• Medical Weight Loss Treatment /Weight Management
FAMILY ME DICI NE WOMEN’S HEALTH
• Pap Smear
• Pregnancy Testing
• Breast Conditions
• Contraception
• Infectious Diseases (STDs/Vaginitis)
• Physicals
• Skin & Eye Infections
• Depression & Anxiety
• Heart Failure, Atrial Fibrillation
• DVT (bloodclot) diagnosis and treatment
• Pre-op Clearance
• Geriatric Care
• Preventive Medicine
• Blood Tests
• Hyperlipidemia (HLD)
• Minor Injuries
• Care Coordination
TABLE OF CONTENTS
02 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
A final letter from the editor-in-chief who is preparing to graduate this December.
05 WASHINGTON SEMESTER STUDENTS
USC students in the Washington Semester Program adjust to working in Washington, D.C., during the government shutdown.
USC’s first Black female graduate, Henrie Monteith Treadwell, returned to Columbia to discuss her new memoir.
Students from oncampus housing report maintenance-related issues in the wake of record enrollment.
11 STUDENT GOVERNMENT FUNDING CHANGES
Some of the top student organizations are adjusting to the new funding model put in place earlier this school year.
12
USC’S TURNING POINT USA CHAPTER
USC’s Turning Point USA chapter has experienced growth in membership since the death of Charlie Kirk.
COMIC
The end of the semester is near, and students are running on empty with no prospects, no money and no thoughts. 15 MCBRYDE RESIDENTS MOVE OUT
Residents of USC’s McBryde shared their thoughts on moving out of the 70-year-old residence hall.
17 ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS
Engineers Without Borders USC plans to take on multiple service projects both domestically and abroad.
20 PLAYER RECRUITMENT
The Gamecocks have added several highprofile recruits from the state of South Carolina.
22 MCCASKILL JERSEY RETIREMENT
South Carolina women’s soccer retired former All-American Savannah McCaskill’s No. 7 jersey in a ceremony.
24 SELLERS BROTHERS
Jayden and LaNorris Sellers are getting back into the rhythm of playing together for the first time since high school.
25
HOROSCOPE
Readings for each Zodiac sign that relate to all college students for the month of November.
27
MEECHIE JOHNSON HOMECOMING
A revamped South Carolina men’s basketball roster, highlighted by the return of Meechie Johnson, looks to exceed expectations.
28 GAMECOCKS IMPRESS EARLY BUT TIDE WINS
The Gamecocks matched the Crimson Tide’s intensity, but selfinflicted wounds proved costly late in the fourth.
31 SOUTH CAROLINA BLACKSMITH COMMUNITY
Young and old, local blacksmiths all share a strong sense of passion and commitment to their craft.
‘GENERATIONS’ EXHIBITION 35 JAZZ SOCIETY MEMBERS SHARE PASSION
The School of Visual Art and Design celebrates 100 years through student exhibition.
38 LETTERS OF LOVE
Students in the Letters of Love organization provide emotional support to children in hospitals through letters and cards.
41 KAPPA ALPHA THETA
The Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity held its own recruitment this fall to reestablish the sorority on campus.
EMOTIONAL HIJACKING
Emotionality in politics must be reduced to allow for political change and a reduction in political polarization.
44 DEI WORKSHOPS
USC’s mandatory workshops are slated to kill organizations and draw attention from the Statehouse.
47 STUDENT GOVERNMENT STREAMLINES FUNDING
Student Government has made funding so confusing that student groups are turning instead to SOFAB.
48 COMPREHENSIVE STEM EDUCATION
Undergraduate research gives STEM students a strong foundation for their future careers.
51 OVERRELIANCE ON AI
Artificial intelligence should be used for simpler tasks, such as checking grammar. Students should not use it for everything.
53 PHOTOS AND DESIGNS OF THE SEMESTER
Here are the featured photos and designs that we feel deserved a special shoutout.
55 SENIOR SENTIMENTS
A heartfelt farewell from four senior staff members who are in their last year of school.
South Carolina men’s soccer failed to qualify for the postseason tournament without a win since Sept. 28.
Play an instrument, sing a song or become a part of the audience on Tuesday nights at Jazz Jaam.
37 COLUMBIA’S BUSIEST STREET NAMES
From Gervais to Whaley, streets that people see every day often conceal interesting histories behind their names.
COVER DESIGN BY: Ransleigh Kurt Baldas
COVER PHOTOS BY:
Alexis Goldston, Ariyon Philpot & Jazzy Rhodes
FINAL LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end
Where to begin?
In less than 40 days, I’ll be walking across the stage, diploma placeholder in hand while my family cheers me on from the stands. Graduation is approaching, but I’m not scared. I’m not afraid of the change or fearing the next step — I’m excited.
I’m excited to (hopefully) get a job and start my “adult” life! I am definitely looking forward to being closer to family again, even if that means enduring Chicago’s weather. I am anticipating what’s next, and that’s because I know I made the most out of my time at college.
There were moments when I probably should have stayed in and worked on homework instead of heading to Five Points with my friends. However, there were also definitely moments when I wished I hadn’t stayed in to study (but it helped me in the long run)! The point is: college is all about balance — equal parts study and Salty.
You should absolutely have fun with your friends; those are the moments you can’t get back, like that one quote from the last episode of “The Office.” On the other hand, essays and other homework assignments can’t all be made up, no matter how much you beg your professor, so it’s important to make time for those too. After all, they don’t give out degrees for hoarding cups from Tin Roof.
I navigated college with the mindset that I should be a responsible student, but I navigated through life at college with the mindset of enjoying every moment. I have met some of the most amazing people and
created lasting, impactful memories, and I think that’s something everyone should strive for.
So I say to anyone who’s reading (if you’ve made it this far) that you shouldn’t take any moment for granted; savor it all. Like those phone calls from your mom, or when you eat dinner with your roommates, it’s all about the little things that turn out to mean so much more in the bigger picture.
At the beginning of the year, I was writing about how change is constant and not to be avoided. Now, at the end of the year, I’m reiterating the same adage and advising everyone to follow it.
I know graduating can seem scary, as can any moment in life when you’re overthinking about what’s next. It’s always scary to wonder, “What’s next?” But if you spend all of your time worrying about the next step, you’ll never actually take it. The “next step” is all about embracing what’s in store for you, so don’t be afraid.
It is called the present for a reason.
A final farewell and
Editor-in-Chief
Washington Semester students move forward amid federal shutdown
KELLY GRADY | ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Third-year computer science student
Jaden Fairfax hasn’t been able to work in 29 days and isn’t sure when she will. Her story isn’t unique — since the U.S. government shut down on Oct. 1 after failing to pass a spending bill, thousands of federal employees have gone without work and without pay.
Fairfax interns for Rep. William Timmons (R-SC) as part of the Washington Semester Program, but she is one of the estimated 670,000 employees furloughed during the ongoing federal shutdown.
The Washington Semester Program provides college students across South Carolina with an opportunity to relocate to Washington for a semester to study and work. USC students take 15 credit hours, nine of which are a fulltime internship on or off Capitol Hill. Five on-the-hill students in the Fall 2025 Washington Semester Program cohort have been furloughed.
Fairfax said her main concerns amid the shutdown are financial ones. Under normal circumstances, she receives a monthly stipend of $1,500 from the federal government, but she hasn’t been paid this month.
“I actually had to travel home this weekend to work because there’s no guarantee if I’m even going to get paid for this time,” Fairfax said. “(It has) put me under some financial strain and worried me a little bit.”
Deemed a non-essential worker, Fairfax said it is still unclear whether she will receive back pay after the government reopens. She’s had minimal communication with her internship office since the shutdown began.
“I reached out (to my office) one time because the program wanted to know the status of our pay, and all they said was that they were hopeful, but it’s ultimately not up to them, whether or not their furloughed workers get back pay,” Fairfax said.
South Carolina Honors College Associate Dean Andrea Tanner Kornegay, who oversees beyond-theclassroom programs including the Washington Semester, said the Honors
College is working to financially aid furloughed students.
“What the Honors College is wanting to assure students of is that we’re going to support them financially … if they’re not receiving a paycheck,” Kornegay said. “It is our hope that they are going to get back pay once the government shutdown is over.”
Second-year computer information systems student Carter Threatt, who was furloughed from his internship with Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), said lack of pay might impact the mood of the city.
“I think that the mood is probably continuing to get more bleak as we approach missing ... a full month of pay for the House employees,” Threatt said. “I do think that we’re going to continue to see ... spending in DC decline if this goes on.”
Interns working for the Senate are still working because the Senate passed the continuing resolution. However, they are not receiving pay since the budget hasn’t been passed by both legislatures.
When students’ internships were interrupted, the program had to find a way to adapt. Kornegay said the Honors College is finding alternative experiences for the furloughed students to complete throughout the shutdown. They are also creating rubrics to determine learning outcomes in case students are unable to return to their internships, Kornegay said.
The program has tried to supplement the loss of some students’ internships in a variety of ways, Kornegay said. These methods include in-depth exploration of the city, including neighborhoods, museums and the National Zoo, along with experiential reflection papers.
“It’s encouraged us to explore and get out of the house and see new things, and I’ve enjoyed it because I get to write about things that I’m seeing,” Fairfax said.
The Washington Semester Program also put out a call on Instagram to Washington-area professionals who are alumni of the program. The post requested opportunities for students to conduct informational interviews or shadow a professional in their job.
“We’ve had lots of Gamecock alums wanting to help in some way,” Kornegay said. “I think all of the (students impacted) have been connected with at least two alums that they’re going to have informational interviews and have some other connection with.”
Threatt said he has taken advantage of being out of work. He has attended lectures, been to theater productions and plans to meet with two USC alumni in the Washington area for informational interviews, he said.
“We’re placed in our internships to learn and grow in our political understanding, but I would say that it really has just forced us to become more resourceful and nimble about where that education comes from,” Threatt said.
Furloughed students will receive all nine beyond-the-classroom credits for their internship, Kornegay said. Workload in the other two three-credit classes students take has not been affected.
Threatt said despite the hiatus from his job, the experience of being in the nation’s capital still holds high value for him.
“Being immersed in the capital city ... adds a dimension to our academic history that classrooms can’t really replicate,” Threatt said. “We’re living these experiences, not reading about them from Columbia, which is definitely different, but it doesn’t erase the value of the program at all.”
DESIGN: GRACE DE PEÑA
First Black woman to graduate from USC returns to Columbia, discusses new memoir
CARRIGAN WOODSON | NEWS WRITER
Henrie Monteith Treadwell, the first Black woman to graduate from USC, gave an author talk to discuss her new memoir, “Come Along with Me: An African American Woman’s Journey for Justice” on Oct. 24.
According to the University of South Carolina Press, the memoir covers a wide range of topics, including Treadwell’s experience as a trailblazer in the fields of health equality and social justice. She also gives a personal account of the challenges that came along with being admitted as one of USC’s first Black American students since the Reconstruction Era.
HISTORY OF TREADWELL AT USC
Treadwell, along with Robert Anderson and James Solomon Jr., was one of the first Black students to desegregate USC in 1963. A 12-foot monument of the three, based on a photo of them exiting the Osborne Administrative Building, sits on the Horseshoe beside the McKissick Museum.
In May 1962, the then-16-year-old Treadwell applied to USC and was rejected. With the help of her family, friends and attorneys including civil rights lawyer Matthew Perry, she sued the university and won a class action law suit. In 1963, the then-18-year-old Treadwell was accepted at USC and enrolled in classes, which ended around 90 years of segregation.
AUTHOR TALK
Treadwell’s author talk, hosted by USC’s Center for Civil Rights History and Research and All Good Books, took place at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church, located in Columbia’s Waverly Historic District. Treadwell attended the church’s school as well as St. Frances de Sales High School before attending USC.
Bobby Donaldson, a professor of history at USC who also serves as the executive director of the Center for Civil Rights History and Research, said he invited Treadwell to come to Columbia. He said the memoir was released this week by the USC Press, in cooperation with USC’s division of Access, Civil Rights and Community Engagement.
“We very much wanted to create a space where we can celebrate her journey but also a place to share her new publication,” Donaldson said.
Many people see Treadwell as the
woman with a statue, but they don’t know about her life leading up to integrating the university, and they also don’t know what happened afterwards, Donaldson said.
“We’re excited that she’s now able to share her memoir with the general public, and people now have a chance to know much more about this monumental figure in USC history,” Donaldson said.
Beryl Dakers, one of South Carolina’s first African American onair broadcasters, led the author talk conversation with Treadwell.
Treadwell said people told her for years she needed to write a book. She said the idea kept coming back to her,
and eventually she set time aside to write her memoir.
Elder Brian Fields said he attended the event to hear Treadwell’s thoughts on activism and civil justice.
“I’m trying to understand what the temperature is in the (Civil Rights) Movement in (South Carolina),” Fields said. “What is the climate of the people here? And then what is the climate of their leaders and not (their) solution, but … their involvement in the movement?”
Treadwell said after people read her book, she wants them to feel that they should have a hand in making society just for all.
“I would like for people to not just leave the words on the page,” Treadwell said. “Make them action words.”
Dakers asked Treadwell what it meant for her to be a civil rights activist at a young age. Treadwell said she never thought there was an issue with her age, how she fit in or how she became an activist.
“I think that it never occurred to me that what I was doing was something unusual. It was, but it never occurred to me,” Treadwell said. “I thought that’s what I should be doing, and I did.”
PHOTO: CARRIGAN WOODSON
Beryl Dakers (left) leads a discussion with Henrie Monteith Treadwell (right) at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church Oct 24
Fsaid he saw the same thing in his room in “There’s black little specks growing on
Residents of Bates House have pointed out what looks like mold growth on the ceilings of their rooms as
Bates West residence hall located at 1399 Whaley St. on Oct. 30, 2025. The hall opened in 1974 as the university’s first co-ed dormitory.
PHOTO: KILEY WAGNER
DESIGN: RANSLEIGH KURT BALDAS
Hayden Davis| ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
“Sometimes you have to leave for a day because your nose is kind of stuffed up,” Harmon said.
