Useful campus apps 2026
August 10, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
Discover the essential mobile apps that help University of South Carolina students stay safe, navigate campus, manage academics, find parking, order food and access key university services.
August 10, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
Discover the essential mobile apps that help University of South Carolina students stay safe, navigate campus, manage academics, find parking, order food and access key university services.
August 05, 2026, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina system raised a record $357.6 million in private support during fiscal year 2026 — the most in its history, shattering the previous fundraising record of $259.7 million, set just one year earlier, by nearly $100 million.
August 05, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
The University of South Carolina has introduced several transportation updates for Fall 2026, including a new low-cost Founders Park parking permit, the Campus Connector shuttle and the upgraded ParkUSC+ app with real-time shuttle tracking, trip planning and parking updates.
July 29, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
Move-in 2026, by the numbers highlights the incoming Gamecock class and the people, programs and resources that support their transition to USC and campus life.
July 22, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
The University of South Carolina made significant progress on major campus construction and renovation projects this summer, including plans for an expanded Russell House, a new Civil Rights Center, The Commons at Carolina residence hall and upgrades to academic, research and campus facilities.
July 21, 2026, Andy Shain
USC's latest financial outlook from Moody’s Investors Service reflects the ongoing quality of the university’s disciplined stewardship.
July 20, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
The University of South Carolina introduced several campus enhancements for Fall 2026, including the new Mobile CarolinaCard, officially licensed Nike Gamecock merchandise, expanded dining options and additional campus services like updated robot food delivery.
July 15, 2026, Chris Horn
From helping to establish a popular undergraduate neuroscience major to attracting millions in research grants, the Carolina Autism and Neurodevelopment Research Center at USC has achieved notable success since its launch seven years ago. And the momentum isn’t slowing. The center’s leadership has ambitious plans to serve more citizens of South Carolina.
July 13, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
As USC prepares for the 2026–27 academic year, the university is introducing new technologies, including mobile IDs, smart parking, autonomous food delivery and occupancy tracking and cashier-less stores.
July 06, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
A University of South Carolina computer science capstone project led by graduate Michael Carson has grown into an AI-powered internship project that helps USC Facilities analyze maintenance data, automate reporting and improve campus operations through smarter, data-driven decision-making.
June 26, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
Beginning in Fall 2026, University of South Carolina students, faculty and staff will be able to use their smartphones or compatible smartwatches as their official CarolinaCard, allowing them to access campus buildings, make purchases, borrow library materials and use other campus services with a simple tap.
June 19, 2026, Andy Shain
University of South Carolina trustees approved a 2026-27 fiscal year budget and advanced key projects tied to the Columbia campus’s USC Next master plan.
May 12, 2026, Andy Shain
The University of South Carolina has agreed to license an algorithm developed by a renowned cancer and nutritional epidemiologist to 20/20 BioLabs, a health sciences company that offers home cancer screening tests.
May 08, 2026, Michaela Taylor
You may know Cocky from game day at Williams-Brice, but some of his biggest fans sit on classroom floors, not stadium seats. Behind the yellow beak are two seniors who’ve been involved with Cocky's Reading Express for the last four years. Meet Walker Weaver and Emma Connelly.
May 05, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
The University of South Carolina’s Parking and Transportation Services department continues to gain international recognition for its leadership, innovation and commitment to excellence in campus mobility.
April 21, 2026, Communications and marketing
The U.S. Department of Justice has finalized a rule under Title II of the ADA requiring public institutions to meet updated digital accessibility standards. The rule applies to all USC campuses and covers all digital content and services. Each unit is accountable for ensuring its digital content is accessible. Tools and training are available to help units.
April 21, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
This Earth Day, Carolina Food Co. highlights its efforts to advance sustainability at USC through food waste reduction, recovery, and composting.
April 14, 2026, Delaney Freistuhler
FirstGen Forward has named the University of South Carolina one of its newest FirstGen Forward Network Champions, an exclusive group of institutions recognized as national leaders in advancing first-generation student success.
April 10, 2026, Delaney Freistuhler
Building on the University of South Carolina’s early adoption of ChatGPT and its continued commitment to responsible AI use, Provost Mary Anne Fitzpatrick has appointed Mark Uline as the university’s first associate vice president and vice provost for AI strategy.
March 20, 2026, Hunter Mutherspaw
The University of South Carolina’s new Healthy Vending Initiative is bringing more nutritious, affordable snack options to high-traffic campus locations. Developed with student input, the spring 2026 pilot aims to make healthier choices more convenient for students, faculty and staff while supporting overall campus wellness.
