USC Aiken Magazine - Fall 2016

USC AIKEN ALUMNI, FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY

Women in Science HOW TO INSPIRE AN ENGINEER Hint: It starts at home!

IT TAKES A VILLAGE One species may have it figured out.

FALL 2016

Looking back

Looking forward

Dr. Ruth Patrick A pioneer in the field of limnology, Dr. Ruth Patrick was a world-renowned scientist who studied the waterways of South Carolina for more than sixty years. Born in Topeka, Kansas where she learned to share her father’s love for nature and microscopic plant life, Dr. Patrick came to South Carolina, and in 1929 earned a Bachelor’s degree from Coker College in Hartsville, SC. In 1934, she earned a PhD from the University of Virginia.

The Pedestrian Bridge The landscape of the USC Aiken campus now has a bold new look, thanks to the installation of a pedestrian bridge which was installed late in the evening of July 23. The bridge—painted Pacer blue—spans 150 feet in length, weighs 16,000 pounds and sits approximately 20 feet above the roadway. With an interior space of 10 feet, it can accommodate both delivery carts and pedestrian traffic at the same time.

In the early 1950s, she was assigned by the Atomic Energy Commission to collect baseline data on the water quality and biota of the Savannah River prior to the opening of the Savannah River Plant. Dr. Patrick responded by forming a team of scientists from the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia to study the area. She was the first scientist to diagnose the health of a river or stream by plant life and animal species. Her early studies contributed significantly to the developing field of ecology and established for the first time a set of aquatic indices that could be used to describe the health of water systems and the impact of industrialization. Her work has since been modeled by ecologists worldwide.

Practically, the bridge will allow for safe passage across the Robert M. Bell Parkway and connect our main campus with the Convocation Center.

Dr. Patrick was inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Science and Technology in 1996.

Symbolically, the bridge represents the liberal arts ideals of educating the whole person—body, mind and spirit—by connecting the academic with the athletic.

The groundwork around the abutments and wing-walls, completion of the interior walkway, sidewalks to link the bridge to the residence halls and campus, switchbacks to comply with ADA requirements; and finally, landscaping and branding should be completed by the end of the fall semester.

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USCA MAGAZINE / FALL 2016

USCA MAGAZINE / FALL 2016

EDITOR’S DESK

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his is an exciting time in the life of the University.

Not long after I arrived here, Chancellor Jordan told me that “in institutional years, the University is in its adolescence.” I think that’s an apt description. It’s always been good, but as it matures, it will grow to be remarkable. Already perceived as an asset to the community, it will someday soon be a jewel.

How do I know this? Because it’s palpable. Talk with faculty, and you sense it. Look at the dynamic leadership guiding the institution and you can see it. USC Aiken has aspirations, but more importantly it has the needed drive and talent in its faculty, staff and students.

The magazine staff is shaking things up a bit, and hopefully you’ve already noticed that we’ve changed the magazine shape, and placed greater emphasis on photography. More importantly, we have sharpened our focus. Rather than try to tell you everything that’s happened over the course of a year (we’d need four times as many pages for that), we’re focusing in so we can share with you special stories that illustrate the exciting and important work being done here. Stories about people— the heart and soul of the University. And because visiting with you just once a year isn’t enough, our intent is to publish twice a year.

This issue includes many points of pride that we hope will interest you, but I want to draw attention to a few of our feature stories.

Almost 20 years ago, Partners in Friendship developed a sister-city relationship between Aiken and Orvieto, Italy with the intent to share insights and expand students’ exposure to art, culture, history, and international business. PIF’s first exchanges were between Aiken and Orvieto high school students but the program has grown to include USC Aiken students. PIF members hope to include faculty in the future.

We’ve reported on our relationship with Orvieto in the past, but we were so captivated by the photography of USC Aiken student Michael St. John that we couldn’t resist a return visit to this picturesque village. In addition to St. John, three other students also interned in Italy with Veytra, a tech company. All told, 22 USC Aiken students participated in study abroad programs this summer in Spain, Italy, France and China.

After that we switch gears and introduce you to some accomplished science faculty. We’ll take you in a slow

boat to meet some of our neighbors with interesting ideas about parenting in “It Takes A Village.”

We invite you to meet Dr. Bethany Fralick, who serves as program coordinator for our exciting new program of study, industrial process engineering.

It wasn’t so very long ago that it was challenging to entice young women into STEM related disciplines, but with role models like these talented and caring teachers, it’s practically a non-issue. Which is why our looking back feature (on the inside front cover) pays a brief homage to one of the pioneers in the field, Dr. Ruth Patrick.

We hope you’ll enjoy this issue. We’ll continue to evolve and grow until we’re worthy of the University.

And we’d like to remind you that the story of USC Aiken is about you as well (classnotes are back!) so let us hear from you!

—James Raby

USC AIKEN MAGAZINE Editor James Raby Associate Editor Robin Callicott Lauren Couls Art Directors Phylesha Hiers James Raby Staff Writers Leslie Hull-Ryde Brent Hager Robin Callicott Contributors Hannah Allison Larry Wood ’78 Photography Phylesha Hiers Michael St. John Kati Ashlyn Seay Kristina Ramstad David Hodges April Delaurier David Scott Scott Webster Photography Editorial Board Robin Callicott Lauren Couls Randy Duckett Mary Driscoll Brent Hager Phylesha Hiers Charmaine Wilson

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CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS 6 NEWS 15 SCHOLAR ATHLETE 16 IN STEP WITH THE CHANCELLOR 22 FACULTY EXPERT 30 PHOTO FINISH 38 QUINTESSENTIALLY AIKEN 42 SPORTS 48 ALUMNI NEWS & CLASS NOTES FEATURES 18 THE ITALIAN CONNECTION Join Michael St. John in Italy. His internship. Our escape (if only for a few beautiful minutes).

24 IT TAKES A VILLAGE Venture out into the swamps to discover a species you might never have considered before.

Special Thanks The Aiken Standard Dr. Brian Parr

32 ENGINEERING SUCCESS BEGINS AT HOME

Chancellor Dr. Sandra J. Jordan

36 ANATOMY OF INJUSTICE

Meet Dr. Bethany Fralick, coordinator of our new Industrial Process Engineering program.

Critical thinking. Timely subject. Fascinating reading. What would you do?

Vice Chancellor for Advancement Mary Driscoll Director of Alumni Relations Randy Duckett Sports Information Director Brent Hager

How would you feel? That’s what instructors will be asking our incoming freshmen this fall.

40 ART 145 Michael Fowler creates a real-world agency experience for his graphic design students.

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USCA MAGAZINE / FALL 2016

USCA MAGAZINE / FALL 2016

Top–Ranking Veteran and Military Student Success Center Rededicated

forever, or a newbie, like myself, who just wants to pull up a chair and listen to our veterans reflect on their many deployments,” she added.

As a student advocate in the Office of Veteran and Military Success, she’s now one of the team members guiding new students through myriad processes and new experiences. Much like the military’s sponsor program that introduces incoming personnel to a base or overseas assignment, Perkins reaches out to prospective students all over the country, helping set them up for success as well.

