What does 'moral hazard' mean?
March 21, 2023, Cassandra Jones Havard
Professor of law Cassandra Jones Havard writes for The Conversation on the risks of the goverment saving failing banks.
2023 Archive
Civility on the bench
March 21, 2023, Page Ivey
DeAndrea Gist Benjamin, ’97 law, is only the second woman of color to serve on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Benjamin sat down with USC Today after her recent confirmation to the federal bench to talk about life choices and how her experiences in law school have guided her career.
Michael Sagas selected as new HRSM dean
March 21, 2023, Dana Woodward
Michael Sagas will take the helm at the university’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management on June 15.
Dance Marathon Sets Stage for Next 25 Years
March 17, 2023, Allen Wallace
Through its ongoing support of Prisma Health Children’s Hospital, Dance Marathon helps support children and families of children who are diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses.
USC AD Tanner receives extension; trustees updated on student parking, mental health programs
March 17, 2023, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina’s Board of Trustees approved a two-year contract extension for Athletics Director Ray Tanner during its March meeting Friday (March 17). Also on Friday, USC’s Board of trustees received updated on student parking and mental health initiatives.
Leadership, passion make Meera Narasimhan SC telehealth champion
March 16, 2023, Emily Miles
Described as a visionary leader and a passionate educator, Meera Narasimhan, M.D., has been at the forefront of telehealth in South Carolina. Her passion for addressing disparities in health care delivery and her advocacy for mental health awareness have led Narasimhan to a leadership role in medicine in the state.
Former student body presidents: where are they now?
March 16, 2023, Reagin von Lehe and Cecilia Dore
Former student body presidents share their accomplishments since graduating and reflect on the notable role.
Battling blazes with math and maps
March 15, 2023, Alexis Watts
The Columbia-Richland Fire Department is now equipped with unexpected tools to battle blazes: maps, graphs and statistics. A University of South Carolina geography graduate lead the way in bringing these tools that calculate and cut off many fire risks before they even occur.
Meet the Black alumnae whose contributions are commemorated on the Horseshoe
March 14, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
As a tribute to the Black alumnae featured in the student-produced documentary The Backbone, USC’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion installed 18 personalized bricks on the Horseshoe. The honorees' stories span seven decades of university history.
What are the limits of presidential power to forgive student loans?
March 13, 2023, Derek W. Black
Constitutional law expert and professor of law Derek W. Black writes for The Conversation on the limitations of presidential student loan forgiveness.
Poet laureate pens verse for USC
March 08, 2023, Michaela Taylor
Poetry has been ingrained in Jennifer Bartell Boykin’s life since she was young, and it’s followed her through adventures as a student, journalist, teacher, advisor and more. Now, it’s empowering her as Columbia’s new poet laureate.
Amit Sheth: Artificial intelligence, real growth
March 08, 2023, Téa Smith
Since its inception, the Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Carolina has fostered multiple partnerships to infuse artificial intelligence expertise into the framework of research at USC. Founding director Amit Sheth and the five new faculty he helped recruit have secured funding for a growing team of over 40 researchers.
Student finds his path through internship in Germany
March 03, 2023, Hannah Cambre
Jahleel Johnson gains confidence and insight as part of a prestigious youth exchange program between the U.S. State Department and the German congress.
David Banush looks to take University Libraries through digital transformation
March 01, 2023, Alexis Watts
David Banush took the helm as dean of University of South Carolina Libraries in November. He has seen his career come full circle from shelving books as a 17-year-old to leading the libraries into a new era.
Remember Columbia's Irish history and its influence on the city today
March 01, 2023, Reagin von Lehe
From building the city’s canal to founding St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Irish immigrants and their descendants have a rich history in Columbia dating back to the 19th century. Eric Friendly, research coordinator for Historic Columbia, the community from the first wave of immigrants that arrived in the 1820s.
USC alumnus, former mayor Steve Benjamin tapped for White House role
February 27, 2023, Dan Cook
Former Columbia mayor Steve Benjamin, a two-time alumnus of the University of South Carolina, has been named as a senior advisor to the White House and director of the Office of Public Engagement.
