May 03, 2022, Craig Brandhorst
When computer engineering major Dimitri Amiridis crosses the stage at commencement this spring, the South Carolina Honors College graduate will become the third member of his family with a degree from the University of South Carolina. The only member of his immediate family not to hold a degree from his new alma mater? Dimitri’s father, university President-elect Michael Amiridis.
May 03, 2022, Megan Sexton
From ensuring students know where to sit to making sure the sound system works just right, university staff members work behind the scenes to ensure a memorable commencement day for graduates and their families.
April 26, 2022, Dana Woodward
The University of South Carolina will welcome thousands of new alumni from across the system in a series of commencement ceremonies, which conclude with three Columbia campus events at the Colonial Life Arena. The ceremonies will recognize bachelor’s, master’s and professional degree recipients.
April 21, 2022, Communications and Marketing
Mechanical engineering major Gabriel Nossar Carrilho is using what he’s learned at the University of South Carolina to serve the campus community, the Latinx community and even people in his native South America in need of clean water. For his efforts, Carrilho has been awarded the university’s top leadership award — the 2022 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.
April 21, 2022, Communications and Marketing
Geography major Claire Windsor has turned a passion for creating a sustainable world into action throughout her four-year career at South Carolina. The Travelers Rest, South Carolina, native and Honors College student received the university's top leadership award, the 2022 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.
January 19, 2022, Communications and Public Affairs staff
On Jan. 26, University of South Carolina alumni and advocates will come together in support of the university’s efforts to build a stronger, healthier state — and to thank state legislators who have helped the university fulfill its mission to provide an affordable, accessible education.
January 10, 2022, Page Ivey
Two faculty members and a student have been recognized for their social justice efforts on campus and in the larger community as 2022 Social Justice Award winners.
December 06, 2021, Dana Woodward
Thousands of students will earn their degrees at the University of South Carolina’s annual fall commencement ceremony held Monday, Dec. 13 at the Colonial Life Arena. The ceremony, which begins at 2:30 p.m., will include graduates from associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and professional degree programs across the USC system.
July 26, 2021, Abe Danaher
Brooke Daniels realized her passion while designing a new cover illustration for Tara Westover’s Educated. Now, as thousands of incoming UofSC freshmen read the book through the university’s 2021 First Year Reading Experience, she hopes it provides them guidance in navigating their next four years.
April 14, 2021, Office of Communications and Public Affairs
Adarsh Shidhaye says he “hit the ground running” thanks to a pre-medical summer camp offered by the Office of Pre-Professional Advising. The program was so valuable to him that he started working as an ambassador during his freshman year, providing that same help to incoming students. Shidhaye’s service to his fellow students while earning a degree in public health as well as minors in business administration and medical humanities and culture has also earned him the university's highest undergraduate honor, the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award.
April 14, 2021, Office of Communications and Public Affairs
Payton Ramsey of Hammond, Louisiana, has overcome a visual disability from childhood to become the first member of her family to attend college. The biological sciences major is also a member of the South Carolina Honors College who has spent her time at UofSC perfecting her leadership skills and expanding her mind through research. For her efforts over her four years at South Carolina, Ramsey received the 2021 Steven N. Swanger Award, the university’s second-highest undergraduate honor.
April 14, 2021, Office of Communications and Public Affairs
Issy Rushton was installed as president of the student body at the University of South Carolina just as the COVID-19 pandemic was shutting down the world. The native of the Gold Coast in Australia was half a world away when she went to work helping her fellow students and the university navigate the pandemic and focus on returning to campus. For her leadership, Rushton was one of two members of the Class of 2021 to receive the university's highest undergraduate honor, the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award. The award, named for a 19th-century New York lawyer and philanthropist, is given each year for outstanding achievements, campus leadership, exemplary character and service to the community.
November 06, 2020
It's the last month of programming for the semester, so Gamecock Entertainment did not disappoint with the next couple weeks of events. Mark your calendars and enjoy these free events and activities.
October 16, 2020, Caleigh McDaniel
There is still another week left in this year’s two-week-long Homecoming celebration. Here is a day-by-day guide for week two of Homecoming.