The Office of VMSS offers services to these service members including GI Bill optimization, VA Education and Training Benefit enrollment services, eBenefits, and VA health benefit enrollment. The University also provides combat transition training and assistance with the transition into a university setting. This holistic support relates directly to higher retention and graduation rates among this student segment.

Chancellor Sandra J. Jordan, special guest Lieutenant Michael E. Thornton, Robert A. Murphy, and State Senator Tom Young, Jr.

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he Veteran and Military Student Success Center was rededicated in April in a patriotic ceremony at the University’s Nat Stetson Circle, which featured Medal of Honor Recipient Lieutenant Michael E. Thornton, U.S. Navy (retired) as the keynote speaker.

Thornton, a former Navy SEAL who was awarded a Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War, thanked the community and the University for taking care of those who served our country.

“This is an investment in your community, in our state and an investment in our nation,” Thornton, a Spartanburg, S.C., native, told the guests, which included political, civic, business, and industry leaders.

Since its opening in April 2013, USC Aiken’s Office of Veteran and Military Student Success has grown exponentially, causing it to outgrow its original office in the Gregg-Graniteville Library. The new office, located in the Penland Building, continues to make a difference by working with veteran and military students throughout their academic journey. Providing holistic support and a high level of camaraderie has been the mainstay for

student veterans reintegrating into the Aiken community and continuing on their path to success.

Currently, there are more than 300 veteran and military students enrolled at USC Aiken, which is almost 10 percent of the student body, and is higher than the national average. The University experienced a 116 percent increase over a three-year period.

Army Reservist Bree Perkins, a rising junior, ultimately wants to teach 8th grade English at Schofield Middle School in Aiken. When she first came on campus, staff members answered all of her questions, outlining her VA benefits and assisting her through the application, enrollment and orientation processes.

Perkins says that the team has a strong sense of esprit de corps that starts sometimes before the student ever steps on campus and lasts through graduation.

“We welcome our students, and from day one, we build relationships. We vent. We laugh. We share the group-project horror stories. We support each other, and we keep each other together—whether a spouse needs to hear from another spouse that deployments do not last

“The wonderful thing about this work is this campus,” said Director Robert Murphy, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. “The men and women who make up the faculty and staff have great respect for our country’s service members, and they care about their education

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and future success. I have the great fortune to work closely with the faculty who take great interest in the education and support of our student veterans. I sense the patriotism of the university staff in every contact I have with them.”

That “take-care-of-our-troops” attitude runs through the local community as well. Private citizens, major industries and corporations, and several militaryrelated organizations have provided financial support for the Veteran and Military Student Success Center.

Founding sponsors include: Thomas Matthews, Zane Christopher, Aiken-Augusta Warrior Project, Sam’s Club of Aiken and the Aiken-Augusta Wounded Warrior Charity Golf Classic. Savannah River Remediation has not only provided financial support but has offered USC Aiken’s student veterans internships and has helped with job placement. As part of its continuing support, the Aiken-Augusta Wounded Warrior Charity Golf Classic recently donated $5,000 to the Center to support scholarships at USC Aiken.

Successful Reintegration of Returning Veterans

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hancellor Sandra Jordan and Robert Murphy, director of the USC Aiken Office of Veteran and Military Success, represented the University at the American Association of University Administrators 2016 Leadership Seminar and Awards Luncheon in San Antonio, Texas, June 9-11.

“While the public policy of our nation in regards to active force reduction is not the direct responsibility of colleges and universities, the reintegration of those individuals, our returning warriors, into academic programs and civilian life is our responsibility and is of concern to us all,” Dr. Jordan said.

Their presentation: “Successful Reintegration of Returning Warriors into College and Civilian Life: One University’s Story of the Perils, Pitfalls, and Positive Outcomes” identified ways to mitigate the unintended perils and real pitfalls associated with military and veteran reintegration. It also highlighted a tested strategy to form successful community partnerships that aid and empower returning warriors as they transition to civilian life.

For its efforts, USC Aiken has received national and military recognition and is viewed by other institutions as a model for best practices.

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USCA MAGAZINE / FALL 2016

USCA MAGAZINE / FALL 2016

Academic Honors USC Aiken Awards Outstanding Senior Student, Distinguished Citizen Award and Recognizes Scholars

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SC Aiken presented its top scholars awards and introduced the 2016 Outstanding Senior Student and Distinguished Citizen of the Year during its annual Academic Honors Ceremony, held in April in the Etherredge Center.

Olivia Burbage, a sociology major, was named the Outstanding Senior of the Year, an award a professor she had as a freshman predicted she’d receive.

Homeschooled until she was in the 8th grade, Burbage said that learning is a passion. She credited the USC Aiken faculty and staff for providing her an enriching experience.

“Being able to study and answer questions I’d not been able to answer before made me fall in love with research,” Burbage said in her acceptance speech.

Through the support of her family, friends and professors at USC Aiken, Burbage feels she can do anything.

Chancellor Sandra Jordan presented USC Aiken alumnus, Timothy M. Hofferth, with the 2016 Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award. Hofferth, who graduated in 1986, is currently serving as the chair of the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.

“His collaborative leadership approach has received attention, and if implemented, the state will see the emergence of a stronger, more focused higher education sector in South Carolina,” Jordan said.

Hofferth, who has been in the sports business industry for most of his career, is a “stalwart champion” of his alma mater and of higher education, Jordan said. He routinely works with legislators and constituents, advancing and enhancing higher education. Currently, he is working with the CHE to develop a new strategic plan.

“This is a critical juncture for the commission and our campus as well as all of higher education in this state. We are proud that a new vision for higher education is being advanced by one of our graduates, and we are glad that he is on our team,” Jordan said of the former USC Aiken

first baseman.

Upon receiving the award, Hofferth said “education is the game changer in life,” adding that “the education you get [at USC Aiken] is just the beginning.”

Magellan Scholars This year the university recognized the academic achievements of seven Magellan Scholars and 10 students in the Honors Program. The Magellan Scholar program was established in 2005 to enrich the academic experience of University of South Carolina’s undergraduates with research opportunities in all disciplines from science, technology, and medicine, to theatre, music, and art. Through the faculty mentoring relationship and professional research experience, students creatively explore their interests at a more in-depth level than can be attained in the classroom. Research gives students a competitive edge in the job market and when applying for graduate or professional schools Additionally, 10 students from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; nine from the College of Sciences and Engineering, which included one graduate student; five from the School of Business Administration; four from the School of Education; and two from the School of Nursing earned awards.

Since the 2015 academic year, USC Aiken has had a total of 20 Magellan Scholars—compared to a total of 15 Scholars for all the other system campuses (excluding Columbia) combined for the period.

At right, Olivia Burbage, Chancellor Sandra J. Jordan and Timothy M. Hofferth

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2016-2017 James and Mary Oswald

Distinguished Writers Series Depar tment of English – Univer sit y of South Carolina Aiken

Rick Bragg Tuesday, October 18th, at 7:30 p.m. • Main Stage, Etherredge Center Please join us for a reading and Q&A session by Rick Bragg, highly acclaimed and Pulitzer Prize winning Southern writer.