Emma Claire Williams, a first-year advertising student, said a wave of sickness hit other residents at Bates House during the first weeks of the semester, and some residents chose
don’t know about anyone else, but it’s a big problem.”
Three Bates West roommates said they discovered what appears to be mold on the ceiling of their bathroom. The ceiling has green spots on it, first-year biology student Reese Festa said.
“We’re not quite sure if it’s mold or if it’s
said she had a cockroach infestation at the start of the school year and her room has some unclean areas. Aretta said Capstone is outdated.
“We had roaches for the first week, and the vents are really dusty,” Aretta said. “There’s no way to really clean it.”
First year pharmaceutical sciences
A new residence hall for first-year students will be built where McBryde stands by 2028, and a wing will be added to the Honors College, according to a USC news release. The two additions fall under the same project called “The Sumter Street Developments,” according to the news release.
According to Taylor, USC plans to renovate multiple residents halls in which residents reported mold and other issues. Thornwell residence hall was renovated this semester to house students moved from McBryde before its
Another residence hall, Woodrow, is undergoing renovations, Barnes said. Both residence halls are located on the Horseshoe and will have suite-style
The next residence hall USC Housing wants to renovate is Capstone, Barnes said. Bates House and Bates West are under consideration for renovations as well, sometime before 2034, according to
Multiple ideas are in play for the renovations, including renovating Bates House to have single occupant rooms. But demolition is not off the table, Barnes said. Plans were previously in place to demolish both residence halls and replace them as part of the Campus Village development, Barnes said. USC Housing decided not to follow through with that
Barnes said USC Housing wants to make on-campus housing more available to continuing students. On-campus housing shortages for continuing students has been an ongoing issue, she said. Oncampus housing is convenient for students and often more affordable than
“There are a lot of newer … continuing student options out there,” Barnes said. “But sometimes they’re very expensive, and so sometimes, we are also the
Continuing students often want to live on campus before studying abroad, but USC does not have enough beds available for them, Barnes said. Once housing demand is satisfied for first-year students, USC housing will begin to focus
“I think that housing still has some catching up to do,” Barnes said. “So when you look at our first-year class and the number of students, from our sophomores, juniors and seniors who want to live on campus, we are still short a
Student organizations adjust to Student Government funding changes, new point system
CONNOR BOGAN | STUDENT GOVERNMENT BEAT WRITER EMILEE DAVIS | NEWS WRITER
USC’s Student Government implemented a new funding model for student organizations at the start of the school year. These organizations are now adjusting to getting their funding through a criteria rubric system.
Some of these student organizations have positive opinions on the new funding model but believe it is too early to see its long term effects.
Funding for student organizations is now divided between Student Government and the Student Organization Funding Assistance Board. For the 2025-26 school year, SOFAB has $120,000, while Student Government has $185,000.
This new funding model was put in place by Student Government to help funds last longer into the school year as a result of this year’s budget being smaller.
Funding from SOFAB is available to both graduate and undergraduate organizations, whereas Student Government funding is exclusive to undergraduate organizations.
Ash Jacobson, president of the Jesse Pinkman Conglomerate and Student Government senator, said SOFAB’s money is competitive because it is open to all organizations.
“That money is a lot more competitive because there are so many different groups going after that money,” Jacobson said.
Jacobson also said Student Government’s budget has been split into the fall and spring, so any excess left from the fall semester will most likely move into the spring.
Part of the new funding process requires clubs to meet certain criteria on a point system to determine how much of their requested funding they receive. This system does not go into effect until the requested amount is above $1,500 for programs and $2,500 for conferences or tournaments, according to the Student Government finance committee. Most organizations are not requesting above those numbers, Jacobson said.
Some of these criteria include physical location and student accessibility, number
of expected attendees, learning outcomes met, cost effectiveness and collaboration, according to an outline provided by the student senate finance committee.
Carolina Model UN was the top funded organization last year. Most of their funds go towards conferences and traveling, according to third-year political science and criminal justice student Andrew Velasquez, the organization’s president.
Velasquez said last year Carolina Model UN traveled to four conferences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Florida State University, the University of Chicago and the University of Virginia. Most of the money it received from Student Government went towards funding those trips.
Velasquez said he sees the importance of meeting the criteria point system and said the organization aims to meet as many as possible.
“I love that our treasurer does enough to kind of facilitate a lot of that and ensure that we’re hitting everything as we can,” Velasquez said.
Velasquez said he feels the new policy has not been around long enough for there to be a significant impact as of right now.
“I feel like right now we’re in the early stages of this, so I think it’s just too early to tell at the moment,” Velasquez said.
Another top funded organization last year was the Indian Cultural Organization. According to fourth-year exercise science student Nishi Patel, director of the Indian Cultural Organization, most of their funds were used to rent out the Koger Center for events.
“About $10,000 of that (funding) goes to just renting out the Koger Center for an entire day, which is about 12 hours, and then the other couple $1,000 of that goes to the events that we put on for all of our members,” Patel said.
Meeting the criteria for points has been a major focus of the organization as well, Patel said.
“Getting the points is a very big requirement for us,” Patel said. “We know that our organization spends a lot of
money and that we need the money to put on these big events for everyone.”
Jacobson said the Jesse Pinkman Conglomerate looks at the Student Government codes to see what they can get funding for and holds events based on that. The group held a food-based event last year because it was easy to get funding for, Jacobson said.
“The best example of that is our cheese wheel event we had last year,” Jacobson said. “We had 70, 71 people ... A lot of people there, and we bought a $600 wheel of aged gouda.”
The group found that food was the easiest item to get funded by Student Government, Jacobson said.
Some of the previous iterations of the finance committee were more relaxed with their interpretations of the Student Government codes, Jacobson said.
According to Jacobson, the interpretations have become stricter due to a smaller funding pool and the funds being divided between Student Government and SOFAB.
Patel said the changes are positive as long as they continue to allow clubs to receive the funding they need.
“I feel like as long as every club is getting adequate funding to keep doing what they’re doing, I think it’s a good change,” Patel said.
DESIGN: JOSHUA LESTER
USC’s Turning Point USA chapter grows in wake of Charlie Kirk’s death
HAYDEN DAVIS | ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Columbia resident Sadie Slusher said she was heartbroken when she learned Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk had been killed. She felt a desire to have her voice heard. So, she joined USC’s Turning Point chapter. Kirk was killed during an event at Utah Valley University in September. He traveled to colleges and universities across the United States to hold live debates.
Turning Point USA focuses on conservative political activism on college campuses, according to USC’s chapter’s Garnet Gate page. USC’s chapter has its own social media following, including a 15,000-follower Instagram page. It runs tabling events and hosts conservative guest speakers on campus.
Chapter President Mia Weathers said it saw a surge in new membership in the days following Kirk’s death. The new members include both USC students and non-student members.
“I heard from a lot of people that they’d always wanted to get involved, but now they felt as if they needed to get involved,” Weathers said. “And a lot of the people that have joined have been coming consistently.”
USC’s Turning Point Chapter Vice President Jacob Whisenant said the organization surpassed 400 registered members. Prior to Kirk’s death, the chapter had around 50 to 100 members, according to Whisenant.
The chapter’s first meeting after Kirk’s death had an attendance of more than 100 and had to be held in the Russell House theater, where they continue to hold meetings weekly, Weathers said. The chapter previously met in a smaller side room of the Russell House, according to Whisenant.
First-year accounting and finance major Lynnette Keating said Kirk’s death devastated her. She attended the chapter’s vigil for Kirk and went to her first meeting after, she said.
“It didn’t feel like I had just heard about a stranger passing,” Keating said. “It felt like somebody I knew and deeply cared about had passed.”
First-year social work student Logan Duree said he had planned to join Turning Point USA since high school. When he heard about Kirk’s
death, he realized it was time to get involved, he said.
“As events kept on unfolding and more information kept on coming out, I was like, ‘I can’t be scared to say what I stand up for and what I believe in,’” Duree said. “And I was like, ‘Turning Point is the organization I need to join if I’m trying to do that.’”
USC students aren’t the only ones getting involved. Slusher said she left college in 2022 but began participating in USC’s Turning Point chapter after Kirk’s death.
“It’s strange to be back in this environment, but also it feels wonderful,” Slusher said. “It’s just amazing to be with people who are like-minded like me, who are also forging their careers while I’m forging my own in a different way.”
Slusher said Kirk’s death was the first time she felt grief as an adult. She attended Kirk’s memorial service in Glendale, Arizona, and the experience was one of the most spectacular of her life, she said.
“It was a beautiful moment of unity for those of us who are believers in Christ, of worship, of coming together to support free speech and to stand up and say, ‘We stand with Charlie, and we stand with each other,’” Slusher said.
Weathers said some non-college-aged people from the Columbia community have also come to meetings to show support. An elderly man named Neil Derrick came to one of the chapter’s recent meetings and said they gave him faith in the future, Weathers said.
Whisenant said USC’s chapter is continuing and expanding its activities.
“Going forward, we will be more outspoken,” Whisenant said. “We will have more events, we will have more debate tables, and we will continue the conversations that need to be had because any idea afraid of debate is a failed idea.”
USC’s chapter plans to bring U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace to campus in the spring for a speaking and Q&A event, Whisenant said. On April 21, 2025, Mace held a speaking event in the Russell House theater at the invitation of USC’s
Turning Point chapter. The event was marred by crowd interruptions, which derailed it and prevented Mace from completing her speech.
USC’s chapter plans to make the upcoming event available to only USC students, Weathers said. She said the policy is due to the “bad actors” at the previous event.
The chapter is not overlooking safety, Whisenant said. It can request USCPD for any of its events and has done so in the past, he said.
Weathers said the chapter is open to anyone, no matter their political views, to come and have civil discussions. What matters most is to keep having conversations with the student body, she said.
“Even if you don’t lean conservative in the slightest, if you’re just willing to open your ears and learn more, this is the best place to do that,” Weathers said. “Our big niche is dialogue. That’s what we love.”
PHOTO: JACK BRADSHAW
FILE — A couple embrace while holding candles at the vigil for Charlie Kirk on Sept. 15, 2025. Dozens of USC students and Columbia residents gathered on Greene Street to host an impromptu vigil for the slain founder of TPUSA.
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McBryde residents move out ahead of demolition, some have mixed feelings
On Friday, Oct. 3, finance student Hunter Pomella and computer science student Ryan Fronczak began packing their belongings to move out of their McBryde room. Pomella and Fronczak had lived together for the first two months of their first-year experience at the University of South Carolina, and they had enjoyed their time in McBryde. Now, they’re moving to Bates West and won’t be living together anymore.
McBryde is set to be demolished in the spring of 2026. McBryde’s residents started moving into other residence halls beginning the week of fall break.
The Daily Gamecock spoke with 34 McBryde residents about the move. Some residents are excited about moving to a new residence, while others said they feel stressed or confused.
McBryde was built in 1955, making it one of USC’s oldest active first-year residence halls, according to USC’s list of named buildings. The USC Next master plan described McBryde as an “outdated” residence hall and recommended redevelopment.
The current McBryde has 260 beds in traditional dorm rooms, according to USC Housing’s site. The new residence hall is set to be completed in 2028 and will have 900 beds and stand at five to six stories tall, according to University Architect Derek Gruner.
Many of McBryde’s residents will move to Thornwell residence hall. Thornwell was renovated to house McBryde’s displaced population, and the renovations were completed at the beginning of October. The dorm features suite-style rooms and is described as a “premier housing option” on USC Housing’s site about Thornwell.
WHERE AND WHEN
Twenty of the 34 residents interviewed said they will be moving to Thornwell residence hall.
Seven of the remaining 14 said they will be moving to other residence halls, including Bates House, Bates West, Campus Village and South Tower. The rest did not know where they would be moving. Others thought they were going to Thornwell before finding out otherwise.
“It was assumed that we were going to Thornwell, and then (USC housing) basically told us a month or two ago that we weren’t going to Thornwell,
that they didn’t know where we were going,” Fronczak said.
Pomella said he believed he would be moved to Thornwell but was later told he would move to Bates West. First-year art history student Henry Sease said he is moving to Patterson and experienced the same confusion as Pomella.
“They told me that I was moving to Thornwell, which is the only reason why I even accepted to live (at McBryde),” Sease said.
A majority of the 34 residents said they are moving between Friday, Oct. 3 and Thursday, Oct. 9. The rest said they will move out by the end of the semester or are unsure when.
According to a statement from University Spokesperson Collyn Taylor, all residents will be moved out before the spring 2026 semester.
First-year psychology student Anna Eichholz said her move-out time coincides with her classes.
“I might have to skip one or two maybe to move in,” Eichholz said.
All 34 residents said they knew the move out of McBryde would be during or immediately after the fall semester. Firstyear accounting student Halina Gregory said she did not know when during the semester the move would happen until she received an email from USC housing.
According to that email, residents moving to Thornwell were given two time slots to move on Oct. 6, two on Oct. 7 and the option to have their items moved for them on Oct. 9. The time slots on both Oct. 6 and 7 ranged from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
McBryde residents who move to Thornwell or other residence halls will continue to pay the McBryde housing rate for the remainder of the fall semester and in spring 2026, according to Taylor’s statement. Thornwell’s per semester rate is $6,169 and McBryde’s is $3,459, according to USC Housing’s rates and fees site.
RESIDENTS’ THOUGHTS
McBryde’s residents shared a range of thoughts on the move-out. Some reported excitement about the move to Thornwell, while others felt stressed by the mid-semester move.
Sixteen of the 20 residents moving to Thornwell cited the move as a source of excitement.
First-year biomedical engineering student Gabrielle Schell said she was unhappy with the move.
“It’s pretty stressful,” Schell said. “It’s pretty unfortunate that we got put in this situation.”
Schell said the move from McBryde came earlier than she expected.
“We thought we had until second semester,“ Schell said. “It caught us all very off guard.”
First-year aerospace engineering student Daniel Wilson said he was frustrated with the communication from USC Housing.
