USCA Magazine 2007

USCAMAGAZINE2007

Comprehensive ServicesTop 2% in The naTion for QualiTy Care*

When you choose a hospital, choose one that’s known for quality

Quality care and comprehensive services. All in one

comfortable, convenient location that’s close to

home. That’s Aiken Regional Medical Centers.

Aiken Regional Medical Centers was recently named

one of the Top 2 percent of hospitals in the nation

for quality care, by the US Department of Health &

Human Services. You can be sure that when you need

medical care, you can get it here at Aiken Regional

Medical Centers.

Aurora Pavilion Behavioral Health Services 641-5900

Cancer Care Institute of Carolina 641-7850

Cardiovascular Institute of Carolina 641-5280

Diabetes & Nutrition Teaching Center 293-0023

Joint Replacement Center 641-5451

Sleep Evaluation Center 641-5370

Women’s LifeCare Center 641-5800

Women’s LifeCare Diagnostic Services 641-5065

Wound Healing Institute of Carolina 643-2090

24-Hour Emergency Department 641-5100

To find a physician, call our free Direct DoctorsSM Plusphysician referral service at 1-800-882-7445.

It’s your health. It’s your hospital. It’s your choice.

* According to data released by the US Department of Health & Human Services in June 2007.Physicians are independent contractors who are not agents or employees of Aiken Regional Medical Centers.

USCA MAGAZINE2007

EDITORJennifer Lake

WRITERSBrad FieldsAndrew GavinMelissa Leitzsey ‘07Rob NovitJamie Raynor ‘02 & ‘05Kendall Tubbs ‘05Brandon Underwood

PHOTOGRAPHYTodd ListaGinny SouthworthKendall Tubbs ‘05Scott Webster ‘88

USCA Magazine is published annually by the Office of University Advancement.

Editorial Contact:University of South Carolina Aiken471 University ParkwayCampus Box 42Aiken, SC [email protected]

ChancellorThomas L. Hallman

Vice Chancellor for University AdvancementDeidre Martin

Director of Marketing and Community Relations Jennifer Lake

Director of Alumni Relations Jamie Raynor ‘02 & ‘05

On the cover:(clockwise from top right) Bill Jackson ‘83 in USCA’s biology lab; Commencement 2007; Marcia Nash ‘93 reads to students; Theo Oates speaks at the opening of the Convocation Center; Krystle Duckett, USCA’s first Magellan Scholar; Keol Newton of the men’s soccer team; Ace poses with students

The University of South Carolina Aiken does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Features

Farewell to The Courthouse ..................................................................20Pacers and Lady Pacers Close Final Season in The Courthouse

The Exclamation Point of Lumans’ Career .......................................22Dr. Val Lumans Honored with Carolina Trustee Professorship Award

Legacy of a Leader ...................................................................................24USC Aiken Remembers the Life of Our First Chancellor, Bill Casper

Paving the Way ..........................................................................................26Krystle Duckett Named University’s First Magellan Scholar

Soccer Goals to Life Goals: One Coach’s Career .............................29Ike Ofoje, Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year, Shares His Coaching Philosophy

In the Workforce ........................................................................................32Local Companies Benefit From Practice of Hiring USCA Alumni

A New Look for the Pacers ....................................................................36Pacer Athletics Unveils New Look and Brings Back Ace, the Pacer Mascot

Our Gift to the Community ...................................................................38University Opens the USCA Convocation Center

Celebrating 20 Years of the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center ............................................44A Year-Long Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Center

Students in Service ..................................................................................48Students Engage with the Community Through Service

Departments

Campus News .............................................................................................. 3

Pacer Sports ................................................................................................15

Alumni Updates ........................................................................................52

MAGAZINE2007

USCA

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A Message from the Chancellor

he 2006-2007 academic year was filled with excitement on our campus. In this year, we celebrated many accomplishments, closed chapters in our university’s history, and opened new doors—setting the pace for USC Aiken’s future.

In April, we opened the highly anticipated USCA Convocation Center, which is the new home of Pacer athletics and a great venue for community events. This beautiful facility has already brought thousands of

guests to our campus—many for the first time. In May, the Aiken Foxhounds Baseball team opened their inaugural season at our very own Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

Our new endeavors, in conjunction with our established offerings through the Etherredge Center, Pacer Athletics, Continuing Education, and the Ruth Patrick Science Center, provide a wealth of opportunities. There truly is something for everyone at USC Aiken. Through these programs and activities on our campus, we reach out to our surrounding community to remind you that USC Aiken is your university…just like it was in 1961.

This year we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center, the first student from our campus to be named a Magellan Scholar, the unveiling of a new look for Pacer Athletics, and the selection of one of our faculty members as a Carolina Trustee Professor.

Last fall we mourned the loss of Bill Casper, our University’s first chancellor. As we look at where the University is today, compared to our humble beginning, we realize what a debt of gratitude we owe Mr. Casper. His vision for USC Aiken has richly benefited our community.

In this edition of the USCA magazine, you’ll read the stories that highlight who we are. From academic awards to students in community service to the alumni who continue to be engaged with their alma mater, you’ll see the best and the brightest of USCA. I hope these stories make you proud of your University and the relationship you have with us.

As always, I hope to see you on campus soon. Thank you for your support of USC Aiken!

Sincerely,

Thomas L. HallmanChancellor

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During the week following the tragedy at Virginia Tech on April 16, USC Aiken students

collected over $325 in funds for the “Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund.”

Students had a banner designed with USC Aiken and Virginia Tech logos and the slogan, “We’re All Hokies.” Students, faculty, and staff signed the banner and wore memorial ribbons in Virginia Tech’s orange and maroon colors.

At the conclusion of the week, students sent the

USC Aiken recently began construction on a new freshman residence hall,

which will be built as a learning/living community designed specifically for first-year students. The four-story, 88,930 square feet hall will provide living space for 300 freshmen.

“The new residence hall will serve as a site for first-year experience initiatives and learning communities to engage our freshmen in a meaningful way, both socially and academically,” said Dr. Tom Hallman, chancellor.

Amenities of the building include an academic wing with classrooms, an office and workroom for faculty, a meeting room, and an apartment for a live-in resident director. Each wing of the facility will feature a study room, a resident assistant suite, and three living suites housing eight students per suite.

The new hall will serve as the third residential complex on campus. “With the new facility, Pacer Downs will exclusively serve upperclassmen,” said Hallman. “This is a good option for students who are seeking additional independence.”

With the addition of the freshman hall, nearly 1,000 students will have the opportunity to live on campus. The building will be located behind Pacer Commons. Construction began in June, and a grand opening is scheduled for Fall 2008.

Construction Begins on New Freshman Residence Hall

banner and memorial funds to Virginia Tech.

Students Reach Out to Virginia TechTheresa Ramos, a senior biology major from Rome, Ga. helped lead the efforts. “The [Virginia Tech]

students are no different than me and my peers, and this awful event impeded their lives,” said Ramos. “This action of unity between schools and the outpouring of support from USCA students gave me a sense of peace. I hope that at least one Virginia Tech student or parent is comforted by our act of kindness.”

� USCA Magazine 2007

USCA campus news

Cari Fritz-French ‘07, of North Augusta, S.C. was honored with the “Best

Paper Award” in molecular biology and the “American Association for the Advancement of Science Award” recognizing her as the organization’s best female undergraduate scientist by the South Carolina Academy of Science (SCAS).

Fritz-French was recognized at the SCAS annual meeting which took place at Midlands Technical College on April 20. Fritz-French’s research presentation was titled “Development of a Luciferase Assay for Analysis of Anti-HIV

Ribozyme Activity in Tissue Culture.” Her research mentor was Dr. Bill Jackson ‘83, associate professor of biology and chair of the Department of Biology and Geology.

Eighty-two undergraduate students representing 18 colleges and universities from across South Carolina made presentations at the SCAS meeting.

Fritz-French graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. She plans to attend the Medical University of South Carolina next fall in the molecular biology graduate program.

Fritz-French Honored by South Carolina Academy of Science

from left to right : Chancellor Tom Hallman, Cari Fritz-French, and Bill Jackson

Lauren Cook, a senior nursing student from Hampton, S.C., was honored by the Army Nurse

Corps with the Spirit of Nursing Award.

According to Sergeant First Class Tamiko Brown, “The Army Nurse Corps, in cooperation with the National Student Nurses Association, created the Spirit of Nursing Award

to promote excellence by honoring exceptional nursing students.”

Cook was nominated by the School of Nursing.

“Ms. Cook is an incredible student leader who gives great promise to the future of the nursing profession

and is a worthy recipient of the Army Nurse Corps Spirit of Nursing Award,” said Dr. Julia Ball, dean of the School of Nursing.

Cook has maintained a 3.80 throughout her college career. She has been an active member of the National Student Nurses Association, serving as the organization’s scrapbook editor and secretary. Cook is a member of Pi Lambda Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau international honor society for nursing.

Cook Honored with Army Nurse Corps Spirit of Nursing Award

from left to right: Julia Ball, Lauren Cook, and Tamiko Brown

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Chemistry Professor Chad Leverette Receives Grant from American Chemical Society

Dr. Chad Leverette, assistant professor of chemistry, received funding for his grant proposal submitted to the Petroleum Research Fund administered by the American Chemical Society, the national organization for the advancement of chemistry.

Leverette’s proposal was for a Type G “starter” grant which is set aside for faculty within their first three years at an institution. Entitled “Influence of Nanostructure Design on the Structure and Spectroscopic Characterization of Self-Assembled Organic Films Deposited onto Novel Metallic Surfaces,” the grant is being funded at $40,000 to be spent over two years.

“I am extremely honored,” said Leverette. “This award granted by the ACS validates the research that we are doing here at USC Aiken. As difficult as it is to receive funding in today’s research climate

due to stiff competition and limited funds, it is quite an honor to receive this award. I am excited about the research opportunities that these funds will create for our students and the prestige that this award brings to our campus.”

According to the American Chemical Society, faculty must

Dr. Chad Leverette, assistant professor of chemistry, received funding for his grant proposal submitted to the Petroleum Research Fund administered by the American Chemical Society, the national organization for the advancement of chemistry.

Leverette’s proposal was for a Type G “starter” grant which is set aside for faculty within their first three years at an institution. Entitled “Influence of Nanostructure Design on the Structure and Spectroscopic Characterization of Self-Assembled Organic Films Deposited onto Novel Metallic Surfaces,” the grant is being funded at $40,000 to be spent over two years.

“I am extremely honored,” said Leverette. “This award granted by the ACS validates the research that we are doing here at USC Aiken. As difficult as it is to receive funding in today’s research climate due to stiff competition and limited funds, it is quite an honor to receive this award. I am excited about the research opportunities that these funds will create for our students and

the prestige that this award brings to our campus.”

According to the American Chemical Society, faculty must use the award “for advanced scientific education and fundamental research in the ‘petroleum field,’ which may include any field of pure science which may afford a basis for subsequent research directly connected with the petroleum field.”

Last year, 505 applications from faculty in graduate

and undergraduate departments resulted in 140 grants totaling $4,900,000. Other universities with faculty recently receiving Type G grants include Princeton University, Yale University, MIT, University of Notre Dame, and Texas A&M University.

Chemistry Professor Chad Leverette Receives Grant from American Chemical Society


USCA campus news

Idella Bodie was honored by the University as the “Pickens-Salley Southern Woman of

Distinction” at the fifth annual Pickens-Salley Symposium on Southern Women on March 8.

“The Pickens-Salley Southern Woman of Distinction Award recognizes a local woman who has made a positive impact on our community and who serves as a role model for others,” said Dr. Deidre Martin, vice chancellor for university advancement.

Bodie retired as a high school English and creative writing teacher from South Aiken High School in 1985 after teaching for

31 years. Bodie has been writing for young readers for more than 30 years. Her first book, The Secret of Telfair Inn, published in 1971 by Sandlapper Publishing, is still in print. She is now the author of 22 books for older elementary and middle school students that

involve South Carolina history and geography.

Bodie says she writes about more than historical places in South Carolina. “I always try to focus on the people when I write about history,” she said. “Character is the

most important thing.”

Bodie was born in Ridge Spring, S.C. She holds a degree in English from Columbia College, who honored her with the Wil Lou Gray Educator Award in 1988. Three of her books have been South Carolina Book Award nominees.

Deidre Martin (left) presents award to Idella Bodie

Bodie Named “Pickens-Salley Southern Woman of Distinction”

USC Aiken recently implemented a new First-Year Reading Experience initiative for freshmen, which was funded in part by the University’s Academy for Lifelong Learning.

During summer 2007 orientation, each first-year student enrolling for the 2007-2008 year received a copy of the book, The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother, by James McBride. Freshmen were heavily encouraged to read the book, which will be discussed in this fall’s Freshman Convocation, and First-Year Seminar, the elective, one-credit course designed for freshmen.