Author of three critically acclaimed and best-selling books—All Over but the Shoutin’, Ava’s Man, and The Prince of Frogtown—Bragg says he learned to tell stories by listening to the masters, the people of the foothills of the Appalachians.

Bragg’s current book, The Most They Ever Had, is an eloquent tale of an Alabama cotton mill community.

Bragg also writes articles for several magazines, including his popular “Southern Journal” column for Southern Living.

Larry D. Thomas Tuesday, February 7th, at 7:30 p.m.• Main Stage, Etherredge Center Larry D. Thomas, a member of the Texas Institute of Letters, served as the 2008 Texas Poet Laureate.

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or her long and productive career as an undisputed leader in the dynamic nuclear industry; for her humble service to others, for her unwavering commitment to the expansion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math programs at the

He has published thirty collections of poetry and his works have appeared in many of the most prestigious literary journals in the nation. As If Light Actually Matters: New & Selected Poems —the most comprehensive collection of his poetry to date—was issued by Texas Review Press in 2015.

Thomas is the recipient of two Texas Review Poetry Prizes, two Western Heritage Awards (Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma), the Violet Crown Book Award (Writers’ League of Texas), a Violet Crown Book Awards Special Citation, and nomination for the 2007 Poets’ Prize (Nicholas Roerich Museum).

University of South Carolina Aiken; and to her visionary partnerships with the University that impact not only the quality of graduates but allows the University to meet the demands and gaps in the current workforce in the local community, throughout the State of South Carolina, across the country and around the globe; the University of South Carolina Aiken, with the approval of its Board of Trustees, now presents Carol Johnson for the honorary degree of Human Letters.”

—Chancellor Sandra J. Jordan, May 4, 2016

For more information on the series, please call the USCA English Department at 803-641-3498.

In 1985, thanks to the support of Dr. Robert Alexander, Chancellor Emeritus, the Department of English established an annual visiting writers’ series. In 1995, this series was renamed the James and Mary Oswald Distinguished Writers Series in honor of two longtime Aiken residents who created an endowment to enhance departmental initiatives to promote general interest in the English language and its literature.

Department of English web.usca.edu • 471 University Parkway, Aiken, SC

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USCA MAGAZINE / FALL 2016

USCA MAGAZINE / FALL 2016

Making the Grade U SC Aiken is a great college to work for, according to a new survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education, a top trade publication for colleges and universities.

The results, released in The Chronicle’s ninth annual report on The Academic Workplace, are based on a survey of 281 colleges and universities. Only 93 of the institutions that applied for the program achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition. Results are reported for small, medium, and large institutions, with USC Aiken included among the medium universities with 3,000 to 9,999 students.

“Nine years in, The Chronicle’s Great Colleges to Work For program is well known as a mark of a college or university that puts thought and effort into serving the needs of its faculty and staff,” said Liz McMillen, editor of The Chronicle.

“The colleges and universities that make the list are highly rated by their employees for creating great working environments, an important achievement that helps them recruit

PLEASE WELCOME College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

top academic and administrative talent.”

USC Aiken won honors in the collaborative governance category this year.

“I am extremely pleased and highly honored for USC Aiken to be selected as a Great College to Work For. I’m particularly proud that we received recognition in the area of collaborative governance. Whether we are working on new academic programs, the budget, or student initiatives, gathering input from all corners of the campus—faculty, staff, students, and alumni is of critical importance to making the best decisions possible,” said Chancellor Sandra J. Jordan.

Great Colleges to Work For is one of the largest and most respected workplacerecognition programs in the country. For more information and to view all the results of the survey, visit The Chronicle’s Web site, chroniclegreatcolleges.com/recognizedinstitutions.

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Dr. Mark S. Hollingsworth Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Professor of Music D.M.A., University of North Texas, 1989

College of Sciences and Engineering Dr. Daren J. Timmons Dean of the College of Sciences and Engineering Professor of Chemistry Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1999 Department of Biology and Geology Dr. Kelly A. Gibson Instructor of Geology Ph.D., University of Miami, 2012

Dr. Jessica C. Sullivan Assistant Professor of Geology Ph.D., University of South Carolina, 2015

School of Education Dr. Erin D. Besser Assistant Professor of Education (Educational Technology) Ph.D. Candidate, Purdue University, 2016

Dr. Lillian G. Reeves Assistant Professor of Education (Curriculum and Instruction) Ph.D., University of South Carolina, 2014

Department of Exercise and Sports Science Dr. Andrew G. Hatchett Assistant Professor of Exercise and Sports Science Ph.D., University of Mississippi, 2008

Gregg-Graniteville Library Mr. Robert E. Lippard Director of the Library Associate Professor of Library Science M.L.I.S., University of North Carolina Greensboro, 1995

School of Business Administration Dr. Marouen Ben Jebara Assistant Professor of Management Ph.D., University of Toledo, 2015

Ryan N. Schmidt Visiting Assistant Professor of Management Ph.D., University of South Carolina 2013

Department of Mathematical Sciences Dr. Titan C. Paul Assistant Professor of Engineering (Mechanical) Ph.D., University of South Carolina, 2014

School of Nursing

Ms. Ashley G. Brittain Instructor of Nursing M.S.N., Walden University, 2015

Lindsay Griswold Instructor of Accounting M.Acc., University of Georgia 2005

Department of Chemistry and Physics Dr. Nicholas M. Marshall Assistant Professor of Chemistry (Organic) Ph.D., University of Georgia, 2010

Ms. Suzanne L. Fowley Instructor of Nursing M.S.N., Medical College of Georgia, 2002

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is for

Remembrance

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ayla Calvert holds the distinction of being the only student-athlete in Pacer history to be a member of the dance team while simultaneously playing a sport for the University. Aiken native and sophomore nursing student Calvert has excelled in both activities by winning a Peach Belt Championship with the Pacer dance team as well as becoming the number three player for women’s tennis.

“Dancing really helps me be physically fit for tennis.

I’m able to stretch a lot and I think that really contributes to me remaining healthy all season,” said Calvert.

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he organic herb garden on the patio outside the Pacer Café is good for the environment, good for the University, good for the well-being of the more than 3,500 students and good for the soul.

“The herb garden was created with multiple intentions: to create an attractive and inviting outdoor seating and dining area for our guests; introduce a more healthy and fresh-from-the-garden presence in our dining offerings; and offer an opportunity to educate our guests about fresh herbs through various “cooking with herbs” demonstrations throughout the year,” said Director of Campus Support Jeff Jenik.

In April, the University’s food services contractor, Aramark, teamed up with Jenik and the operations department to build a sturdy wooden planter on the cafeteria patio. Once completed, USC Aiken’s Executive Chef Rob Harper planted several herbs including healthy and prolific cilantro, parsley, sage, pineapple sage, sweet basil, purple basil, mint, chocolate mint, rosemary, oregano, thyme and lavender as well as habanero peppers, jalapeno peppers, cayenne peppers and banana peppers.