Campus Conversation: Jala Lewis
February 25, 2023, Reagin von Lehe
Through her marketing major, Jala Lewis is learning how to manage her cosmetology business that she started in high school. Jala’s Extensions became a reality for Lewis when she posted her progress in learning how to braid on social media — her peers in school were impressed. Now, she has braided Zia Cooke’s, Bree Hall’s, and Chico Carter Jr.’s hair in USC athletics.
Renowned entrepreneur Sheila Johnson returns for second semester as executive-in-residence
February 24, 2023, Allen Wallace
As a partner and vice chairman of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, Sheila Johnson is the only African American woman with ownership in three professional sports teams. Students in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management are gaining unique insights from Johnson as she returns for a second semester to co-teach a class on leadership.
USC Board of Trustees welcomes new members at February meeting
February 24, 2023, Dana Woodward
The university’s trustees welcomed three new members at their meeting Friday (Feb. 24). The board also approved 10 new academic programs and a variety of program modifications.
DIY enthusiasts thrive through difficult times
February 23, 2023, Reagin von Lehe
Chance and Mackenzie Edwards packed a lot of life into a short time period: They got married, went on a honeymoon; he got laid off and they started a business — all during a pandemic. But for the College of Information and Communications graduates, the struggles led to something they’re now thankful for.
Bringing civil rights history to life
February 22, 2023, Carol J.G. Ward
As a respected scholar of Southern history and African American culture, Bobby Donaldson has served as a consultant for museum exhibitions, archival collections, oral history initiatives, documentary films and historic preservation projects. He also has been recognized for his teaching and community outreach. He credits his parents and educators — from his elementary school librarian to a “drill sergeant” professor at Wesleyan University to his mentors and colleagues at USC — for inspiring his career.
People produce endocannabinoids -- similar to compounds found in marijuana - that are critical to many bodily functions
February 22, 2023, Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti
Professors of pathology, microbiology and immunology Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti write for The Conversation on endocannabinoids, compounds found in humans that are similar to those found in marijuana.
USC and Lexington Medical Center break ground on new building to train nurses
February 21, 2023
Lexington Medical Center and the University of South Carolina broke ground on a new building to train nurses on the hospital campus in West Columbia. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on Tuesday, Feb. 21.
Is there a management professor in the house?
February 20, 2023, Page Ivey
Business professor Luv Sharma’s research focus on process management and improvement may sound like an unlikely match for helping kidney transplant patients, but his experience and expertise were the perfect combination for creating an intervention for a major U.S. hospital over three years (2013-16).
USC researchers study how walking speed affects health
February 17, 2023, Megan Sexton
Researchers from the College of Engineering and Computing and the Arnold School of Public Health are studying how a person’s walking speed affects health and well being.
Fueling SC's top industry
February 17, 2023, Page Ivey
Tourism is the main driver of South Carolina’s economy, accounting for about 10 percent of jobs in the state and an estimated annual impact of $29 billion. The University of South Carolina helps keep this economic engine humming by preparing graduates of the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management to take on key roles in a variety of businesses and by helping those businesses adapt and grow.
USC's neuroscience research offers hope for a range of conditions
February 14, 2023
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.
Interim BSW program coordinator Bree Alexander returns to USC to train the next generation of social workers
February 14, 2023, Téa Smith
New interim bachelor of social work program coordinator Bree Alexander is eager to give students more opportunities to pursue their research interests — on their own or working with a faulty member.
New age treasure hunters reveal lost stories of Black life in South Carolina
February 14, 2023, Alexis Watts
New age treasure hunters, part of the South Carolina Digital Newspaper Program, are saving crucial historical information buried in old publications that are being preserved and presented online. The newspapers reveal stories from the state’s Black residents and rural communities, often overlooked by larger news outlets.
How to be money smart at USC
February 13, 2023, Cecilia Dore
Succeeding academically can be difficult if you are struggling financially. The Money Management program is here to help prepare you for any financial challenges you might face while in college and learn more about managing your finances.
