Recent Stories

farm worker in a field wearing a mask and apron

5 ways Biden can help rural America thrive

January 21, 2021, Ann Eisenberg

Law professor Ann Eisenberg with co-authors Jessica Shoemaker and Lisa Pruitt write in The Conversation about five federal initiatives they say would go a long way toward empowering distressed rural communities to improve their destinies, while also helping bridge the urban/rural divide.

Topics: Faculty, School of Law

Maxcy Monument on the Historic Horseshoe with sunlight streaming through the trees.

Character Counts: 2020 in Review

December 19, 2020

It’s been a year — but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t plenty to celebrate, recognize and honor at the University of South Carolina in 2020. UofSC rose to each and every challenge this year and raised the bar for the year to come.

Topics: Students, Faculty, University Leadership, University President, Diversity, Recognition, Partnerships, Health Sciences, Campus Construction, COVID-19, 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, School of Law, 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 Libraries

exterior photo of the University of South Carolina law school

UofSC law students helped Breonna Taylor's family secure $12 million settlement

September 24, 2020, Carol J.G. Ward

University of South Carolina law students Jasmine Caruthers and Anna Catherine Parham say their research on no-knock warrants to assist the lawyers representing Breonna Taylor’s family in a wrongful death lawsuit was enlightening and emotional.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, Experiential Learning, Service, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, School of Law

Mary Gordon Ellis portrait

100 years of suffrage: After the vote, comes an era of 'firsts'

August 20, 2020, Page Ivey

South Carolina’s few but dedicated suffragists were no doubt disappointed that the state was not among the first 36 to ratify the 19th amendment, but they almost immediately set about the business of turning their suffrage organizations into education and advocacy groups. In the process, these bold women kicked off the era of “firsts.”

Topics: Alumni, History, Collections, College of Arts and Sciences, School of Law, University Libraries

Drawing of a patrolman looking over the passes of plantation slaves

Ahmaud Arbery's killing puts citizen's arrest laws in spotlight

May 30, 2020, Seth Stoughton

The killing of an unarmed black jogger by white residents is shocking, but it should come as no surprise. Law professor Seth Stoughton writes for The Conversation that if anything, Ahmaud Arbery’s death in Georgia on Feb. 23 was predictable: the latest tragic example of the fatal consequences that can occur when private citizens seek to take the law into their own hands.

Topics: Faculty, School of Law

teacher and student in classroom

COVID-19 impact: Redirection of CARES Act funds shortchanges low-income students

May 29, 2020, Derek Black

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES Act, designated $13.5 billion for public schools that was supposed to be distributed based on the number of low-income students enrolled in a district. Law professor Derek Black writes for The Conversation that a new directive from the U.S. Department of Education, which tells districts to share far more of the money than expected private and religious school students, contradicts the CARES Act.

Topics: Faculty, School of Law

UofSC experts: 2020 hurricane season

May 13, 2020, Carol J.G. Ward

The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1. Top researchers at the University of South Carolina are available to discuss multiple aspects of the 2020 hurricane season, including forecasting, disaster planning and historical perspectives. To coordinate an interview, contact the staff member listed with each expert entry.

Topics: Faculty, College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, College of Information and Communications, School of Law, College of Pharmacy, Arnold School of Public Health

archival image of student protests in May 1970

50 years of May

April 27, 2020, Craig Brandhorst

A half century ago, against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and seismic shifts in American culture, the campus of the University of South Carolina became a battleground — between students and the administration, between a young generation and the establishment, between radically different worldviews. But the dramatic events of that spring, which came to be known as The Months of May, weren’t strictly destructive. The lessons of that era also changed lives and changed the university itself.

Topics: Alumni, University Leadership, History, Student Voices, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Information and Communications, School of Law

child with parents arguing in the background

COVID-19 impact: Co-parenting during a pandemic

April 14, 2020, Marcia Zug

As millions of people around the world practice social distancing and self-quarantine, they are separating themselves from everyone but their immediate family members. However, for divorced or separated parents who share custody of their children, the definition of “immediate family” isn’t obvious. Law professor Marcia Zug writes for The Conversation on family law in the age of the coronavirus.

Topics: Faculty, COVID-19, School of Law

UofSC faculty experts on coronavirus

March 18, 2020, Carol J.G. Ward

The University of South Carolina’s Office of Communications and Public Affairs has compiled a list of faculty experts who can discuss topics relevant to the coronavirus pandemic.