“The First-Year Reading Experience (FYRE) is intended to provide first-year students an opportunity to share a common intellectual experience with faculty, staff, and other students,” said Stephanie Foote, director of academic support services. “The FYRE also presents opportunities for students to think critically and dialogue about topics and issues related to the reading and the first year of college.”

The books were funded through the Academy for Lifelong Learning Program Endowment, which was established to provide support for the enhancement of programs, scholarship, and learning at the University.

“The Academy members appreciate USCA for supporting our endeavors with space and faculty to teach some continuing education courses,” said Mike Lythgoe of the Academy for Lifelong Learning. “We’re still trying to have fun and be curious and creative,” he said. “To be around young people is stimulating. We’re very grateful, and this is the least we can do.”

Academy for Lifelong Learning Supports New Freshmen Reading Initiative

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Faculty, Staff Honored for Service and Commitment

Six faculty honors were presented at the Annual Academic Convocation ceremony in April.

Teaching Excellence Award – Ms. Ann Holley, senior instructor of reading education

Part-Time Faculty Teaching Award – Ms. Alexia Helsley, lecturer of history

Excellence in Advisement Award – Ms. Iris Walliser, instructor of adult nursing

Scholarly Activity Award – Dr. Lou Gramling, professor of psychiatric nursing

Community Service Award – Dr. Christopher DeWitt, associate professor of exercise science

University Service Award – Dr. Christine Wernet, assistant professor of sociology

The Classified Employees Assembly (CEA) annually recognizes individuals who have proven themselves in providing diligence and initiative in their work as well as cooperation with co-workers and students.

Four CEA Employees of the Year were selected for the 2006-2007 academic year.

from left to right: Lou Gramling, Chris DeWitt, Ann Holley, Iris Walliser, Christine Wernet, and Alexia Helsley

Tony Ateca, assistant chancellor for facilities management

Mildred Cummings, building and grounds specialist

Carol Cutsinger, administrative assistant for the Departments of Chemistry & Physics and Biology & Geology

Scott Peace, maintenance supervisor for housing

These individuals were recognized at the annual Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheon on May 11.

from left to right: Tony Ateca, Carol Cutsinger, Mildred Cummings, and Scott Peace


USCA campus news

When Professor Janie Key decided to attend the University’s second-annual Pink Ribbon Tea in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, she had no inclination what lay in store for her.

Key and several other faculty, staff, students, and community members gathered to honor the survivors of breast cancer, celebrate the strides that have been made in breast cancer research, and remember those who have fallen to the disease at the event held last October. Attendees were urged to wear pink, the official color of breast cancer research, and to wear their favorite hats in the tradition of old-fashioned teas.

While Key and other invitees were notified that a guest speaker would be featured during the program, only a select few knew that Key’s dear friend and Aiken Partnership Board Member Dee Crawford would be present at the Tea to announce the establishment of a permanently endowed scholarship fund in Key’s name.

The “Janie Hightower Key Book Scholarship Endowment” will provide support to a student with a preference given to students majoring in mathematics or computer science, the department in which Key has served as a professor since September 1971.

Crawford, a long-time acquaintance of Key, said, “Janie Key is a dear family friend and neighbor who is a pioneer in education at USC Aiken. She is a dedicated, student-friendly, and academically astute teacher who is celebrating her 14th year of being a breast cancer survivor. My family and I wanted to be part of this celebration.”

Present at the celebration were Key’s daughter and several members of her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.

“It isn’t often that someone comes into your life, makes an impact, and lingers for a lifetime,” said Key. “Dee is just that kind of person. She has always been sincere, kind, caring, generous, and unselfish; and success

has not changed her. I am grateful to God for giving me a friend that would leave such a legacy. What greater legacy could a friend leave than a gift which keeps on giving, just so others will remember me? That’s the true meaning of friendship.”

Professor Janie Key Honored by Friends, Family Through Naming of Student Scholarship

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At the annual Student Life Leadership Awards Banquet on April 18,

the University presented the inaugural “Thomas L. Hallman University Values Leadership Award” to student Whitney McWhorter.

This new award recognizes the student leader, who through his or her actions on and off campus, best represents the University values — collegiality, character, citizenship, and a high quality learning environment. The Student Life Leadership Awards Committee surprised Hallman at the Banquet with the naming of the award in his honor. “I am honored to say the least,” said Hallman, “and am inspired by

Students Honor Chancellor with Namesake Values Award

the entire campus community’s commitment to living out our core values.”

According to Ahmed Samaha, director of student activities, the students wanted to name the award for Chancellor Hallman because he has worked so hard to promote the University’s values among students. “He is a leader who truly embodies our campus’ values,” said Samaha.

McWhorter, a senior sociology major from Batesburg-Leesville, S.C., has participated in the Alternative Fall Break Program in New Orleans, is a mentor for the Minority Achievement Program, is a Pacesetter Team Leader for new student orientation, and served

as the Student Coordinator of leadership development. She has contributed much of her personal time through volunteer work at Golden Harvest Food Bank, the Boys and Girls Club, Helping Hands, Area Churches Together Serving, Habitat for Humanity, and through tutoring at Aiken Elementary School.

Another major award, the Robert E. Alexander Leadership Award, was presented to Samantha Blair ‘07. Blair graduated in May with a Bachelor of Arts degree in special education. Richard Glover ‘07, who graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, was named to the Robert E. Alexander Hall of Fame.

from left to right: Richard Glover, Tom Hallman, Whitney McWhorter, and Samantha Blair

10 USCA Magazine 2007

John D. GregoryJohn D. “Johnny”

Gregory was honored by the

University with the 2007 Distinguished Citizen Award on April 12 at the Annual Academic Convocation ceremony.

For the past 25 years, Gregory has served as Director of Governmental Affairs for the University of South Carolina system.

“Through his role, Johnny has served as an outstanding advocate for our campus,” said Chancellor Tom Hallman. “We consider him to be a great friend of the University.”

Gregory holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of South Carolina and a Juris Doctorate from the University of South Carolina School of Law. As a USC student, he was a member of the Gamecock football team for four years, where he shared the record for most touchdown passes for 38 years.

Gregory was elected President of the University of South Carolina Alumni Association and President of the South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame. He also served as a member of the University’s Bicentennial Committee.

He has been bestowed with several honors including the 1986 Order of the Palmetto Award by Governor Dick Riley, the Babcock Center Community Service Award, and the University of South Carolina Upstate Founder’s Day Distinguished Service Award.

Gregory is a lifetime member of the USC Alumni Association, a member of the Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference, and a member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.

Originally from Aiken, Gregory is an ambassador of the entire University of South Carolina system and an advocate for the USC Aiken campus.

He resides in Columbia, S.C. with his wife, the former Betty Lumpkin, who graduated from USC. They have three children, who also graduated from USC: John, Susan, and Elisabeth, and one grandchild, Ashley.

Distinguished Citizen 2007

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Outstanding Seniors, Leitzsey and Reyes, Honored, Speak at Graduation Ceremonies

The University selected Melissa Gayle Leitzsey ‘07 and Antonieta “Toni” Reyes Echezuría ‘06 as the Outstanding Senior Students for the May 2007 and December 2006

graduation ceremonies. Leitzsey and Reyes delivered remarks to their fellow graduating class members. Reyes ended an era as she delivered the final graduation speech in the Student Activities Center. Leitzsey began a new tradition as the first outstanding student speaker in the Convocation Center, which will now host all graduation ceremonies.

Leitzsey (pictured left), of Newberry, S.C., graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications. An active member of Alpha Omicron Pi women’s fraternity, she served on several of the organization’s committees. She was inducted as a member of Lambda Pi Eta, honor society for communications, and the Order of Omega, honor society for students active in Greek life.

Using her exceptional writing abilities, Leitzsey gave back to the campus community by serving as editor of Common Knowledge, the Communications Department newsletter, and as news editor and staff writer for Pacer Times, USC Aiken’s student newspaper.

During Leitzsey’s senior year, she completed an internship with the University’s Office of Marketing and Community Relations.

Reyes (pictured right) of Venezuela received a Bachelor of Arts degree with Cum Laude honors as a communications major. She served as a member and president of the Nu Rho Chapter of Lambda Pi Eta National Communications Honor Society as well as a member of Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society.

Reyes served on the Communications Student Advisory Council, GLOBE – the University’s international club, and Circle K Club – a student service organization. She was an inaugural member of the reinvigorated Pacer Communications Society and assisted with advertising, public relations, and judging for the first Aiken County Language Arts Festival. She was a volunteer editor for Pacer Times and wrote stories for Common Knowledge.

As a student, Reyes completed an internship at Aiken Electric Cooperative, Incorporated. She is working toward a master’s degree in integrated marketing communication at Florida State University.

12 USCA Magazine 2007

magine you are lying in a hospital room just after having heart surgery. You are alone and scared. You feel as if no one else knows exactly how you feel. You look around to realize that no one

is there to feel your pain. At that moment, the door to your hospital room opens, and in walks a smiling face. This is not just any smiling face, but the face of someone who knows what you have been through—the face of a member of Mended Hearts.

Mended Hearts is a national nonprofit organization affiliated with the American Heart Association that offers hope to heart patients and their families. The organization has over 18,000 members and 274 community-based chapters across the United States plus two in Canada, according to the Mended Hearts organizational profile.

The local Aiken chapter got its start in 2001 and includes over 120 members today. The group is supported by Aiken Regional Medical Centers and has been honored by placing second twice in the President’s Cup, a national award of excellence for Mended Hearts.

Phillip Lockard, president of the Aiken chapter of Mended Hearts, explained that the main duty of volunteers is to visit heart patients and give encouragement to their families. Two volunteers visit heart patients every day. Lockard said the volunteers show the patients that “it’s not the end of the world” and that they have been through the same thing. Patients could suffer from a range of heart problems, including heart disease, operations on the heart, and heart defects.

From April to December 2006, the chapter made 1,985 patient visits and 264 family visits to patients at Aiken

Helping…One Heart at a Time

by Melissa Leitzsey ‘07

I

Mended Hearts Representatives present check to Kim Wood (second from left)

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Helping…One Heart at a Time

Regional Medical Centers. In addition to providing support, the volunteers also give educational information about healthy lifestyle choices, how to reduce the risk of a heart attack, the importance of taking medication regularly, and suggestions for how to manage depression, which is common after having heart problems.

The Mended Hearts group is closely tied with USC Aiken. After patients have heart surgery, they generally attend monitored rehabilitation at the Wellness Center on the University’s campus. This program takes place for 12 weeks. After this period, patients are encouraged to continue exercise, and they have the option of maintaining their membership with the Wellness Center.

Dr. Kim Wood, director of the Wellness Center and associate professor of exercise science at USC Aiken, noted that the Mended Hearts group consists of good models of what cardiac patients should do since they continue exercising after completion of rehabilitation. The group also visits with patients in rehabilitation twice each week.

According to Wood, the group is also involved with screenings for heart disease. The chapter helps by having six accredited visitors from the chapter serve on each of the cardiac screening teams by performing the check-in, patient escort, and check-out functions. These volunteers helped screen 107 individuals at two screening events from April to December 2006. The chapter has also participated in other screening events conducted by Aiken Regional.

Based on the partnership the chapter has with the University, Mended Hearts recently made two gifts to support USC Aiken’s Wellness Center and the School of Nursing. The gift to the Wellness Center funded a Biodex exercise machine, a piece of balancing and exercise

equipment. This is the third piece of Biodex equipment the Wellness Center has purchased through financial support from the local Mended Hearts chapter.

The donation to the School of Nursing provided some of the funding for the purchase of a new mannequin. According to Dr. Julia Ball, dean of the School of Nursing, this mannequin makes “breathing sounds, heart sounds, and different rhythms” while also allowing students to practice nursing procedures, such as catheterizations. Lockard said the chapter donated money because they wanted to be involved with anything that would help turn out well-trained nurses. Ball said “it’s really, really welcome” since the School of Nursing needs to educate nurses “for this century.”

Funds for the gifts were raised at the group’s annual golf tournament, which is held to support cardiac enhancement outreach projects.

Mended Hearts gave more than their hearts to the Wellness Center and the School of Nursing this year. They give hope every day to heart patients and encourage them to live their lives to the fullest, just as the chapter has.

Representatives of Mended Hearts present funds to Julia Ball (fourth from left)

1� USCA Magazine 2007

Pacer Athletics Featured on Cover ofAT&T Real Yellow Pages Directory

Pacer Athletics is prominently featured on the cover of the 2007–2008 Aiken edition of the AT&T Real Yellow Pages Directory.

The cover depicts three student-athletes in competition. Lindsey Mann (pictured left), a freshman psychology major of Conyers, Ga., is a member of the women’s soccer team. Casey Thompson (center), of Clarks Hill, S.C., is a senior interdisciplinary studies major and member of the men’s golf team. Senior men’s basketball guard Theo Oates (pictured right), of Hopkins, S.C., majors in exercise and sports science.