“I emailed them,” Wilson said. “They don’t respond to my emails. I called them. They don’t respond to my calls.”
Sease also had issues getting in touch with USC Housing, he said.
“(They) put you on hold and don’t do anything,” Sease said. “And they don’t help you, and they don’t care.”
The Daily Gamecock contacted Taylor about McBryde residents’ claims of communication issues with USC Housing.
“I’m very excited to move to Thornwell because it’s nicely renovated and brand new,” first-year student Sarah Cooper said.
First-year cardiovascular technology student Lila Rosencranz said she’s excited to have a suite-style room and her own bathroom in Thornwell.
Some residents reported concerns with stress, communication with USC Housing and being separated from their roommates.
“If I want to move somewhere, I pretty much have to be separated from my roommate,” first-year hospitality management student Nathaniel Maddox said.
Maddox said they have been friends since high school and planned to live together at USC. Difficulty with finding housing to accommodate both Maddox and his roommate led the pair to delay the move, Maddox said.
“Now we’re staying in McBryde, and we’re just waiting for something to pop up,” Maddox said.
“Students who selected Thornwell during the room selection process this summer were placed into McBryde while the Thornwell project was completed,” Taylor said in his statement. “Students being moved to Thornwell will keep their same roommate that were assigned to them at the start of the semester ... Those students living in McBryde to begin the year not moving to Thornwell were communicated with on multiple occasions and told they would be placed into beds in residence halls across campus as they became available.”
The Daily Gamecock also asked Taylor if McBryde residents who will not move to Thornwell were informed they would not when they applied for housing.
“Yes, it was communicated,” Taylor said in his statement. “It was also featured in the housing portal when selecting housing ahead of the semester.”
First-year political science student JD Ellsworth said he’s excited to move to Thornwell.
“I’m just kind of excited, but then also, it’s kind of like a second move-in day,” Ellsworth said. “You know you’re gonna have to do some work.”
PHOTO: LILY OPPELT
FILE — McBryde Quadrangle C, located at 1313 Blossom Street in Columbia, South Carolina, on Sept. 22, 2025. The McBryde complex is located just south of the Russell House Student Union and the Thomas Cooper Library.
Spotlight: Engineers Without Borders helps local, global communities thrive
WESLEY NICHOLLS | NEWS WRITER
For those involved in USC Engineers Without Borders, giving back to the community is a way to utilize engineering skills in the field. Now, the group is expanding its outreach with more projects, both local and abroad.
The local chapter at USC is a part of the national organization Engineers Without Borders USA, which is responsible for operations both domestically and internationally. With local chapters in almost every part of the country, EWB-USC is just one piece of a larger group with the goal of using engineering expertise to shape a sustainable future.
Many of the projects the group works on are based around the Columbia area. Local Project Delegate and thirdyear chemical engineering student Zoe Geiger said her experience in EWB has helped her connect with the greater Columbia area.
“You get to make a direct impact on the people that are living in Columbia,” Geiger said. “You get to meet some locals, and also, you’re forming connections with people that may not be studying the same engineering as you.”
One of the most prominent projects the group has undertaken in recent years was building a bridge in Sesquicentennial State Park. While it had been a concept project for years, construction was completed last spring, and the bridge is now open.
Geiger said EWB-USC is looking at a couple of different local projects to undertake within the coming weeks. Currently, the club is building shelters for cats in the Campus Village area due to the upcoming winter cold. It is also having discussions with Congaree National Park about helping to restore the area after Hurricane Helene.
According to Local Project Lead and second-year mechanical engineering student Harry Weaver, the work with Congaree was supposed to break ground in mid-October. However, it has been delayed due to unexpected circumstances.
“We’re waiting to hear back from Congaree National Park, but because the government’s been shut down, they don’t have anyone working there,” Weaver said.
Though some members focus on local projects, others have shifted their attention towards the international aspect of EWB. International Project Lead and
second-year mechanical engineering student Ryan Cataldo said the club is coordinating efforts to bring its work abroad, specifically in Guatemala.
In spring 2026, EWB-USC plans to help build a drainage system for a school in Guatemala that faces severe troubles due to erosion. HDR Engineering, a firm that specializes in architecture and engineering projects, is supporting the project. The University of Washington and community partners in Guatemala have also assisted with this project.
“We received a $15,000 grant from HDR Engineering Consultant over the summer, and we had started that bond at the EWB Conference in Charlotte,” Cataldo said.
“Since then, that has propelled us to move forward and enriched us with so many valuable mentors that have guided us through this project.” Through the work on these projects, Cataldo said that the interconnectedness between disciplines is an opportunity unique to EWB. Students have the opportunity to develop a variety of different on-site skills.
“I’m grateful to be getting this interdisciplinary experience,” Cataldo said. “Engineers of all types and people of all majors are working very well together.”
While the club primarily deals with engineering disciplines, Geiger said other majors and fields are recruited and involved with the organization. This is necessary to complete some of its larger projects.
“If we need any help with fundraising or running our social media, we also reach out to people who are more like finance or accounting for them to get experience there, or like public relations,” Geiger said.
The club has experienced positive growth, and Weaver said the culture around the club is changing. In the future, the club will have more social events where members can interact beyond just work.
“Student population has gone up, leadership has gotten a lot more organized, and I think everyone within leadership has a thorough understanding of their role and their purpose,” Weaver said. “So everyone’s just kind of firing on all cylinders.”
DESIGN: GRACE DE PEÑA
South Carolina men’s soccer falls short of postseason bid for first time since joining Sun Belt conference
After the South Carolina men’s soccer team finished with a 1-6-2 record in the Sun Belt conference, the team failed to qualify for the postseason tournament, ending its season. The Gamecocks ranked ninth in the conference out of 10 teams, falling short of qualifying for the conference’s eight-team postseason tournament.
Since joining the Sun Belt conference in the 2022 season, this is the first time that South Carolina has failed to reach the postseason tournament. The conclusion of the 2025 season will also be the 10th consecutive season that South Carolina has missed the NCAA Tournament.
Head coach Tony Annan said he is frustrated that South Carolina’s season came to an end so soon.
“I’m devastated because this has come to an end shorter than I wanted to,” Annan said. “But I hate to lose, and I won’t continue to lose, and we’ll get it right. I know that.”
South Carolina dropped its regularseason finale against No. 12 West Virginia 2-1 on Nov. 4 after holding a 1-0 lead heading into halftime. Had the Gamecocks won the match, they would’ve clinched the eighth seed and a playoff berth in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament.
Annan said despite the loss, he was proud of his team’s performance against the highly touted Mountaineers.
“Taking everything else to the side, I was really, really, really pleased with the way the guys came out and had a go at probably one of the top-10 teams in the country,” Annan said. “I think we took it to them, and I think they were lucky to get out of here with a win.”
The Gamecocks concluded their season 0-6-1 in their last seven matches, having not won a game since a 1-0 victory over James Madison on Sept. 28.
During the winless span, South Carolina was outscored 17-5 by its opponents. The Gamecocks failed to score multiple goals in any of these games.
On the defensive end, sophomore goalkeeper Filip Versterre started every single game in between the pipes for the Gamecocks for the second consecutive season.
Versterre recorded a 60.5% save percentage and a 1.83 goals against average in 2025, a drop-off from his freshman year, when he saved 75.0% of his shots on a 1.12 goals against average.
Along with Versterre, freshman forward
Matthew DeJianne, sophomore defender
Yvan Malarte and sophomore forward Loïc Sany Kong were amongst the underclassmen who contributed to the 2025 team. The three have all started at least five games this season.
Annan recently signed a three-year extension with South Carolina during the season. He said there is an urgency to win and improve the program, as his recruiting for next season began on Nov. 5, the day after his 2025 season came to an end.
“I need to get the players that I need to win here,” Annan said. “I think now at this point, at this stage, I know exactly what we need. And I’m not guessing ... I know what I need, and I know how I’m going to do it.”
Earlier in the season, junior midfielder Jonah Biggar talked about the
importance of winning games against Sun Belt opponents.
“We’re looking to win obviously, but, most importantly, win conference games,” Biggar said.
South Carolina’s best win came on Sept. 13, when the team traveled to Greensboro, North Carolina, to defeat then-No. 11 UNC Greensboro Spartans 2-1. The Gamecocks scored two unanswered goals in this match, including Sany Kong’s eventual game-winner in the 83rd minute. The Spartans still remain a top-25 team in the nation.
Despite the failure to extend play beyond the regular season, several South Carolina players had notable individual success this year.
Senior defender William Nillson, junior midfielder Mika Habel and Marlate were all honored with Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week awards throughout the course of the season.
On the offensive end of the field, senior midfielder Ethan Ballek and senior forward Tyler Trimnal both got recognized as Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week.
Habel talked about the high standard that the South Carolina men’s soccer program induces.
“(It’s) not ideal because we lost ... We want to win every game. That’s the goal. That’s the standard here,” Habel said. “We want to improve every game, but most importantly, (we don’t want to) look too far ahead and keep our standard high.”
Ballek led the Gamecocks in points this season, as his eight goals and four assists paced the team in both of those categories. Trimmal placed second on the team in points, notching four goals and a pair of assists.
South Carolina could be losing a handful of their veterans as well due to graduation, which includes sixth-year defender Andrew Goldsworthy, senior midfielder Alexander Stjernegaard, Ballek and Trimnal.
Annan said he was pleased with how his players presented themselves during their final game.
“(There was) a big emphasis on ‘This could be the last time you play in Stone Stadium, the last time you wear a Gamecock shirt,’” Annan said. “I think everyone played with pride, spirit, grit ... I couldn’t be more pleased with how they left their legacy here.”
PHOTOS: GABI SELIG DESIGN: RANSLEIGH KURT BALDAS
Relationships in recruiting: How current, future Gamecocks
As the year begins to end, high school athletes are wrapping up their college recruitment and beginning to make the tough decision of where they will be playing in college.
The decision can boil down to several factors: the school’s record, their ability to develop talent or even the uniforms that they wear.
But an aspect that can make or break a recruit’s final decision is their relationship with either their past, present or future coaches. This aspect played a crucial role in junior shortstop
Aspen Boulware’s college decision.
Boulware committed to the South Carolina softball team on Oct. 7. Her high school coach, Doug Frye, said her relationship with South Carolina head coach Ashley Chastain Woodard was a deciding factor .
Boulware began to consider the Gamecocks after forming a relationship with Chastain Woodard, Frye said. As the Gamecocks continued to improve in Chastain Woodard’s first season, Frye could see a change in Boulware’s decision.
“She came and watched her play and invited her to a camp,” Frye said. “She went to the camp, and they start a relationship. Aspen has to have a great relationship with a coach ... I could see it turning, and they got something special.”
Frye said Boulware felt comfortable around the coaching staff and the players at South Carolina. What helped Boulware and Chastain Woodard connect even further was their shared goals to win both SEC and national championships.
Frye first saw Boulware when she was 4 years old at a pitching camp her mother was running. He didn’t see Boulware again until she was in seventh grade.
“She was at Ben Lippen,” Frye said. “And our JV team was playing in a tournament in Lugoff, and I seen Aspen, and you could tell that she was different.”
Boulware transferred into Gray Collegiate the following year to play for Frye. In that timespan, Boulware and Frye had won two state championships in both 2024 and 2025. As Boulware continued to impress on the field, she began to garner interest from the nation’s top
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Jake McCoy delivers a pitch against the Clemson Tigers at Fluor Field on March 1, 2025. McCoy recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts over six innings, allowing three hits, two runs and two walks in his 93-pitch start.
PHOTO: JAZZY RHODES
DESIGN: Ransleigh kurt Baldas
PHOTO: Alexis Goldston
Freshman guard Cam Scott celebrates on the sideline during South Carolina’s game against Texas on Feb. 22, 2025, at Colonial Life Arena. The Gamecocks defeated the Longhorns 84-69.
softball programs, such as Florida, Oklahoma and Florida State.
Her mom, Jessica Boulware, was a pitcher and is a current member of the Seminoles’ Athletics Hall of Fame.
Frye said South Carolina wasn’t on Boulware’s list and that she was convinced she was going to Oklahoma due to the strong relationship with head coach Patty Gasso. This was something that was important to Boulware in her decisionmaking process, Frye said.
But in the end, Boulware chose the Gamecocks and became one of the highest ranking prospects to sign with South Carolina softball, and her relationship with Chastain Woodard certainly played a role.
The strong relationships that Boulware has with Frye and Chastain Woodard are common for athletes to form as they progress through their athletic career, no matter the level.
At the high school level, junior pitcher Jake McCoy and Catawba Ridge baseball coach Stas Swerdzewski showcase that coach-player dynamic.
When McCoy first arrived at the school as a freshman, Swerdzewski remembers seeing a small left-handed pitcher with a good arm.
McCoy worked on his game over the course of his high school career and eventually committed to Wofford. But after then-head coach Todd Interdonato left the program, McCoy decommitted.
Once he reopened his recruiting, Swerdzewski said there were several teams hot on McCoy’s tail. Swerdzewski began to receive phone calls from Power Five schools, as well as South Carolina.
“I got a call from (Matt) Williams, the one that recruited Jake to South Carolina, and I got calls from other coaches as well, at big time schools,” Swerdzewski said. “It’s not just calls about ‘How good is Jake?’ I think it’s also calls about ‘What is he thinking?’”
Swerdzewski and McCoy were neighbors, and Swerdzewski said he remembers a conversation the two had on his back porch. He told McCoy to find the place that he fits in the most and where he can play early on.
“I don’t ever try to steer kids one direction or another,” Swerdzewski said. “I just always try to tell the players ‘You need to go to the place that’s the best fit for you.’”
Swerdzewski also said that some of the previous relationships he built in the sport helped in the recruiting process. Swerdzewski committed to Florida, but he eventually ended up playing for Winthrop for two seasons and staying with the team as volunteer assistant coach for four years.
These coach-to-coach relationships are not just another tool to help an athlete get recruited. Gray Collegiate assistant men’s basketball coach Elliott Pope said they are invaluable.