March 19, 2026, Andy Shain
What the USC Board of Trustees approved at their March meeting — including new construction and renovation projects, various contracts, academic changes, and housing and meal fees.
March 19, 2026, Andy Shain
The USC Board of Trustees formally approved a number of new construction and renovation projects, including a neurological hospital and rehabilitation center, and received updates on the university’s master plan, including redeveloping the student union and developments on South Main Street. Trustees also adopted a resolution in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the 225th anniversary of the founding of USC.
March 11, 2026, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina and Prisma Health are partnering to provide specialized care for patients with complex neurological conditions at the new Brain Health Center in Columbia. The center will expand statewide access to advanced technology, expert care teams and innovative treatments.
March 04, 2026, Andy Shain
Captain Ray Glenn, a 1999 Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing graduate, assumed command of Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval base in the United States.
March 03, 2026, Gregory Hardy
University of South Carolina researchers can share their scholarship with national and global audiences through The Conversation, a nonprofit news outlet that pairs scholars with professional editors and syndicates stories worldwide. Learn how to get involved when their representatives visit campus March 25–26.
March 02, 2026, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina Columbia (USC) and the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) today announced the launch of a new scholarship program designed to support GSSM graduates who choose to continue their education at USC’s Columbia campus.
February 16, 2026, Laura Erskine
On average, rural residents live farther away from hospitals compared to urban residents. Cassie Lewis Odahowski, assistant professor of public health, says those longer distances can lead to worse health outcomes. As a researcher for the Arnold School’s Rural Health Research Center, Odahowski studies access-to-care issues for rural communities using an advanced mapping tool available at USC.
February 10, 2026, Chris Horn
Teagan Thomas is enrolled in the 2025-26 cohort of Palmetto Pathway, a bridge program that began in 2019. Like all other students in the program, the Summerville, South Carolina, freshman is enrolled through USC Lancaster but lives in Bates residence hall on the Columbia campus and attends classes exclusively with other Palmetto Pathway students.
February 09, 2026, Chris Horn
Samantha Hinton is on track to graduate from USC in May with a bachelor’s degree in advertising. Hinton started out at Carolina in Palmetto Pathway, a bridge program for freshmen. Palmetto Pathway students are enrolled through USC Lancaster but live in a residence hall on the Columbia campus before transitioning to USC Columbia after their first year.
February 06, 2026, Craig Brandhorst, photos by Kim Truett
Cocky’s Reading Express turned 20 in 2025. The folks behind USC’s ongoing effort to promote childhood literacy tell the story, one book at a time.
February 04, 2026, Chris Horn
Sophia Comose always dreamed of becoming a teacher. While she wasn’t sure if the on-campus college experience was right for her, she loved the idea of working full time while earning an education degree online from Palmetto College. The flexible program allowed Comose to gain hands-on experience in her field, and she landed a teaching position after graduating in 2025.
January 27, 2026, Collyn Taylor
The University of South Carolina has earned 2026 Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement and is one of less than 100 public institutions nationally with Carnegie designations in community engagement and as an R1 research institution.
January 26, 2026
The College of Nursing continues to drive transformation in nursing education, innovation and health care delivery across the state and beyond. At the heart of this momentum is the launch of South Carolina’s only accredited nurse-midwifery education program
January 21, 2026, Chris Horn
A group of University of South Carolina students has planned and organized TEDxCongaree Vista, featuring speakers whose topics are likely to spark conversation and inspire action.
December 16, 2025, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina Board of Trustees gave final approval Tuesday (Dec. 16) to projects designed to reinvigorate several iconic buildings in the heart of the Columbia campus.
December 15, 2025, Collyn Taylor
The University of South Carolina Board of Trustees continues to advance USC Next projects. The board issued Phase II approvals for renovation projects to McKissick Museum, Thomas Cooper Library and Barnwell College.
October 31, 2025, Megan Sexton
As the university marks the celebration of First-Gen College Celebration Week, we caught up with first-generation students, alumni, faculty and staff who are thriving in the classroom and beyond.
October 24, 2025, Catherine Pruitt
Internships are key to helping students get into the workplace in their chosen fields, and the University of South Carolina’s Career Center and Center for Internship Programs help students find the perfect match and offer financial assistance during their internship.
October 21, 2025, Thom Harman
A golf-themed program open to high-achieving caddies with limited financial means, the Evans Scholars program covers full tuition and housing costs. USC’s Evans Scholars will live together in the McCausland Scholarship House.