Colonial Life offers key support for College of Education's CarolinaTIP
February 10, 2023, Page Ivey
CarolinaTIP focuses on teachers in their first three years as they transition from learning how to teach to leading their own classrooms. About half of all South Carolina teachers who leave their jobs each year are in their first five years of working in the classroom. The Carolina Teacher Induction Program has reduced the number of new teachers leaving the profession by offering them coaching support from more experienced classroom leaders — most of whom are retired instructors who want to give back to the profession.
Carolina Day brings USC community together
February 10, 2023, Communications and Marketing staff
On Tuesday (Feb. 14), University of South Carolina alumni and advocates will come together in support of the university’s efforts to build a stronger, healthier state. The Valentine’s Day event is a perfect opportunity for supporters to show their love for USC and thank state legislators who have helped the university fulfill its mission to provide an affordable, accessible education.
Boeing supports USC's assistance to veterans through free legal clinic
February 10, 2023, Communications and Marketing
The Veterans Legal Clinic provides free legal services to low-income veterans living in South Carolina who are facing issues with credit and related financial matters, housing, government benefits and family law. It was established in 2018 by a grant from the South Carolina Bar Foundation. Thanks to continued support from Boeing — $450,000 to date — the clinic has been able to serve more than 70 veterans since opening.
USC alumna DeAndrea Benjamin confirmed to federal court
February 09, 2023, Dan Cook
The U.S. Senate voted 53-44 to confirm DeAndrea G. Benjamin to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Benjamin is a 1997 alumna of USC’s School of Law.
Finding joy at USC
February 09, 2023, Nicole Meares
Gayenell Magwood focuses on community research and engagement, cardiometabolic risk and prevention, and cancer control and prevention. She is an endowed professor of nursing and is also passionate about her involvement with the American Heart Association and raising awareness for heart disease and stroke.
Family and community support fuels building renovation at USC Salkehatchie
February 09, 2023, Chris Horn
Peden McLeod, a 1967 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law believed in public service. Founder, chairman and CEO of the Bank of Walterboro as well as a state legislator, McLeod worked tirelessly to establish and support the USC Salkehatchie campus. It’s fitting, then, that the only building named for an individual on the campus in Walterboro honors McLeod: the Peden McLeod Library, which was dedicated in 1998.
Willingness to take rejection in stride brought an alumna's dreams to fruition
February 09, 2023, Reagin von Lehe
Growing up, USC alumna Kimberly Elchlepp religiously watched sports TV when she wasn’t playing volleyball or softball. The public relations graduate went on to make her women’s sports enthusiasm into a career at ESPN as a senior publicist on the college sports team.
New OIRAA director aims to make data work for USC faculty, staff
February 08, 2023, Dana Woodward
The Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Analytics is the home for much the university’s broad array of institutional data. It’s where staff and faculty can go to find all kinds of key information: number of faculty, staff and students; enrollment data for each college and school; how many degrees are awarded in each area, and much more.
Memphis police numbers dropped by nearly a quarter in recent years
February 07, 2023, Ian T. Adams
Assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice Ian T. Adams and others write for The Conversation on staffing issues on the Memphis police force.
Mexico made criminal justice reforms in 2008 - they haven't done much to reduce crime
February 07, 2023, Rebecca Janzen
Associate professor of Spanish and comparative literature Rebecca Janzen writes for The Conversation on persistent crime trends in Mexico despite criminal justice reform.
New nursing research chair has big aspirations for health care technology
February 07, 2023, Communications and Marketing
Virtual care is playing a bigger and bigger role in health care. Lorie Donelle, Emily Myrtle Smith Endowed Professor of Nursing, wants to make sure it’s not just efficient but also effective and ethical. The goal? To help people avoid misinformation and disinformation that can have negative impacts on their health care decisions.
Tyre Nichols' death underscores the troubled history of specialized police units
February 06, 2023, Ian T. Adams and Seth W. Stoughton
Assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice Ian T. Adams and professor of law Seth W. Stoughton write for The Conversation on the issues surrounding specialized police units.
USC youth summer camps 2023
February 03, 2023, Alexis Watts, Grace Farrar
With only a few short months until summer, it’s time for parents to find summer activities for their children. USC offers a wide variety of summer camps for all interests from music to soccer and dance to engineering.