“People pick up the phone for you when you’ve produced kids before,” Pope said. “People pick up the phone for you when they’ve dealt with you in other relationships.”
Pope was the head coach at Lexington High for six seasons, where he won a state championship in 2024. There, he coached Cam Scott, a current redshirt sophomore guard on the South Carolina men’s basketball team.
After Scott received an offer from Winthrop, Pope was able to call every other school in the Big South. Then, after a good game against Julian Phillips, the No. 19 ranked prospect in the class of 2022 and a current member of the Chicago Bulls, Scott gained several Power Five offers.
Pope said this helped Scott to be recruited as a national prospect and not just a regional talent.
“Different coaches have different philosophies on this as well,” Pope said. “To me, as a head coach, it’s my job to market you as best I can.”
As Scott’s recruitment continued, Pope said the coaching staff at South Carolina was great with staying in contact. Even after a coaching staff change early in his recruitment, following the departure of then-head coach Frank Martin, the school remained in consistent contact with Pope and Scott.
“They were great with communication,” Pope said. “I think that they really did have a concerted effort. And from what I’ve been told about how they handle any of their recruitment of any high school kid, they’re pretty diligent.”
Pope said he hoards information from other coaches, which he is able to get through previous players who were recruited. This helps him continue to help his players get to the next level.
“Getting these relationships, these numbers, these personal contacts to where I can be able to advocate and market whoever else might come through my program or I might have contact with,” Pope said.
Not often does a high school coach have a player that will eventually play at their alma mater. Natalie Norris was able to accomplish this.
Norris played basketball at South Carolina from 1992-96 and coached sophomore forward Joyce Edwards at Camden High School. Edwards is
a current member of the Gamecock women’s basketball team.
While the program has changed from back when Norris wore the garnet and black, she said she was able to offer Edwards some advice during her recruitment.
“I think maybe just having gone through some of the similar things, that just was able to keep an open mind and the things to look for,” Norris said.
Edwards held a scholarship offer from the Gamecocks going back to eighth grade and continued to build a strong relationship. Norris said relationships are an important aspect to the college decision process.
“Those relationships really and truly matter,” Norris said. “Find people that you can trust because it’s a tough business.”
Norris was unsure that Edwards would end up committing with the school not having her intended major, environmental engineering. However, the Honors College at South Carolina allowed Edwards to craft her own major and thus commit to the Gamecocks.
“I was so thrilled,” Norris said. “She’s thrilled. She’s a homebody, and I think she loves to be able to get in the car and go see her parents and show up here at Camden High and see everybody, so it’s just been a win-win for everyone.”
Coaches can help a recruit get invited to camps and gain initial interest from schools, but the deciding factor is often talent. Norris said that as long as they have skill, an athlete won’t stay hidden for long.
“If you can play, these coaches are going to find you,” Norris said.
Scott, Boulware, Edwards and McCoy were all able to win state championships in South Carolina during their high school careers.
Scott spoke about the importance of being able to represent his home state and wear the garnet and black uniform at the South Carolina men’s basketball team media day.
“South Carolina is just something that you want to play for, especially being from here,” Scott said. “It’s something that’s at the top of everybody’s list. And having this opportunity to do that, you can’t take it for granted.”
Freshman forward Joyce Edwards goes for a layup in South Carolina’s game against Florida on Feb. 13, 2025, at Colonial Life Arena. Edwards ended the game with a career-high 28 points.
PHOTO: Ariyon Philpot
‘She was a difference-maker in the program’:
Former women’s soccer
forward Savannah McCaskill makes history with jersey retirement
Genevieve navare | SPORTS WRITER
Before the kickoff between the No. 8 South Carolina Gamecock women’s soccer team and the Texas A&M Aggies women’s soccer team at Stone Stadium, the Gamecocks officially retired the jersey of former forward Savannah McCaskill.
McCaskill, who wore No. 7 during her four years at South Carolina (201417), became the first women’s soccer player in Gamecock history to have her jersey retired.
The move caps one of the most decorated careers in program history and allows current and future players, as well as fans, to celebrate her legacy.
“I didn’t have this on my bingo card ... I did know that I wanted to strive to be the best, and that’s still what motivates me ... I want to be the best version of myself and to see that pay off is special,” McCaskill said.
McCaskill arrived in Columbia as a four-star recruit and made an immediate impact. In her freshman season, she started all 23 games, posted five goals and five assists, and was named SEC Freshman of the Year.
As her career progressed, she set several program records, including 17 game-winning goals and 45 points in her junior season, along with 10 game-winning goals that same year.
She was also a three-time All-American and a two-time SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
Over her four-year career, McCaskill ranked third in program history in goals (40) and points (114) and second in assists (34).
Beyond her individual numbers, her impact on the program was also historic, as she helped lead the Gamecocks to back-to-back SEC regular season championships in 2016 and 2017 and the program’s first appearance in the College Cup in 2017.
Now, her jersey will hang as a permanent marker of that era.
“It’s a testament to this school, this university, (head coach) Shelley (Smith) and (associate head coach) Jamie (Smith), everyone that I played with while I was
here, and my family that’s gotten me to this point,” McCaskill said.
The program’s announcement back in September explained the criteria for this honor as selected by the South Carolina Athletics Department: players considered must have demonstrated high levels of individual recognition (conference and national honors), set school records or left a significant imprint on team success, and have graduated or left in good academic standing.
From the classroom to the field, McCaskill excelled in both. She graduated from South Carolina in December 2017 with a degree in exercise science and a minor in psychology.
Selected second overall in the 2018 NWSL Draft by the Boston Breakers, McCaskill has forged a strong professional career, most recently playing with the San Diego Wave FC in the National Women’s Soccer League.
Freshman forward Ava Tutas, who now wears McCaskill’s former No. 7, said the number carries special significance for her as she strives to continue the standard of excellence set by McCaskill.
“It’s not common as a freshman to come in and get a single number, let alone number seven, plus obviously it has a lot of meaning in the history of this program,” Tutas said. “So just being able to wear it, I think it’s another reminder to just continue to push the standard
and try to achieve the excellence that Savannah achieved before me.”
For Gamecock fans, this ceremony serves as both a celebration of a distinguished past and a renewal of the commitment to excellence that McCaskill embodied. As her jersey was unveiled, and her name now lives on in Stone Stadium, her legacy has become part of South Carolina’s history.
“She was a difference-maker in the program,” Smith said. “She dedicated herself to being better every year ... It was special to have her back, and I was so glad to still be here coaching and be able to honor someone that meant a lot to the program.”
Former South Carolina women’s soccer player Savannah McCaskill and family pose beside her retired jersey at Stone Stadium on Oct. 19, 2025. McCaskill finished her college career as one of only three Gamecocks to reach 100 points.
PHOTO: J’marion Dickerson
CAMPUS RECREATION
Freshman Jayden Sellers reunites with brother LaNorris Sellers
MAYA AMBUEHL | SPORTS WRITER
Ever since redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers started walking, his father, Norris Sellers, had him out in the yard playing football. His brother, freshman wide receiver Jayden Sellers, was also introduced to the game at a young age.
It was just the boys and their father out back, running routes and reflecting on the game of football and its teamwork.
As LaNorris Sellers began playing when he got older, he caught the eye of people watching, according to his father on Matt Dowell’s “South Carolina Sideline” podcast. Norris Sellers said people would come up to him, predicting that LaNorris Sellers would play on Sundays, implying that he’d make it to the NFL someday. He says those words are coming to fruition now that his son has reached the SEC.
As the brothers grew up, they played together in high school, with LaNorris Sellers as quarterback and Jayden Sellers as a wide receiver. In 2022, the Sellers brothers led their alma mater, South Florence High School, to their first state championship in school history. Both brothers made a big impact on winning the title. Jayden Sellers finished the game with four catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns, and LaNorris Sellers threw for 260 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 192 yards and a score.
While LaNorris Sellers spent the last three years at South Carolina, earning the starting quarterback position, Jayden Sellers was making his impact at South Florence High School, leading the Bruins to another state title in 2024.
Yet, their high school days weren’t the end of the Sellers brothers sharing the gridiron.
In his senior year at South Florence High School in 2024, Jayden Sellers enrolled at South Carolina and signed with the Gamecocks in January of 2025. At the 2025 SEC media days in July, LaNorris Sellers spoke about playing with his brother again.
“Super excited to play with him because the last time we played together was my senior year,” LaNorris Sellers said.
As Jayden Sellers has settled in at South Carolina, LaNorris Sellers has helped guide his younger brother through the program’s ins and outs.
“He helped me a lot with the playbook and stuff like that because that’s really a
major change from high school to college,” Jayden Sellers said. “He basically taught me the roots to being a great college athlete that he is, and I am just taking it all in.”
Jayden Sellers has started to take the field and show his potential. He made his first start on Oct. 18 against Oklahoma. He finished the game with six catches for 57 yards. Afterward, LaNorris Sellers spoke about how Jayden Sellers played and a bit of their game plan.
“I didn’t see any fear in him. He went out there, first SEC game, really first college game,” LaNorris Sellers said. “I told him throughout the week, ‘Stuff is gonna be there. I’m gonna spit it out to you,’ ... just trying to be more aggressive, trying to get him the ball.”
As Jayden Sellers has been gaining more playing time on the field, LaNorris Sellers sees his brother adjusting to the collegelevel games.
“I am glad he’s getting out there, getting that experience and stuff like that,” LaNorris Sellers said. “He’s just making smart plays, learning fast, learning on the fly.”
As the brothers get more time playing together at South Carolina, head coach
Shane Beamer said he has seen their connection on the field grow.
“I think it’s more of an excitement and happiness from LaNorris towards his brother to see him out there making plays,” Beamer said. “But then also knowing his brother is a good player that can make plays for sure. They got a good connection.”
Beamer also said he noticed their connection while practicing certain plays leading up to the Oklahoma game.
Beamer said there was a play they ran where Jayden Sellers played the slot in the offense, yet it seemed that LaNorris Sellers didn’t throw to that slot for that particular play. Then, when Jayden Sellers was in the slot, the ball was being thrown to him every time.
In the Oct. 25 game against No. 4 Alabama, LaNorris Sellers found Jayden Sellers downfield for a crucial fourth-down conversion.
Spending time together, the brothers see themselves in a similar light off the field: more cool, quiet and focused on football. Jayden Sellers credits his dad for that familiarity.
Norris Sellers was a former Bruin as well, playing linebacker and tight end at South Florence before spending a year in college football. Yet, when the Sellers hit the field, their mindsets shift.
“You would never think (Norris Sellers) will play football or anything like that, but on that field, he was crazy,” Jayden Sellers said. “That’s why I say I get my game up there and stuff like that.”
While football brings out their similarities, the brothers differ both on and off the field.
Jayden Sellers said LaNorris Sellers likes to take his time seriously around the team, joking around when he needs to. Jayden Sellers says he can’t stay serious himself; he enjoys talking around his teammates, unlike his brother, when on the field.
PHOTO: AUGUSTA LEWIS DESIGN: RANSLEIGH KURT BALDAS
The stars say that you should totally stay in for a movie night and that studying can wait one day longer.
Take a walk in the crisp fall air, and let the stress of the day wash away, even if you have to add it to your calendar.
Your ambitious to-do list will get done today, even if it’s just before 11:59 p.m.
Please turn off do-not-disturb! Your family and friends are trying to text you!
Half genius, half chaos, but that essay will get done in time to go out this weekend.
Pick up a new hobby like self-defense to channel your fierceness or poetry to balance your creative side.
Harness your fiery spirit, and channel it into a passion project. Don’t take it out on that person in your group project.
Don’t let the dishes be a battlefield between your roommates. Take charge; get it done.
Regulate those emotions by baking or watching a comfort movie under a mountain of blankets and a holiday candle.
This is your month! Do the things that make you happy, and attract good energy by spending time with friends and family.
Go ahead and treat yourself to some yummy candy or cookies that have been calling your name from the shelves.
Can’t decide which shoes to buy? Get both! Money comes and goes, but sales don’t.
Homecoming for Meechie Johnson headlines revamped Gamecock roster
JOHN DAVIS | SPORTS WRITER
The South Carolina men’s basketball team is preparing for its return to action following an offseason that included almost a complete roster overhaul. With only three players from last season’s squad returning, the Gamecocks look to produce a season that contrasts last season’s 12-20 record, which included a 2-16 record in the Southeastern Conference.
South Carolina’s roster overhaul is highlighted by the return of former fourstar transfer guard Meechie Johnson. He transferred from the program following the 2023-24 season and is now returning as a redshirt senior.
The Ohio native was the 20th-ranked point guard in the class of 2021 and committed to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes after receiving offers from schools such as Louisville, Georgetown and Miami. Across his first two seasons with the Buckeyes, Johnson averaged 3.1 points along with 1.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game across 43 games. Following the 20212022 season, he entered his name into the transfer portal.
Johnson transferred to South Carolina ahead of the 2022-23 season, where he saw a sizable increase in playing time compared to Ohio State, jumping from 13 minutes per game to 33.3 minutes in 30 games with the Gamecocks. His averages jumped to 12.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and a team-high 3.6 assists per game.
He had four performances with 20 points or more, headlined by a careerhigh 26-point performance against the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington, Kentucky, to earn a 71-68 upset win. This was the team’s first win at Rupp Arena since 2009 and ended the Wildcats’ 28-game home winning streak.
In the 2023-24 season, Johnson led the team with both 60 3-pointers made and 30 steals. His 95 assists were second on the team, only behind then-graduate guard Ta’Lon Cooper.
Johnson earned second-team All-SEC honors in a season where the Gamecocks’ 26 wins tied the program record. The Gamecocks had their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2017, and head coach Lamont Paris won SEC Coach of the Year.
Johnson was named the SEC Player of the Week twice, as well as the Lute Olson National Player of the Week at the backend
of the season. He then opted to re-enter the transfer portal for what was expected to be his final year of eligibility.