October 13, 2020, Thom Harman
The University of South Carolina will host its first ever virtual TEDxUofSC event Wednesday, Oct. 21. Guided by TED’s goal of sharing “ideas worth spreading,” TEDxUofSC 2020 will be broadcast from the Columbia campus via Facebook Live from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
October 07, 2020, Megan Sexton
The Fall Literary Festival continues in 2020 on three consecutive Wednesday evenings in October – with a twist.The three featured authors will share their readings and talks online.
October 01, 2020, Office of Communications and Public Affairs
To make the University of South Carolina more affordable and more accessible to state residents, President Bob Caslen announced a tuition freeze for the coming academic year during his first State of the University address.
August 20, 2020, Caleigh McDaniel
Whether you are a first year student or nearing the end of your college career, now is the perfect time to explore the virtual or safer in-person events UofSC has to offer this week and find community on campus.
January 15, 2020, Communications and Public Affairs staff
Each January, University of South Carolina alumni and advocates come together in person and online in a show of support for UofSC’s efforts to build a stronger state — and to ask state legislators to join the cause. Here, we look at some of the ways in which the university is advancing our state.
January 09, 2020, Page Ivey
A community organizer and equity scholar, a three-degree alumna, an education student leader and a professor with a strong record of mentoring younger colleagues are the recipients of the University of South Carolina’s 2020 Social Justice Awards and will be honored at the annual MLK Commemorative Breakfast Jan. 17 in the Russell House Ballroom.
January 06, 2020, Kohl Friery
The University of South Carolina will host its second TEDx event, TEDxUofSC, on Oct. 15. TEDxUofSC will feature eight speakers that each have an idea worth sharing to better the community.
December 17, 2019, Page Ivey
Jade Battiste is grateful for her parents’ patient support as she has traveled a nontraditional path to her bachelor’s degree. But she is especially grateful to her father, Luther Battiste, who helped create the African American Studies program at the University of South Carolina 50 years ago.
October 24, 2019, Caleigh McDaniel
Homecoming Week is a campuswide celebration with nightly events, service projects and more for students, faculty, staff and alumni. This year’s theme is “The Power of Garnet,” so grab your cape and mask and get ready for this action-packed week.
September 26, 2019, Caleigh McDaniel and Catherine Jobe
It’s that time of year again. Time for our families to descend upon Columbia and UofSC in droves, calling before you’ve even gotten out of class to say that they’re here and asking where to park. They’ve been waiting for this day since August, but what are you going to do with them? Don’t stress; impress them with these options.
September 25, 2019, Annika Dahlgren
Family Weekend is part of the university’s wide-ranging commitment to delivering a superior student experience in a welcoming, inclusive environment. It helps to connect a student’s personal support network to the university experience, so that family members can feel engaged in a student’s journey — and a student can feel a deep level of support both on- and off-campus.
September 19, 2019, Amanda Hernandez
Valerie Smith, Swarthmore College’s first African American president in its 155-year history, is committed to deepening human understanding through the process of learning and discovery. She will share her passion and perspective to South Carolina as the 2019 Adrenée Glover Freeman Lecturer.
August 19, 2019, Koby Padgett
Move-in 2019 welcomes an estimated 6,250 freshmen to campus. Here are some details on the incoming class, student life and move-in.
June 06, 2019, Ellen Woodoff
The Southeastern Piano Festival, one of the premier piano experiences for performance and young talent, offers South an opportunity to hear some of the world’s top artists.
May 07, 2019, Megan Sexton
It happens every semester, but it never gets old. Seniors finish their final exams, turn in their last papers, pull on the cap and gown and walk across the stage as proud graduates of the University of South Carolina. TIMES spoke with eight May graduates about their decision to come to Carolina, the memories they have made here and their plans for the future. We also asked them to send us a picture to mark the occasion.
April 25, 2019, Thom Harman
South Carolina — the state’s leader in health science education and research — is sponsoring “The Art of Healthy Living,” a fun, educational and interactive exhibit in the heart of Artisphere, the sprawling downtown Greenville festival.