Topics: COVID-19, College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Education, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, College of Information and Communications, School of Law, Medicine (Columbia), College of Pharmacy

James Cutsinger

Professor helped students find the light within

December 02, 2019, Chris Horn

Not many professors inspire lofty tribute. Some we forget and others are scarcely remembered. James Cutsinger, a religious studies professor who taught at the university for 37 years, earned the respect and admiration of students for decades while helping them to achieve the most noble of goals: the ability to think.

Topics: Alumni, Faculty, College of Arts and Sciences, School of Law, Medicine (Columbia), South Carolina Honors College

Skyline with the USC smoke stack and downtown Columbia buildings

Campus, city thrive together through decades of change

October 22, 2019, Communications and Public Affairs staff

From growth and innovation on campus to an increasingly bustling city life, the university and the city are thriving together in a symbiotic relationship. In many cases, it’s South Carolina alumni themselves who are leading change in the city as entrepreneurs and community leaders.

Topics: History, Darla Moore School of Business, School of Law, Arnold School of Public Health, South Carolina Honors College, University Libraries

Brandon Adams, education alumnus

Education alum trades classroom for courtroom

September 09, 2019, Kathryn McPhail

For most students, the path to law school doesn’t include a stop in a fourth grade classroom. Well, at least not as the teacher of the class. But law student Brandon Adams says his experience as a teacher will help him become a better attorney, and he plans to combine his love of teaching and the law.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Academics, Undergraduate Admissions, graduate-studies, Diversity, Careers, Student Voices, College of Education, School of Law

map of South Carolina with UofSC Alumnni mayor's cities pinned

Keys to the City

August 05, 2019, Craig Brandhorst and Megan Sexton

You don’t need a degree from the University of South Carolina to get elected mayor in the Palmetto State, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. This summer, Carolinian magazine traveled the state, from the Lowcountry to the Upstate, from the Midlands to the Pee Dee, interviewing South Carolina alumni who hold the esteemed office.

Topics: Alumni, Diversity, Recognition, Leadership, Careers, College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Education, School of Law, School of Music, College of Pharmacy

Project Hope

Cause for hope

April 03, 2019, Chris Horn

When Wendy Rothermel’s son Cade was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, her family life was upside down, punctuated by his frequent temper tantrums. But when the family connected with Project HOPE and Cade’s therapy began, positive changes followed. The nonprofit foundation, launched by two university alumnae, is bringing hope to families across the state.

Topics: Alumni, Health Sciences, School of Law, College of Social Work

Paul Morella as Clarence Darrow

In his words

February 07, 2019, Dana Woodward

In the one-man production, “A Passion for Justice: An Encounter with Clarence Darrow,” actor Paul Morella portrays a selection of Darrow’s most dynamic arguments. The show takes place Feb. 11 at the Karen J. Williams Courtroom in the UofSC School of Law.

Topics: Alumni, History, School of Law

Freeze-dried crickets

Guess what's coming to dinner

January 26, 2018, Chris Horn

Insects are regularly consumed by an estimated 2 billion people, a practice that has its roots in culture and sometimes necessity. Law professor Marie Boyd studies the regulation of insects as food as part of her research on the Food and Drug Administration. She says insect-based food has a long way to go, both from a cultural and regulatory standpoint, in the U.S.

Topics: Faculty, Research, School of Law

Emily Suski and Lisa Martin

Clinical approach

September 19, 2017, Chris Horn

The School of Law is launching two new legal clinics this academic year. A medicolegal clinic will team law students with medical students, medical residents and physicians to improve health outcomes for pediatric patients, while a domestic violence clinic will focus on protection, advocacy and community education.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, Academics, Experiential Learning, Partnerships, Health Sciences, Service, School of Law, Medicine (Columbia)

Cold Case

Solving the cold case

May 23, 2017, Chris Horn

Established about three years ago in the Children’s Law Center with funding from the Casey Family Programs, Cold Case goes to bat for S.C. children who have lingered in foster care for years. The goal is to help them to be adopted or to establish meaningful contact with a family member or adult friend who will be there for them down the road.

Topics: Faculty, Initiatives, Partnerships, School of Law

chelsea evans

South Carolina Law Review elects first black woman editor-in-chief

March 02, 2017, Peggy Binette

For the first time in its 69-year history the South Carolina Law Review has elected an African American to serve as its editor-in-chief. Chelsea Evans, a second-year law student from North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was elected by peers to lead the esteemed University of South Carolina School of Law publication.  