“There’s a lot here. We can use this to prepare food for at least 200 people,” he said. “I’ve also had fun playing with the habaneros, which are amazingly hot.”

Harper spearheads the care and cultivating of the garden. He believes it nourishes the students–and his own soul.

This very experienced chef says the University’s herb garden has a special place in his heart. As a surprise to him–and as a living tribute to his toddler granddaughter, Harper’s supervisors dedicated the garden, naming it Allie’s Garden. Allie was Harper’s granddaughter who died unexpectedly Christmas Day 2015.

“This is a wonderful thing the school did for me,” Harper said. “This herb garden is so special. I’ve put my heart and soul into it because it’s Allie’s.

“These herbs were truly grown with love and kindness.”

And that includes the rosemary–which he says is the herb of remembrance.

Success like this requires dedication and hard work.

Calvert makes it a priority to wake up at six in the morning two days a week in order to do 30 minutes of cardio before fueling up with a big breakfast at the SAC. Adding up study, workout and practice hours means that Calvert invests nearly 62 hours a week being a scholar-athlete.

And the hard work has paid off. Calvert finished the 2015 tennis season with 11 singles wins and seven doubles victories for the Pacers. Calvert and the USC Aiken dance team earned the Peach Belt Conference Championship and the CANAM Championship during their spring season.

Calvert topped it off by making the Peach Belt Honor Roll Silver Scholars list by maintaining a GPA between 3.50 and 3.74 throughout her freshman year.

Calvert has begun the 2016 tennis season as the No. 3 player in the line-up. “Playing at a higher seed than last year I feel like I have big shoes to fill and that makes me nervous some matches,” said Calvert.

In the few hours that Calvert gets to herself, she typically hangs out with her two roommates on the volleyball team, and tries to spend as much time with her family as possible. “I’ve always been family oriented and really owe my success to them. They are a constant support system in all that I am doing,” said Calvert. “This year is actually more hectic because I’m further in my nursing degree and that requires a lot more time than my freshman year classes. I just keep a schedule and I stick with it,” said Calvert.

Kayla Calvert

by Hannah Allison

, 2016 6 r e b o t c O

Here’s a typical day for Chancellor Jordan.

Ready? Set. Go!

Community Service and Leadership University System: President’s Executive Council Regional/National: SACS COC Executive Board Chair of the SACS COC Principle Review Committee Southern University Conference, Executive Board (Immediate Past President) Strom Thurmond Foundation, Board of Directors Riley Institute Diversity Leadership Fellow AASCU Millennium Leadership, Faculty NCAA, President’s Council

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he Chancellor has a unique job. She meets interesting people, promotes big ideas, and affects the lives of countless others. All. The. Time. Her job requires stamina—she’s never NOT the Chancellor. She remains on call each hour of every day.

The Chancellor is a planner. She must be entrepreneurial and action-oriented. A consistent message is important. Transparency is important. And so is fiscal responsibility. When opportunity knocks, Chancellor Jordan must be ready to take action or miss out on something that could be ground breaking.

The Chancellor faces high expectations. In fact, she prepares for it. She deals with people who think she can do more and more with less and less. And when she is successful and manages to do more with less, it heightens expectations. The Chancellor has a clear message and she is always ready to explain the situation and make a compelling argument (over and over if necessary).

The Chancellor must forge partnerships. The University of the 21st century must connect with the private sector, the public sector and the civic sector to broaden its reach and connect with its constituencies.

When the Chancellor is not meeting faculty, administrators or trustees, she is likely preparing remarks for a presentation or ceremony; often traveling to represent the University at a conference and sometimes the U.S. Senate!

Peach Belt Conference, Executive Board Local: CNTA, Board of Directors Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors North Augusta Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors United Way, Board of Directors Aiken Corporation, Board of Directors Savannah River Site Citizens Reuse Organization, Board of Directors Nuclear Workforce Initiative (NWI), Taskforce Member Southern City Film Festival, Board of Directors Rotary Club of Aiken, Member South Carolina Women in Higher Education (SCWHE), Member Aiken Symphony Orchestra, Board of Directors Aiken Together Strategic Planning, Participant Chamber Trip to Aspirational Cities, Participant Lobbying Trip to Washington, D.C. with community leaders, Participant Graniteville Brownfield Project, Participant

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USCA MAGAZINE / FALL 2016

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The Italian Connection

By Leslie Hull-Ryde Photography by Michael St. John

The doumo in Florence, taken from the other side of the Arno river

F “USC Aiken... has broken me out of my shell.”

or a USC Aiken fine arts major from Barnwell, S.C., with specific interests in Etruscan, Greek and Renaissanceperiod art, spending a summer semester in Orvieto, Italy, was a dream come true.

“I’ve always had the dream of seeing the world,” said Michael St. John.

“This was truly a formative, once-in-a-lifetime experience. I cannot say how blessed I felt to be able to do this.”

St. John, who left South Carolina bound for Italy on May 12, spent seven weeks in Orvieto as part of a unique international exchange program. While there, he worked on an archaeological

excavation as part of a collaboration with Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire, and more than eight other schools including Oxford and Brown University.

St. John worked five to seven days a week, digging through this historical city in central Italy.

“There were three possible sites for us. At one, they recently rediscovered the entrance to a burial site that has not been opened since the medieval era. I had hoped to get on that one,” he said. “Instead I worked at a site called Coriglia which was a combination of large vascas (baths) and other architectural ruins. There were everything

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from roads and wells in one trench to vaults and terraces in another, and of course vascas. I found an ancient Roman coin and we found a well layered with rare finds.”

St. John studied the art of the late Livio Orazio Valentini, an internationally known painter and sculptor. During the midto-late 90s, USC Aiken began a special relationship with Valentini, who was once an artistin-residence at the University.

The Etherredge Center is currently home to three sizeable Valentini works, painted during his time in Aiken. Additionally, a Valentini sculpture is prominently displayed for the public to see.

USCA MAGAZINE / FALL 2016

“I could book a tour of Italy, but it would never offer as much as this program. The opportunity to make international friends, and the experience of adapting to another way of life was invaluable.

Being a visitor to another country can be fun, but only in living, working or studying do you see what a country truly has to offer,” he said.

In addition to the rich culture, delicious cuisine, art in Italy, St.

learning about warm people, and exquisite John learned

something about himself.

“The life of an archeologist is very hard. I merely got a taste of it in a pleasant country. I had to become accustomed to cold showers, close quarters and the scorching sun. The work itself was fairly hard as well. But I would never have traded a single second of any of that. Cold showers can be refreshing, the sun gives you a great tan, and I am fortunate enough to have working legs.

I did a ton of walking and lost nearly 20 pounds. It was a very

rewarding experience and we always had Italian pasta dishes and wine to look forward to on the weekends.

could be seen running around up until and past midnight in the city; I saw it every time I went out at night.”