October 16, 2025, Collyn Taylor
The University of South Carolina community banded together to raise almost $30,000 for food pantries across campus and defeat LSU in the SEC Food Fight.
September 30, 2025, Chris Horn
It happened a decade ago, but lessons learned from the catastrophic flooding of Oct. 1-5, 2015, in the Midlands of South Carolina are still being reckoned by University of South Carolina researchers and former students who were involved in the flood’s aftermath.
September 29, 2025, Megan Sexton
Chris Burkett, the assistant dean for student services in the College of Education, has been a member of Staff Senate since its inception five years ago, representing his colleagues in education before moving to the executive committee. He became president in August.
September 26, 2025, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina’s Board of Trustees met Friday (Sept. 26) and designated a new center for autism research, approved a systemwide state budget request and reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to adopting AI responsibly.
September 26, 2025, Collyn Taylor
USC’s Board of Trustees met Friday (Sept. 26) on USC Aiken’s campus, approving numerous academic initiatives – including a new research center and a new vice president for system affairs and community engagement.
September 24, 2025, Collyn Taylor
The University of South Carolina is partnering with Zipcar, the world’s leading car-sharing network, to offer on-demand access to vehicles to students, faculty and staff on the Columbia campus.
August 13, 2025, Susan Cutter
Ever since FEMA lost its independent status and became part of the Department of Homeland Security, it has faced complaints about delays caused by layers of bureaucracy. Take a look back at how the nation responded to disasters before the agency existed and what history reveals about FEMA effectiveness.
July 24, 2025, Chris Horn
The University of South Carolina’s School of Medicine has begun preparing its students to understand AI’s potential — and its shortcomings. The medical school in Columbia partnered last year with the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing to launch the AI in Medicine Extracurricular Track.
July 10, 2025, Collyn Taylor
USC is rejoining the Campus Compact network, a coalition of higher education institutions, to enhance its community engagement efforts.
July 09, 2025, Chris Horn
In about 18 months, the Carolina Institute for Battery Innovation at the University of South Carolina plans to open the first phase of its Battery Center, a research, manufacturing and teaching facility in partnership with several commercial battery manufacturers.
May 29, 2025, Koby Padgett
The University of South Carolina’s Facilities department officially opened its new site for its recycling collections facility Thursday (May 29) after years at temporary spots around campus.
May 20, 2025, Megan Sexton
Susan Elkins, the founding chancellor of Palmetto College, steps down this month after 12 years leading the program which encompasses USC’s two-year system campuses along with online bachelor’s degree completion programs.
April 28, 2025, Craig Brandhorst
The Great Gatsby turned 100 in April. University Libraries is celebrating the novel’s centennial with a special exhibit and a full slate of public programs.
March 27, 2025, Kristine Hartvigsen
It’s been a whirlwind semester for dancers and musicians at the University of South Carolina. Twenty-four Joffrey Ballet company members arrived on campus March 17 for a three-week residency culminating in an unprecedented collaborative performance April 5 at the Koger Center for the Arts. Students and faculty from USC’s Betsy Blackmon Dance Program and the USC Symphony Orchestra have joined forces with members of the Joffrey entourage to marry movement and music into a spectacular concert for the community.
March 17, 2025, Collyn Taylor
The University of South Carolina Board of Trustees approved a slew of academic initiatives as well as facilities projects across the USC System during its March meeting.
March 03, 2025, Téa Smith
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 ages and all interests from music to soccer, dance and engineering.
February 18, 2025, Thom Harman / photo by Kim Truett
Paulia D. Williams won the 2024 Dennis A. Pruitt Outstanding Advocate for First-Year Students Award, the fourth TRIO staff member to win the award since its inception. Williams knows that most students need some help transitioning to college, especially first-generation college students. She sees it every day in her role with TRIO Programs — and she lived it herself.
February 11, 2025, Allen Wallace
Dance Marathon, the university’s largest student-run philanthropic organization, brings together students from across USC to raise money and awareness for patients and families at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital. The Main Event is Feb. 22.
January 28, 2025, Robert A. Kopack
If there is a leader in the aerospace industry, SpaceX is it. Boca Chica, Texas, is home to SpaceX’s flagship assembly and test installation, Starbase. Since 2021, research has been conducted with environmental groups and community members in south Texas who see space exploration as a landscape-altering industry. Geography professor Robert A. Kopack writes about Starbase for The Conversation.