“We are thrilled and honored that Pacer athletics will appear on the 2007–2008 directory,” said Chancellor Tom Hallman. “We hope this cover will remind area residents of the variety of educational and recreational opportunities USC Aiken has to offer. We thank our partnership with AT&T Real Yellow Pages for this opportunity.”

“It is the goal of the new AT&T to be not only a global company but to be a very local company as well,” said Pat Patton, regional director for AT&T in Aiken County. “AT&T pledges to help make the communities where we live and work as strong and vibrant as they can be. Our partnership with USC Aiken is one example.”

Delivery of more than 74,000 directories to area residents and businesses took place in June.

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Men’s SoccerThe 2006 season went in the books as the best ever for USC Aiken. After a bumpy 0-3-0 start, the Pacers lost only three of their final 17 matches to finish at 12-6-2 overall including a 4-1-2 mark in Peach Belt Conference (PBC) play. Setting new school records for overall and conference wins, USCA finished third in the PBC, just one point out of first place. In addition, the Pacers advanced to their first-ever PBC Tournament Championship match, where they fell to #15 Lander 1-0.

Picked to finish seventh in the eight-team league, the Pacers were unbeaten through five of seven conference matches at 3-0-2, highlighted by a 2-1 win over #20 Lander on October 4, snapping a 15-game losing streak to the Bearcats spanning longer than Head Coach Ike Ofoje’s 11-year tenure. Following a scoreless, double overtime tie with #5 USC Upstate on October 14, the Pacers traveled to Clayton State for a battle to determine the PBC regular season champion. An overtime tally by the Lakers handed USCA the 2-1 loss, denying the team their first-ever title.

Bouncing back for a 1-0 win at UNC Pembroke on October 21 to close out the regular season, the Pacers found their way into the PBC Tournament final match with wins over North Georgia (2-1, 2OT) and Clayton State (2-1).

Forward Reuben Ojeyinka and defender Wacey Benjamin earned All-Conference and All-Region honors while Ofoje was named the program’s first-ever PBC Coach of the Year. Midfielder Keol Newton was selected to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine

Academic All-District Team. Benjamin, the center defender and team captain, was named the team’s Most Valuable Player.

Women’s SoccerSecond-year Head Coach Susan Vodicka engineered a remarkable turnaround in 2006 as the Lady Pacers, picked to finish ninth out of 10 teams in the conference, posted a 7-11-2 overall record including a 4-4-1 mark in PBC play. USCA had finished last in the league for three-straight seasons including a 0-8-0 record last year. With a fourth-place finish this year, however, the Lady Pacers’ 2006 conference win total equaled the amount of conference wins the program had in the six previous years of PBC play.

Entering October, the Lady Pacers were 3-8-2 after suffering three one-goal losses including a 3-2 overtime defeat at perennial region power Wingate University on September 19. But beginning with a 2-0 win over Lander, USCA reeled off four-straight victories in a span of 10 days capped off with overtime wins over

Presbyterian and USC Upstate. The Lady Pacers hosted a PBC Tournament first round match with rival USC Upstate but dropped the 1-0 decision on October 25.

Senior midfielders Melissa Schnoering and Natasha DaCosta ‘07 joined freshman defender Lindsey Mann as selections on the All-Conference team. Vodicka was selected as the program’s first-ever PBC Coach of the Year. Kristi Desrosiers ‘07 led the team with five goals and 12 points in being named the team’s Most Valuable Player for the second-straight season.

VolleyballThe volleyball team celebrated the program’s first-ever berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Lady Pacers racked up a 28-7 record en route to earning a trip to Tampa for the NCAA South Regional. USCA’s 10-2 record in the Peach Belt Conference earned the program a share of its

first PBC Championship since 1996. The Lady Pacers rolled through the PBC Tournament, not dropping a single game, for their first title in a decade.

The Lady Pacers won five of their final seven regular season matches to head into the PBC Tournament as the number

Pacer Sports – year in review


PACER sports

one seed. Tournament MVP Mandy Gerolstein led her squad to a pair of 3-0 sweeps over USC Upstate and Armstrong Atlantic State to secure the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Florida Gulf Coast ended the Lady Pacers season in the first round of the NCAA regional with a 3-0 decision.

Gerolstein received All-Conference and Daktronics All-Region Second-Team honors, while Cheryl Barcas was also selected All-Conference after earning PBC Specialist of the Week four times during the season. Head Coach Will Condon was recognized as the PBC Coach of the Year, while Gerolstein was named CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District as well as the team’s Most Valuable Player.

Women’s Cross CountryFirst-year Head Coach Larry Milner led his team to a productive season in 2006. At the annual PBC meet, the Lady Pacers placed ninth. USCA turned in two top three finishes during the regular season with a third-place finish at the Winthrop Invitational as well as a runner-up placement at The Citadel Invitational.

Marcie Milner ‘07 was named the team’s Most Valuable Player for the third-straight season. She led the Lady Pacers in all seven races this year and broke her own school record at the season-opening USC Invitational with a time of 19:57.

Men’s BasketballThe Pacers weathered a roller-coaster season in 2006-07 finishing 9-22 overall and 3-13 in the conference. Injuries took their toll on the program as six players missed significant time. USCA began the season with the program’s first-ever appearance in the prestigious Disney Division II Tip-Off Classic in Orlando, Fla. Despite a 1-2

record, the trip was successful with a 63-60 win over Shippensburg.

At 5-7 following the semester break, the Pacers opened up 2007, as well as their PBC schedule, with a home game against rival USC Upstate. With the addition of Abdul Herrera, a 6’-11” transfer from the University of Cincinnati, USCA overcame the Spartans 72-69 behind Herrera’s 24 points and 14 rebounds. It was the final home meeting between the storied rivals before USC Upstate departs the PBC for the ranks of Division I in 2007-08.

With a youthful team, the future looks bright for the Pacers, as a freshman or sophomore led the team in scoring 21 out of 30 games in 2006-07.

Sophomore guard Kingsley Oguchi led the team in scoring at 10.0 points

per game while leading the team with 45 steals and 83 assists in earning the team’s Most Valuable Player honor.

Women’s BasketballWinning eight of their final nine games to close the regular season and advancing to the PBC Tournament semifinals, the 2006-07 team turned in their most successful season in five years. Picked to finish ninth in the preseason PBC coaches’ poll, the Lady Pacers surprised critics with a young, but talented team that won 20 games and captured the program’s third PBC North Division Title.

With an 11-5 conference record, USC Aiken finished second outright in the overall standings, just one game back of regular season champion Clayton State.

The Lady Pacers opened the season with a 10-3 mark following back-to-back home wins over USC Upstate and Augusta State. But after a good 8-3 start on the road, the Lady Pacers stumbled a bit with a rough three-game PBC stretch away from the friendly confines. Dropping two of the next three had USCA at 11-7 overall, 3-4 in the PBC, but the big win at #15 Clayton State ignited the late season

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run that nearly put USC Aiken back in the NCAA Tournament.

Meredith Legg finished the season ranked third in Division II in three-point field goal percentage. The sophomore was just five percentage points behind the NCAA statistical champion.

Mindy Allee ‘06 earned First-Team WBCA All-District honors as well as WBCA All-American Honorable Mention status, one of only 35 players in Division II to receive that honor. She became only the third Lady Pacer in the past 24 years to earn such status, joining Julie Szabo ‘03 and Kim Thomas ‘83. For the second-straight season, Allee, the program’s all-time NCAA games played leader, (123) was selected as the team’s Most Valuable Player.

BaseballThe Pacers racked up a 39-24 overall record, including a 15-15 mark in the PBC, and participated in the program’s third-straight NCAA Tournament. Finishing tied for fifth in the Peach Belt Conference, the Pacers climbed as high as number nine in the Top 30 coaches poll, eventually finishing at number 27 in the final rankings. USCA extended its streak of consecutive appearances in the national poll to 43, dating back to March 2005, before slipping out on April 30.

A mid-week, two-game sweep of Barton College on March 21 capped off a six-game winning streak highlighted by a conference series sweep at #24 Francis Marion as USC Aiken ran their record to 23-6 overall. At 11-1 in the PBC, the Pacers were atop the conference standings. The Pacers, however, suffered sweeps in four of their next five conference series to fall to 14-13 in league play on April 22.

Taking one of three at #29 Armstrong Atlantic State, USC Aiken tied for fifth place and squeaked into the 2007

PBC Tournament in Spartanburg, S.C. as the sixth-seed. Opening the tournament with an upset victory of fifth-ranked and top-seeded GCSU, the Pacers won two of their next three to face AASU on Sunday, May 13 for the PBC Tournament Championship. Despite falling 5-2, the Pacers played their way into the NCAA South Atlantic Regional with the last at-large spot.

In the NCAA Tournament, fifth-seeded USC Aiken again surprised on day one with a win over #14 Columbus State 6-1. Losses to #9 GCSU and to the Cougars on May 19th ended the team’s postseason run. Columbus State would go on to win the regional and finish as the NCAA Division II National Runner-Up.

Senior slugger Chris Sheehan ‘07 earned ABCA All-America Second-Team honors, while senior center fielder Zach Cooper was named to the inaugural Rawlings Gold Glove Team as the nation’s top defensive center fielder. Chad Jacobsen and Darryl Pui ‘07 were awarded All-Region, while Sheehan and Jacobsen received All-Conference accolades and were tabbed as the team’s Co-Most Valuable Players.

Men’s TennisSixth-year Head Coach Steve Dahm led the team to the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight year and the seventh time since 1997. The Pacers posted a 17-7 record including a 5-4 conference record in one of the most successful seasons in school history.

USCA finished fourth in the PBC and qualified for the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional as the fourth seed.

After opening 7-1, the Pacers dropped a pair of matches to highly-regarded PBC foes, #10 Lander and #11 USC Upstate. A bounce-back, non-conference blanking of Pfeiffer set up a huge match with #2 Armstrong Atlantic State. In a valiant effort, the 23rd-ranked Pacers fell in Savannah 5-4. The near historic win, however, started a string of nine-straight victories for USC Aiken to close out the regular season and open the 2007 PBC Tournament. Along the way, the Pacers posted wins over #27 Francis Marion, #25 Augusta State, #32 Columbus State, and #21 GCSU.

Sophomore Dagoberto Darezzo earned the program’s first-ever spot on the Peach Belt All-Conference team. He was 14-4 as the team’s


PACER sports

number one singles player and was ranked 21st in Division II. Darezzo and Bruno Seves, who went 18-2 at number two singles, were selected as the team’s Co-Most Valuable Players.

Women’s TennisThe Lady Pacers just missed an appearance in their second-straight NCAA Tournament, finishing 10th in the Mid-Atlantic Region following a 13-11 year with a 4-7 mark in the Peach Belt Conference. USCA placed eighth in the conference standings with 10 of the team’s 11 losses coming against ranked opponents.

USCA opened the spring portion of their schedule with a 5-1 mark, the only blemish a 6-3 loss to ninth-ranked GCSU. Five of the Lady Pacers’ next seven opponents were ranked in Division II as USCA battled to an 8-6 record. With wins in three of their final five regular season matches, the Lady Pacers began PBC Tournament play with a 5-1 victory over ninth-seeded Lander. Losses to #2 Armstrong

Atlantic State and #11 GCSU, however, ended the Lady Pacers’ season.

Senior Mayra Kaefer received the team’s Most Valuable Player award for the second time. Playing number one singles and doubles in every match in 2006-07, Kaefer went 13-10 and set a new school record for most wins in a season at the number one singles position.

SoftballFollowing a rocky start to the 2007 softball season, the Lady Pacers and Head Coach Jerry Snyder put together a record-setting year. USCA opened conference play 1-8 and found themselves towards the bottom of the standings. Over the final 11 league contests, however, the Lady Pacers were an impressive 9-2 to finish at 10-10, tying for seventh in the 11-team conference and setting a new school mark for the most PBC wins in a season. Notching a check mark in the win column in nine of their final 14 regular season contests helped

fuel a 37-24 finish, the most overall wins in school history.

Standing at 12-8 and still searching for the team’s first win in PBC play, the Lady Pacers hosted sixth-ranked GCSU on the final day of February. USCA

upset the Lady Bobcats 2-1 in the opener before dropping a 5-4 decision in the nightcap. But the win propelled an 8-3 record over the next 11 games capped off by Samantha Blair’s ‘07 perfect game on March 13 against Benedict.

Ready for a postseason run, the Lady Pacers opened the PBC Tournament with a 1-0 upset of 10th-ranked USC Upstate. A win over Augusta State 12-4 put USCA in a semifinal match-up with #2 Columbus State and their 30-game winning streak. An unearned run in the bottom of the sixth allowed the Cougars to eek out the 1-0 win. In a battle of rivals for a spot in the PBC Tournament championship game, ASU squeaked by the Lady Pacers 8-6.

