Recent Stories

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, University System

First gen lifeline

August 25, 2021, Office of Communications and Public Affairs

First-generation students from low-income families who arrive at the University of South Carolina find a home and support through the Opportunity Scholars Program, where a combination of smaller classes, mentoring, advising and workshops improves students’ academic performance and graduation rates.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Academics, Initiatives, Diversity, Student Voices, University System

Duffy award winner: Fidele Ngwane

July 29, 2021, Page Ivey

Duffy Excellence in Teaching Award winner Fidele Ngwane strives to make mathematics relatable to his students at USC Salkehatchie.

Topics: Faculty, Academics, Recognition, University System

Board of Trustees meets, names new chancellor for USC Upstate

March 14, 2021, Dana Woodward

The University of South Carolina’s Board of Trustees and several committees met on Friday (March 12). Here’s a roundup of actions they took.

Topics: University Leadership, University System

Moody's reaffirms UofSC's strong financial position

March 05, 2021, Jeff Stensland

The University of South Carolina system’s financial outlook remains bright despite challenges affecting the higher education sector during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report issued by Moody’s Investors Service, the gold standard of credit rating agencies.

Topics: University President, University System

UofSC ranks No. 1 in Nursing

January 26, 2021, Tenell Felder

The University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing ranks No. 1 among all U.S. universities for its online graduate nursing program, according to U.S. News and World Report’s annual online rankings.

Topics: Academics, graduate-studies, College of Education, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Nursing, University System

Duffy teaching award winner: Sarah Sellhorst

December 22, 2020

Sarah Sellhorst never imagined not going to college, had minimal challenges earning her three degrees and never attended an institution with fewer than 30,000 students. Now she’s a professor at USC Lancaster with its 1,500 students.

Topics: Faculty, Recognition, University System

Breakthrough Star: Nolan Stolz

June 22, 2020, Page Ivey

Very few professors grow up to become the envy of their teenage selves, but USC Upstate music professor Nolan Stolz could not be a disappointment to the 13-year-old who played the drums and loved the rock band Black Sabbath.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Recognition, University System

UofSC Board of Trustees subcommittees pass motions, ready for full board approval

June 05, 2020, Dana Woodward

On Friday, June 5, three committees of the university’s Board of Trustees met: the Academic Affairs and Faculty Liaison Committee, the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee and the Audit and Compliance Committee. Here’s a roundup of the committee approvals that will now be up for full board approval at the meeting on June 19.

Topics: University Leadership, Academics, University System

UofSC is No. 1 nationwide for first-year student experience

September 09, 2019, Megan Sexton

The University of South Carolina has the top first-year student experience among the nation’s public universities, according to U.S. News and World Report’s annual undergraduate rankings.

Topics: Students, Faculty, University Leadership, University President, Academics, Experiential Learning, Undergraduate Admissions, Initiatives, Recognition, Leadership, Darla Moore School of Business, South Carolina Honors College, University System

Breakthrough Star: Joshua Ruppel

June 28, 2019, Craig Brandhorst

Teaching at a primarily undergraduate institution doesn’t mean you can’t do important research. And attending one as a student shouldn’t preclude the formative experience of immersing oneself in a lab. Just ask Joshua Ruppel, associate professor of chemistry at the University of South Carolina Upstate.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Recognition, University System

Fishing for information

January 11, 2019, Chris Horn

When Virginia Shervette hangs a ‘GONE FISHING’ sign on her door, it’s more than an afternoon jaunt. The USC Aiken fisheries biologist investigates the health of commercial and recreational fish populations in the Caribbean basin in hopes that fisheries managers will use the information when developing accurate assessments of which species are being overfished.

Topics: Faculty, Research, University System

Creating a new path

October 31, 2018, Page Ivey

When Bob Johnston found himself out of work during the economic downtown of 2008, he hired on with a temp agency. He was sent to a logistics company in his hometown of Laurens where he did such a good job, the company offered him a salaried management position — his first. He knew he was going to need to up his game to succeed. Enter Palmetto College.

Topics: Alumni, Academics, Careers, University System

A guide to online education

October 06, 2018, Page Ivey

English professor Shelley Jones might be the best friend Palmetto College students have, developing extracurricular classes that basically teach those returning students how to be students again — and how to avail themselves to all the digital resources. Her efforts were recognized with the 2018 John J. Duffy Excellence in Teaching Award.

Topics: Faculty, Academics, Recognition, University System

Pathway to the future

July 19, 2018, Megan Sexton

The new University of Possibilities program helps middle school students around the state understand the importance of preparing for college.

Topics: Alumni, University Leadership, Academics, Initiatives, Diversity, University System

UofSC approves 2018-19 budget

July 11, 2018, Wes Hickman

The University of South Carolina’s Board of Trustees on July 11 approved a system-wide budget for 2018-19 that will slow tuition growth to 2.9 percent or less on most campuses—the lowest increase since 1998.