School of Music reinvigorating South Carolina's jazz scene
January 31, 2023, Alexis Watts
The School of Music is bolstering the state’s jazz scene thanks to a dedicated space to train jazz educators and artists, outreach programs to seed the state’s jazz pipeline from the Upstate to the Lowcountry and energetic faculty eager to connect students with top musicians.
USC students connect incarcerated mothers and their children
January 31, 2023, Alexis Watts, Brandie Perron
School of Music students are using music as a way to connect new mothers at Camille Graham Correctional Institution and their babies through a program called The Lullaby Project, which is a project of Carnegie Hall and their Weill Music Institute.
Alumna Hope Rivers inspires a new generation as president of Piedmont Technical College
January 30, 2023, Megan Sexton
Hope Rivers, a first-generation college student who earned three degrees from USC, is inspiring a new generation of students as the president of Piedmont Technical College.
Timir Datta: Magnetism Reimagined
January 27, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
Physics Professor Timir Datta was recently named a 2022 American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellow for his research on “high-temperature” superconductors. But it’s the puzzling nature of electromagnetism that has pulled at his imagination for the last half a century.
Achieve your 2023 goals on campus
January 26, 2023, Reagin von Lehe
The first month of the new year is rapidly coming to an end, and the initial burst of energy students may put toward resolutions can be difficult to maintain. However, USC has resources to ease the stress of classes along with trying to keep up with those personal goals.
2-time Grammy nominee joins USC music faculty
January 26, 2023, Dan Cook
Achieving a performance career as a professional musician is notoriously difficult. But Mak Grgic, a new assistant professor of guitar at the School of Music, has done just that — playing 80-100 concerts a year, commissioning new pieces and earning two Grammy nominations.
Engineering alumna uses beauty pageants, philanthropy to inspire STEM interest in young girls
January 26, 2023, Kyndel Lee
Miss USA Morgan Romano knows all too well that only 28% of the STEM workforce is made up of women, and she's using her platform to spark interests in young girls and help create a pipeline for more women to purse careers in the STEM fields.
Former journalism professor lands on front lines of Murdaugh trial
January 26, 2023, Dan Cook
The Murdaugh saga is the most talked-about case in the country, inspiring sustained national media attention and an entire podcast devoted to the subject. Right at the center of it is Jay Bender, a former University of South Carolina media law professor who retired in 2016. Bender has been appointed by S.C. Circuit Judge Clifton Newman to serve as a liaison between the court and the media for the high-profile case.
5 ways pressuring young athletes to perform well does them harm
January 25, 2023, Eva V. Monsma
Developmental sport psychology professor Eva V. Monsma writes for The Conversation on the negative effects of pressuring young athletes.
Art heist in Lartania
January 24, 2023, Grace Farrar
International business graduate students took part in an immersive experience from the university’s Rule of Law Collaborative, a whodunnit game designed to help in federal anti-corruption training efforts.
U.S. News rankings: USC keeps top spot in online graduate nursing programs
January 20, 2023, Megan Sexton
For the third straight year, the University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing is ranked No. 1 nationally for its online graduate nursing program, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual online programs rankings released Jan. 24.
USC President Michael D. Amiridis outlines vision during investiture ceremony
January 20, 2023, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina is celebrating a new era of leadership with the investiture ceremony of President Michael D. Amiridis, held on Friday, Jan. 20, at the Koger Center for the Arts in Columbia.
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.
Ero Aggelopoulou-Amiridis may be new to the President's House, but the university's first lady is no stranger to USC
January 18, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
First Lady Ero Aggelopoulou-Amiridis holds two graduate degrees from USC — a master’s in art history and a Ph.D. in philosophy. Her intellectual curiosity is how she makes sense of the world.
Alumna Caroline Harper works to bring back indigo
January 17, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
Indigo is tightly woven into South Carolina history, but few have worked with the rich natural dye since it fell out of favor nearly 150 years ago. Alumna Caroline Harper is bringing it back.
Catching Up with David Shields
January 13, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
English professor and heirloom foodways expert David Shields introduces us to South Carolina seed saver Carold Wicker, whose Newberry County freezer chest is the stuff of legend among farmers, gardeners and heirloom produce detectives like Shields.