The Lady Pacers broke eight single-season individual records and seven career marks. Leading the way was sophomore catcher Jessica Strickland, who set firsts by earning PBC Co-Player of the Year honors as well as becoming the program’s first-ever NFCA All-American. Strickland broke single season records for home runs (16), RBI (58), and total bases (129), while also setting a new career mark for homers with 21. Blair etched her name in the record books with six pitching marks including all-time wins (52).

Strickland was selected as the team’s Most Valuable Player after catching every inning of each game in 2007.

Men’s GolfUSC Aiken entered the 2006-07 season from an unfamiliar place—not ranked number one in the nation. Columbus State ended the Pacers’ 125-week run atop the national Division II coaches poll dating back to 2004. The Pacers were, however, still the three-time defending NCAA Division II National Champions. With the loss of All-American greats Scott Brown and Dane Burkhart ‘06, a young core would have a tough task

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trying to make history with a fourth consecutive crown.

Competing at the Division I Tillinghast in Scarsdale, N.Y. in mid-October, Matt Burroughs and Casey Thompson led the Pacers to their first win of the season.

In the spring, newcomer Jeff Goff notched his first career victory as the Pacers won the Richard Rendleman Invitational. Sophomore Roberto Diaz fired a second-round 65 en route to claiming medalist honors at the Palmetto Intercollegiate as USCA claimed its second-straight event.

USCA placed second at the Bobcat Invitational before closing out the regular season at a pair of prestigious Division I events. The seven-time Peach Belt Conference champions struggled on day one of the 2007 PBC Tournament and could not recover, finishing fourth.

At the NCAA Southeast Regional, the five-time defending champs again faltered on day one and not only placed fifth, allowing someone else to win the event for the first time since 2001, but missed advancing to the NCAA National Tournament by three strokes for just the third time in 15 years.

Diaz led the team in scoring in 2006-07 and was selected as the team’s Most Valuable Player in addition to earning PING All-American Honorable Mention status.

Under Head Coach Michael Carlisle’s guidance, the Pacers have garnered 42 All-Americans, 36 PBC All-Conference selections, two Division II Players of the Year, seven PBC Players of the Year, three PBC Freshman of the Year, one NCAA Freshman of the Year, and nine All-Academic honorees.

Cheerleaders and Dance TeamIn addition to USCA’s 11 intercollegiate sports, the cheerleaders and dance team are integral parts of the athletic department. For the 2006-07 academic year, these programs represented USCA in parades, performed at the local high schools, were judges in other cheerleading tryouts, and assisted the athletic department in countless hours of fundraising, not to mention their performances at basketball games.

The Cheerleaders did not compete in the PBC Championships due to the change in their philosophy from being a competitive program to a more spirit-oriented group. The Dance Team finished second at the 2007 PBC Championship.

Junior Christie Hill was named the Dance Team Most Valuable Player, while Junior Lauren Spence was selected as the Cheerleaders’ MVP for the second-straight year.

On December 3, 1977, a gallon of unleaded gasoline cost just 65 cents, President Jimmy Carter had just recently raised the minimum

wage from $2.30 to $3.35, the Concorde jet was in its first year of transatlantic flights from New York to London, and USC Aiken was playing its first basketball game in the brand new Student Activities Center gymnasium, now affectionately known as “The Courthouse.”

That night, the men’s basketball team, still a member of the NAIA, rallied from a half-time deficit to beat Presbyterian College 68-66, led by 6-foot-8-inch senior center Bill Weeks ’78, who scored 18 points. For Weeks and his teammates, it was their first victory of the season, but the bigger victory was a place to play basketball that had locker rooms, a place where they could shoot around anytime they wished—a place they could call home.

“The gym was a big step, and it would help with recruiting, but at the time, it gave us a chance to enjoy being college athletes,” said Weeks, who is now a practicing attorney in Aiken at the County Courthouse. “Now we had our own practice times and our own lockers; it made all the difference in the world. The goals were still 10 feet high, but it certainly made you feel special.”

“I just think having that (gym) gave us legitimacy,” said then-Head Coach Lew Perkins, who now serves as Athletic Director at the University of Kansas. “It gave us a bona fide athletic program.”

Before The Courthouse was built, the Pacers practiced and played at Aiken High School under the watchful eye of Perkins, whom Weeks remembered as Bobby Knight with a bit more class. Perkins said, without the use of a facility on campus, practice at Aiken High was

an opportunity to get his players in shape for the long season ahead.

The players would run from the Penland Administration Building on campus, the only building at the time, along what is now the 118 bypass, to Aiken High before and after practice in temperatures that sometimes rose well into the mid-90s. On top of that, once the team reached the gym, they still had to practice. “I remember every empty beer can I ran past on that bypass,” said Weeks.

Thirty years later, the basketball and volleyball programs once again have a new place to call home. The 4,000-seat Convocation Center, across the Robert M. Bell Parkway from the rest of the campus, opened with a formal ribbon-cutting dedication ceremony on April 27.

“It’s the nicest, newest facility in the Peach Belt Conference which will certainly help our teams recruit,” said Athletic Director Randy Warrick. “And people in Aiken and the surrounding areas are going to be treated to concerts and different types of shows that in the past we haven’t had any facility large enough to host.”

Before the big move, USCA said farewell to the building that housed men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball for the better part of the past four decades.

Junior Jordon Thomas sank two free throws with 8.6 seconds to play as the Lady Pacers survived a furious comeback attempt to knock off North Georgia 57-55, clinching the program’s third PBC North Division title.

“Knowing that your team is the last to play in this gym, it’s something nobody can take away from us,”

F a r e w e l l

Mindy Allee turns out the lights for the final time in The Courthouse

F a r e w e l lto the

Courthousesaid senior women’s basketball player Nola Grant. “You’re going to be the one to come back years from now to say my team was the team that turned off the lights in that gym.”

In fitting full-circle fashion, the USC Aiken women’s basketball program closed out its reign in The Courthouse just the way it began—as winners.

In just its second season of existence, under the leadership of Head Coach Johanna Gibbs, the Lady Pacers christened their new gym with a 78-52 win over USC Lancaster on December 12, 1977. Future First-Team All-American Faye Ryans-Norris ‘80 led the 1977-1978 Lady Pacers to a 25-5 record, including an unblemished 14-0 mark at home.

The outcome of the final men’s basketball contest in The Courthouse was not quite as storybook. The Pacers led for 39 minutes of the game, including by seven with 56 ticks left. Someone, however, forgot to tell North Georgia the way the final chapter was to be written as the Saints tied the game at 59-59, forcing overtime, and collecting the 70-67 victory. Despite the sour ending, the fond memories still flowed from the 813 all-time contests played at The Courthouse.

Former Aiken High School Boys Basketball Coach Thomas Ryan ‘00 spent 1995-2000 playing point guard for the Pacers and led the school to arguably the best season in its history in 1998 (20-10, 11-5 PBC) losing in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Ryan said that memory is the lasting image in his mind when he thinks of his time at USCA, but the building he called home for those years was much more.

“It was a place to hang out with friends, watch television, play ping-pong, eat and shoot around with

teammates,” said Ryan. “When you think about the Courthouse, there’s a lot of fun that has gone on in that building.”

A dominant force in Peach Belt volleyball for the past 16 years, USC Aiken has a 127-60 record at home during that span for a .680 winning percentage. And to keep with perfect symmetry, the Lady Pacers closed out the building as a volleyball venue on October 18, 2006 the same way they opened it on October 12, 1978, with a sweep of rival Augusta State.

After the final volleyball and basketball games, the fans in attendance had the opportunity to etch their names in history by signing a banner that will hang in the newly renovated facility—which will become a true student activities center.

Jami Cornwell ‘04, whose jersey was retired in both softball and basketball at USCA, is the school’s all-time leading scorer in women’s basketball. She is now an assistant basketball coach at Francis Marion University, but says she will always have fond memories of her time spent in Aiken as a Lady Pacer.

“It’s a great winning tradition with great players, teams, and coaches,” she said. “One of the biggest things was the community support. Night in and night out, the stands were packed. It was a great atmosphere and a great home court.”

On that final February 21 night, as all games were completed, six seniors from men’s basketball, women’s basketball, cheerleading, and the dance team shared some thoughts with the crowd as to their experiences growing up in The Courthouse, capped off by Mindy Allee ‘06 turning off the last light, for the final time, on that chapter of USC Aiken history.

By Brandon Underwood and Brad Fields

Dr. Val Lumans, professor of history, has enjoyed a lengthy and accomplished academic career

at USC Aiken. In addition to publishing a second book in September and holding the Cleora Toole Murray Chair in History from 2003-2006, Lumans recently achieved what he describes as “an exclamation point” to his tenure at the University. He was awarded the coveted Carolina Trustee Professorship Award.

The Exclamation Point of Lumans’ Careerby Kendall Tubbs ‘05

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Each year, the USC system presents three of the awards—two to faculty members on the Columbia campus and one to a faculty member on a non-Columbia campus. Lumans said the fact that he was singled out from scores of distinguished faculty at all seven non-Columbia campuses means a great deal to him.

“Naturally I regard the Trustee Professorship as an exceptional honor,” he said, “even more so because my two co-recipients this year were a USC Columbia distinguished research chemist and a fellow historian, renowned throughout South Carolina for his promotion of our state in book and media.”

According to Lumans’ former student Jason Ranke ‘06, who graduated with a degree in history, this tendency of Lumans to downplay his own achievements while highlighting those of others, is typical of his personality.

“Dr. Lumans is a leader in the classroom,” said Ranke. “But he also inspires others through his compassion towards people and interest in history.”

With this most recent accolade, Lumans, chair of the Department of History, Philosophy, and Political Science, became the fourth USC Aiken professor in the last six years to receive the non-Columbia campus Carolina Trustee Professorship Award. Always eager to praise others, Lumans was quick to mention this fact when discussing his own award.

“Receiving this honor is a reaffirmation of the quality of faculty on our campus, since my award was the fourth granted to a USCA professor in the last six years,” he said.Previous USC Aiken faculty members to receive the award include Dr. Keri Weed, professor of psychology, in 2005; Dr. Robert Botsch, professor of political science, in 2003; and Dr. Phebe Davidson, distinguished professor emerita of English, in 2002.

According to Dr. Suzanne Ozment, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, “Dr. Lumans has distinguished himself in all areas of professional responsibility. He serves as a model for all faculty who seek to balance excellent teaching with productive scholarship and meaningful service. He does it all and does it all well!”

This sentiment is echoed by Ranke, now a graduate student in history at Clemson University, who credits Lumans with helping him to choose both a major and a career path.

“It was because of Dr. Lumans that I became interested in history,” he said. “I hope to do what he does one day and share my interest and love of the subject with others.”

So, what does the future hold for Lumans? He said he plans to eventually retire though not immediately. Lumans also hopes to write another book, promising, “I have several ideas in mind.”

Lumans said he feels confident in the abilities of his successors and offered a prediction regarding his fellow faculty members.

“I know of many USCA colleagues whose credentials already match—or over time will match—mine and those of our three earlier recipients. There will be plenty more Carolina Trustee Professorships coming our way for years to come.”

Though he has achieved much recognition for his work both inside and outside the classroom, it is Lumans’ impact on his students that seems to mean the most.

“In respect to students,” he said, “the best part is reaching them—seeing that sudden spark when a student realizes that the consequence of a college education is not just a ticket to a ‘job’ but rather the acquisition of personal enlightenment, consisting of intellectual and moral understanding, tolerance for people and ideas, an appreciation for our common humanity, sense of civic responsibility, and a good dose of healthy skepticism.”

Ranke said that Lumans has imparted all these ideals to him, and he remains forever grateful.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Lumans,” he said. “You have helped me discover something I enjoy doing. You have encouraged me and challenged me. I am glad I know you and have been able to work with you. You are most deserving of this award.”


n December 11, USC Aiken lost friend and founder, William C. “Bill” Casper. Casper served as the University’s first chancellor from 1963-1983. His legacy includes leading USC Aiken’s transition

from a two-year campus of the University of South Carolina to a four-year university.

“Mr. Casper played a pivotal role in projecting USCA as a fully-accredited institution of higher learning,” said Irene Rudnick, lecturer of law and former colleague of Casper. “He, together with the faculty and the leaders of the community, successfully achieved the status of the University as it is today.”

Following his service as chancellor, Casper continued his commitment to the University

Legacy of a Leader

by teaching business courses for several years. According to Distinguished Chancellor Emeritus Robert Alexander, who served as the University’s second chancellor, “Bill Casper played a major role in the growth of the University. I always found him to be a delightful person to work with. He set the foundation here, building up a quality two-year program by finding good faculty. He set the groundwork for our campus.”

On January 19, a crowd including Casper’s former students and colleagues gathered at a memorial service to celebrate his life. Jeff Wallace ‘70, who attended USC Aiken during Casper’s tenure as Chancellor, said, “With his calm demeanor, Mr. Casper led USCA during its early days at Banksia. His office was just off the ballroom in the center of the

William Cecil Casper 8–6–1927 — 11–11–2006

by Rob Novit and Jennifer Lake

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building, and he was always available to talk with students about scheduling and other matters.”