In a somewhat unique move, Johnson transferred back to Ohio State in 2024.
After starting in the first ten games of the year, averaging 9.1 points per game, the fifth-year guard stepped away from the team due to personal reasons and didn’t return for the rest of the season.
Having not played for a majority of the season, Johnson was granted a sixth year of eligibility. He then entered the transfer portal once more and came back to Columbia, rejoining the Gamecocks for a second stint and his final season.
“I just thought it was the best thing to do just for a legacy standpoint, just from a winning standpoint,” Johnson said. “I just loved it here, and I feel like it was the right thing to do.”
Johnson is accompanied by six fellow upperclassmen transfers on top of five freshmen joining the team this season. Paris said he has embraced the team’s new makeup, including Johnson’s return.
“His voice is a very powerful voice, and he’s demonstrating great leadership,” Paris said. “This works well for him and for us also.”
Ahead of the 2023-24 season, the team welcomed eight new players in a roster overhaul similar to that of this season’s 11.
“Two years ago, we had a trip to the Bahamas,” Paris said. “More importantly than anything was just the time that we spent in transit … That kind of stuff is important for those guys just to get to know each other.”
Redshirt senior guard Myles Stute is one of the few players who carried over from last season’s team. He will be the only rotation player to play alongside Johnson for two seasons. In the lone season, the tandem shared the court in 2023-24, Stute averaged 8.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 23.4 minutes per game.
“We never stopped any communication,” Stute said. “Even when he went to Ohio State, I was super understanding of it. I knew he had certain things and goals that he wanted to achieve.”
Big name four-star freshman guard Eli Ellis is the highest-ranked addition to the Gamecock roster this season. The two-time Overtime Elite MVP is also the league’s all-time leading scorer.
“(Johnson’s) a great leader for me just to be able to look up to a guy that’s an older guy that’s in my same position,” Ellis said. “(We’re both) loud with how we play, and we can both score the ball ... We need that for a really new team that hasn’t been together that long.”
In the Gamecocks’ exhibition match on Sunday against NC State, Johnson’s and Ellis’ respective 21 and 23 points flashed long desired promise, despite the 88-86 loss.
The Gamecocks lost seven players to the transfer portal during or after the 2024-25 season. The team’s 12-20 record last season fell far short of expectations after making the tournament just one year prior. However, Johnson’s homecoming, combined with an impressive freshman class, looks to spearhead the team’s resurgence back into SEC relevance.
PHOTOS: NOLA DIXON
DESIGN: RANSLEIGH KURT BALDAS
Gamecocks impress early, but Tide turns late in mistake-ridden loss
JOHN DAVIS | SPORTS WRITER
The South Carolina Gamecocks fell short of an upset over the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide in a 29-22 defeat at Williams-Brice Stadium on Oct. 25. Offensive miscues caught up to the team in a game that slipped away at the end of the fourth quarter.
A 15-play, 74-yard opening drive by South Carolina that spanned over seven minutes stalled out inside the 10-yard line after the team elected to follow up a failed touch pass with back-to-back runs. Redshirt senior kicker William Joyce kicked a 24-yard field goal to go up 3-0 early.
The Gamecocks defense forced a three-and-out on the Crimson Tide’s first drive of the day. The Crimson Tide entered the matchup with the 13th most passing yards per game in all of college football.
On the first play after getting the ball back, redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers’ pass to graduate running back Rahsul Faison was bobbled up into the air and into the hands of Alabama redshirt senior defensive back DaShawn Jones and returned 18 yards for the Crimson Tide’s first touchdown of the day.
“Sometimes with football things don’t go your way,” Sellers said on the
pick-six. “That was one of those things that just happened to go their way.”
Faison began to make up for the turnover on South Carolina’s third offensive possession with a 13-yard rush and a 33-yard catch and run.
The Gamecocks miscues bled into the second quarter as Joyce’s 47-yard field goal try wound up wide right to end the drive.
Alabama’s offense would quickly find themselves in a third-and-25, and after a failure to convert, a penalty by South Carolina for having too many men on the field would grant Alabama a second attempt where they would convert a third-and-20.
While the miscue extended the drive, a strip sack by redshirt sophomore defensive back Vicari Swain on Alabama redshirt junior quarterback Ty Simpson would give South Carolina possession. The offense responded with an eight-play drive covering only 23 yards. Undisciplined offensive line play stalled the drive, as a 13yard rushing touchdown by Sellers was called back for holding. The Gamecocks would be called for a second holding penalty later in the same drive, forcing the team to settle for a field goal.
With 4:23 left in the second quarter, Simpson led the Crimson Tide on a nineplay, 81-yard touchdown drive in just over two minutes. Alabama’s final drive of the first half was their first drive of the game in which they picked up more than one first down.
The Crimson Tide had barely outgained the Gamecocks by halftime, 173 yards to 169, and the Gamecocks dominated time of possession 19:15 to 10:45. Alabama’s two total rushing yards at halftime would not imply they were leading the game by eight points.
Miscues began to feel like a thing of the past in the third quarter when Sellers ripped a 54-yard touchdown strike to junior wide receiver Nyck Harbor on the first play after the fourth down stop. South Carolina trailed 14-12 with only two timeouts for the rest of the game following a failed 2-point conversion.
After a series of defensive stops by each team, the Gamecocks would take their second lead of the game with 1:38 left in the third quarter following a 47-yard field goal.
The team began capitalizing on opportunities in the second half, unlike in the first. With 13:28 left in the game, a South Carolina punt bounced off an Alabama defender and was recovered by
South Carolina at the Alabama 30-yard line. A Sellers 10-yard rushing touchdown just six plays later would give the team a 22-14 lead with 10 minutes to go.
“When you’ve got an eight-point lead, you’ve got a team on the ropes, you’ve got to put them away,” head coach Shane Beamer said.
Tied at 22 with 2:16 left in the game, a hot Gamecocks offense looked to score the final points of the game, but on just the second play of the attempted gamewinning drive, Sellers would fumble on a designed quarterback-run. Alabama took over at South Carolina’s 38-yard line with just 1:39 to go.
“We’re going to rebound,” Harbor said. “We’ve got all trust in this guy (Sellers) right here ... and we still got his back.”
In a season where offensive struggles have highlighted the Gamecocks’ shortcomings, the unit took strides in production and consistency on Saturday. A consistent inability to avoid unforced errors and self-inflicted miscues proved too much for the team to overcome in the final period against one of the nation’s best teams.
“We did not play well on offense, defense or special teams in the fourth quarter,” Beamer said.
PHOTO: SEBASTIAN GODUN
Redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers walks in front of fans during the “Gamecock Walk” before South Carolina’s game against Alabama on Oct. 25, 2025, at Williams-Brice Stadium. The Gamecocks lost to the Crimson Tide 29-22.
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ARTS & CULTURE 31
South Carolina blacksmith community keeps art alive
MILES SHEA | ASSISTANT ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
When the word “blacksmith” is mentioned in 2025, a few things may come to mind. Medieval history books, movies and reality TV, weapons, and maybe older men with long, scruffy hair. However, South Carolina’s small but strong community of passionate metal workers goes far beyond any stereotypes.
Many of the state’s blacksmiths hold membership in the 190-strong Philip Simmons Artist Blacksmith Guild. The nonprofit organization was founded in 1994 and renamed in 1998 to honor Simmons, an accomplished Charleston blacksmith and artist who devoted much of his later life to mentoring aspiring blacksmiths.
The guild is the only of its kind in South Carolina, bringing together young and old blacksmiths to work together and learn from each other. Anyone is free to join regardless of experience, with annual dues of $20.
The guild hosts six annual meetings, located at various locations throughout the state, where new and old members can learn from each other. The guild also hosts blacksmithing demonstrations at places such as the state fair and local art studios. Members work on a wide variety of projects, including ornamental gates, Damascus blades and cabinets.
Ray Pearre is a 75-year-old who joined the guild 18 years ago. He serves as secretary treasurer, managing the organization’s budget. Pearre said blacksmithing is anything but a lost art and that mentorship is one of the group’s core values.
“That would be the primary way that I have learned,” Pearre said. “With the availability of experienced blacksmiths, we become a resource.”
Pearre, a mechanical engineer, always wanted to explore blacksmithing, and a class he took in 2007 finally gave him the chance to pursue it.
“Ever since then, I’ve been hooked,” Pearre said.
Robert Stukes is a 77-year-old retired teacher who also joined in 2007 and serves as a board member. Stukes said the guild’s main goal is to preserve the rich history and culture around blacksmithing.
Stukes also said the guild brings together a highly diverse set of people.
“I’ll tell you what’s great about it: the people,” Stukes said. “They come from different classes, different cultures (and) different educational levels.”
Pearre said the personal connections he’s crafted are just as important as the products. Stukes, who called Pearre his best friend, said teaching the art is the key to fueling its future.
“We need young people if it’s going to survive because it’s an art that still can be used, even if it’s just artistic,” Stukes said. “You can create any kind of thing you can imagine.”
Thomas Bosse, a fellow member of the guild and instructor in USC’s School of Visual Art and Design, said he’s working to make that happen. For Bosse, metalwork is a powerful personal outlet nothing else can match.
“The moment I swung that hammer and started moving metal, something just clicked,” Bosse said. “It just makes sense.”
In addition to being a blacksmith, Bosse is an experienced educator, having taught classes from kindergarten to graduate school. His work has been featured in the New York Jewelry Week and Schmuck Jewelry Week in Europe.
He said teaching evokes a similar feeling to metalwork itself.
“It’s always exciting to see that spark, and it almost always comes from our students who don’t expect it,” Bosse said. “You can see it in their eye. There’s just something that excites them when they’re working.”
One of Bosse’s former students, Jenna Armstrong, a May 2025 USC studio art alumna, didn’t come into college with an interest in blacksmithing, but rather graphic design.
Armstrong said she’d always loved all kinds of art, but once she discovered blacksmithing, the tactile experience of physical design was addicting.
“I love to be able to walk around it and see it, touch it (and) fully be immersed in it,” Armstrong said. “I started taking more and more sculpture classes, and eventually, we started working with metal.”
In addition to his personal mentorship, Armstrong said Bosse was also valuable in helping her identify female role models in a field that’s often male-dominated.
Post-graduation, Armstrong has been saving for equipment and meeting with local blacksmiths and artists to help in advancing her own goals.
The potential to combine creativity and functionality is what Armstrong said draws her to blacksmithing.
“What excited me was being able to play around with it,” Armstrong said. “To highlight that contrast. Super hard, sturdy materials can create softer forms. And again, you can essentially make it into anything you want.”
Bosse said his growing passion for blacksmithing had a strong effect on both the student and teacher.
“I know what it means to come from a family who might not understand art quite as much as some other people,” Bosse said. “Being able to make functional work that your family can relate to, you
could tell it was particularly meaningful for her too.”
Though Armstrong hasn’t attended any guild events yet, she said she’d be excited to if one came to her area. She said that blacksmiths, regardless of initial appearances, tend to be highly welcoming.
“The same can be said about them as a material, it could on the outside be looking rough, covered in grit and grime,” Armstrong said. “The community is very nice and open to people viewing and people’s interests. For me, it’s definitely helped not only get my name out there, but also just experiencing different people’s perspectives.
Stukes said whether blacksmiths are hobbyists like himself or masters that make a living off their creations, artistry is always there.
“Some of these people made a living by just working with metal and making,” Stukes said. “Those people are artists.”
Tony Etheridge hammers the metal to get the right shape for his intended design at the Blacksmith Exhibition at the South Carolina State Fair on Oct. 10, 2025. Etheridge is a member of the Philip Simmons Blacksmith Guild.
PHOTO: DARBY BIANCO
ARTS & CULTURE | FEATURE
USC ‘Generations’ exhibition reflects on connection to local art history
CJ LEATHERS | ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
Mitra Kavandi was drawn to the University of South Carolina for its opportunities of growth offered to students. Now, Kavandi is in her second year as a ceramics graduate student in
THE PROCESS AND RESEARCH
Susan Felleman, an art history and film and media studies professor, and
works provide fresh interpretations and place each piece within the university’s broader context.
Third-year art history student Agostina Mercado said students were divided into
look at one sculptural work, just behind it, you see another, and they relate in a way.”
The students had the opportunity to speak with artists included in the exhibition to get their direct perspectives,
“As an international student, I learned to see my identity from new angles,” Kavandi said. “Even though it’s challenging, can also be a great source of creativity — because it pushes you to redefine who you are and how you express yourself through your work.”
Ellefson received his bachelor’s degree from USC in 1974 and is the principal designer and co-owner of Lewis+Clark, a local furniture company established in 1980.
Burgess and Kavandi both said each artist and piece in the exhibition is very unique and based on their educational
satisfying for her to look through physical history that many don’t have access to.
“That kind of research is one that computers can’t do still,” Mercado said.
“I personally found it really rewarding, going to the Caroliniana Library and going through those archives that were pieces of writing, letters, in some cases, that belong to other people in the past.”
The archives featured biographical materials and output from the university, such as newsletters and news about past events on campus.
The goal of displaying the archives and sourcing was to cast a wide net of
“To see maybe the influences that the culture of the art department has had on their work, and to sort of ask themselves ... ‘Where does my work fit into this legacy, this 100-year legacy?’”
NOTABLE FIGURES
The exhibition features work by several influential local and national artists connected to South Carolina who have shaped the school’s history and the broader art industry. Katherine Heyward was the first woman to be hired as a faculty member in the school’s history. She was also the first chair of the art department in
Branch High School in Summerton, South Carolina.
THE LASTING EFFECTS ON STUDENTS
Kavandi said the exhibition not only shows the collaborative effort from the group of students, but also the ability to see the similarities and differences in the artistic process from then to now. Kavandi said the experience inspired her to reflect on the future and the lasting impact of her work.
“It was really impressive because you could literally see history in front of your eyes,” Kavandi said. “The history of artists, their lived experiences, emotions, thoughts, and how their perspectives on life appear through their artworks. Seeing people with completely different lives and emotions presented side by side was
Photos of artworks taken at the “Generations“ exhibition at the McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina, 2025.