April 18, 2019, Page Ivey
The University of South Carolina presented its top student honors, the Algernon Sydney Sullivan and Steven N. Swanger awards, to three graduating seniors during the university’s annual Awards Day ceremony Thursday on the historic Horseshoe.
April 11, 2019, Diane Parham
Another successful Give 4 Garnet closed at midnight Wednesday, with 6,576 donors making $4,028,859 in gifts during the University of South Carolina’s second annual giving day.
April 03, 2019, Diane Parham
There’s still plenty of confetti on hand for year two of Give 4 Garnet: A Day of Giving, set for Wednesday, April 10. But this year’s giving day is putting the spotlight on donors instead of dollars, with a goal of 6,500 donors making gifts during the day-long campaign.
March 21, 2019, Helen Dennis
As violence in Rwanda escalated in the spring of 1994, the United States government ordered all of its citizens to return home, but Carl Wilkens chose to stay. Wilkens will tell his story, among other stories of rebuilding and reconciling, at this year’s Solomon-Tenenbaum lecture. He will present his talk, “Legacies of Genocide: From the Holocaust to Rwanda and Beyond,” at 7 p.m. Sunday (March 24) in the UofSC Alumni Center.
March 20, 2019, Dana Woodward
The University of South Carolina is a must-stop for presidential hopefuls. Keep up with who's visiting campus during the 2020 election season here.
March 07, 2019, Carol J.G. Ward
The Open Book Series offers readers a chance to take a peek inside the writing process with authors speaking about their works at these free literary events.
January 17, 2019, Dana Woodward
The University of South Carolina’s MLK Weekend event series culminates Sunday, Jan. 20, with Freedom Rings, an artistic celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy. The university partnered with the Columbia nonprofit Auntie Karen Foundation to bring together Midlands musicians, artists and spoken word performers to honor the civil rights leader in an event designed to bring the audience to its feet.
January 08, 2019, Megan Sexton
Kassy Alia turned her grief over the loss of her husband, a police officer shot in the line of duty, into a nonprofit that is changing her life and the lives of officers and marginalized communities around the state.
November 27, 2018, Annika Dahlgren
Take a look at the lineup of 2018 holiday events, including the Carolina Cares service drive, annual tree lighting and more.
November 26, 2018
From Bernstein's "Mass" and new, innovative partnerships to a Truman Scholar and cutting-edge research discoveries, 2018 was an eventful year at the University of South Carolina. Here are 20 of the year’s many highlights.
November 15, 2018, Mia Grimm and Catherine Jobe
Tiger Burn is one of the university's most cherished traditions. During rivalry week, student and alumni alike gather to watch the event on Greene Street Intramural Fields. Hear from the engineering students behind-the-scenes that build the tiger everyone watches go up in flames.
November 13, 2018, Keisa Gunby
The Finding Common Ground series, presented by the UofSC’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, continues this fall with guest lecturer, Deirdre Cooper Owens, assistant professor of history at Queens College, CUNY, and author of Medical Bondage: Race, Gender, and the Origins of American Gynecology. Owens will lead the fifth forum in this series beginning at 6 p.m. on Nov. 19 in the Capstone Campus Room.
October 28, 2018, Kathy Henry Dowell
A 1951 University of South Carolina graduate who loved literature and libraries, Dorothy Smith made a proposal to University Libraries and the English department 20 years ago: If the two groups would work together to host an annual literary festival, she would establish an endowment to support it financially.
October 18, 2018, Annika Dahlgren
It’s another wonderful year here at the University of South Carolina, and to celebrate our students and alumni, the university is hosting a series of events to kick school spirit up to an all time high. Whether you’re dancing on Greene Street or building a canned creation, there is something for everyone to get involved in. Here are a few of the many must-see events going on this year.
October 09, 2018, Page Ivey
Overcoming stereotypes and drug addiction, learning to listen in uncomfortable conversations about race, and finding new ways to diagnose and treat mental illnesses were just some of the wide range of topics presented by speakers at the inaugural TEDxUofSC event Tuesday.
October 04, 2018, Ross Stevens
Author Ijeoma Oluo will discuss her provocative book, titled “So You Want to Talk About Race,” when she delivers the university’s 2018 Adrenée Glover Freeman Lecture Nov. 29. We caught up with her for a Q&A about what to expect.