Topics: Students, Faculty, Experiential Learning, Diversity, Student Voices, School of Law

meet and three

Fake news is real

February 15, 2017, Page Ivey

Fake news. You’ve heard about it, consumed it, probably even believed it — at least on occasion. But what is it? Why does it exist? How do we combat it and why can’t it just go away? USC Times invited two faculty members and an alumnus who serves as the attorney for the South Carolina Press Association to discuss one of the most vexing of 21st century media problems — the rampant spread of fake news, clickbait profiteering and outright propaganda.

Topics: Alumni, Faculty, College of Information and Communications, School of Law

mentoring

Lean on me

February 06, 2017

There’s no question that having a good mentor can help shape an individual’s career — especially in the field of law. That’s why the University of South Carolina School of Law has devoted substantial resources to take its mentoring program to a new level.

Topics: Students, Alumni, Faculty, Diversity, Leadership, Careers, School of Law

Year end review

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

Tom Scott

Can't hack this

October 31, 2016, Dan Cook

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

Topics: Faculty, University Leadership, Initiatives, Economic Engagement, Partnerships, Careers, College of Engineering and Computing, School of Law

eboni nelson

Engineering equality

July 18, 2016

The legal profession has been called one of the least diverse in the country. And while countless attempts have been made within the legal industry to ameliorate the problem, University of South Carolina School of Law professor Eboni Nelson believes the key to real change starts with law schools.

Topics: Students, Faculty, Diversity, School of Law

buying a bride

Law professor explores history, future of mail-order marriages

July 11, 2016, Rob Schaller

“Without marriage, there could be no stable family units, no children, and no future. And without mail-order brides, one could argue, there might not be a United States of America. The entire colonial endeavor hinged on marriage,” says University of South Carolina law professor Marcia Yablon-Zug, whose new book, “Buying a Bride: An Engaging History of Mail-Order Matches,” traces the phenomenon as far back as our nation’s first permanent English settlement, Jamestown.

Topics: Faculty, Research, History, School of Law

From left, Carolyn Morris, Christopher Church, Kristen Seay, Cynthia Flinn

Saving Elyse

June 14, 2016, Chris Horn

The Cold Case Project, an initiative in the Children’s Law Center, focuses on a select group of adolescents who have lingered in the S.C. foster system and are at risk for aging out of foster care without achieving legal permanency — that is, without a family. Partnering with DSS and the family courts, Cold Case staff find ways to reunite these at-risk foster children with responsible family members or to match them with a new family. With children’s lives at stake, giving up is not an option.

Topics: Alumni, Faculty, Research, Partnerships, School of Law, College of Social Work

greener statue

Deconstructing Reconstruction

April 14, 2016, Peggy Binette

Reconstruction was the first chapter in America’s civil rights movement. And its influence on race relations continues across the country and on college campuses, although few may realize its connection. Now 150 years later, the University of South Carolina’s History Center and Historic Columbia hopes to deepen public understanding of Reconstruction’s history and racial legacy with a symposium April 21–22.

Topics: Faculty, University Leadership, Diversity, History, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, School of Law, University Libraries

blogging

Academic bloggers share research with broader audience

March 28, 2016, Page Ivey

For researchers, little else is more gratifying than studying something that helps someone else — whether it’s finding a sustainable healthy diet, a better way to motivate workers 
or a way to make coursework more engaging. For some professors and researchers that means taking their scholarly work into the blogosphere, where they can reach not just others in their profession, but those who might learn from their work.

Topics: Faculty, Research, College of Arts and Sciences, Darla Moore School of Business, School of Law

All rise

All rise

November 17, 2015, Craig Brandhorst

One Friday a month the University of South Carolina School of Law welcomes 40 of the youngest law students you’ll ever meet. Welcome to the law school’s Constitutional Scholars Pipeline Program, which pairs seventh and eight graders with USC law students who teach them about the law and coach them for a moot court.

Topics: Students, Academics, Experiential Learning, Service, School of Law

law school equal justice

Professor tracks African laws affecting women

November 11, 2015

Hailed as a huge victory for women’s rights, the Supreme Court of Uganda made international headlines in August when it ruled the custom of refunding “bride price” unconstitutional. However, Aparna Polavarapu, a law professor and scholar with the University of South Carolina’s Rule of Law Collaborative, says changing that practice will be difficult.

Topics: Faculty, Research, Initiatives, School of Law

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