Rudnick recalled, “Mr. Casper was always kind, soft-spoken, and an industrious leader. He and his wife,

Gwladys, who was a teacher at Aiken Junior High School, worked tirelessly to further education in Aiken County.”

“Mr. Casper was always kind, soft-spoken, and an industrious leader.”

– Irene Rudnick

In a 1976 article from the Aiken Standard, Casper described how USC Aiken, then located in Aiken mansion, Banksia, had just 212 students in 1963. “My immediate objective while I was there was to get a permanent campus for the institution,” said Casper. “Banksia was a delightful place, and the atmosphere was most pleasing for an office situation. The problem was that there wasn’t enough space for classrooms, labs, and a good library.”

USC Aiken moved to its current site in 1972, and today, the university that Casper helped build has an enrollment of more than 3,200 students. “There’s just no end to it all,” Casper said 30 years ago. “The school’s developing and becoming better every day.”

“Mr. Casper’s love for the University was ever-present,” commented Chancellor Tom Hallman. “He brought so many members of the community together to work for the betterment of the University. On behalf of the students, faculty, staff, and alumni, we are forever grateful to Mr. Casper for his dedication, his vision, and his leadership.”

Irene Rudnick and Bill Casper (far left) pose with alumni award winners

The Casper family requests that memorial contributions be made to the “Bill Casper Scholarship Fund” (c/o Aiken Partnership, USC Aiken, 471 University Parkway, Aiken SC, 29801).


Krystle Duckett ‘07 recently did something no other USC Aiken student had ever done. It involves rats, research in a psychology lab, and every class she took at the University.

Duckett, from Beech Island, S.C., was honored as the first USC Aiken student to participate in the Magellan Scholar Program, which is offered by USC Columbia. Duckett is not only the first USC Aiken student to receive this honor, but she is also the first student from a USC campus other than Columbia to receive this award.

The program allows undergraduate students from the USC system to participate in research, which is funded for one year, throughout various disciplines from science to music. Students are required to write a research paper on their projects and are allowed a faculty mentor, who provides the student with a professional research experience. The projects conclude with their presentation at USC Columbia’s annual Discovery Day. Duckett presented her project, “Stimulus Generalization and Context Effects in the Reinstatement of Fear,” on April 27 and won the first place award in her research category, another first as she was the first award winner at

Discovery Day from a USC campus other than USC Columbia.

“The fact that this was the first Magellan Scholar award to ever be presented to a student at a campus other than USC Columbia is very noteworthy for USC Aiken,” said Dr. Edward Callen, professor and chair of the Department of Psychology. “Over the years, USC Aiken has had some excellent students collaborating in research with faculty, and this award is a great achievement and recognition of the caliber of research being conducted on our campus.”

Duckett described Callen, who served as her project’s faculty guide, as her mentor. The two worked together before the Magellan Scholar project when she served as Callen’s research assistant. Duckett worked over the summer of 2006 with Callen and a graduate student on research that was presented at the Southeastern Psychological Association’s Conference in New Orleans in February. Duckett said that working as a research assistant provided her exceptional experience for working with Callen on her Magellan project. She said that he is always willing to help by explaining things, and “he also lets me do things on my own to learn.”


Krystle Duckett Named USC Aiken’s First Magellan Scholar

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Duckett’s project tested rats to see what happens when fear was conditioned, then extinguished, and then reinstated. One hundred twenty subjects were used in this research, which took about 20

hours of work each week. While Callen helped her in determining a proposal to investigate, she decided to expand on some of his published research on the reemergence of fears after they have been extinguished.

Duckett stated that she never thought she would like doing research as she does now. She started as a lab assistant and is considering graduate school, where she could make her Magellan project part of her thesis by expanding on her research.

Dr. Suzanne Ozment, executive vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, said, “We are proud that Krystle

was selected as our first Magellan Scholar. This is a credit to Krystle and Dr. Callen. It is also a testament to the value our university places on active, engaged learning and on academic excellence.”

Since Duckett paved the way as the inaugural Magellan Scholar for USC Aiken, three other students have been named Magellan Scholars for the Summer and Fall terms of 2007. Kristen Acklie, a junior majoring in English, and her faculty mentor, Dr. Jill Hampton, assistant professor of English, received an award for their project, “Jim Sheridan and Irish Film.” Heather Davis, a junior majoring in history, and her mentor, Dr. Maggi Morehouse, assistant professor of history, will research “Music Production in post-Katrina New Orleans.” Michael Drinkwater, a senior biology major, and his mentor, Dr. Michele Harmon, assistant professor of biology, received funding for their project entitled

“Contributions of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons to Non-point Source Runoff.”

In April, Duckett was honored with the University’s Outstanding Student of Psychology award. She graduated in May with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with Cum Laude honors and is working in human resources for Lacy Corporation.

“Over the years, USC Aiken has had some excellent students collaborating in research with faculty, and this award is a great achievement and recognition of the caliber of research being conducted on our campus.”

— Ed Callen

Ed Callen works with Duckett in the lab

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Ike Ofoje is more than just the men’s head soccer coach. He is an inspiration, providing his student-athletes with not only soccer skills but life skills.

Soccer Goals to Life Goals: One Coach’s Career


�0 USCA Magazine 2007

Ofoje began playing soccer at an early age, mainly because he didn’t have a choice. “You play soccer, or you die,” Ofoje said of his early beginnings with the sport. Everybody in his neighborhood in Nigeria played the game, and as soon as he could walk, he was out there playing with them.

Ofoje’s soccer background is quite extensive. After playing soccer in elementary and high school, he received a scholarship to play through college. He played in the professional leagues for two years following college and then decided to enter coaching.

His original intention was to go into politics after college, but after receiving his bachelor’s degree, he decided to become a coach and later earned his master’s degree in sports management.

When deciding to come to USC Aiken, Ofoje said that initially the weather was the main reason for coming. Ofoje was an assistant coach at Illinois State University when he saw an ad for the job he currently holds and applied. Coming to Aiken was Ofoje’s first trip to the South, and he immediately fell in love with the weather and the town.

Ofoje said he enjoys being a coach at the University and having the chance to influence and impact young lives. He said it is “a dream job,” as he is able to watch players come in with “raw talent” and see them develop over the years and graduate. Ofoje said the best part of his job, though, is hearing from his former players, who tell him that playing under his coaching was the best thing that happened to them.

Ofoje has garnered many records in his time, and while the awards he received as a player came as no surprise to him, receiving the honor of Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year was on a “different level” for him, he said. It is the “best honor anyone can receive,” he stated.

Ofoje said the relationship he has with his players is “very, very personal.” He said his office, as well as his house, is always open to them. Keol Newton, a senior business administration major and a member of the men’s soccer team, said, “Great people do not do extravagant or grand things; rather, they do little things in great ways. This is

the ideology behind a man who adopts each player as his own child, who bases his success on our success, who lives our failures as his own, and who believes in us when everyone else won’t.”

While Ofoje said he is a “tough love kind of coach,” he does take their welfare seriously. He said he doesn’t let his players get away with anything, and he is very honest with them, with the hope that his players can trust him.

Since the hiring of Sue Vodicka, head women’s soccer coach, in 2005, Ofoje has been able to concentrate on the men’s soccer team instead of both men’s and women’s teams. Looking back, he said he cannot fathom how he was able to coach both teams with the resources that were available to him. Ofoje not only helps his players on the field, he helps them grow as individuals. The men’s soccer team has helped the community on various levels. He said that he feels the necessity to help others is something that needs to be done for moral reasons since he doesn’t believe in “singing one’s own praises.”

“Great people do not do extravagant or grand things; rather, they do little things in great ways. This is the ideology behind a man who adopts each player as his own child, who bases his success on our success, who lives our failures as his own, and who believes in us when everyone else won’t.”

— Keol Newton

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The team has helped the Aiken Soccer Club and the Edgefield Soccer League as well as Kennedy Middle School, where they teach students about life skills, character, and soccer. The team has participated in a six-week course at Kennedy Middle for the past three years. They also volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club in Aiken, where they read to children in the after-school programs. Ofoje said he personally feels that when people have been blessed in life, they should share their time with the less fortunate, as it is critical for everybody to contribute to society at large.

Ofoje said this community service—from offering soccer programs for middle school students to reading at after-school programs—helps the players to become humble and to realize that “no single player is bigger than the team.” They can also take the talents from this service with them wherever they go.

Randy Warrick, athletic director, said, “Coach Ofoje has always been great about giving back. Every year, he and members of his men’s soccer team actively participate in

various projects in and around the Aiken community. He is a true asset to USC Aiken and the soccer community.”

With Ofoje able to focus solely on coaching men’s soccer, the team finished their 2006 campaign with a school-record 12 wins and achieved the program’s first-ever national ranking. Despite being predicted to finish seventh, the Pacers finished the regular season just one point shy of a Peach Belt Conference championship in third place. Ofoje then led the squad to their first appearance in the PBC Tournament championship game, where they fell 1-0 to Lander University.

Ofoje’s abilities with soccer have taken him many places, yet the lasting record that will endure is the impression he has left on his players. “I have not met another coach who cares and supports his players in so many different endeavors, ensuring that our development extends past our ability to kick a soccer ball,” Newton said. “He constantly preaches that he is not preparing us merely for the battle of collegiate sports but rather the battle of life.”

Midfielder Keol Newton (second from right) weaves through Saint Andrews’ defense. A pair of second half goals lifted the Pacers to the 3-1 victory.


In the Workforce The USC Aiken Family Extends Beyond Campus

by Jamie Raynor ‘02 & ‘05

fter students graduate, the hard work continues in finding that first job. Several businesses in the area have committed to making this an easier process for our graduates by consistently hiring USC Aiken alumni. RCS Corporation, Security

Federal Bank, Concept H.R., and Innovative Solutions are a few of the companies who have found success in employing USCA graduates.

RCS Corporation employee Alumni

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RCS Corporation is the premier supplier of nuclear and related engineering personnel for government and commercial clients. RCS has hired over 25 USC Aiken graduates since 1994, and currently of the 32 employees working in corporate offices, 10 are from USC Aiken. Karen Garcia, USC Aiken Partnership Board member and RCS professional staffing manager, explained, “RCS has found that the business administration and communication graduates from USC Aiken possess a high-quality business foundation. They are excellent communicators and can work as a team or independently. The USC Aiken professors have done a great job!”

Several business alumnae explain how USC Aiken helped prepare them for their job as recruiters. Lisa Storey ’01 said, “I believe that my education at USC Aiken certainly prepared me to succeed in the workforce in general and in my current position with RCS. Specifically, the teamwork and presentations experience developed in the School of Business have been beneficial with interoffice and client communications.”

Erin Lucas Reece ‘07 concurred, “The management classes helped me in the work I do now. Part of management is the study of human resources (HR). I feel that in my position as a recruiter, I am benefiting from the HR knowledge that I received at school. I feel that I am better equipped to search for and speak with candidates because of that knowledge.”

RCS Corporation is active in the University’s Partership Board and Business Advisory Board. They also provide financial support to the International Program and the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center’s DuPont Planetarium. According to RCS Staffing Manager Ashley Porter ‘03, “Seeing the company I work for hiring and retaining so many alumni reinforces my belief that USCA is doing an excellent job preparing its students to enter the workforce. I am confident that when I interview a USCA student or graduate, it is likely we will share the same core beliefs and work ethic.”

Sterling Owens ‘02 notes that working for a company with multiple alumni differs from other work settings. “By working with other alumni, it feels as though we have become more cohesive. We seem to have a better sense of goal accomplishment and teamwork because of our backgrounds. As alumni we understand what each individual brings to the table because of our experiences at USCA. Those experiences and tools are what will continue to make RCS Corporation successful.”

Many banks in the Aiken area support hiring alumni as well, including Security Federal Bank, which currently employs over 20 USC Aiken graduates.

Andrea Haltiwanger ’03, marketing director, said, “USC Aiken graduates have been great for Security Federal Bank. We have found that these graduates typically have a strong work ethic, take great pride in their work, and

Security Federal Bank employee alumni

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have a genuine desire to serve customers. We are a local bank that was founded in this county, and it is important to us to be involved in making our community a better place in which to live and work. The USC Aiken graduates who work with us have displayed a strong sense of volunteerism to better our community.” Matthew Bramlett ‘06 recalled a recent event that Security Federal employees attended. “A kinship exists between USC Aiken graduates. There is a mutual feeling of pride in the institution, knowing that you encountered something so special. I enjoy watching the campus grow with my co-workers and attending events such as the Convocation Center ribbon cutting together. During the ribbon cutting, Jason Redd ‘99 looked at me and said, ‘Did you

ever think there would be something like this on OUR campus?’ Together as co-workers we share in the success of the University of South Carolina Aiken.”