October 03, 2018, Jeff Stensland
After a decade of service as president and leading the University of South Carolina through an unprecedented period of growth and success, President Harris Pastides announced Wednesday (Oct. 3) that he will retire as president effective the summer of 2019.
September 28, 2018
University of South Carolina President Harris Pastides has seen tremendous change in his 10 years at the helm. For his annual State of the University address Wednesday (Oct. 3), he will look 10 years into the future to share his vision for the next decade.
September 27, 2018, Dana Woodward
In a celebration of the first lady’s 10 years of contributions to the health and wellness of the Carolina community, the university has partnered with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture to present an extension of the Healthy Carolina farmer’s market on Oct. 2.
September 27, 2018, Mia Grimm and Catherine Jobe
It’s that time of year again. Time for our families to descend upon Columbia and UofSC in droves, calling before you’ve even gotten out of class to say that they’re here and asking where to park. They’ve been waiting for this day since August, but what are you going to do with them? Don’t stress; impress them with these options.
September 19, 2018
Pete Souza, the former chief official White House photographer for President Obama and an official White House photographer for President Reagan, will deliver the Buchheit Family Lecture on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. We caught up with him to ask a few questions about his work and the future of journalism.
August 15, 2018, Koby Padgett
The incoming class of freshmen is expected to be one of the largest at the University of South Carolina. We break down Move-In 2018 by the numbers.
August 15, 2018, Mia Grimm
Lyric Swinton is the only undergraduate speaker for TEDxUofSC on Oct. 9. She will be discussing a topic that has affected her life and is becoming increasingly important in our current social climate, stereotypes.
July 31, 2018, Megan Sexton
The lineup of speakers is set for the inaugural TEDxUofSC conference Oct. 9 at the University of South Carolina Alumni Center.
June 05, 2018, Peggy Binette
In its 16th year, the Southeastern Piano Festival offers South Carolinians the rare opportunity to hear renowned artists perform. It also provides 20 of the nation’s top pre-college pianists the opportunity to take master classes with top pianists and university piano faculty as well as perform and compete for prizes.
May 24, 2018, Dana Woodward
It’s a win for University of South Carolina students, for Midlands bargain hunters and for Habitat for Humanity: the annual Give It Up For Good Yard Sale sponsored by University Housing, which takes place this year on June 2 with a preview on June 1.
April 20, 2018, Lynn Schutte
On April 22, 500 students will receive their University of South Carolina ring at the Ring Ceremony on the historic Horseshoe.
April 04, 2018, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Harvard Law professor Randall Kennedy will focus on South Carolina’s historic ties to landmark civil right cases as part of “Reconstruction’s Legacy: The History and Contemporary Significance of the 14th Amendment,” a symposium presented by the History Center and Historic Columbia.
March 28, 2018, John Brunelli
University of California Berkeley public health professor Amani Nuru-Jeter will deliver the 11th annual James E. Clyburn Health Disparities Lecture April 6.
March 20, 2018, Dana Woodward
In 2018, the Open Book Series celebrates its sixth birthday. Both a literary series and a free community read, the Open Book brings a variety of authors to campus over a four-week period, starting Monday, March 26, when host Elise Blackwell leads a discussion of Colson Whitehead’s 2016 novel, “The Underground Railroad.”
March 20, 2018, Megan Sexton
South Carolina Honors College graduate Caroline Parler Potter headed to England as a Rhodes Scholar in 2000. She's still at Oxford, where she earned her master’s and doctorate in anthropology and is now a medical anthropologist. She'll return to Carolina on April 20 to give the keynote address at Discover USC.
March 01, 2018, Allen Wallace
University of South Carolina Dance Marathon has grown to be the largest student-run philanthropic organization at Carolina and celebrated its 20th anniversary by raising more than $1 million for Columbia's children's hospital.
February 07, 2018, Page Ivey
For the past eight years, University of South Carolina students and recent grads have had the opportunity to turn their brilliant ideas into something tangible with the Proving Ground — a startup business pitch competition along the lines of ABC’s “Shark Tank” television program.
