, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, College of Pharmacy

Dr. Green with students

New partnership aims to enrich student growth, opportunity

August 08, 2019, Kathryn McPhail

The Accelerator for Learning and Leadership for South Carolina (ALL4SC) is an outreach project that will bring together researchers and professionals from 12 academic and professional units at the university to create a strategy to close achievement and opportunity gaps for all students

Topics: Faculty, University Leadership, Research, Initiatives, Diversity, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Leadership, College of Education

LeAnn Haga, education alumna

From passion to practice

April 05, 2019, Kathryn McPhail

Efforts to recruit and retain teachers in South Carolina go beyond the four years students spend on campus. For College of Education alumna LeAnn Haga, a high school outreach program inspired her to pursue a teaching career, a scholarship allowed her to earn a degree debt-free and now, her alma mater continues to support her in her first year as a teacher.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Academics, Experiential Learning, Scholarships, Undergraduate Admissions, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Careers, Student Voices, College of Education

digital transformation lab

The next big thing(s)

December 31, 2018, Page Ivey

The university has entered two new partnerships — the Industrial Internet of Things Research Lab, which is a partnership with IBM, and the 15,000-square-foot Digital Transformation Lab, which will serve as a research showplace for projects with an array of real-world industrial and consumer applications. USC Times asked Bill Kirkland, director of the Office of Economic Engagement, to help us understand both ventures.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Initiatives, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Careers, Darla Moore School of Business, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing

Equine impact

Equine Economy

October 01, 2018, Allen Wallace

A recent American Horse Council study finds that the U.S. equine industry is responsible for about $122 billion in economic impact and 1.74 million jobs that generate $79 billion in salaries, wages and benefits. How much of that is felt in South Carolina? That’s the question University of South Carolina researchers will answer after receiving a $46,500 grant from the state agriculture department.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Economic Engagement, Service, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

McCutchen House

McCutchen House gets cooking

August 30, 2018, Allen Wallace

Beginning Sept. 6, McCutchen House will be open for lunch Tuesday-Friday and for dinner each Thursday night. The on-campus, student-run restaurant offers a variety of dining experiences while serving as a hands-on training ground for hospitality management majors in the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Experiential Learning, Economic Engagement, Careers, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

Black hawk helicopter over campus on Engineering Day

Big data to the rescue

June 26, 2018, Chris Horn

University of South Carolina researchers across multiple disciplines are putting data analytics to work to tackle an array of real-world challenges — from keeping helicopters flying safely to improving health care and detecting deadly fungal outbreaks in corn.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Health Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, College of Nursing, Arnold School of Public Health

Tori Vaeth at hotel

The 'SEARCH' for purpose

January 12, 2018, Kathryn McPhail

A cherished, childhood friendship led Tori Vaeth to study special education at the University of South Carolina. Now, the College of Education double alumna is leading a program that’s training and placing young adults with intellectual disabilities in rewarding careers.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Academics, Experiential Learning, Undergraduate Admissions, Graduate Studies, Diversity, Economic Engagement, Service, Leadership, Student Voices, College of Education, The Graduate School, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

The future of retailing

It's about to get personal

November 27, 2017, Allen Wallace

Imagine going shopping and having your phone or fitness tracker make product recommendations for you based on your breath or the current physical state of your body. It is not science fiction. It’s the future of retailing and health care digitization according to researchers at University of South Carolina’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Economic Engagement, Health Sciences, Leadership, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

Tom Scott

Can't hack this

October 31, 2016, Dan Cook

From bank accounts to presidential campaigns, it seems that nothing is off-limits for computer hackers these days. That's why SC Cyber — a statewide cybersecurity initiative housed in the Office of Economic Engagement — is working to improve our defenses and raise awareness about how cybersecurity issues impact all of us.

Topics: Faculty, University Leadership, Initiatives, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Careers, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, Joseph F. Rice School of Law

Igor Roninson

Breakthrough Leadership in Research

July 21, 2016, Steven Powell

Igor Roninson brought 10 scientists and Senex Biotechnology, a cancer drug discovery company, to USC in 2011 when he was named the new SmartState Endowed Chair in Translational Cancer Therapeutics. But the South Carolina College of Pharmacy professor, who was named a Breakthrough Leadership in Research awardee by the Office of the Vice President for Research, was just getting started in building infrastructure that would enhance cancer research throughout the state.

Topics: Faculty, Recognition, Economic Engagement, Health Sciences, College of Pharmacy

UofSC, IBM open Center for Innovation; announce new collaboration

April 14, 2016, Jeff Stensland

The University of South Carolina and IBM announced a broadening of their collaboration, applying cognitive capabilities and the Internet of Things (IoT) to develop new solutions for predictive analytics and maintenance. On Thursday the two organizations are hosted the grand opening of the $25 million Center for Applied Innovation, where university, IBM and private sector researchers—including Fluor Corporation—will use the technology for a host of real-world applications.

Topics: Faculty, University Leadership, University President, Research, Initiatives, Economic Engagement, Campus Construction, Entrepreneurship, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing

UofSC launches statewide cybersecurity effort

February 24, 2016, Jeff Stensland

the University of South Carolina, along with a consortium of leading industry, academic, and government partners, announces the creation of SC Cyber. SC Cyber is a statewide initiative, housed at USC, committed to securing our state’s critical infrastructure and training those on the front lines of the fight to protect technological assets.

Topics: University Leadership, University President, Initiatives, Economic Engagement, Partnerships

lettuce root

Students nurture growing business

February 23, 2016, Luci Clemens

After competing in the Proving Ground competition last semester, three University of South Carolina students are turning their business pitch into a reality — and they’re starting with your salad. John Stewart, Erin Ryan and Bri Matthews are introducing fresh, local lettuce to the Columbia campus dining with an agricultural method called hydroponics.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Experiential Learning, Economic Engagement, Healthy Carolina, Entrepreneurship, Careers, Darla Moore School of Business

SOCO shared work environment

Start me up

January 12, 2016, Chris Horn

Columbia’s start-up culture is getting hotter, and Carolina is helping fan the entrepreneurial flames. Incubating companies is only part of the start-up equation. There’s a thriving entrepreneurial vibe now among students — enrollment in entrepreneurship classes has doubled and membership in the Entrepreneurship Club is at an all-time high — and the university has built an ecosystem on campus to foster that interest.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, Experiential Learning, Economic Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, College of Information and Communications

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