January 07, 2025, Rebekah Friedman
At CarolinaLIFE, students with intellectual disabilities take charge of their futures through transformative education.
January 03, 2025, Kristine Hartvigsen
The USC Baruch Institute's new director, Jill Stewart, is endlessly fascinated by the natural alchemy of the oft-maligned yet mighty microbe. These tiny living microorganisms are everywhere, from the surface of our skin and the air we breathe to the water we drink and the soil beneath our feet. In fact, microbes are essential to the persistence of life on Earth. So why do they sometimes get a bad rap?
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.
October 31, 2024, Hannah Cambre
At USC, where one in five students identify as first-generation, the university is doing more than ever to help this important and growing population flourish with resources and support. We sat down with five first-gen students to learn more about their stories and the people and resources that have helped them thrive at USC.
October 15, 2024, Collyn Taylor
USC is one of seven early polling sites in Richland County, providing access for registered voters to cast their ballots.
September 24, 2024, Nicole Meares
In a world of budding technology and virtual reality, there is an opportunity to view different perspectives on health disparities in new ways. That’s what the USC College of Nursing is aiming to do.
September 24, 2024, Laura Morris
In 2025, construction will begin on the College of Nursing's Biobehavioral Research Center that will provide dedicated space for faculty research, enhancing expertise and improving health outcomes for South Carolina and beyond.
September 11, 2024, Dan Cook
This fall, roughly 60 faculty members will take part in a new artificial intelligence initiative from the Office of the Vice President for Research. Called Propel AI, the effort aims to empower faculty to incorporate artificial intelligence into their work — regardless of their academic area or previous experience with AI. We spoke with Bryant Walker Smith, associate professor of law and an expert on emerging technologies, about the new initiative.
September 10, 2024, Collyn Taylor
USC's Board of Trustees approved the first designs of USC's state-of-the-art center, which will serve as the hub for the university's Brain Health Network.
September 09, 2024, Thom Harman
Gamecock CommUnity Shop provides groceries, school supplies and even clothes to students in need.
August 23, 2024, Jeff Stensland
USC's Board of Trustees approved USC Columbia's master plan, which will help meet the needs of students, faculty and staff for decades to come.
August 14, 2024, Koby Padgett
There are plenty of mobile apps students, faculty and staff can use to navigate campus this academic year that are free to the USC community. From placing and tracking food orders to finding parking to staying safe around campus, here are a few key apps for students, faculty and staff.
July 23, 2024, Dana Woodward
The University of South Carolina has joined the STARS College Network, a coalition of 32 of the nation’s most prominent institutions dedicated to ensuring that students from rural and small-town America have the information and support they need to enroll and graduate from the college or university of their choice.
July 17, 2024, Chris Horn
In its first year of operation, USC’s Institute for Clean Water has launched a partnership with the state Department of Environmental Services to provide detailed analyses of water samples collected across South Carolina.
July 11, 2024, Thom Harman
Amber Fallucca is the inaugural director of the Carolina Experience, which will focus on the undergraduate experience past the first year — for transfer, sophomore, junior and senior students. As a coordinating office, they will collaborate with a variety of campus offices to elevate the entire student experience at USC.
June 19, 2024, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina is advancing a plan to spur development of nearly 900 acres of land near the Congaree River and Williams-Brice Stadium
June 12, 2024, Hannah Cambre
On May 16, Stephen Thompson began his role as inaugural director of the First-Generation Living and Learning Community.
May 28, 2024, Carol J.G. Ward
Law school alumnus Joe Rice’s work ethic and tenacity sets an example for representing clients, while colleagues and staff say his commitment to inclusion and mentoring is a model for empowering employees.
May 16, 2024, Thom Harman
The University of South Carolina’s first Staff Appreciation and Awards Day attracted staff members from throughout the Columbia campus to the Russell House University Union for food and fun on Tuesday, May 14.
May 15, 2024, Megan Sexton
Dawn Pilotti, a long-time mathematics teacher and online doctoral student in USC’s College of Education, brought her sixth-grade students with learning differences from Tennessee to Columbia this spring to demonstrate their improved math skills.
May 08, 2024, Donna K. Arnett and J. Rex Tolliver
We must do more to ensure that every student’s college experience is worthy of the investment required of students, their families and the public. That’s why we’re focused on innovating to meet the demands of today’s students and anticipate the needs of tomorrow’s.