February 01, 2018, Taylor Evans
Alli Webb, founder of blow out salon company Drybar, will speak on her journey from hairdresser to entrepreneur during the McNair Entrepreneurship Showcase on Feb. 9.
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.
January 24, 2018, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Deborah E. Lipstadt, who won a famous legal battle surrounding a Holocaust denier, will speak about modern anti-Semitism during the 2018 Solomon-Tenenbaum Lectureship in Jewish Studies on Jan. 28.
January 18, 2018, Dana Woodward
The university’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemorative event series wraps up Sunday, Jan. 21, with a performing arts show titled “Freedom Rings: An artistic celebration of the life of Martin Luther King Jr.”
January 11, 2018, Dana Woodward
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, and the University of South Carolina’s Black Law Students Association intends to mark the occasion with a film screening of "Rikers: An American Jail" and a community forum.
January 09, 2018, Page Ivey
A "Texas Super Lawyer," Benjamin Hall started the path to his legal career with a degree in religion from Carolina in 1977. Hall has been named Outstanding Black Alumni.
December 18, 2017, Page Ivey
Find someone to love, find a job you like — and get involved in civic life, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer told December 2017 graduates during commencement exercises Dec. 18.
December 06, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Premier pianist and composer Courtney Bryan will discuss her music’s overall ties to social justice campaigns and her inspirations across various genres during two public lectures Friday, Dec. 8 at the University of South Carolina.
November 09, 2017, Page Ivey
Stacey Calvert has been a devotee of choreographer George Balanchine since she was a young dancer. “The choreography is brilliant; it’s beyond brilliant,” she says. "It’s super organic to dance. As a dancer, it makes perfect sense.” That is why Calvert has staged a Balanchine program every spring for the past 14 years as a dance professor at the University of South Carolina.
October 25, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Boston College theological ethics professor Kristin Heyer will deliver the 18th annual Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Lecture in Moral, Ethical and Religious Studies. Heyer says today’s immigration dialogue often has been framed in terms of crisis management alone, and she will explore how the scripture and Catholic social tradition can shape the debate.
October 23, 2017, Page Ivey
Lee Thomas’ long career took him from public service during a tumultuous period of environmental disasters in the U.S. and abroad to a long stint in the corporate world. The 1970 graduate with a master's in education is this year's Algernon Sydney Sullivan alumni award winner.
October 19, 2017, Taylor Evans
Homecoming week has a little something for everyone, including Carolina’s faculty and staff members. Here are five ways to make the most out of the 2017 homecoming celebration.
October 17, 2017, Page Ivey
Raphael Lee, a pioneering plastic surgeon and biomedical engineer, has focused his medical research on tissue injury and repair, therapeutic control of scar formation and reconstructive surgery.
October 11, 2017, Jalesa Cooley
Ross Lordo knew he wanted to be a leader from the moment he completed high school. Now, after four years of serving in student government, the Fort Mill native is spending his senior year serving at the highest student government position — student body president.
October 05, 2017, John Brunelli
A pediatric researcher whose life work involves reducing obesity in children will be the keynote speaker at the second annual Gerry Sue and Norman J. Arnold Childhood Obesity Lecture.
September 12, 2017
The University of South Carolina has made great strides in the past year in its mission as the flagship university system for the state, but now is no time to be satisfied, President Harris Pastides told students, faculty and staff in his annual State of the University address on Tuesday.
August 31, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Historian Thavolia Glymph will deliver the 20th Annual Robert Smalls Lecture on Sept. 7 focusing on Reconstruction and how we write and remember history.
June 13, 2017, John Brunelli
The 2017 Southeastern Piano Festival opens June 18 with a Piano Extravaganza concert. The region's only piano-focused arts event runs through June 24 with nightly concerts from world-class pianists and a competition of rising stars.
May 05, 2017
The University of South Carolina Columbia campus awarded nearly 6,800 degrees Friday and Saturday (May 5-6), including 4,921 bachelor’s degrees.
April 24, 2017, Jeff Stensland
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will receive an honorary degree and deliver special remarks to graduates as part of the University of South Carolina’s commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 6 at the Colonial Life Arena.