“I most especially loved to see what’s normal for other people. It gave me a fresh perspective on my own life. ‘Normal’ for the people that I met meant air drying your laundry; I didn’t meet anyone with a clothes dryer. Walking to work is not uncommon. Small children

“USC Aiken in general has broken me out of my shell, helping me to handle new experiences. The staff and faculty gave me the tools and support I needed.”

While in Italy, St. John shared his experiences via Instagram and

“Valentini’s daughter now teaches like her father once did, and his wife is still alive. My liaison to Italy, Erika Bizzarri, and I walked into a neighborhood to find the small apartment complex where Valentini lived with his family. In his house, I photographed pieces for Dr. Elliott and Dr. Alexander’s book.

Two or three of these pieces have never been photographed before and I got to see several other of his pieces in his iconic style.” St. John said.

In addition to USC Aiken, Partners in Friendship, a local group of business and civic leaders, elected officials and educators helped make St. John’s trip possible.

PIF’s Valentini Endowment, first funded four years ago, affords USC Aiken students the opportunity to live and study in Orvieto in the summer.

The endowment’s purpose is twofold: allow USC Aiken students to get to know the Valentini family and study the late artist’s work and to allow students the opportunity to study the Etruscan heritage and art.

Through the annual summer exchange program, now in its fourth year, USC Aiken students and faculty continue the longstanding relationship with the Valentini family.

“I not only got to see a collection of his pieces but also to meet his wife and daughter. It was truly a memorable experience.”

Facebook, and it’s his photography you see here. 1

St. Patrick’s Well, a masterpiece of engineering

Rose Window of the Church of St. Andrea

“At a festival called the Palombella. It was a rainy day but the Italians persisted for most of the day.”

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USCA MAGAZINE / FALL 2016

And other more likely threats to your health.

By Brian Parr, Ph.D

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he film Independence Day: Resurgence, the sequel to the 1996 film, opened in theaters this summer. The movie is about an alien attack that threatens to destroy the earth.

All evidence suggests that an alien invasion is highly unlikely. Just in case though, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response has provided advice for surviving a host of disasters that are common in Hollywood blockbusters, including an alien attack. The intention is that preparing for epic disasters will also prepare you for more realistic natural and man-made catastrophes.

Getting in shape to fight or flee attacking aliens also increases your chances of surviving more common health threats. Here are some health and fitness-related steps you can take to survive an alien invasion as well as other more likely threats to your health.

The first thing that is clear is that you need to be physically fit to escape or fight alien invaders. Roads and other transportation infrastructure tends to get destroyed in movies about extraterrestrial strikes, so you should prepare to travel on foot and carry a heavy load of supplies, likely over long distances.

Building speed and endurance through prolonged aerobic exercise and high-intensity interval training can give you an advantage.

Developing muscular strength through resistance training would certainly help, too. A comprehensive fitness program at a gym or at home can help you achieve these goals. Even going for a brisk walk everyday will improve fitness.

What you eat now can also help you prepare for the aftermath of an alien assault. Running away from aliens and walking for days to safety requires that you have adequate stores of carbohydrate and fat. A high carbohydrate diet will increase your storage of muscle and liver glycogen, the primary fuels used for intense exercise so you have more energy available to sprint and run.

Maintaining a healthy body weight is beneficial, too. The heavier you are, the more weight you have to carry in your escape, which is likely to slow you down.

Regular aerobic and strength exercise, maintaining a healthy body weight, and eating a healthy diet are the best ways by which you can reduce your risk of a host of health problems. The benefits of these healthy habits include a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and some cancers along with prevention and treatment of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

So, as you watch Independence Day: Resurgence think about what you can be doing now to prepare for your strength and survival. Visit the CDC website for information about exercise, nutrition, and health. Then, get started on getting yourself in shape—the aliens will probably attack without warning!

Dr. Parr currently teaches exercise physiology, health and behavior change, and several research courses.

In addition to teaching and advising, Dr. Parr writes a weekly column about health and fitness for the Aiken Standard.

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They might just dump their kids off on someone else’s doorstep and then abandon them.

They might have multiple partners and may not even keep track of their offspring.

They may leave it to other parents to feed, house, protect and raise their children.

Then again, maybe they don’t.

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With only weeks to delve into the mating patterns and behavior, the research team has to work quickly.

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research team at USC Aiken is literally tracking family trees in three states, carefully navigating through rather remote environs with dangerous inhabitants, to verify population numbers and how they relate to one another, their families and their neighbors.

behaviors of wood storks by exploring whether wood storks are polygamous—do they enjoy relations with multiple partners, or are they nest parasites? While the birds may appear to be monogamous within a mating season, they seem to try to maximize resources.

Biology Professor Dr. Kristina Ramstad and David Hodges, Class of ‘17, spent the summer wading through the wetlands of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

Their goal: to learn more about the once endangered wood stork (WOST).

Competition for nest sites is fierce and some mom and dad wood storks evict chicks and their parents out of existing nests. This approach also saves the time and effort required to build a home. Or, new wood stork parents may drop their chicks off on someone else’s doorstep—literally, dumping them in a nest and flying off—leaving the responsibilities and effort of raising the chicks to another wood stork family.

Ironically, the bird often associated with birth announcements may be among the worst parents on the planet.

After all, raising children is a lot of work and takes a lot of resources, so the WOST may take advantage of others when it can.

Ramstad and Hodges’ conservation efforts are important to the longevity of this bird.

Once categorized as endangered, the wood stork is now considered a threatened species by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service.

“Wood storks have bounced back from their status as an endangered species, thanks in part to favorable habitat in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

A cadre of dedicated biologists and volunteers aims to keep them on the right track,” Rob Simbeck wrote in the September-October 2015 edition of South Carolina Wildlife.

Ramstad and Hodges are exploring two key WOST issues. First, they’re trying to determine how many populations of wood storks there are on the planet.

Ramstad says many researchers believe there’s just one huge population – and that “every bird has an equal likelihood of being related to every other bird.”

Secondly, they’re taking a look at the mating

“If wood storks are monogamous within a season, then all chicks sharing a nest should be full siblings. If females are polygamous, then there will be half-siblings sharing the same nest,” Ramstad and Hodges explain in their research proposal.

“If wood storks are nest parasites, then at least some of the chicks sharing a nest will be more distantly related to one another,” the research team says. “Wood storks could be participating in extra-pair matings and nest parasitism simultaneously.”

THE RESEARCH The duo is determined to seek answers to these questions and their findings will be critical to ongoing wood stork conservation efforts.

“Regional wood stork populations are vulnerable to extinction due to apparent population isolation, loss of habitat and susceptibility to environmental disturbance,” Hodges and Ramstad said.

“U.S. wood stork populations are particularly vulnerable because they represent the northern most

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is a unique collaboration among several state and federal entities, fellow academic partners, non-profit organizations and private citizens.

The researchers’ partners include the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the University of Georgia, the Savannah River Ecology Lab, and the Jacksonville Zoo. Ramstad plans to expand the scope of the collaboration to include international partners. She has reached out to the University of Havana and researchers in Brazil to explore how they might partner with the USC Aiken team and share data to determine whether there really is only one wood stork population spread over a vast geographic territory.