Topics: University Leadership, University System

The road less taken

June 19, 2018, Page Ivey

Heather Coleman wins the inaugural scholarship for nontraditional students that is named in memory of adult student administrator Harriett Hurt.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, Academics, Scholarships, Initiatives, Student Voices, University System

From custodian to teacher

June 07, 2018, Kathryn McPhail

In May, David Dutka earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education through Palmetto College, the University of South Carolina’s online degree completion program. In August, he will begin his first year as a teacher at Midway Elementary School – the same school where he repaired pipes and buffed floors as a custodian for several years.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Experiential Learning, Careers, Student Voices, College of Education, University System

Breakthrough Leader: Yiming Ji

May 18, 2018, Karla Turner

Trained as an aerospace engineer, Yiming Ji worked in the aerospace industry for several years before returning to school to study computer science. Inspired by the idea to train others to integrate computer science and engineering as he had done, Ji founded the computational science program at USC Beaufort, the only one of its kind in South Carolina.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Research, Recognition, University System

Carolina Day: A stronger UofSC, A stronger South Carolina

January 25, 2018, Jeff Stensland

Carolina Day at the Statehouse is an annual one-day event designed to let legislators know that state support is vital for the University of South Carolina to ensure quality, access and affordability. This year, USC is taking a new approach that will allow more supporters than ever to participate — whether they're in Columbia or anywhere around the globe.

Topics: Initiatives, Signature Events, University System

Garnet Apple Award winner: Shelley Jones

October 13, 2017, Page Ivey

Shelley Jones says teaching is not only in her blood — both parents were educators — but has been a part of her life since childhood.

Topics: Faculty, Academics, Recognition, Careers, University System

Duffy Excellence in Teaching Award: Jill Castiglia

September 08, 2017, Craig Brandhorst

A University of South Carolina Lancaster chemistry instructor and the Lancaster chemistry department’s lab manager, Jill Castiglia teaches the full complement of introductory chemistry courses at the campus, which sometimes means blowing things up.

Topics: Faculty, Academics, Recognition, University System

From trooper to magistrate, with help from Palmetto College

July 25, 2017, Megan Sexton

With his newly earned degree from the University of South Carolina Upstate, D.J. Bron traded in his S.C. Highway Patrol uniform for a magistrate’s robe this summer. It's a position he couldn't have imagined without Palmetto College, part of the university system that offers online bachelor’s degree completion programs.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Academics, Initiatives, Careers, Student Voices, University System

Breakthrough Star: Nathan Hancock

May 12, 2017, Craig Brandhorst

Nathan Hancock, assistant professor of biochemistry at USC Aiken, studies the biochemical and genetic mechanisms of transposable elements, known “jumping genes.”

Topics: Faculty, Research, Recognition, Leadership, University System

Melonee Hayes capitalizes on Palmetto College chance

April 25, 2017, Melinda Waldrop

Melonee Hayes realized after a series of post-high school jobs that she was meant to do more in life. On Friday, she'll take a huge step toward a more defined future when she graduates from USC Beaufort with a degree in human services.

Topics: Students, Academics, University System

Breakthrough Star: Li Cai

March 17, 2017, Chris Horn

Li Cai is often teaching and conducting experiments — his expertise is in synthesizing rare sugars. When he’s not busy with those activities, he’s reviewing manuscripts for 31 scholarly journals and mentoring undergraduate students at USC Salkehatchie.

Topics: Faculty, Academics, Research, Recognition, University System

Breakthrough Star: Virginia Shervette

March 11, 2017, Page Ivey

Virginia Shervette gets some groans from her biology students at USC Aiken when she introduces a new fish species to her class with the phrase, “Oh, that’s a tasty one.” But she makes it very clear that a big part of her research is to focus on managing commercial fish populations.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Recognition, College of Arts and Sciences, University System

Twenty-Sixteen: By the Letters

December 15, 2016, USC Times

A is for alphabet, at least according to USC Times. To help close out 2016, the University of South Carolina’s monthly magazine for faculty and staff devoted its entire December issue to the ABCs of 2016 — with each letter representing a different accomplishment, announcement or notable arrival from the past year.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, University Leadership, Academics, Research, Experiential Learning, College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Education, College of Engineering and Computing, The Graduate School, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, College of Information and Communications, School of Law, Medicine (Columbia), Medicine (Greenville), School of Music, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, Arnold School of Public Health, College of Social Work, South Carolina Honors College, University System, University Libraries

Brent Morris: Irons in the Fire

July 20, 2016, Craig Brandhorst

Slavery, the Civil War, abolition, Reconstruction — University of South Carolina Beaufort history professor J. Brent Morris spends a lot of time contemplating the 19th century. That doesn’t mean, however, that the 2016 Breakthrough Star recipient is living in the past.

Topics: Faculty, Academics, Research, Recognition, University System

2016 Breakthrough Star Kasia Pawelek

June 29, 2016, Steven Powell

Mathematics involves a lot of abstract thinking, but its potential can be quite solid. The research of USC Beaufort’s Kasia Pawelek on the modeling of infectious diseases caused by influenza and West Nile viruses is a manifestation of that potential.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Academics, Research, Recognition, Health Sciences, University System

Teacher for life

May 13, 2016, Steven Powell

Students in Kajal Ghoshroy’s Biology 101 classes might arrive at USC Sumter a little rough around the scholarly edges, but their academic skills evolve quickly under her tutelage.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Academics, Recognition, Health Sciences, University System

Commencement: Around the system

May 04, 2016

All UofSC campuses are celebrating commencements this spring and we have captured images from each of them. Whether you're a Gamecock or a Fire Ant, commencement always ends with "Forever to Thee."

Topics: Students, Alumni, Academics, Signature Events, University System

Molding a creative life

April 28, 2016, Megan Sexton

Rosa and Winton Eugene married in 1968 and moved from South Carolina to Chicago and back home again, with careers in carpentry, nursing, carpet installation and farming along the way. But it’s the work they are doing now – making elegant, functional pottery in their Upstate studio – that has brought them attention. Each will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree at commencement.

Topics: Alumni, Recognition, Signature Events, University System