April 20, 2017, Lauren McCarthy
UofSC had the opportunity to talk to some seniors graduating in May. Here is what a few students have planned after graduation and what they’re going to miss most about Carolina.
April 20, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Three graduating seniors received the university's highest honors at the annual Awards Day ceremony. Jory Mackenzie Fleming and Megan Patricia O’Brien received Algernon Sydney Sullivan awards, the university’s top honor for undergraduates, and Cory Cambridge Alpert received the Steven N. Swanger award, the university’s second-highest undergraduate honor.
April 13, 2017, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Jonathan Franzen, a critically acclaimed and sometimes controversial author, will discuss his 2001 National Book Award winner “The Corrections” April 19 as part of the popular Open Book series.
March 31, 2017, Dana D'Haeseleer
Addressing health inequities at a time of chaos and privilege will be the focus of the 10th annual James E. Clyburn Health Disparities Lecture April 18 at the University of South Carolina.
March 23, 2017, Peggy Binette
Award-winning civil rights documentary filmmaker Stanley Nelson Jr. will visit the University of South Carolina March 29-31 to preview his latest documentary and give a series of public talks. We caught up with Nelson to discuss some of the topics he'll explore with university faculty, staff and students.
March 09, 2017, Dana D'Haeseleer
We caught up with David Leonhardt, New York Times columnist and this year's Baldwin Business and Financial Journalism lecturer, to discuss politics, economics and the future of business journalism. Leonhardt's public talk takes place March 14.
February 23, 2017, John Brunelli
Five paintings by Edward Hopper are the inspiration for Opera at USC's spring production "Later the Same Evening." The show runs Feb. 24-26 at Drayton Hall.
February 16, 2017, Kathryn McPhail
When high school math teacher Morgan Bailey steps in front of her class in rural Walterboro, South Carolina, she worries that some of the faces looking back at her may not graduate. Bailey is trying to enrich her students learning by sharing her experiences as a former intern with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and through her friendship with Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss.
February 01, 2017, Peggy Binette
Samuel Tenenbaum reflects on the impact that the Solomon-Tenenbaum Lectureship has had on the community and in his life for the past 27 years. This year’s lecture will feature Jon D. Levenson of Harvard Divinity School who will explore the shared Abrahamic traditions found in Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths.
December 12, 2016, Megan Sexton
When Emily Bethea walked across the commencement stage Monday, it marked the completion of a dream that began more than a decade ago, as she watched over her mother and infant brother in the hospital.
November 17, 2016, Adena Rice
Carolina and Clemson’s rivalry is as intense as an in-state competition can be. It’s deep-rooted in history, politics and athletics with Carolina fans having a dislike for anything orange and purple. But in recent years, the rivalry has been used to encourage spirited competition to help the South Carolina community.
September 15, 2016, Page Ivey
Marian Wright Edelman wrote “The Measure of Our Success” as an open letter 24 years ago to her three sons. The book was selected for this year’s First-Year Reading Experience and Edelman will speak on campus Tuesday (Sept. 20).
September 14, 2016, Joshua Burrack
University of South Carolina President Harris Pastides presents his plan for the coming year and how the university must prepare the leaders of the 21st century.
September 08, 2016
University of South Carolina President Harris Pastides will give his annual State of the University address at 10 a.m., Wednesday (Sept. 14) on the historic Horseshoe.
September 01, 2016, Peggy Binette
Southern boardinghouses and their shaping influence on foodways, gender and culture in the South will be the focus of the University of South Carolina’s Townsend Lecture, Thursday, Sept. 15.
August 18, 2016, John Brunelli
Two popular music series merge to create the new Freeman Sundays @ 3 concerts featuring School of Music faculty. Proceeds from the concerts will still fund music student scholarships.
July 07, 2016, Augusta Bauknight
For Ross Lordo, the decision to attend the Pillars for Carolina orientation program before his freshman year set him on the path to success. Pillars for Carolina offers first-year students an opportunity to learn about the Carolina community, create friendships with future classmates, and participate in the university’s traditions while also learning about leadership skills and service.