Faculty and staff consistently refer to their place of employment as the “USC Aiken family.” This feeling extends to alumni as well. Gregg Law ’01, who works at Security Federal Bank, stated, “Working with other USCA graduates makes my job unique in that it gives the workplace a more family-like atmosphere.”

Secondary education mathematics alumna Gina Kelly ‘00 stated, “My experience at USCA would help me better succeed no matter what work I do. USCA taught me

Concept H.R. employee alumni

time management, leadership skills, computer skills, how to relate to peers, and how to research to find out what I need to know, not to mention the vast amount of knowledge pertaining to my major.”

Alumni can also be found working at Concept H.R., a local company which provides human resources outsourcing to their clients including many different types of businesses, ranging from law firms and high tech computer companies to small manufacturers.

Chad Matthews ’96 is a member of the University’s Aiken Partnership Board and Partner and Chief Operating Officer of Concept H.R. According to Matthews, “USC Aiken and particularly business classes enabled me

to succeed. I tell the story often that unbelievably eight months after college graduation I was writing a ‘real business plan’ for what has become Concept H.R. after finishing a ‘fake one’ for a grade in small business development class. And to this day, I consistently use analysis strategies from business policy class when making business decisions.”

Concept H.R. employs over 10 alumni and equips an average of four USC Aiken students with internships during the year. Heather Still ’03, Concept H.R. risk management specialist, said, “Since there are many other alums in this office who hold a USCA degree, we all understand what it took to get that degree. I also joined

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the USCA Alumni Council, which I probably would not have done if I didn’t work here,” since other employees at Concept H.R. have previously served as members.

Sarah Riley ’94, director of human resources, agrees, “Several of us serve on the Alumni Council, and some of us had the same professors, so we have many stories that we can share. We also have the same basic foundation, and I believe that helps contribute to the team environment that is such a vital part of our company.”

Innovative Solutions, a local commercial printer and design shop, provides creative solutions to their customers and does so with the help of USC Aiken alumni. Rae Leigh Warner ‘93 co-owns the company, which employs two alumni as graphic designers as well as several student interns. Warner commented, “Having worked with the University on various levels, we have seen the growth within the graphic arts department and how the University is striving to maintain its educational resources in a technology that evolves every year. We know that the graduates who come to us have been exposed to the cutting edge of that technology and software that we use in our business.”

Warner also observes the effects of multiple alumni within the office. “Employing alumni has a positive effect

on attitudes and relationships within our shop, and we look to only enhance that effect. We are always looking for the next ‘perfect match’ in a new employee and love the fact that we can support our local University while gaining employees who have been exposed to our business and what we are striving to accomplish.”

Graphic Designer Courtney Radtke ‘01 is one of those perfect matches. “While attending USC Aiken, I enrolled in a variety of courses that each helped me prepare to be a graphic designer. The computer classes, fine arts classes, internships, even classes like English and art history, all helped prepare me for the type of work I do on a daily basis. When I look back on my college years, I am very thankful that it was money well spent,” she recalls.

Whether they work at a bank or a print shop, the USC Aiken experience provides that common thread for each of our alumni. Radtke said it best, “It’s really a neat thing, USC Aiken. Once you are a part of the family, it’s like we all know an exciting secret that you just want to tell everyone about.”

Innovative Solutions employee alumni


In conjunction with the opening of the Convocation Center, the athletic department unveiled the redesigned Pacer logo during opening week festivities of the facility.

a new look for the by Andrew Gavin

Throughout the nearly year-long redesign process, a new package of logos including both graphics and wordmarks was established to not only give Pacer Athletics a more modern look, but create uniformity across the department.

“Our staff and student-athletes wanted to update our Pacer logo to give it a more aggressive and bold feel, and we accomplished that with our new design,” said Randy Warrick, athletic director.

Initially called the Rebels when the University was founded in 1961, USCA transitioned to its current mascot of the Pacers in 1970.

Francis Santaquilani of FS Design in Chattanooga, Tenn. was commissioned to create the new look of the Pacers. An external graphic designer with extensive work in athletic logo design, Santaquilani has produced logos for the NBA, WNBA, Minor League Baseball, the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and the Aiken Foxhounds.

Lauren Jones (left) unveils new logo to students

TIMELINEof USCA Athletics

Mascots

1961-1970 (Rebels)

1970-2001

“Moving into the Convocation Center started a new chapter in Pacer Athletics, and we felt it necessary to have a new, eye-catching cover for that story,” said Brad Fields, assistant athletic director for communications. “The new logo not only gives us that bold new look, but it brings all of our athletic programs together under one common branding.”

A celebration for the student body was held on April 26 including the unveiling of the redesigned logo and the introduction of a new and much improved version of Ace, the Pacer mascot. Pacer Athletics has not had a mascot since 1999, and the athletics staff members and student-athletes felt implementing the mascot was an important part of opening the Convocation Center.

“It gives the University a visible identity to the campus and Aiken community – it brings our new logo to life. It is another opportunity to raise school spirit and entertain crowds at home athletic events,” said Angie Osbon, assistant athletic director for business and student services.

“The students thought the unveiling was fun and exciting, and they loved the new costume,” said Osbon. “Ace got the royal treatment at his unveiling with lots of photos with his new fans.”

2001-2007

released April 26, 2007

Da’Koyoia Bailey poses with Ace

Our Gift to the Communitythe USCA Convocation Center

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A crowd of students, faculty, staff, legislators, and other friends of the University gathered to celebrate the opening and dedication ceremony of the USCA Convocation Center on April 27.

Lobby of the USCA Convocation Center

The brand-new facility already has a history at USC Aiken as its concept was introduced 11 years ago. In 1996, former Chancellor Robert Alexander recommended that USC Aiken pursue construction of the facility as part of the campus’ master plan.

Alexander explained that there were two factors that influenced the recommendation to build a convocation center. The first factor that set the context was that USCA had recently acquired over 250 acres across the Robert M. Bell Parkway from the Graniteville Company.

“In an effort to create more space for the academic campus, we proposed a plan that would gradually move all athletic facilities to this property and create a new athletic campus for the University,” said Alexander. “Such a move would make some of the best land available for the expansion of the academic campus and ensure that we maintained a pedestrian-friendly campus.”

Exciting shows are coming this year to the USCA Convocation Center.

For tickets or more information on upcoming events and sponsorship opportunities, visit the Center online at www.uscatix.com or call 866.722.8877.

Dru Nix ‘81, a former student-athlete, speaks at the Center’s dedication ceremony

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Alexander said the second factor was “the hope that we could create a facility that could expand on our theme of partnering with the larger community in which we exist.”

He said the vision was to have a facility that not only met one of USCA’s critical space needs, a place to play basketball and volleyball as well as hold commencements, but also a place for the community to gather for concerts, lectures, debates, and large theatrical productions. In essence, the idea was to create another bridge between the University and the larger community.

In 2000, the state legislature approved $6 million in funding for the project through a capital improvement bond. A feasibility study was then conducted by GMK Associates, Inc., and the architectural design process soon began.

In 2002, land was cleared at the Center’s site in conjunction with construction of the campus’ Roberto Hernandez Baseball Stadium, which neighbors the Center. In the following years, Aiken County and the City

of Aiken approved funding of the Center at $7 million and $745,000 respectively. The Center’s groundbreaking ceremony was held December 9, 2005 kicking off a 17-month construction period.

During construction, the University raised funds totaling $433,000 through naming opportunities and a campaign to name bricks and arena seats at the Center. According to Deidre Martin, vice chancellor for University Advancement, “Businesses and individuals were excited to contribute to the Center and supported the project because they understood its importance to Pacer Athletics, the University, and the Aiken community.”

The newest facility on the University’s campus, occupying 100,000 square-feet, is the new home of the Pacers. The Center features three playing surfaces—including a state-of-the-art arena and two practice courts, locker rooms, a study room for student-athletes, offices, and meeting spaces. “Our student-athletes and coaches are thrilled to compete in the Convocation Center,” said Randy Warrick, athletic director. “Our athletics programs continue to


grow in success, and the new Center is contributing to that by providing quality facilities for competition, practice, athletic training, and conditioning.” Warrick said he hopes that alumni and community members will come support the Pacer student-athletes, and he “knows they will be impressed” by the new Center.

The $20 million facility is the largest gathering place in Aiken County, seating over 4,000 and offering space for concerts, family shows, ceremonies, and seminars. The University has contracted with Global Spectrum Company to manage the facility and book events. Recent events have already brought thousands of visitors to the Convocation Center. These include concerts by Hinder and Kenny Rogers, the Aiken Blues Festival, and the University’s 2007 Commencement ceremony.

Guiding the building to completion marked a proud moment in the tenure of Chancellor Tom Hallman. “The Convocation Center has been a dream for so many of us on campus for so many years. To see the completed building take shape and then open its doors to the public was a great experience. It was truly a partnership effort

with many individuals and organizations playing a role in making it a reality.”

Although the Center is part of USC Aiken, Chancellor Tom Hallman envisions the facility less as a University building and more as “our gift to the community.” Hallman said, “We want to share the excitement, and we hope that visitors from Aiken County and the greater region will visit our campus by bringing their family to a show or concert or cheering on the Pacers at a game.” Hallman expressed that the University community is “so proud of the facility and what it brings to our campus.”

The opening of the USCA Convocation Center marks a new chapter in the histories of Pacer Athletics, the University, and the Aiken community, but more importantly, it is “a demonstration of the importance of USC Aiken’s partnerships with the community,” said Martin. “When I see the facility, I am reminded how all of us had a part in it—from the donors who supported it, to the staff who worked so hard for it, to the student-athletes who celebrate it.”

Chancellor Tom Hallman presents the Center’s ceremonial key

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Make your Mark!

The University is offering brick and seat naming opportunities at the Convocation Center. Arena seats are available for $250, and personalized bricks are available for $100. For more information regarding naming opportunities, please call 803.641.3630 or e-mail [email protected].

Main arena

Original plans for the Convocation Center included placement in the building’s lobby of “Galassia,” (pictured right) an abstract painting and sculpture by renowed artist Livio Orazio Valentini. Valentini is among the most important living artists in Italy and has received numerous awards for his achievements over the past 60 years. USCA hosted the first United States exhibition of Valentini’s work in 1997 and he spent a semester on campus in 1999 as a guest lecturer. “Galassia,” which is Italian for “galaxy,” was commissioned originally for the Convocation Center. Unfortunately, as plans for the building progressed and construction costs escalated, the University had to modify the size of the building which resulted in a reduction in the space in the lobby to one third of its original size. Since this space would no longer provide the museum quality type of space originally envisioned, the Valentini painting will instead be permanently hung in the Etherredge Center to better display it for campus visitors.


Celebrating 20 Years of the...

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Celebrating 20 Years of the...Ruth Patrick Science Education Center

Dinner Honoring Dr. Ruth PatrickOctober 12, 2006

A celebration of the life and contributions of Patrick was hosted by the University to kick-off the year’s series of events. Patrick attended as the guest of honor and was escorted by her son, Dr. Charles Hodge. Over 100 of Patrick’s friends and colleagues joined her for dinner and a presentation including reflections on her life and the histories of the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center and the Savannah River Ecology Lab. Patrick is pictured at the dinner above with Chancellor Tom Hallman (left) and Distinguished Chancellor Emeritus Robert Alexander (right).

Teacher Appreciation Breakfast October 14, 2006

The University hosted a teacher appreciation breakfast honoring area teachers. Patrick attended the breakfast and presented the “Spirit of Ruth Patrick Award” to Susan Yonce, a seventh grade science teacher at Jet Middle School in Edgefield County. Yonce received the award in recognition of her passion for teaching and for infusing a love of science, mathematics, and technology in her students.

During the 2006-2007 academic year, USC Aiken celebrated the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center. The Center, located on the University’s campus, offers programs in technology, mathematics, and science using hands-on activities to children and teachers

throughout an 18-county area. Programs also involve parents and teachers to reinforce learnings. Since the Center opened in 1986, more than 787,000 people have participated in its programs, including shows at the popular DuPont Planetarium.

The Center was named for Dr. Ruth Patrick, a pioneer in the field of limnology. Patrick is a world-renowned scientist, who studied the waterways of South Carolina for more than 50 years. The year-long celebration sponsored by Washington Group International, included many special events honoring Patrick and other individuals involved in the areas of science, education, math, and technology who contribute to our youth and their future.

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Dr. Ruth Patrick (front row, third from left) and members of the Center’s staff with a portrait of Patrick

Galaxy Gala November 30, 2006

The Galaxy Gala, a black-tie event held at the Center, welcomed over 100 guests. The Gala included a silent auction, a performance by the USCA Jazz Band, and a planetarium show. Proceeds benefited programs at the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center. The next Galaxy Gala is scheduled for November 29, 2007.

December ConvocationDecember 14, 2006

The annual December graduation ceremony featured keynote speaker Margo Gore ’97, the 2006 Aiken County Teacher of the Year. Gore teaches science to seventh grade students at Kennedy Middle School and regularly participates in activities and programs at the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center.