From left to right:
Catherine Rembert; Untitled (copy of The Avenue at Middelharnis, 1689, by Meindert Hobbema), 1920s; oil on canvas
Augusta Wittkowsky; Pawley’s Island, c. 1950; watercolor on paper
Colin Dodd; Vern Remembers Vietnam (Vietnam: a Medics Lament) 1986; oil on canvas
John O’Neil; Untitled, 1990; Acrylic and collage on canvas
Mary Aldwyth Dickman; Kluge II (Just what was it that made yesterday’s home so., so…?) 2013, collage Anthony Garcia; Princess French, 2024; charcaol
PHOTOS & DESIGN: MEGAN GOURLEY
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Jazz Society members share passion, connect for performances
JACKSON TAYLOR AND MAGGIE HARMON | ARTS & CULTURE WRITERS
Every week, students gather at Greene Street United Methodist Church with instruments in hand, ready to perform. But this isn’t a normal performance, it is an impromptu concert of jazz songs performed by any student who wants to give it a go.
This weekly gathering is known as Jazz Jaam. Third-year music performance student and event organizer Joshua Anderson said that students of all different skill levels and experience are invited to make friends and practice music without judgement. Live music lovers are also welcome to watch the jam from the audience.
Anderson is a drummer and the president of the Jazz Society, the group that organizes Jazz Jaam. With his position, Anderson focused on promoting Jazz Jaam with social media and flyers around campus.
Anderson didn’t start out as a music performance major. Originally, he was studying education, and he said being invited to Jazz Jaam inspired him to change the course of his future.
“I actually started playing from this jam. I didn’t even know jazz or anything like that. It made me switch my major. So it’s kind of important to me,” Anderson said. “I didn’t listen to a lick of jazz until I got here.”
Anderson describes jazz as an accessible form of music, encouraging anyone to give it a try.
“As a musician, it takes you out of your comfort zone,” Anderson said. “You never prepare anything going in. It’s all improvisation, and you get to connect and play with people that you don’t normally play with.”
For first-year jazz studies student Shaina Dashiell, Jazz Jaam is a way to put herself out there. Dashiell said there is not a predetermined setlist at Jazz Jaam; therefore, musicians take turns calling tunes and improvising different sounds and styles as they go.
Dashiell has been playing the saxophone since she was 10 years old. As a jazz studies major, she said she got involved in Jazz Jaam after hearing about it in class. She saw the jam as an opportunity to get her creativity out while making new connections.
“I just come here to hang with the really good musicians and play because it is kind of an escape from everyday (life),” Dashiell said.
Second-year jazz studies student Jackson Goldy sees Jazz Jaam as a place to perfect the art of performing with others. “I think the best place to learn is with other people,” Goldy said. “You can spend as much time as possible playing in a practice room by yourself, but you truly don’t learn until you experience it yourself.”
Goldy has been a jazz fan his whole life, He was inspired to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, who was a jazz drummer.
The main thing Goldy admires about jazz is how unique it is to each musician. He compares it to the Renaissance Era. He said most of the artists of the time were painting similar things because it was the style of the time. Jazz differs because everyone can bring their own piece to the table, and it doesn’t become the same thing over and over again, Goldy said.
“With jazz, there are so many different lineages of teaching that everyone can kind of pick and choose what they want to develop their own sound,” Goldy said. “I think that’s something that’s really cool.”
In addition to instrumentalists, singers also participate. First-year voice performance student Giianni Faught was invited to Jazz Jaam by her roommate, a
jazz studies student, and said she couldn’t resist the temptation of a microphone.
“I started singing jazz in middle school, but it was just kind of a hobby,” Faught said. “I mostly sang classical, and then I got to college, and I joined Carolina Alive. So I’ve definitely tried to delve more into it since then.”
Faught said she was drawn to the laid-back nature of Jazz Jaam. When performing in front of big audiences, it can be hard to connect with the audience, Faught said. Because of this, she said she prefers smaller, informal performances.
“I love intimate settings because you have more of a connection with everybody in the audience,” Faught said.
Goldy said he also values the unique environment the event provides, specifically the learning opportunities it presents. Because jazz isn’t a very calculated form of music, there are fewer parameters when playing, Goldy said. This allows for exploration into one’s own kind of style and sound.
“In this kind of setting, there are players at all kinds of different levels, so you don’t really know what everybody knows, but that’s the fun in it,” Goldy said. “I’ve learned plenty of songs where I’ve gone up not knowing what I’m playing or what I’m supposed to do, and you just kind of figure it out on the fly.”
Second-year jazz studies student Jackson Goldy performs at Jazz Jaam at Greene Street United Methodist Church on Sept. 30, 2025. Jazz Jaam is a weekly gathering of student musicians, including both experienced players and newcomers.
First-year jazz studies student Santi Balagtas plays the trumpet as part of Jazz Jaam at Greene Street United Methodist Church on Sept. 30, 2025.
PHOTO: MILES SHEA
PHOTO: MILES SHEA
Origins of eight of Columbia’s busiest street names
JAMES PERKINS | ARTS & CULTURE WRITER
Though street names might not seem like an exciting topic at first glance, some of Columbia’s busiest roads pay tribute to fascinating history that’s not immediately apparent.
Often named after significant Revolutionary War figures or people who contributed to the development of Columbia, there’s an interesting story behind several of the streets USC students and Columbia residents travel on every day.
WAYNE STREET
A fairly short road running through the center of the Vista, Wayne Street is named for Revolutionary Major General Anthony Wayne, a Pennsylvania native.
Wayne helped drive the last remaining British troops from South Carolina and Georgia after leading his troops from the northern states. Near the end of the American Revolution, his troops were the first to arrive in Charleston to reclaim it from the British. These accomplishments earned him the honor of an important road bearing his name.
LADY STREET
Lady Street, which runs through the heart of downtown Columbia, is named for the original First Lady of the United States, Martha Washington.
The street runs directly parallel to a road named after her husband: Washington Street. She was often referred to as “Lady Washington,” giving Washington Street’s partner its name.
GERVAIS STREET
One of the busiest roads in the city, Gervais Street is named for French Huguenot John Lewis Gervais. Gervais, like many other Huguenots fleeing religious persecution in Europe, left France for South Carolina in 1764.
Gervais was one of the original sponsors of the bill that moved the state capital from Charleston to Columbia, cementing him as a significant figure in the origin of Columbia.
Being such an important figure in the development of Columbia itself gave clear reason to pay tribute to Gervais with one of the busiest and most vital roads in the city,
with the Statehouse itself being placed on Gervais.
GADSDEN STREET
Running near the outskirts of downtown Columbia, Gadsden Street is named for Christopher Gadsden, commander of the first South Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army during the American Revolution.
A founding member of the Charleston Sons of Liberty, Gadsden also held the short-lived title of vice president of South Carolina, eventually being renamed to lieutenant governor.
Also bearing Gadsden’s namesake is the Gadsden flag, which bears the striking black-on-yellow snake and “DONT TREAD ON ME” lettering that today is a common symbol often viewed as libertarian.
Like many other Southern figures in the Revolutionary period, Gadsden preached the American ideals of freedom and independence while also being a slaveholder, a reminder of the contradictory nature of the many figures such as Gadsden from this period.
WHALEY STREET
Being a near-equal distance between USC’s campus, Williams-Brice Stadium and Founders Park, Whaley street is vital for USC students.
Whaley Street, formerly Indigo Street, is named for businessman W. B. Smith Whaley.
Whaley built the Richland, Olympia and Granby mills among numerous others in the early 20th century, bringing important financial growth to Columbia. Olympia Mill was one of the largest and most advanced mills in the world, built by Whaley between 1899 and 1900.
The mills now act as student apartment buildings, closely located to USC.
PENDLETON STREET
Like Gervais, Pendleton Street is named for one of the progenitors of Columbia. Judge Henry Pendleton supported the original bill establishing Columbia as the state capital, along with being one of the original purchasers of the land Columbia is on.
After being elected as a South Carolina judge in 1776, Pendleton was captured by the British in 1782 but was eventually
released. Pendleton also opposed the past, much like the statues
DESIGN: ISABELLA HUFFINES
USC students support, encourage children in hospitals through Letters of Love
Food puns, art supplies and snacks make their way around a room filled with friendly conversation and music as USC students carefully hand-craft letters full of jokes and positive affirmations to send out to children in the hospital.
Originally founded in Minnesota, Letters of Love aims to spread cheer to patients in children’s hospitals by sending them cards and notes of encouragement, said the website.
Campbell Ryall is the USC chapter president and a third-year accounting and international business student. She has been involved in the organization since high school, as it began near her school in Minnesota. Ryall currently serves as an executive volunteer for the organization. Ryall said continuing her work with Letters of Love at USC has been a rewarding aspect of being president.
“Since Minnesota is so far away, it’s just kind of bringing a little bit of home here
and being able to share that with a bunch of my friends here and people I’ve never met,” Ryall said. “It’s kind of just sharing what was really important to me in high school with a brand new group of people.”
The club was founded by Grace Berbig, whose mother was diagnosed with cancer. Berbig, along with her sisters, would send letters of encouragement to her mother up until her passing.
Berbig began Letters of Love in September 2018 in her third year of high school. Her goal was to provide emotional support to kids fighting serious illnesses, just as she did for mother.
The letters typically contain jokes and affirmations, rather than sentiments of “get well soon,” as most of the children are in long-term hospice care, Ryall said.
“What I typically do is a pun,” vice president and third-year public health student Izzy Ramage said. “So it’ll be like, ‘I love you from my head to my
toes,’ and draw tomatoes ... I usually write a variety of different affirmations like, ‘You are a good friend,’ ‘You are so loved,’ ‘You’re kind,’ stuff like that.”
Ramage said she appreciates the welcoming environment of the club and the way that members interact with each other to form a community.
Ramage also enjoys working with the community to make a difference in the lives of children battling serious illnesses.
“Whenever you come in, we’re always playing music that’s feel good music. You can hear different conversations from around the room of people meeting each other, showing each other their cards,” Ramage said. “And it’s really sweet to watch all of it and watch people be able to make new friends while also contributing to such a great cause that’s going to have real impacts on children’s lives.”
Club secretary and fourth-year marketing student Reese Herold said she
enjoys connecting and building bonds with club members, and the campus community at large, by partnering with student organizations on campus.
“It’s a fun way to kind of get our name out there, and it also helps us spread our connections and make our impacts even greater,” Herold said.
Letters of Love has previously partnered with Greek organizations and honors societies such as Kappa Kappa Gamma, Chi Omega, Zeta Tau Alpha and Tri Beta.
“We really try to reach different groups on campus,” Ramage said. “To not only make it something that supports a good cause, but also unite people that might not have otherwise met, from different sororities or different clubs on campus.”
USC Letters of Love posts announcements and the locations for monthly meetings on their Instagram page.
DESIGN: GRACE DE PEÑA
Kappa Alpha Theta reestablished as sorority after 24 years
GRACE SANTANGELO | ARTS & CULTURE WRITER
Some of the members of the Kappa Alpha Theta women’s fraternity said they gained new opportunities after joining this fall.
“Not every campus is as welcoming and supportive to a new group as USC has been, and so we’re just feeling really confident in joining this community,” Associate Executive Director of Kappa Alpha Theta Katharine Murphy said.
The Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity was originally established on the USC campus from 1990 to 2001.
When USC announced in Spring 2024 that they were open to welcoming a new sorority, Theta applied to reestablish on campus. Although Theta’s official title as an organization is a fraternity, it can also be called a sorority interchangeably, according to Murphy.
A number of sororities applied to become apart of the USC community. Upon review, the extension committee chose three organizations they wanted to further consider joining the USC campus, including Theta. Each organization did a formal presentation in April 2024 to the extension committee and women from other Panhellenic organizations on campus, which led to Theta being voted to make their return to USC, Murphy said.
Theta chose to leave USC in 2001 because there were a few factors at the time that hindered the chapter’s ability to grow like other groups on campus. These factors included the difference in support the chapter at USC received from Theta and the discussion of what organizations were going to build in USC’s Greek Village.
Murphy said Kappa Alpha Theta felt that returning to USC was an obvious choice. Theta shares many values with the institution and felt support and excitement throughout the reestablishment process.
Kappa Alpha Theta welcomed 121 new members to its first member class after reestablishing at USC on Sept. 21, marking the Zeta Kappa chapter’s official reestablishment on campus. Zeta Kappa is the title of the chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta at USC.
“The mission of (Kappa Alpha Theta) is to nurture each member throughout her lifetime, offering opportunities for intellectual and personal growth,” Murphy said.
Theta gained potential new member interest by presenting to other clubs and organizations, tabling around campus and through their alumni base in Columbia, according to Murphy.
Kappa Alpha Theta held its own recruitment separate from the Formal Panhellenic Recruitment this fall to recruit their first member class after being reestablished at USC.
Theta’s entire recruitment lasted about three to four weeks and included open houses with trendy crafts, food and sweet treats for the potential new members to enjoy while they were conversing with each other Murphy said. Anyone interested in Theta could go to these open houses, according to second-year hospitality management student Hanna Griffith.
While the open houses were geared towards introducing potential new members to Theta, the fraternity also had more formalized events during their recruitment. These events included a philanthropy, sisterhood and preference event.
Throughout Theta’s entire recruitment, potential new members got to have conversations with and be recruited by Theta representatives and women from nearby colleges that are also in Kappa Alpha Theta.
Second-year biological sciences student Chloe Newport said there were certain aspects of Theta that drew her to the organization.
“I felt like Theta’s philanthropy and sisterhood was something that I was really looking forward to, as well as just the opportunity in general, to be able to be the founding members of this chapter’s reestablishment,” Newport said.
Theta’s national philanthropy, Court Appointed Special Advocates, supports children that are abused and neglected in the foster care system. Theta’s philanthropy recruitment event allowed potential new members to color cards for kids supported by the CASA organization.