THE PROFESSOR Hodges prepares to gently lower a young bird to Ramstad waiting below in the canoe.

extent of the species range and, if they were to go extinct, are unlikely to be naturally recolonized from neighboring populations.”

Found in the Caribbean, South America, and Central America, the WOST is the only stork that currently breeds in North America.

Once found mostly in Florida, with the decline of that state’s wetlands, they’ve moved north. WOSTs are in both the Carolinas, Georgia and the Gulf Coast States.

and we can only sample birds about 20 to 40 days old. Nestlings large enough to be sampled but also young enough that they cower in the nest rather than attempt to escape when we access the nest lets us know which nestlings belong to which nest.”

To find the answers they need, they’ve got to start early—around 4 a.m. in order to beat the heat.

Wood stork mating season is generally March to August and up to 25 nests may be found in one tree.

Eggs—generally 3-5 per nest—are incubated for about a month. The chicks keep close to home for regular feedings for up to four months.

At that time, Hodges and Ramstad drive at least two hours to one of their research sites in a swamp where they gently board a canoe. They’ll paddle out to trees they hope contain wood stork nests. Then they heft 10-foot ladders out of the canoe and prop them against the trees, sometimes two or three ladder lengths on top of each other, to reach the nests.

“We really only have about 6 weeks. WOST can mate March to August but that is across locations.

Within a colony, that time is shorter

This summer, Hodges was usually the one who climbed the ladders and placed the wood stork chicks carefully into pillow cases that he then gently

lowered down to Ramstad, who waited in the canoe. After receiving the baby birds, Ramstad took blood samples, measured wing spans, weighed the chicks and collected other DNA-related data.

Once finished, she placed the chick back in the pillowcase and hoisted it up to Hodges who then repeated the process until data on all the birds in a single nest was collected.

They moved on from nest to nest until it got too hot in the southern summer sun.

This swamp “laboratory” is a far cry from the controlled environment of the Science Building on campus where Ramstad and Hodges will analyze their data. Having hungry alligators and snakes glide through the waters around the canoe won’t be concerns when they’re pouring through the data they’ve collected.

The USC Aiken WOST research

Ramstad recently completed her first year teaching at USC Aiken. The Washington State native spent the previous eight years in New Zealand where she conducted post-doctoral conservation research, primarily with kiwis, the national bird of New Zealand.

After almost a decade in New Zealand, she decided to direct her career in a different path.

“I was looking for a chance to set up my own lab, and I wanted to teach more and in a small liberal arts institution. They don’t have those in New Zealand,” Ramstad says.

“Here, I have a chance to start my own lab, teach at a high level at a small university in a cool town.”

educational experiences. She believes that conducting undergraduate research introduces students to potential careers in conservation, sets them up for success in graduate school and helps them build a foundation for their own research.

“I’m their guide, but this is meant to be independent research. These experiences teach them discipline; they learn to work in a lab, hone problem solving techniques, and refine their reasoning skills.”

The field work provides a totally different, but complimentary, experience. Hodges is a believer in the comprehensive research opportunities that USC Aiken offers.

“I am getting the opportunity to apply the knowledge I have gained in the classroom to fieldwork and lab analysis,” he says.

“Dr. Ramstad is an excellent mentor. She has the unique gift of explaining complex concepts in simple terms. She is able to distill her years of research experience into very practical tools and advice that I can apply in the lab and in the field.”

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he is “experimenting with different aspects of sustainable living.”

His interests are clearly quite diverse. But this biology major, a self-proclaimed “avid outdoorsman and passionate conservationist,” says he’s become focused on conservation genetics and plans to pursue a career in conservation biology. He credits Ramstad—and her unwavering passion for research—for piquing this interest.

“While the data gathered in this study will be essential to the longterm conservation of wood storks, the principles and methods will also have wide ranging applications in my future studies and conservation efforts with other threatened and endangered species,” Hodges explained in his research proposal.

Ramstad says she enjoys working with Hodges and appreciates his dedication and inquisitiveness— qualities recognized by his election as one of USC Aiken’s Magellan Scholars. 1

While she still conducts kiwi research and has partnered with another USC Aiken student on New Zealand-focused endeavors, Ramstad says she’s extremely pleased with her decision to move to Aiken. Here she works with enthusiastic and talented student-researchers and she has access to some of the “most fascinating ecosystems.”

THE STUDENT

At USC Aiken, every biology major is required to conduct research.

But it’s more than something students must do to graduate.

Hodges’ academic journey has taken several paths. This father of five once studied music at Palm Beach State College.

Ramstad believes her lab in the Science Building is an “incredibly enriching” part of students’

He then earned certification in permaculture design by the American Society of Permaculture. Currently,

Symbiotic relationship: Alligators keep raccoons from scaling trees to feast on young wood storks.

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Save the date!

USCA MAGAZINE / FALL 2016

12th Annual USC Aiken Golf Classic March 6 The Reserve Club at Woodside Plantation To benefit scholarships.

Sophomore Kirsten LaVassar (Ladson, SC)

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his spring, the Pacer riders won first place at Chatt Hills, an eventing competition held in April at the Bouchaert Farm in Chattahochee Hills, Ga. They beat out much bigger schools, with much larger and more established equestrian programs. Competitors included teams from Auburn, Clemson and the University of Georgia.

It marked the second time that USC Aiken came out on top over the competition. Last fall our equestrians bested other intercollegiate rivals at the fourth annual eventing show at the Poplar Place Farm in Hamilton, Ga. There, the Pacer eventers beat out the University of Georgia, Auburn, the University of Kentucky, the University of North Georgia, the University of Alabama, Columbus State University and Clemson.

Sophomore Caroline Carney (Easton, Md.)

Register: usca.edu/alumni

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By Leslie Hull-Ryde

S

imple playtime at home in Springfield, Ohio, influenced the lifetime of one USC Aiken professor.

Legos, erector sets and the board game Clue—activities that “required you to think and solve something”—are credited with the engineering success of the professor charged with building the new industrial process engineering program at USC Aiken.

“I loved, and still love, figuring out how something works.

I would take apart things in our house, like remote controls and cordless telephones, just to see how they worked,” said Dr. Bethany Fralick, assistant professor of engineering. “My parents would play Legos with me for hours; Christmas always brought another really cool set!

“This interest and development as a young child lead me to engineering.”

Fralick says her parents, who didn’t allow her and her siblings to watch much television, influenced her career choice by placing emphasis on school and family time and doing activities together.

“Family time holds a place in engineering. Studying engineering in college is a commitment, a dedication of four solid years of your life. As a student, you have to do your best and then do better, and having the self-motivation and commitment to yourself is very important,” she says. “A lot of those skills start at home.”

This mechanical engineer says that she loved school and that her favorite subject was math.

“I enjoyed discovering how the process worked and figuring out a solution. I did not excel in topics that required memorization, i.e. spelling, history. I always wondered 'why'. Why did we do it that way or why do we solve it this way,” Fralick says.