Academic ConvocationApril 12, 2007

This annual awards ceremony honors academic excellence among students and faculty. Rudy Mancke, a well-known naturalist and distinguished lecturer in natural history in the School of the Environment at the University of South Carolina, served as speaker.

CommencementMay 10, 2007

Dr. Bassam Shakhashiri delivered the keynote speech to the graduating class of 2007. Shakhashiri is known internationally for promoting science education and for his development and use of demonstrations in the teaching of chemistry. He is a professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and played an integral role in bringing the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center to USC Aiken. The University awarded Shakhashiri with the honorary degree of Doctor of Education during the evening’s ceremony.

For more information about programs offered at the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center, visit http://rpsec.usca.sc.edu or call 803.641.3313.


ollege is no longer a checklist of academic courses;

it’s an experience, differing for each student. For many USC Aiken students, their college experience involves service to the community.

Students in

Service

by Jennifer Lake

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“Volunteering is an important part of the college experience because it gives you an opportunity to connect with the community which you are now part of,” said Angel Lee, assistant director for programming and volunteerism. Because it is such an important part of the college experience, USC Aiken provides a variety of ways for students to engage in service, including setting up students with individual service opportunities to meet their interests, group trips, organizations that are committed to volunteerism, and service events.

Service not only gets students involved in their community; it also provides hands-on exploration of academic majors and professions. According to Lee, “Participating in community service gives you the opportunity to investigate majors by volunteering with agencies that are related to the careers students are considering. And of course, it’s an important part of the college experience because it gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling you get inside when you help others!”

Over 35 percent of all USC Aiken students participate in community service. Some student organizations and departments require their students to be active in service such as student-athletes, members of the Greek community, nursing and communications majors, and students enrolled in emerging leaders and citizen leadership courses.

Annual events, including the First Day of Service, held the first week of the fall semester, provide students with

service opportunities and the ability to interact with other students. Other events sponsored through the University’s Office of Student Involvement include Sleep Out for the Homeless, Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, the Hunger Banquet, the Campus Beautification Project, Relay for Life, the Angel Tree Project, the Volunteer Fair, and the new Dance Marathon, which will support the Medical College of Georgia Children’s Medical Center.

Two major service trips providing life-changing experiences for many students took place this past year.


Last October, a group of 50 students spent fall break assisting Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans. Students volunteered through the Home Cleanout Program of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) by gutting out and cleaning the houses of low-income families whose homes were devastated by the tragic hurricane.

Students stayed at Xavier University, where they met students who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. Vermone Coleman, a student coordinator of the trip, said she believes USC Aiken students were looking for a way to help but simply did not know how. “I don’t believe we had to try hard to convince students because everyone knew the extent of the damage in New Orleans,” said Coleman. “Many people wanted to help, but they did not have a way to, and we were offering them that opportunity.”

Fourteen students spent their spring break in Valdosta, Ga. participating in the “Collegiate Challenge,” a week-long Habitat for Humanity program. Students spent their “alternative spring break” week building a house for a family in need, working Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m.

to 4:30 p.m. The students slept at a local church and were provided with meals by local businesses and churches.

According to Lee, the number of students who participate in community service is a testament to the set of core values the University has strived to communicate to students. “The fact that so many students from so many different backgrounds are willing to pull together and go help others speaks volumes for USCA,” she said. “I think it shows that the University has instilled a sense of citizenship among our students, and I’m sure we will continue to do so in the future.”

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“The reason I chose to participate in the Hurricane Katrina relief trip was so that I could participate in something that was bigger than myself and to expose myself to some of the feelings and emotions that the victims of this tragedy felt.”– Ken Kennedy, junior nursing major from Winnsboro, S.C.

“Despite a sense of fear and anxiety, my desire to help others in a time of need and my knowledge that what little I could do about an overwhelming issue would still be making a big difference in a few lives ultimately drove me to participate in the fall break trip to help with Hurricane Katrina relief.”– Whitney McWhorter, senior sociology major from Batesburg-Leesville, S.C. “I know what I want to do in life, and I know it is not construction! This trip made me realize that and even more so motivated me towards the achievement of my own personal goal. One can also say that while achieving something personal, one can help a good cause and support a great idea.”– Roman Sipos, sophomore finance major from Stara Lubovna, Slovakia

“I chose to participate in the Hurricane Katrina relief because I wanted to do something about the destruction that these people were going through and are still going through today. I went on the trip because I wanted to help these people who lost everything, and I would do it again with no hesitation.”– Melody Blakewood, senior sociology major from Hampton, S.C. “The Katrina experience means a lot to me. It serves as a constant reminder that you should heed every warning, never fail to prepare, and take nothing for granted. It is living motivation to keep me focused on being successful, not for my personal well being, but for those who may need help further down the road. Some people choose to use their breaks on themselves; I choose to give back.”– Scotty Bibbs, senior psychology major from Trenton, S.C.

“I chose to participate in the Valdosta trip because during my freshman year, we went there. I enjoyed the experience and thought it would be great to go back and see a different area and how much progress they had made.”– Vermone Coleman, senior nursing major from Batesburg-Leesville, S.C.

“The Collegiate Challenge impacted me in a few ways: I met some new people, grew closer to my friends that were on the trip, and last, but not least, we got a big chunk of a house built for someone who didn’t have one. Now every time I see roofers working, I think about the many hours we spent on the hot tar paper working so they would have a roof over their head.”– Heather Hall, senior exercise science major from Midland, Tex.


ALUMNI updates

Radtke Begins Alumni Council Presidency

On May 19, Will Tarrant ‘96 passed the torch of Alumni Council President to Wade Radtke ‘01, last year’s secretary/treasurer, at the Annual Alumni Association Family Barbeque. Radtke’s term as president will continue through May 2009. “Wade’s dedication to the Alumni Council over the last four years has contributed to the vast success of this

special group of graduates. His knowledge and effort with the Alumni Golf Classic is a tremendous asset in raising funds for undergraduate scholarships. I’m confident that the Alumni Council will continue to grow in their successes under his leadership over the next two years,” said Jamie Raynor ‘02 & ‘05, director of alumni relations.

Radtke is a business administration graduate. While attending USC Aiken, he was a member of the golf team for four years, and in 2000-2001, he was named an Academic All-American.

After graduation, Radtke served as a mortgage loan officer for TM Capital for two years before moving to SRP Federal Credit Union. After several years as a mortgage loan officer for SRP’s Aiken branch, he was appointed in June 2006 as the Assistant Branch Manager for SRP’s Martinez, Ga. location.

Reflecting on his past service and anticipating the upcoming year, Radtke comments, “My experience on the Alumni Council has given me the opportunity to reconnect with the University since graduating. Over the last few years, being a member of the Council has allowed me to see first hand the growth of USCA through the expanding construction and new students, faculty, and staff. I look forward to serving over the coming years as president and to continue the growth and success we have had thus far.”

Radtke is married to fellow alum, Courtney Broome Radtke ‘01, a fine arts graduate. They reside in North Augusta, S.C. and are members of North Augusta Community Fellowship Church.

Radtke will lead the newly appointed Alumni Council Executive Committee, which includes Vice President Cassandra Zimmerly ‘00, a business administration alumna, Secretary/Treasurer Rebecca Harper ‘03 & ‘06, an elementary education and master’s in education alumna, and Immediate Past President Will Tarrant ‘96, a business administration alumnus.

On May 19, the Alumni Association held an end-of-the-year meeting and family barbeque.

The following four honors were presented (pictured from left to right).

Robert “Skipper” Perry, Jr. ‘69 Distinguished Alumnus AwardCassandra Zimmerly ‘00 Outstanding Alumni Service AwardB. Henderson Johnson, Jr. Honorary Alumnus Award Rebecca Harper ‘03 & ‘06 Alumni Council Member of the Year Award

Alumni Association Presents Annual Honors

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Scholarship Funds Raised by Annual Alumni Golf Classic

The Annual Alumni Golf Classic was held March 12 at the Woodside Reserve and raised

over $10,000 for undergraduate scholarships.

First Place Team (pictured from left to right)From the School of Business Administration: Dane Burkhart ‘06, Ralph Byington, Kathleen Wates ‘90, and Michael Ritchie

Second Place TeamNoel Brown, Philip Frasier, Brent Moore, and Ric Vann

Third Place TeamFrom Bridgestone Firestone: Tim Littleton, Jeremy Moyer ‘99, Rodney Price, and Ben Wheeler

Mark your calendars for the 2008 Alumni Golf Classic – March 10, 2008

The School of Business Administration presented awards to Darrell Rains ‘79 and E. Preston

“Pres” Rahe Jr. at the first-ever School of Business Awards Dinner on April 17.

Rains (left) was presented with the School’s “Alumnus of Distinction Award.” He is Group Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Southeastern Bank Financial Corporation, Georgia Bank & Trust Company.

Rains is a South Carolina licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the South Carolina Association of CPAs, the Financial Managers Society, and the SC Bankers Association.

Rahe (right) was honored with the School’s “Distinguished Partner Award.” Rahe serves as President of Washington Group International’s Energy & Environment business unit, based in Aiken. Rahe also

School of Business Administration Honors Rains, Rahe

serves as President of Westinghouse Government Environmental Services Co., consisting of five subsidiaries that offer services in the management of plutonium, radioactive, and chemical waste.


ALUMNI updates

A Leadership Reunion for all former Pacesetters, Student Government Association officers,

and Outstanding Senior Students was held on March 23. Over 40 alumni returned to campus for a reception with their fellow classmates.

Communications alumna Kayla Ott ’06 said, “The leadership reunion was a great time to catch up with old friends and to hear about all of the great things that have been going on at USCA. There is nothing like good times with old friends.”

Student Activities Director Ahmed Samaha noted, “It was so exciting to see so many former student leaders coming back to campus and connecting again. It was also fun to catch up and see how far so many of our leaders have gone!”

Polly Stowe Riede ’01, an early childhood education alumna, attended the event with her husband and said, “I really enjoy this event because it gives you the opportunity to catch up with friends that you don’t get to see very often. It also gave me a chance to remember all of the wonderful times and experiences I had while at USC Aiken!”

Former Student Leaders Return to Campus

(left to right) Kristin Allen ‘03, Tiffany Stapleton ‘03, Polly Riede ‘01, and Holly Williams ’01

Holly Williams ’01 (right) and guest

Aaron Rocklewitz ‘99 (left) and Matthew Broomhead ’02

Raquel Robinson ’05 (left) and Karesha Ferguson ’03

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Jason Sheppard was no ordinary student. He was involved and dedicated to USC Aiken and the relationships that he formed here. As a class of 2002

exercise and sports science major, he formed special bonds with his professors and fellow students. He was a member of the cheerleading squad and the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity.

“Jason and I met when I was an upcoming freshman and he was a sophomore at USCA,” recalls his wife, Shelley McCurdy Sheppard, who graduated in 2003. “I was trying out for the cheerleading squad. We spent a lot of time at USCA because of cheerleading, which was our after-school activity. We also both majored in exercise science, so we took many classes together.”

Jason and Shelley were married on August, 14, 2004, and USC Aiken played a large role in their wedding with Dr. Chris DeWitt, an exercise and sports science professor, and fellow alumni Brandon Flynt ‘99, Chase Norris ‘01, and Lindsay Shealy Roof ‘04 serving in the wedding party. Jason joined the Aiken County Sheriff’s Department in 2004 and was eventually promoted to his sergeant position in the Civil Process Division.

Tragically, Jason’s life was cut short on December 7, 2006. While on traffic controlling duty, 29-year-old Jason was struck by a vehicle and passed away that evening after being airlifted to the Medical College of Georgia. Jason’s funeral became a celebration of his life and his profession. Shelley found strength in even the most difficult of situations remembering, “Jason’s funeral service was absolutely amazing. Honoring Jason in such an elaborate manner proved the community’s appreciation for law

Scholarship Honors Memory of Alumnus

enforcement. I am so happy that our final memories of Jason included that amazing tribute to him and his life.” DeWitt recalls, “Jason was truly a special friend and a special person. Although busy schedules often kept us apart for weeks, when we got together, it was always as if we had just spoken the day before. I miss our friendship. In life he made me laugh; in death he made me cry.”

Jason’s memory will live on at his alma mater and in the community he served. The Jason Sheppard Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund was recently created through his family and USC Aiken as a way to assist others like him. Shelley said she “hopes the endowed scholarship will assist other law enforcement families, which shows Jason’s love for his career.” The scholarship will be awarded to a child of a law enforcement officer or an active duty law enforcement officer with financial need who is attending USC Aiken as a full-time or part-time student. Preference will also be given to Aiken County residents and students majoring in Jason’s field of exercise and sports science. DeWitt echoes Shelley’s sentiments stating, “The purpose of the endowed scholarship is to enable Jason to live on in the lives of others, similar to how he lives on in the lives of those of us close to him.”