Meet the Office of the Provost
January 13, 2023, Hannah Cambre
The Office of the Provost remains a source of mystery for many, but its reach extends to every aspect of academic activity on USC’s campus. Here is a look at just three of the offices that are advancing the provost’s mission of academic excellence at the university.
USC researchers advancing transition to a new energy landscape
January 12, 2023, Megan Sexton
From policy-making surrounding cleaner energy technologies to researching better ways to make and store electricity to studying advanced nuclear materials for interplanetary space travel, University of South Carolina researchers are advancing the transition to a changing energy landscape.
Better teaching through chemistry
January 10, 2023, Chris Horn
Amy Taylor-Perry discovered her knack for teaching while earning a Ph.D. in chemistry at UofSC. The university recognized Taylor-Perry’s teaching prowess and recruited her immediately.
Priority: Wellness
January 10, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
Health care workers are in the midst of a burnout crisis. As director of field education for the College of Social Work, Melissa Reitmeier has seen it first-hand when placing students in clinical sites across the state. She and her colleagues hope their new online training series will help.
Social justice awards recognize outstanding student, faculty members
January 09, 2023, Page Ivey
Four faculty members and a student have been recognized for their work on campus and in the larger community with 2023 Social Justice Awards. The University of South Carolina created the Social Justice Awards to recognize individuals who have exemplified the philosophies of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. through acts of community service, social justice or racial reconciliation.
Calling Deion Sanders a sellout ignores the growing role of clout-chasing in college sports
January 09, 2023, Jabari M. Evans
Assistant professor of race and media Jabari M. Evans writes for The Conversation on the increasing role of fame and money in college sports.
Why is 13 considered unlucky?
January 09, 2023, Barry Markovsky
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of sociology Barry Markovsky writes for The Conversation about the superstition around the number 13.
Med school professor trains students to focus on patient
January 06, 2023, Page Ivey
James Cook took a circuitous route to being a doctor — one that included stops as a commercial fisherman, shoe salesman and high school biology teacher before going to medical school. His experiences helped inform his practice as an OB/GYN and as a clinical professor.
USC's women's basketball coach Dawn Staley wins championships, builds champions
January 05, 2023, Page Ivey
Basketball-wise, Dawn Staley has done it all. As a player, she won MVP trophies and gold medals. As a coach, she has won national titles, coach of the year honors and more gold medals. As a mentor, she has watched Gamecock power forward turned WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson win season MVP and a WNBA championship. But Staley also transcends the sport, raising awareness for issues she cares about and money for causes she believes in. At her core, she is an advocate — for her players, first, but also for people whose voices might not be heard.
Remains of Revolutionary War soldiers help USC anthropologists unravel the Battle of Camden
January 04, 2023, Rose Cisneros
Archaeologists with the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology at USC have studied the Camden Battlefield for decades, but their most recent finding is the discovery of a lifetime.
Education professor's new book examines the chronic shortage of public school teachers
January 04, 2023, Craig Brandhorst
It’s no secret: public school teachers are leaving the profession at an alarming rate. “How Did We Get Here? The Decay of the Teaching Profession” (Information Age Publishing, 2022), edited by University of South Carolina associate professor of education Henry Tran and Iowa State University associate professor Douglas A. Smith, explores the causes and consequences of teacher attrition in South Carolina as a way to shed light on the larger crisis affecting America’s schools.
Chemistry professor strives for understanding over memorizing
January 03, 2023, Page Ivey
Sheryl Wiskur knows how hard organic chemistry is. She has been teaching at the University of South Carolina for 15 years. But more importantly, she struggled with it herself as an undergraduate.
Art professor uses technology to keep class going during pandemic
January 03, 2023, Rebekah Friedman
Art professor Sara Schneckloth found herself in uncharted territory when COVID-19 abruptly shut down in-person instruction and she faced the challgenge of connecting with students over the internet instead of in a studio classroom. But she put technology to work to help students in her drawing graduate seminar mimic the classroom experience and create "a network of satellite studios."