“It’s something that’s really important to Kappa Alpha Theta, and the Theta chapter at USC will support the Richland County CASA organization,” Murphy said.
The founding members were officially welcomed by receiving their bids on bid day, Sept. 21, from other women apart of the USC Panhellenic community.
Members in other sororities on campus came to Theta’s bid day to welcome the new members home to Theta.
“It was just a really good experience to be able to see how much support the Panhellenic community has for one another … and it was just really heartwarming to see as an introduction into the community,” Newport said.
Theta celebrated their bid day at The Laundry event venue in Columbia after the new members received their bids. Their bid day theme was “Happy Bid Day.”
Activities for the new members at the event venue included a cupcake decorating bar, soda truck, get-to-know-you activities and a visit from Cocky. The venue also had birthday decorations set up to correlate with the “Happy Bid Day” theme.
Griffith said she thinks it’s cool to be a part of this new organization from the beginning.
“Everyone right now is a founding member, so that’s really cool, and we can make it our own,” Griffith said. “And I’m just really excited to see where it goes in the future … I’m excited to see it grow.”
Starting with the first member class of Theta after being reestablished at USC, the members will get to experience the big little process. Theta’s big little reveal will take place this year in early November.
“It’s such a special part of the experience for so many people, we love getting to include that from the very beginning,” Murphy said.
The newest members of Theta will also already have the opportunity to participate in functions and events this year planned by the chapter’s social committee.
“We want to start building up a very normal chapter calendar for our members,” Murphy said. “That relationship building and that fun is such an important part of the experience.”
Each member will pay regular dues to fund these future functions and events, Murphy said.
As of right now, Theta is making use of various venues and spaces on and around campus to hold their meetings and gatherings, because they do not have a house on campus. Theta’s need for a house will continue to be assessed as the chapter continues to grow.
“We just don’t want to get ahead of ourselves and create a housing situation that isn’t what our members are looking for ... any housing conversation we would want the USC members to be a part of,” Murphy said.
Although Kappa Alpha Theta did not participate in Formal Panhellenic Recruitment this fall, they will be participating in it in years to come. Theta aims to share and spread the organization in the future, participating in Panhellenic recruitment in spring 2026 Murphy said.
“The charter class really gets to create the legacy at USC, and we’re just really hopeful that that will be a long lasting legacy,” Murphy said.
DESIGN: GRACE DE PEÑA
Column: Emotional hijacking is prohibiting productive political debate
LEGARE JENKINS | OPINION WRITER
Picture this: You’re scrolling through your phone when a breaking political story appears — maybe a tragic mass shooting, a controversial court ruling or another upsetting headline. Instantly, your pulse quickens, and your chest tightens — frustration and anger surge. Before you know it, you’ve fired off a heated comment on social media or started arguing with the first person who will listen. Psychologists actually have a name for this kind of momentary emotional takeover. Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist, described it as an “amygdala hijack” or emotional hijacking — essentially, your brain’s fear center hijacks control from your rational-thinking brain. What’s especially alarming is how politics these days seems to trigger emotional hijacks at every turn. Increasingly, our political discussions — online, on campus and around the dinner table — are losing any semblance of serenity. They’re devolving into shouting matches fueled by gut reactions rather than thoughtful exchanges. There’s a fine line between using emotion in an argument and letting emotion drive the argument. Lately, that line is being obliterated. The emotionality has seeped out of carefully crafted emotion-based political messaging and into emotionally charged interactions, warping how everyday people debate public issues. Political strategists are not blind to this phenomenon. Emotions are actively weaponized in today’s polarized environment. Parties and experts routinely exploit gut feelings to deepen group loyalty — and to demonize the other side. When we’re furious or terrified, we’re in no condition to listen or persuade; our reasoning capacity is effectively offline. Yet that’s precisely when many of us are most tempted to sound off on politics — when emotions are hottest. And people are increasingly anxious about engaging with those who hold opposing views — and for good reason. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that, “around six-in-ten U.S. adults (61%) say having political conversations with people they disagree with is generally ‘stressful and frustrating,’ while
about a third (36%) say these types of conversations are generally ‘interesting and informative.’”
Many Americans aren’t just stressed by these confrontations; they’re exhausted and scared. In Pew’s research, majorities reported feeling worn out and angry when they think about politics these days.
The constant tension has people on edge. The American Psychological Association’s Stress in America 2024 poll painted an even grimmer picture; a whopping 77% of adults said the future of our nation is a significant source of stress in their daily lives, and 72% said they worried that the outcome of the election could lead to political violence.
These fears and stressors stem from concerns of the erosion of democracy due to political polarization and restrictions on civil liberties. Ensuring democracy is preserved and fears are subsided will require reducing the emotionality of politics. Alia Braley, a researcher at UC Berkeley who studies political polarization, articulated this well and said, “If you want to stop democratic backsliding, you have to be sensitive to the fear and try to turn down the temperature.”
Easier said than done, of course. When you’re the one in the grip of an emotional hijack, how do you pull back? There are some practical strategies, similar to mental
health first aid, for heated moments. Recognize and name your emotion: Literally pause, and think, “I am feeling furious” or “I am really scared right now.”
It sounds simple, but this act of naming engagesyour frontal lobes — the rational part of the brain — just enough to get a foothold.
Next, hit the pause button. Don’t respond right away. Create some space between whatever provoked you — the tweet you just read or the comment your classmate just made — and your response. This might mean counting to 10, taking a few slow breaths or even saying, “I need a minute to gather my thoughts.”
While you pause, reflect on why you feel so strongly. Ask yourself, “What is it about this issue or comment that set me off?”
Often, you’ll find it touches on a core value or a personal experience. Acknowledging that can help you communicate better. It can also help to vent in a safe outlet before engaging with an adversary. Call a trusted friend, or talk to someone who isn’t involved in the debate, and pour out your unfiltered feelings privately.
Finally, take a wider perspective. In an emotionally charged state, our minds tend to zoom in on the trigger and magnify it to catastrophic proportions. Try to zoom out.
Importantly, if you find yourself already in a spiraling, hijacked debate, it’s never too late to course-correct. You can literally
call a timeout: “This conversation is getting very heated. Maybe we should continue it later when we’ve both had a chance to cool off.”
The goal isn’t to “win” the argument in the moment by sheer force of volume; the goal is to actually communicate. You can’t persuade someone who’s feeling attacked, and you certainly won’t be persuaded by them if you feel that way. De-escalation is sometimes the only path forward. In fact, a major study in 2024 by Braley found that one of the most effective ways to reduce partisan animosity was simply informing people that the other side isn’t as extreme or malicious as they imagine. When the temperature drops, we realize most of us do share fundamental values — we all worry about our families, our country’s future and the principles of democracy. Important issues — climate change, inequality, public health — will remain unaddressed while we rage at each other. In a worst-case scenario, our democratic norms could erode under the weight of constant anger and mistrust. If we want political change, we must first change how we debate. Turning down the temperature doesn’t mean toning down our ideals or passion — it means channeling those ideals through reasoned discourse rather than raw fury.
DESIGN: GRACE DE PEÑA
Column: USC’s mandatory DEI-adjacent workshops will eliminate unwanted student organizations
JC Vaught | Opinion Editor
Imagine logging into Garnet Gate this fall, only to find your favorite student organization just ... gone. It doesn’t show up in search, you’re no longer a part of it and the leaders of the organization can’t access any university resources. As of November, only 3% of groups are fully compliant with the new standards; at this pace, most organizations could face those consequences next spring unless completion improves.
As of fall 2025, USC ties studentorganization recognition to new mandatory trainings. Every organization must attend three workshops during the academic year and send at least one representative to an annual conference. Groups that want to reserve campus space or request funding from Student Government or the Student Organization Funding Assistance Board must complete those specialized trainings as well.
The question is: what kind of training really is this? Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs are meant to foster belonging and representation across campuses. At USC, DEI has shaped student engagement for many years, from launching commissions to review racist building names to creating Inclusive Excellence programs. The department now enforcing these workshops also runs Social Justice, Diversity and Inclusion workshops and trainings. These changes arrive just as state and national leaders are working to dismantle DEI infrastructure altogether. I support DEI and believe it strengthens
campus life, but this rollout feels poorly timed and unnecessarily punitive. If the goal is to build leadership, the consequence for non-compliance shouldn’t be losing your organization.
The broader political climate makes that risk impossible to ignore. Texas’ SB 17, in effect since Jan. 1, 2024, eliminates DEI offices at public universities; Florida’s SB 266 bars public institutions from spending on DEI; South Carolina legislators have filed bills to rein in or ban DEI across state institutions; and in Washington, the “Dismantle DEI Act” was introduced to shutter federal DEI offices and restrict related funding. If this policy is meant to endure, it needs to function as a content-neutral
linking student-group recognition to specific workshops almost guarantees the change will be read as ideological. If DEI is to last on this campus, it should be built into voluntary student leadership and supported openly — not rolled out when every requirement looks like a litmus test.
The policy change
Under the new USC policy, student groups must complete required leadership training and send a representative to the Gamecocks LEAD Conference in spring, with attendance recorded in Garnet Gate.
Miss the trainings, and your group could lose recognition. Under Policy STAF 3.10, student organizations that don’t meet new requirements risk losing access to campus
filter out some (organizations),” said Jacob Whisenant, vice president of USC’s Turning Point USA chapter.
Whisenant is also a first-year doctoral student in mechanical engineering with a focus on machine learning. He worries the new student-organization requirements could be applied to remove disfavored groups from campus.
USC Spokesperson Collyn Taylor said the LSC will work with organizations that can’t make one of the available workshops. Taylor added that the university believes groups are excited about the mandatory trainings and wants all students to have a chance to attend and learn.
Not everyone is convinced. Some argue the “leadership” mandate overlaps
Design: Abby Short
and chairman of the Upstate College Republicans, argued that the policy pressures student leaders to conform to a top-down set of values.
“Who’s going to be targeted? ... If
“A lot of the time, university staff is more than willing to work with us. They really enjoy the publicity that the university gets and the hosting of these high-profile individuals,” Lyle said. “They benefit from
overwhelmingly positive and urged students with concerns to contact the LSC.
“We have a great relationship with student organizations,” the statement said.
fall short risk sanctions — including loss of resources and removal from campus — unless the university revises the mandate. Others questioned whether mandatory leadership tutoring makes sense for
trainings and that the new requirements offer multiple options to build leadership and community-engagement skills useful beyond college.
“I disagree with the premise of student organizations having to go to three arbitrary workshops to be told how to act,” Whisenant said. “Not how to be better leaders and how to run the student orgs, but what political lines they need to follow.”
At Clemson, there is no comparable leadership-workshop quota tied to recognition; training is largely optional and event-support focused, with staff emphasizing logistics help rather than forcing workshops.
Jack Lyle, a third-year political science student and chairman of the Clemson College Republicans said that training requirements are minimal.
The political atmosphere
Mabe sees the mandate as an attempt to shape belief, arguing that required summits and workshops risk pressuring students toward preferred viewpoints.
“It seems like you’re trying to conform the way I think,” Mabe said.
Eight student leaders declined to speak on record and said they fear retaliation from administrators that could jeopardize their recognition, funding or access to campus space.
“(Student organizations) have got a lot to lose, nothing really to gain,” said Jackson Heaberlin, a first-year political science student and social chair of the Clemson College Republicans.
Taylor said in a statement that the response to the requirements has been
“If you need leadership tutoring to be able to run a chess club, maybe you just shouldn’t be running a chess club,”
Whisenant, for his part, faulted the workshops’ tone and content, not their number, saying they’ve offered him little practical benefit as a
“They have not shown me how to run a student organization … not even told me how to do the very basics of event planning for student events on and off campus,” Whisenant said. “These workshops have been about feelings. They have been about buzzwords. They have not been about student organization
Lyle said student organizations are central to campus life and a place where students develop their own voices.
“They’ll become more aligned with maybe what administration thinks rather than what the student body thinks,”
A solution
All of this puts the university in a bind of its own making. If the goal is to reduce preventable mistakes and ensure basic operational competence, the requirement
completed all three required trainings, according to the LSC tracker. Another 86 organizations have attended at least two sessions, and 211 have attended one or more.
With compliance still low and deadlines approaching, Whisenant said the workshops should be refocused on practical, nuts-and-bolts skills for running organizations.
“These workshops should be what they say … ways to improve students in their leadership roles and to run the organizations to benefit the purpose of the organizations, not to finger-point and tell them how they should act,” Whisenant said.
Whisenant has already attended two sessions. Under current policy, groups that
Hold a funding workshop before spending student-fee dollars. Require travel training before any off-campus trip. Offer a room-reservation workshop before booking a theater. Those steps are hard to cast as ideological and easy to defend as basic stewardship.
By contrast, a universal three-workshop quota tied to recognition treats every organization the same, regardless of what it actually does. It invites questions about who designs the quota. It raises issues about what counts toward it, and it prompts the deeper question of why recognition depends on mandatory trainings at all.
USC says students are eager for trainings. So next fall, does USC lock out a rocketry team over missing Workshop 3? Does a service organization lose access to equipment over a missed conference? With only 22 groups compliant and 705 not, is the plan to build leaders, or is it to kill off unwanted organizations on campus?
Guest Column: Student Government streamlines funding by convincing students to stop asking for it
JACOB WHISENANT | GUEST OPINION WRITER
After seeing its budget slashed from $340,000 to $185,000, the University of South Carolina’s Student Government has found an ingenious way to achieve fiscal efficiency: Make the funding process so cumbersome that students simply stop using it. In response, student organizations are now lining up for funding from the new Student Organization Funding Assistance Board — a university-run alternative that is safer, less bureaucratic and more streamlined. In fact, SOFAB was launched this year specifically to “open up more opportunities” for organizations to obtain funding by taking a portion of the student activity funds from Student Government. The result is fewer headaches for students and fewer expenditures for Student Government — proof that doing less really does cost less, which might explain why Student Government was so eager to embrace partial funding.