“Once I understood the why, I was able to make sense of the process. I was very successful in my math and science classes.”

After graduating from high school – with college credit, a 4.6 GPA, and sixth in a class of more than 400 – she earned her bachelor’s in manufacturing engineering at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. From there, she got her master's and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of South Carolina.

In addition to her parents, Fralick says she had two mentors who helped guide her through her college-to-career journey.

“Dr. Jed Lyons was the advisor for my master's degree in mechanical engineering at the University of South Carolina. He took a chance on me and we discovered great things about how college students learn to design,” Fralick says.

“Dr. Sarah Baxter was my Ph.D. in mechanical engineering advisor at the University of South Carolina. She helped me as a graduate student and is still helping me as a professional. She makes sure I do my research and have time to advance myself for tenure. I really do not know where I would be if she were not a part of my life.”

Now Fralick, who once wanted to be a high school math teacher, imparts her love of learning math and engineering to USC Aiken students.

Bethany S. Fralick, Ph.D.

“My passion was and still is learning how college level students learn. I can just 'see' things from many angles; I understand how it works and can look at it from different points of view. I think this trait makes me a good teacher,” she says. “I can explain something many different ways, and I care that the students 'get it'.

“I just love to teach, I really do.”

Fralick is building an industrial process engineering program, sharing her desire for figuring out how things work and creating solutions to complex problems. Launched last fall, more than 300 students (nearly 10 percent of the entire student body) are enrolled in USC Aiken’s engineering program.

“We want great things from our graduates, careers and success, and we work very hard every day to make this happen,” Fralick says.

“Through our small class sizes we are able to truly mentor and guide our students to success.”

As the only engineering educator on campus, much of the responsibility for the course development has been hers. (She will be joined this semester by Dr. Titan Chandra Paul.) The new degree program is essentially three years of mechanical engineering and several business courses,

with a focus on manufacturing engineering. Students will have summer internship opportunities in the Aiken area and a senior capstone project directly tied to the industry throughout the CSRA. “The program is very unique, as developed by our Industrial Engineering Advisory Board.

This program is similar to mechanical engineering, but adds an emphasis on business and manufacturing. It will enable our graduates to have a head start in the industrial arena,” Fralick says.

“Companies around Aiken have and will continue to support the program, helping with senior capstone projects and summer internship opportunities. It is just wonderful having such powerful support from local industry.

“The focused nature of the program is intentional, as desired by industry around Aiken. This is a program that will really benefit the area,” she adds.

From the family room floor building bridges with Legos, to the classroom building a program connected to the careers of USC Aiken graduates and the workforce needs of this region, Fralick is committed to sharing her knowledge and passion to ensure the success of her students and the community.

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The Program

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he Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Process Engineering is designed to prepare students with the technical knowledge and skills in engineering, mathematics, science and management to analyze and solve problems in today’s team-oriented work environment.

Numerous community partners have joined with the University for planning, support, and development of this new program, including: Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Savannah River National Laboratory, AECOM, Savannah River Remediation, Kimberly Clark, BAE Systems, MTU, and Bridgestone. Graduates of the Engineering program will help meet the intellectual and employment needs of large and small companies throughout the region, the state, and the country.

Internship and research opportunities will allow students to apply what they learn in the classroom to real world settings. They will be prepared to oversee, develop, enhance, and design processes found in industry relating to people, products, economics, and knowledge.

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ADMIRAL WILLIAM FALLON

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Military Commander • Cybersecurity Expert

Alum Honors Parents with an Endowed Scholarship

By Robin Callicott

D

uring their annual spring trek north to escape the Florida heat, Nancy and George Kierspe took a detour to their hometown of Aiken.

The reason? Nancy wanted to deliver a check to USC Aiken to endow a scholarship in the name of her parents, Jack and Shirley Hasty.

The Jack and Shirley Hasty Memorial Endowed Scholarship will be awarded annually to a graduate of an Aiken County School, who has documented financial need and academic merit, and plans to pursue an undergraduate degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) major. First preference will be given to an underrepresented student majoring in Engineering.

Nancy and George are both engineers, and she began thinking about the scholarship as she got closer to retirement. “We both feel very blessed to have been able to retire early and travel as we want to. Now’s the time in our lives to give back by volunteering and finding good

recipients for our donations.”

Both Kierspes are graduates of USC Columbia, although Nancy studied for one year at USC Aiken, where she remembers her biology professor, Dr. Donald Thompson, telling her she’d be a great engineer. “I didn’t even know what that was!” she says. “Back then, there wasn’t a lot of encouragement for women to enter the field. I really credit Dr. Thompson for putting the idea in my head.”

Nancy’s father, Jack, was a Baptist minister and her mother, Shirley, was a school teacher who received her Master’s degree from USC Aiken.

In fact, Nancy’s family has strong ties to USC Aiken. In addition to her mother, her dad and her father-in-law were regulars at the Wellness Center, Nancy’s nieces and a nephew attended USC Aiken, and her in-laws, George and Jean Kierspe, established two scholarships themselves at USC Aiken.

Nancy is impressed with the growth and change on campus. “Oh my goodness! It’s unrecognizable in such a wonderful way! And I’m so excited with the timing of all that is coming together with the launch of the new Industrial Process Engineering degree.” The Jack and Shirley Hasty Memorial Scholarship will add to that positive energy. “When I went to school, I got a little help from my parents, but I had to work and find financial aid. I just feel like having a substantial scholarship could have a serious impact in alleviating the financial concern for a student.”

Nancy and George plan to spend the rest of the summer camping in state parks where they can hike, bike and canoe. The highlight will be meeting old friends for a houseboat cruise on a lake in Minnesota. And when they get back to Florida, “We want to get back to volunteering with the church and community programs that work with children. George really enjoys teaching life skills to kids.” And will they ever return to Aiken?

“We talk about it quite a bit. Most of our family is in South Carolina and we talk about working our way back toward Aiken. Maybe in another ten years or so.” And when they do, they’ll always find friends at USC Aiken.

Four-star Admiral, U.S. Navy (retired) and Chairman of cybersecurity company

George and Nancy before New Zealand’s Mt. Cook in March 2016.

CounterTack, William “Fox” Fallon was the first Navy officer to head

SRNS Endows Professorship for New Industrial Process Engineering Program

In response to regional workforce demands, USC Aiken launched a new Industrial Process Engineering Bachelor of Science degree program in the fall of 2015. Savannah River Nuclear Solutions has committed $550,000 to an Endowed Professorship for this program, which will tremendously help with recruiting and retaining the best faculty in this discipline. This gift to USC Aiken is the largest single gift designated for this initiative.

Ms. Carol Johnson, President and CEO of SRNS shared that, “We are proud to partner with USC Aiken on the Industrial Process Engineering initiative. We hope that our contribution will create professional opportunities for our region’s students and faculty, and will strengthen the workforce of the CSRA region and beyond. This gift will bring a unique opportunity to partner with USC Aiken, and we look forward to working more closely with the University.”