On behalf of the Sheppard family, “I would just like to extend my gratitude to the community and USCA for their dedication to Jason’s legacy and continued support for his family,” affirms Shelley. For more information on how to contribute to Jason’s scholarship, please contact the Advancement Office at 803.641.3630 or [email protected].

Jason and Shelley Sheppard

Jason Sheppard


Each year the competition for universities to recruit the best incoming freshmen grows stronger. In the past year, the University’s marketing and admissions

teams decided to change part of their approach to student recruitment by shifting the spotlight from current students to the university’s true success stories…alumni.

“There’s only one group of individuals the University is more proud of than our students, and that’s our alumni,” said Jennifer Lake, director of marketing and community

relations. “Based on feedback from an institutional study and research, we decided to highlight alumni as ‘real outcomes’ of attending USC Aiken. We have alumni in great jobs who use what they learned at USCA in the ‘real world.’ I can’t imagine a more powerful marketing tool.”

One of the University’s major student recruitment publications, the Book of Majors, highlights the academic majors and programs offered by USCA. In the upcoming edition, each major is highlighted using an alumnus who graduated with a degree in that major. The publication will be printed in August to recruit the Fall 2008 incoming class.

“We are excited about our new focus on alumni to recruit the best possible students,” said Andrew Hendrix, director of admissions. “Our mission is to demonstrate to students the types of careers they can attain through study in our various academic majors and programs. Using alumni will provide great examples for these students to think about their professional opportunities after college.”

Alumni — A Key to Student Recruitment

Marcia Nash ’93

David Green ‘98 & ‘01

Amber Way ‘03

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The following alumni will be featured in the upcoming Book of Majors.

Dr. Bill Jackson ’83 – biology graduateassociate professor and chair of the Department of Biology and

Geology at USC Aiken

H. James Dallas ’83 – business graduatesenior vice president and chief information officer at Medtronic, Inc.,

Minneapolis, Minn.

Amber Way ’03 – chemistry graduateforensic chemist at the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office

Katherine Cook ’94 – communications graduatenetwork editorial supervisor, CNN Headline News, Atlanta, Ga.

Jason Fulmer ’99 – education graduateteacher in Residence at the South Carolina Center for Educator

Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement, Rock Hill, S.C.

Rob Matwick ’80 – English graduatevice president of communications for the Detroit Tigers, Detroit, Mich.

Antonio Evans ’00 – exercise and sports science graduatefitness professional and owner of ReShape Personal Training,

Charlotte, N.C.

Heather Hanna ’05 – fine arts graduatepursuing a master’s degree in music performance at the University of

North Texas, Denton, Tex.

Rene Ann Tewkesbury ’95 – history graduateMidlands director for U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, Columbia, S.C.

Delia Fox ’05 – math/computer science graduateapplication development programmer for BlueCross BlueShield of

South Carolina, Columbia, S.C.

Jeff Boswell ’01 – nursing graduatecertified registered nurse anesthetist at Aiken Regional Medical

Centers

Steve Miano ’05 – political science graduatepublic safety officer for the Aiken Department of Public Safety

David Green ‘98 & ’01 – psychology graduateclinical services coordinator at Tri-Development Center of Aiken

County, Inc.

Marcia Nash ’93 – sociology graduateexecutive director of Aiken County First Steps Partnership to School

Readiness

Dr. Jennifer Walker ’87 – pre-professional programs/biology graduatecardiac surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant

professor in surgery at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.

Steve Miano ‘05

Antonio Evans ‘00 (right)

Rene Ann Tewkesbury ‘95


ALUMNI updates

“Homecoming 200� was the first I attended since graduating in December of 1��. I had a great time meeting up with old friends and making new friends. I plan to make this an annual event.”– Donna Johnson ’94, nursing

“Kudos to everyone for creating a wonderful alumni dinner on campus! It was great sharing time again with Divver Martin and seeing his brother Donnie along with Charles Rice after so many years and meeting other Banksia alums and sharing memories. Thanks for all y’all do to make USC Aiken the special place that it is!”– Tom Webb ’66, Banksia

“I had a good time at the communications reception. It was a good opportunity to network and catch up.”– Catherine Shaw ’00, communications

“The School of Nursing brunch was wonderful! I look forward to next year. I hope that more of my classmates will be able to come. Thanks for doing such a wonderful job!”– Melody Heffline ’97, nursing

Reflections onHomecoming 2007

Thanks to everyone who attended the 2007 Homecoming festivities held February 2 and 3. Dinners were held for the Banksia, 1977, 1987, and 1997 classes along with special events for alumni from the areas of business, communications, and nursing. Over 150 alumni and faculty attended the weekend, which ended with an alumni reception during the

men’s and women’s Homecoming basketball games.

Communications Alumni Reception

School of Business Administration Cookout

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Reflections on “My family and I had a great time! It was good to see former classmates and professors that I had not seen in a long time. Thanks to the School of Business and Alumni Relations for putting on this event. I am looking forward to 200�.”– Gerry Owen ’96, business

“Living in Aiken and being involved with the University, I have kept up with the incredible progress that has been made since graduating in 1��. During Homecoming, it was really neat seeing the reaction of fellow alumni who did not make Aiken their home after graduating.”– Rhett Sinclair ’87, business

“The Communications Alumni Reception was a perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends and professors. I look forward to attending again next year!”– Melissa Basile ’04, communications

“Homecoming was great. It was good to see old friends, classmates, and some of our old teachers that we would never see otherwise.”– Lori Murdick ’97, business “Barb and I had a wonderful time. The tour at Banksia was fantastic!!! Thanks again for a wonderful weekend.” – Steve Carter ’66, Banksia

“I attended the School of Business barbeque and really enjoyed it. It was nice to see everyone and truly felt like a homecoming for me.”– Eric Broderick, ’98, business

“It is so great that USCA has Homecoming activities for alumni. It feels good to stay connected to old professors and see classmates I would never see otherwise. The program this year went well, and with more alumni getting involved, there is no limit to how much fun it will become.”– Gina Kelly ’00, secondary education

Mark your calendar for Homecoming 2008 on February 8-9!

Rhett ’87 and Kim Sinclair ‘88

(left to right) Vandria Steward ’05, Karen Elliott ‘06 , and Andria Steward ‘05


Aiken Partnership of the USC Educational Foundation

William H. Tucker – PresidentThomas R. Young, Jr. – Vice President

June H. Murff – SecretaryFrank M. Thomas, Jr. – Treasurer

Carlos A. Milanes, At-Large MemberJ. Chris Verenes – Representative to USC Educational Foundation

Robert E. Alexander – Emeritus MemberGasper L. Toole III – Emeritus Member

Richard K. AllenLeon L. Boylston IIIJan Hodges BurchEdward J. Callen

Dee CrawfordJohn C. DeVine, Jr.

Rusty R. FindleyKaren A. GarciaJames M. Gillam

Michael J. GrahamCharles H. Marvin IV

Chad E. MatthewsRonald A. Maxwell

Kenneth J. McDowellLaurence R. Ogletree

Nini S. PathejaJay S. Pifer

E. Preston Rahe, Jr.E. Leland ReynoldsRoyal J. Robbins, Jr.Frank G. RobersonJames H. RobertsMichael R. Rose

Neel ShahJeff L. Stevens

J. Carson Sublett, Jr.John C. Troutman

R. Keith WoodVince Coughlin, ex officioWade Radtke, ex officio

USCA Alumni CouncilWade Radtke ‘01 – President

Cassandra Zimmerly ‘00 – Vice PresidentRebecca Harper ‘03 & ‘06 – Secretary/Treasurer

Will Tarrant ‘96 – Immediate Past PresidentMike Findley ‘81 Carla Hayes ‘97Gina Kelly ‘00

Shellie Madaus ‘96 Jeff Mastromonico ‘00

Steve Miano ‘05 Donald Miles ‘04

Billy Morris ‘82 Rocky Napier ‘76 Marcia Nash ‘93 Beverly Rapp ‘80

Polly Riede ‘01 Sarah Riley ‘94

Ryan Shealy ‘04Tiffany Stapleton ‘03

Heather Still ‘03 Bonnie Toole ‘02 Alicia Watkins ‘99

Joann Williamson ‘01

Aiken County Commissionfor Higher Education

Timothy W. Simmons – ChairmanErnest R. Allen – Vice Chairman

Eugene S. Sawyer – Secretary/TreasurerTeresa H. Haas

Barbara A. HendrichClarence G. JacksonRebecca T. RobbinsGasper L. Toole III

James D. WestJoe W. DeVore, ex officio

Linda B. Eldridge, ex officioSuzanne Ozment, ex officio

Thomas L. Hallman, ex officio

Mark Sanford, Governor of South Carolina – ex officio ChairmanHerbert C. Adams, 8th Judicial Circuit – Chairman

Miles Loadholt, 2nd Judicial Circuit – Vice ChairmanMack I. Whittle, Jr., 13th Judicial Circuit – Chairman Emeritus

Arthur S. Bahnmuller, 3rd Judicial CircuitWilliam L. Bethea, Jr., USC Alumni Association

James Bradley, 6th Judicial CircuitMark W. Buyck, Jr., Gubernatorial Designee

John W. Fields, 10th Judicial CircuitC. Edward Floyd, M.D., 12th Judicial Circuit

Samuel R. Foster II, 16th Judicial CircuitWilliam C. Hubbard, 5th Judicial Circuit

William W. Jones, Jr., 14th Judicial CircuitToney J. Lister, 7th Judicial Circuit

Darla D. Moore, Gubernatorial AppointeeMichael J. Mungo, 11th Judicial Circuit

James H. Rex, Superintendent of EducationM. Wayne Staton, 15th Judicial Circuit

John C. von Lehe, Jr., 9th Judicial CircuitEugene P. Warr, Jr., 4th Judicial Circuit

Othniel H. Wienges, Jr., 1st Judicial CircuitThomas L. Stepp, Secretary

Charles E. Simons III, Trustee EmeritusFrampton W. Toole, Jr., Trustee Emeritus

University of South CarolinaBoard of Trustees

�1

AlumniMs. Doris Kendrick Collier ‘05, February 22, 2007Mrs. Teresa Ann Goulet ‘94, December 18, 2006Mr. T. Everett Johnson, Sr. ‘71, October 19, 2006

Mr. David Lee McLaughlin ‘95, November 14, 2006Ms. Abigail R. Mills ‘99, February 14, 2007

Mr. Jason Lannes Sheppard ‘02, December 7, 2006

Friends of the UniversityMr. Joe L. Addie, February 17, 2007

Mrs. Janice Sligh Bacot, June 4, 2007Mrs. Gwladys M. Casper, July 5, 2006

Professor William C. Casper, December 13, 2006Mrs. Michelle Pruitt Connelly, July 30, 2006

Mr. Don J. Coon, Jr., January 5, 2007Dr. Todd V. Crawford, May 12, 2007

Mrs. Esther B. Dickey, February 1, 2007Mr. Thomas B. Earle, Jr., February 14, 2007

Mr. Jerald Fallaw, December 18, 2006Professor Betty B. Gardner, April 5, 2007

Mr. Kenneth C. Gaylard, January 13, 2007Dr. Fred W. Greene, March 7, 2007

Mr. Eddie Hammonds, February 24, 2007Mr. W. Wilson Howard, October 10, 2006

Mr. Richard W. Hunt, January 19, 2007Mrs. Georgena Jiunnies, February 12, 2007

Mr. Robert L. Johnson, October 3, 2006Mr. William L. Johnson, Jr., August 31, 2006

Mr. Lewis Gordon Kennerly, September 17, 2006Dr. Everett C. Kuglar, September 28, 2006Mrs. Helen T. Laird, September 28, 2006

Mr. John W. Lawless, Sr., January 21, 2007The Honorable C. Bruce Littlejohn, April 21, 2007

Dr. James T. Lovett, October 22, 2006Mr. Daniel K. Miller, August 27, 2006Mrs. Clare Owens, December 1, 2006

Mrs. Eleanor W. Owens, November 29, 2006Mr. James W. Parker, March 20, 2007

Dr. H. Kenneth Peacock, March 31, 2007Dr. William C. Perkins, January 9, 2007

Ms. Mary Lois Platt, December 29, 2006Mr. James C. Ray, September 6, 2006

Mr. Arthur D. Rich, March 17, 2007Mrs. Harriet F. Skinner, July 28, 2006

Dr. Ellen Lott Smith, November 15, 2006Mr. E. Gray Swingle, October 2, 2006Ms. Vivian S. Verenes, April 26, 2007

Dr. Bela Vitez, December 2, 2006Mr. Herbert P. Witter, April 5, 2007

In Memory

Bechtel Savannah River, Inc.Aiken, South Carolina

www.usca.edu


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��

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Congratulations!

USC Aiken Athletic Band First Place

Peach Belt Conference 2007

USCA Magazine 2007

Documents

Transcript of USCA Magazine 2007