In order to request funds through Student Government, a brave student must first survive an initial comptroller audit and a risk assessment before their request even reaches the student body treasurer’s desk. From there, it faces Finance Committee scrutiny and finally a vote in student senate — all just to find out three weeks later that the budget request was denied. Meanwhile, SOFAB offers a refreshingly sane experience. The process is simple: Submit a budget request online (after a brief training session), wait a few days and receive an answer, usually within the same week. As a student organization leader, I’ve gone through both systems and the difference between SOFAB’s timeline and Student Government’s multi-week ordeal is night and day. It doesn’t take a genius to see which system actually works, though apparently it does take one to understand Student Government’s rules. In the past, it has threatened to defund organizations over technicalities barely understood and even attempted to defund one group purely out of political bias, a decision so misguided that the university itself had to intervene. To make matters worse, Student Government has also attempted
to penalize organizations for mistakes rooted in its own confusion over the infamous 15-day university rule, a rule that seemed to be defined about 15 different ways, depending on whom you asked.
The key difference between the two funding systems is structural. SOFAB requests are reviewed and decided by a committee of five students and two ex officio appointees from the Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Life. Student Government allocations, on the other hand, are filtered through a sprawling network of committees, reviews and legislative procedure. In practice, SOFAB operates with a simple administrative approach: A request is either approved or denied by the board — no political theater needed. It’s little wonder SOFAB has become the go-to funding source for student leaders who value both their time and their sanity.
SOFAB’s competence is refreshingly ordinary. With a $7,500 full-funding cap, a simple application and broad eligibility, it does the unthinkable: makes funding easy. Students are choosing it because deadlines are sacred in event planning — when money sits in purgatory for weeks, nothing gets planned. SOFAB’s quick turnaround and clear rules make the process feel almost suspiciously efficient.
Buried in the Student Government Codes — which at times read like a chooseyour-own adventure — is a $10,000 hard cap per organization. The new partialfunding model adds a twist: Requests above $1,500 for programs or $2,500 for conferences are now judged by a colorcoded points rubric. In practice, those thresholds have become de facto spending limits, since anything higher usually comes straight from students’ own pockets.
Under the new partial-funding rubric introduced by the treasurer, organizations are graded on a five-tier system that determines how much funding they deserve — or, more accurately, how much they don’t. Tier One events receive 40% of their requested funding, Tier Two receive 50%, Tier Three receive 70%, Tier Four rise to 80% and Tier Five earns a full 100%. In practice, even a solid proposal
can be slashed to 70% or 80%, while only perfection is enough to unlock full funding. Students pay into this fund through the student activity fee — which Student Government recently helped raise — yet now can request less money from the very pool to which they pay more into.
The new partial-funding system might stretch Student Government’s budget, but it also erodes any incentive for student groups to use it. Why navigate a months-long process for half-funding when SOFAB will cut a check for the full amount next door?
SOFAB’s success so far speaks for itself. By the end of September — barely two months into the semester — SOFAB had trained 164 organizations in its system, received 118 funding requests and approved roughly $67,452 for fall events, according to an email to org leaders from SOFAB administrator Matt Hinds. By comparison, Student Government has only allocated $27,649 by mid-October.
SOFAB has pumped out more than twice as much funding to student organizations in a fraction of the time. This is despite SOFAB having an annual budget roughly $60,000 less than Student Government’s (about $185,000). An overwhelming number of student groups have already voted with their feet, choosing SOFAB over the traditional student senate route. At the end of the day, Student Government’s new funding philosophy can be summed up simply: If students stop asking for money, then nobody can complain about how Student Government spends it. And while SOFAB continues to fund student organizations and events that actually happen, Student Government gets to brag about something even more remarkable, having achieved fiscal efficiency by creating a system few bother to use.
DESIGN: VANESSA PURPURA
Column: Comprehensive STEM education starts with undergraduate research
MATTHEW J. BURNETT | OPINION WRITER
If you’re a STEM student and you’re not doing research, you’re leaving half of your education on the table. Studies have found that undergraduates who take part in research often earn higher GPAs, and long-term involvement is linked to improved retention and a greater likelihood of graduating. Research experience also pays off in the job market, with research and practicum experience significantly increasing the likelihood of STEM employment within a year of graduation. These measurable outcomes alone make undergraduate research a powerful educational opportunity and a smart move for launching your career. But beyond the numbers, it’s a deeply formative experience. I’ve personally worked on more than six projects during my time at USC, and each one shaped me in ways no classroom assignment ever could. Research isn’t just about pipettes, coding or equations — it’s about developing the skills that make you a professional. It complements coursework because it forces you to apply knowledge, solve problems and make calls
where no solution manual exists. Instead of reading the textbook, you’re writing it.
Research teaches you how to manage your tasks when deadlines are real and competing. You juggle classes, lab work and presentations. That balancing act creates exactly what companies want: someone with a lot of irons in the fire who can still deliver. And this is your chance to practice in an environment that won’t fire you when you fail.
It also builds professional skills that separate good workers from great leaders: technical writing, grant applications, conference applications, teamwork across disciplines, and, at higher levels, project leadership. By their fourth year, many undergrads who do research have already managed projects, mentored peers and learned how to keep a team moving.
Showing a company that you’ve secured funding, led a team and delivered results makes you an asset. Employers won’t have to gamble on your potential; they’ll know you can deliver value from day one.
Most importantly, research leaves you with deliverables. When you walk into an
interview, you don’t just have classes to talk about. You have concrete examples of what you’ve accomplished: a poster you presented, a data set you analyzed or a prototype you built. In the industry, “I have a 4.0” will get you some praise, but “I reduced the cost of process X by Y%” will turn heads. Internships will give you deliverables too, but they rarely offer the same leadership opportunities. Research makes you a force multiplier by developing project management skills that most professionals only gain much later in their careers.
The most common objection I hear from classmates is that research eats up too much time. STEM majors are already overloaded with labs, problem sets and exams. Adding research can feel like too much.
The truth is: research doesn’t waste your time — it teaches you how to use it. Students who do research often improve their GPA because they learn time management under pressure. Even modest involvement, such as five hours a week in a research lab, pays off.
And unlike busywork in some courses, research tasks matter. They build skills and experiences that carry into your career. So yes, research takes time. But it’s not a drain — it’s an investment in your growth and future.
Research is your chance to explore your interests, learn to lead and develop marketable skills in an environment where failure is safe and even encouraged. Undergraduate research is likely the only time in your life when simply being curious and willing to learn is enough to get you the job. You will likely never again have such immense freedom to grow and explore.
If you’re a STEM student, get involved in research. Don’t wait until senior year — start now. Knock on professors’ doors, send cold emails and apply for Research Experiences for Undergraduates. In undergraduate research, you get what you give. Immerse yourself fully, and you’ll leave college not just with a degree, but with proof you’re ready to lead. A transcript shows you studied; a research portfolio shows you’re ready to make a difference.
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Column: Overreliance on AI is ruining students’ capabilities
LEGARE JENKINS | OPINION WRITER
Let’s call AI what it is: intellectual cheating. When students let AI think for them, they’re not just unfaithfully completing an assignment; they are robbing themselves of the struggle and thought processes that make education meaningful. Sure, a machine can spit out coherent sentences, but it cannot teach you to argue, empathize or imagine. If this quiet epidemic of outsourcing thought continues, the next generation of students will only be fluent in copying and illiterate in all else.
Of course, every generation of students has reached for shortcuts, from CliffsNotes to Wikipedia, but AI represents a leap beyond assistance into replacement. Unlike past tools that summarized or explained, today’s large language models generate entire arguments, complete with citations and structure.
In fact, a 2023 survey found that more than half of college students have used AI for coursework. While some limited their use to brainstorming or editing, a significant share admitted to submitting AI-written passages as their own.
The consequences are already visible. Employers consistently rank critical thinking and communication skills among
the top qualities they want in new hires, yet they also report that these are the very skills graduates lack.
If students spend their formative years delegating these tasks to machines, their mental capabilities will perpetually decrease. Early data suggest this is not hypothetical; recent unemployment figures show a widening divide between recent graduates and the broader labor force.
Even universities are divided. At USC, the Division of Information Technology recently partnered with OpenAI to provide ChatGPT to all students, faculty and staff. Now, it seems nearly every professor includes an AI policy in their syllabus, trying to balance access with accountability.
When used wisely, AI can be a powerful tool for efficiency — helping with formatting, grammar checks or data summaries. But when it becomes a substitute for original content, it undermines the very cognitive growth that higher education is meant to cultivate.
Neuroscience research makes this risk tangible. An MIT-linked study measuring brain activity during essay writing found that students using AI showed a significant
The neural account behind that sameness is devastating. A recent study tracking writers with EEG found that participants who used ChatGPT showed markedly lower brain engagement across multiple regions and struggled to recall what they had “written” afterward; 83% of the LLM group couldn’t quote from their own essay, compared to 11% in the non-LLM groups. Effectively, the machine did more work while the brain did less and remembered less.
Meanwhile, student use isn’t negligible; it’s mainstream and climbing. By January 2025, about one in four U.S. teens (26%) reported using ChatGPT for schoolwork, double 2023’s share. Additionally, in 2025, 38% of adults 18 to 29 reported using ChatGPT at work, the highest of any age group. The number of adults using AI at work will only continue to grow, as graduating students take their AI-shaped habits into the workplace.
reduction in the neural activity tied to understanding and storing information. Their metacognitive loops, or the brain’s ability to monitor and regulate thought, were disrupted, and their neural connectivity weakened. As neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath said, “Using AI to help learners avoid the tedious process of memorizing facts is the best way to ensure higher-order thinking skills will never emerge.”
Creativity suffers just as much as critical thinking. In controlled experiments, letting writers use AI-generated ideas made their stories look more polished, especially for less-experienced writers, but those stories often converged toward the same predictable patterns.
The net effect was higher individual scores but lower collective originality.
Researchers Anil Doshi and Oliver Hauser found that AI tools initially improved the individual creativity for non-creative writers. But this came at the risk of “losing collective novelty,” as the similarity between the AI-produced works was much higher compared to fully human-created works. This develops a social dilemma where sameness spreads because it’s easy and instantly rewarded.
Institutions are racing to catch up, though sometimes stumbling. In 2025, Google tested a Chrome “homework help” button that could parse on-screen quizzes and feed AI answers, triggering immediate backlash from universities concerned about normalizing shortcuts during assessments.
AI will reshape far more jobs than it fully replaces. The World Economic Forum predicts significant task automation but emphasizes integration over substitution. Employers expect a sizable share of tasks to be automated, yet adaptability, reasoning and communication remain top human differentiators. In practice, that means graduates will be expected to use AI and to outthink it.
So the guideline is simple: treat AI as an accelerator for low-value chores, not a surrogate for your mind. Reserve it for citation formatting and grammar checks while you do the hard parts: research framing, argument construction, evidence selection, revision for logic and the final pass in your own voice. That balance allows you to reap benefits while avoiding impairment to mental capabilities, which are vital to securing future success in the workplace.
DESIGN: JOSHUA LESTER
Featured photos and designs of the semester
Redshirt sophomore Ismael Encinas watches as his ball lands on the 9th green during the first round of the Bryan Bros Invitational at Solina Golf Club in West Columbia, South Carolina on Sept. 28, 2025. Encinas is tied for 12th going into the final day.
Children dressed in vibrant yellow and blue costumes perform a synchronized dance during the Diwali Kickoff Party on Oct. 16, 2025, at the Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, South Carolina. The event highlighted the cultural diversity of the community through music, dance and celebration.
Reining graduate student Haley Turner rides Yogi in the second half of the reining division against Texas A&M at One Wood Farm on Oct. 17, 2025. Turner ended up doing a re-ride on a different horse after some technical complications with Yogi's performance.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers tries to avoid an Alabama defender while running the football on Oct. 25, 2025, at Williams-Brice Stadium. Sellers rushed for an average of 3.7 yards in the Gamecocks’ 29-22 loss to the Crimson Tide.
Photo: brady sacha
Photo: sebastian godun
Photo: gabi selig
Photo: darby bianco
design: megan gourley
design: ransleigh kurt baldas
design: joshua lester
design: Grace de peña
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Senior sentiments: A heartfelt farewell from four senior staff members
IHayden Davis
Itransferred here in 2023 without any journalistic experience and no sense of how to learn the craft. The Daily Gamecock gave me the opportunity for both. I’ve documented the highs and lows of this community over the past two years. In that time, I somehow became known as a “storm chaser,” though I can’t pinpoint why. It hurts to leave this all behind. But I believe in the talented folks of my news section. I won’t name all of you here, but know I’m proud to have worked with you. And readers — keep an eye out for their bylines!
penelope Marshall
t wasn’t until my final year at USC that I found my place as a journalism student. Everyone else seemed to have a passion for sports or news reporting or even photography, and I felt like a novice in comparison. Shout-out to The Daily Gamecock for needing an Assistant Copy Desk Chief and taking a chance on me. What I thought would be a part-time resume boost turned out to be a complete blast. Not only did I discover my enthusiasm for AP Style, but I now earn enough money to fuel my Gamecock General addiction. My semester with TDG has been the best of my college career, and watch out because I’m not done yet! I’ll be back for my final semester in the spring to ensure our articles are not error city. Plus, I need money for my daily Gamecock General runs.
WAugusta Lewis
M
y experience in the Visual Communications program at USC has helped me find what I am passionate about: a love for photography! I have had the privilege of working as a senior photographer through The Daily Gamecock and have grown so much. I am so thankful for my time at USC, go Gamecocks always!
Grant Richa
orking at The Daily Gamecock has been one of the most defining elements of my college career. Starting out as a humble full staffer and working my way through roles like Senior Designer, Assistant Design Director and finally Multimedia Editor, I have learned how to both work under extreme deadlines while also managing to have a good time with some great friends (thanks print weekend). The Daily Gamecock has truly been not only a phenomenal career building block but an incredible chapter in my growth as a human. I am honored to have worked for such a great organization throughout college and will miss it dearly when I’m gone. Go Cocks!