April 05, 2024, Megan Sexton
The gold standard in string music education is marking its golden anniversary this year. For the past 50 years, the University of South Carolina String Project has been the national model in a program that combines music lessons with community service and teacher education.
March 22, 2024, Hannah Cambre
The university's First-Generation Center will launch this fall, providing support and guidance to first-generation students so they can maximize opportunities to succeed. On March 15, the center welcomed its inaugural director, LaNaé Budden.
March 19, 2024, Alexis Watts
The Carolina Cares Fund helps students with immediate needs like housing and food insecurity and empowers students to achieve their educational goals.
March 01, 2024, Communications and Marketing
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 ages and all interests from music to soccer, dance and engineering.
February 29, 2024, Megan Sexton
Engineering professor Sarah Gassman and her team collect road performance data, the rutting and the cracking, and feed that data into a model that gives us better predictions for how a pavement will perform.
February 19, 2024, Communications and Marketing
As the state’s flagship institution, the University of South Carolina is well has many strengths in both research and treatment of stroke and aphasia — a common consequence of stroke characterized by difficulty speaking or understanding others’ speech. The research is critically important in the state with the seventh-highest incidence of stroke mortality in the U.S.
February 09, 2024, Communications and Marketing staff
On Tuesday, Feb. 13, alumni and advocates of the University of South Carolina will come together for Carolina Day. The annual event is a chance for Gamecocks near and far to show their love for the university as well as the importance of USC in improving the lives of every S.C. resident.
February 06, 2024, Page Ivey
Health care professionals refer to the southeastern United States as the “Stroke Belt” for a reason. And South Carolina is essentially the buckle.
January 24, 2024
When Patti Fabel was named executive director at USC’s Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center in 2017, the move marked a new phase in the clinical associate professor’s career.
January 22, 2024, Hannah Cambre
The University of South Carolina is committing to providing more comprehensive support to its first-generation student population, including a First-Generation Center launching in August 2024, a living and learning community for first-gen students, and an expanding partnership with the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
December 21, 2023, Lauryn Jiles
Committed to advocacy, community engagement and research, public health senior Huda Falous is the recipient of the Arnold School’s 2023 Undergraduate Student Award in Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
November 27, 2023, Hannah Cambre
In spring 2024, students will have the opportunity to gain critical career-readiness certificates in data analytics and visualization, project management and leadership, or strategic thinking and communication.
November 17, 2023, Koby Padgett
What, exactly, does the University of South Carolina’s facilities services department manage? Well, to put it simply, a lot. We talked with
November 03, 2023, Megan Sexton
The South Carolina Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare at the USC School of Medicine Columbia. works to improve health care delivery for rural communities by operating and facilitating a range of programs. Through one, the Department of Pediatrics sends subspecialists into areas outside the state’s urban hubs.
November 03, 2023, Megan Sexton
First-generation college students come from all sorts of backgrounds and bring a variety of perspectives to campus. At USC, about one-fifth of the student population identifies as first-generation college students, meaning their parents did not earn a four-year college degree.
November 01, 2023, Maddie Lee
In addition to the start of the holiday season and sweater weather (finally), November hosts National First-Generation Day, recognizing college students whose parents did not complete a four-year degree. Although being a first-generation student is not easy, USC offers many initiatives to help support student success.
October 24, 2023
The Nexus for Advanced Resilient Energy received the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration’s designation as one of 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs. The state Commerce Department sought the designation for a broad consortium of institutions.
October 23, 2023, Chris Horn
Fifteen years ago, Julie Smithwick was a community health worker focused solely on new Latino mothers and families in South Carolina. Today, she directs a new center at the University of South Carolina that’s training hundreds of community health workers who assist vulnerable populations with health and social needs ranging from children with disabilities to adults with chronic diseases and more.
October 16, 2023, Hannah Cambre
The Institute of Infectious Disease Translational Research will allow public health researcher Melissa Nolan to operate complementary studies at labs based in Columbia, El Salvador and Brazil, putting USC on the map as an international hub for maternal and infant health research.
October 13, 2023, Jeff Stensland
The University of South Carolina announced Friday (Oct. 13) the USC Commitment, a new affordability initiative to cover tuition and academic fees at all system campuses for in-state students graduating in the top 10 percent of their high school class and whose family’s annual household income is below $80,000.
October 11, 2023, Hannah Cambre
The Latino/a and Hispanic Faculty Caucus is a group of faculty members united by shared heritages and focused on advocacy initiatives to recruit, retain and better support the various needs of Latino and Hispanic faculty members.