A first-generation college student from Michoacan, Mexico, Reyes moved to the U.S. during high school and arrived at the University of South Carolina searching for direction. She found it in the International Studies program in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, where her passion for understanding global connections took shape.
It’s not hard to understand why Brandi Revels loves her job as a researcher aboard the expedition ship Viking Polaris. The sense of awe — for our world, for our planet — drew her to science. Her love of adventure took her from West Columbia, South Carolina, to the far ends of the Earth. Revels, who earned her master’s in marine chemistry from the University of South Carolina in 2013, now lives in Zurich, Switzerland — when she’s not spending months at sea as the chief scientist aboard the Viking Polaris.
Celebrate the Class of 2025 from the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences as graduates reflect on their experiences and share what's next.
Christian Geils, USC's first data science graduate, used AI to tackle research in biology and chemistry--earning a Magellan grant and launching the university's first AI student club along the way.
When Peter McCausland first visited the University of South Carolina as a teenager, he had no idea he would one day become the namesake of its largest college. From changing majors and finding his passion for history, to founding a Fortune 500 company and giving back through transformative philanthropy, McCausland's journey is a testament to the lifelong power of a liberal arts education. Learn how one USC graduate shaped his legacy -- and the future of the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences.
Don Greiner set out to become a medical doctor. An encounter with the modern novel changed the course of his life.
From obstetricians and nurses to social workers and psychiatrists, University of South Carolina graduates are especially needed in rural areas, where more than a quarter of the state’s residents live. And the impact isn’t only felt by the patient; it’s also felt by the communities themselves. Carolinian visited several alumni whose small-town efforts are having a big impact. These proud health care workers showed us the meaning of dedication and their commitment to the people and communities they serve.
In Jie Li's chemistry lab at USC, undergraduate researchers discover how tiny microbes can lead to big discoveries for medicine and public health.
For more than 50 years, USC has made an undergraduate education more attainable through TRIO programs. The foundation of these opportunities is the Pell Grant. Here, USC alumni share how the Pell Grant opened the door for them to achieve their dreams of earning their degrees and attaining fulfilling, impactful careers.
As the Class of 2025 prepares to walk across the commencement stage, graduates leave the University of South Carolina with memories of enduring friendships, newfound passions, supportive mentors and life-changing experiences.
McCausland College of Arts and Sciences neuroscientist Kristy Welshhans advances Down syndrome research while mentoring undergraduates in cutting-edge brain development studies to prepare them for careers in science, medicine and beyond.
Associate professor Jessica Barnes has been awarded a 2025 Guggenheim Fellowship — one of the nation’s most prestigious honors for scholars, artists and scientists. Barnes is known for her research on how people interact with the environment in their everyday lives — especially how resources like water, food and air are used, controlled and experienced unequally across different communities.
Ridha Fatima, a biochemistry and molecular biology major in the Honors College, says her experiences as a service-minded leader at the University of South Carolina will inform her career as a physician and health care advocate.
Tremayne Ansani, an Honors College neuroscience major from Columbia, has dedicated his University of South Carolina career to service and leadership in the classroom, in research and in helping his fellow students and the community at large.
Reese Lycan, an Honors College student from Lexington, Kentucky, is majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology with a goal of becoming a physician. But she also wants to advocate for better health care access, particularly for low-income residents of rural Appalachia.
USC’s student government has two graduating seniors who have been accepted to Harvard Law School, one of the nation’s top programs. The students credit their time in student government, along with the excellent training they received both in the classroom and beyond, with helping them reach their goals.
USC chemistry professor Olja Simoska helps turn first-year students into scientists and earned the 2025 Distinguished Undergraduate Research Mentor Award for launching hands-on lab experiences that tackle big issues like antibiotic resistance and wearable health tech.
After noticing his grandmother’s lack of access to adequate health care in rural India, senior Pranav Malladi decided to focus on health care in rural areas.
Four USC media arts alumni are shaping Columbia's film scene--turning passion into legacy while mentoring the next generation of storytellers.
The Koger Center, USC School of Music professor Gail Barnes and USC School of Visual Arts and Design alumnus Wade Sellers have been named winners of the 2025 Governor’s Awards for the Arts by the South Carolina Arts Commission, recognizing exceptional practice or support of contemporary and traditional art forms.
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.
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.
Michael Stipe, former lead singer of R.E.M., was honored as the 2025 McNair Honoree during a live-recorded McNair Conversation on the American South, hosted by the Institute for Southern Studies. The event highlighted his artistic career and will be featured on the Take on the South podcast, along with a video and images available online.
On April 10, 2025, the great American novel "The Great Gatsby" turns 100 years old. Take a behind-the-scenes look at the exhibit “'Something significant, elemental and profound’: Celebrating 100 Years of The Great Gatsby” at the Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library.
As a Fulbright Scholar, Sarah Waheed traced the footsteps of Chand Bibi through the southwestern region of India. She visited ruins and archives, working with historians, archeologists and residents to gather the pieces of Chand Bibi’s story. Now Waheed tells this story in her forthcoming book.
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