U.S. Central Command. Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called him “one of the best strategic thinkers in uniform."

OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR

USC AIKEN • ETHERREDGE CENTER • FEBRUARY 14, 2017 7:30 P.M. • ADMISSION IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

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work focused on ensuring death row clients received a fair trial.

“If you care about justice, it’s hard to find a field in which there’s more injustice than the death penalty,” he said, according to Bonner.

By Leslie Hull-Ryde

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his summer, USC Aiken freshmen learned how S.C. attorney Diana Holt saved the life of an innocent man. Thanks to Holt’s unwavering dedication to justice Edward Lee Elmore’s life was spared, and in March 2012, he walked out the front door of a South Carolina courtroom a free man after 30 years on death row.

Set in Greenwood, S.C., Anatomy of Injustice: A Murder Case Gone Wrong, by Raymond Bonner, chronicles the 1982 death of a wealthy white widow and the subsequent legal journey of Elmore, a black man charged with her murder.

As part of the University’s Critical Inquiry Program (CIP), the book is required reading for all incoming first-year students. “[The CIP] is a required one-credit class that was developed as an introduction to college-level critical thinking skills and information literacy,” said Dr. Michelle Vieyra, a USC Aiken biology professor who directs the University’s critical inquiry program.

“Themes from the book are used to foster discussion and class projects are centered on those book themes. Writing is a part of the CIP class, so students will write a variety of papers related to the book.”

Critical inquiry is the process of gathering and evaluating information, ideas, and assumptions from multiple perspectives to produce well-reasoned analysis and understanding, and leading to new ideas, applications and questions. The CIP, in conjunction with the University’s First Year Reading Experience (FYRE), focuses on developing stronger critical thinking and collaborative learning skills by providing incoming freshmen with structured, but studentdriven, opportunities for creative problem-solving in a group-based context.

Although the book reads like a John Grisham novel— complete with sex, murder, drugs, pride, libel, improper legal conduct, witness intimidation, perjury, missing and compromised evidence, prejudice, politics, religion and redemption—it’s not. Bonner, a former United States Marine Corps judge advocate, assistant district attorney and awardwinning New York Times reporter, details how Elmore was tried, convicted and sentenced to death three times.

Holt became involved with Elmore’s case as an intern at the South Carolina Death Penalty Resource Center in Columbia. While there, the University of Texas second-year law student met John Blume, director of the center, whose

Blume asked intern Holt to look into the Elmore case believing it “reeked of injustice.” She did, and the summer internship started an almost 20-year legal journey which turned into friendship for her, Elmore and the other lawyers on his appellate team: David Bruck, Christopher Jensen and Blume.

While Anatomy of Injustice and the associated class and service projects will be part of the freshman experience throughout the fall semester, members of the Class of 2020 met Holt and Elmore at the Freshman Convocation in August. Holt was the keynote speaker and stayed to sign books and participate in a Q&A with Mr. Elmore.

“After reading Anatomy of Injustice, USC Aiken students will give critical thought to the individuals in this real-life drama,” said Dr. Michael Ritchie.

“We’re going to ask you: ‘What do you think? How do you feel? What would you do?’”

Each year, a USC Aiken interdisciplinary committee Above: Diana Holt addresses the Freshman class during Convocation.

Below: Holt and Elmore sign books for students.

made up of faculty, staff and students chooses the book for the freshman critical inquiry class.

“The main selection criteria are readability and teachability. The book must not be too long and must be interesting, relatable or topical. It needs to have a variety of themes that students and instructors can relate to and investigate more deeply,” said Dr. Vieyra.

Anatomy of Injustice is highly relevant as it describes race relations in the South, and the relation to authority, the constitution and legal system, and one particular pursuit of justice that took 30 years. While the book was selected months ago, the themes are particularly timely as the nation discusses race in America.

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Aiken Jennifer Browne Special Education ’13 James Cushman Business Management ’07

Dimetrius Wilson Exercise Science ’11

Lauren Couls Fine Arts ’08

James Young Geology and Management ’02

Kendall Carter Communication ’05

Hope Branham Communication ’12

Kimberly Kirk Physical Education ’82 Amy Duckett Exercise Science ’15

Summer 2016: The Farmer’s Market in the Alley, Downtown Aiken

Vicki Clark Young English ’00

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By Leslie Hull-Ryde

L

ook around the city of Aiken, the region, even parts of Washington, D.C., and you may see the creative work of a USC Aiken graphic design student.

In Dr. Michael Fowler’s stimulating–and servicebased–introductory graphic design course students acquire and develop the professional skills, technical knowledge, and core values of collaboration, collegiality and citizenship necessary for success in the dynamic and creative advertising and graphic design environment.

“Dr. Fowler’s class is very impactful for any graphic design student. He has his students take the skills they learn in his classroom and apply them to real life scenarios,” said Phylesha Hiers, Class of ’14, fine arts.

And they all got their start in a small class with individualized attention from Fowler.

Two to three times each semester, students work with clients from the community who need assistance with websites, branding, event or organizational logos, and promotional materials. Clients include the Aiken Department of Tourism, Habitat for Humanity, Aiken Technical College, Green Boundary Club, Friends of the Animal Shelter and First Presbyterian Church.

“In addition to providing a service, this is good practical experience for our students,” Fowler said.

“They have to learn how to interpret the client’s vision and practice asking questions, prompting clients to think through what they need and want.”

“Because Dr. Fowler invites real clients in to meet with students and discuss real projects, you get the experience of really working in a graphic design firm.”

Those are definitely skills useful in a variety of careers–not only for the business or communication majors, who typically take the course–but also for the nursing students he sometimes has in class.

Many of his former students now work professionally in the field. Hiers is now a graphic designer in the University Marketing and Communications department at USC Aiken. Others attained positions with Augusta Sports Group, Condé Nast magazine, Riverbanks Zoo, and Pixar Studios.

“This class provided me with the necessary skills I need to work in a large marketing department after graduation. It furthered my success and accomplishments at my current job with UMC when making graphics for the University’s website and social media,” said Lauren Carver, Class of ’18.

Students meet with a client at least three times during a two to four-week period.

During the initial meeting, students learn about the client’s needs, the key audience, the desired colors or themes, the nature of the organization or event, and the preferred medium.

Students then choose to work solo or in pairs to develop designs that fit the client’s needs.

“This gives the client something to look at and respond to so the students don’t have to start from scratch if they didn’t understand the client correctly,” Fowler said.

At the third consultation, students unveil their work to the client and their peers and receive feedback from Fowler and the clients.

“Designing is a process,” Fowler says. “This ‘final’ meeting reminds us of that.”

He says it also give students a chance to learn how to observe their clients, critique fellow presenters and think on their feet when they have to answer questions, explain their design or, in some cases, defend it.

“Because these are real projects for real clients, this is something each of these students can put on their resumes, even if theirs is not the chosen design,” Fowler said.

This invaluable experience not only benefits the students, fosters their academic and professional growth, it also provides a real service–at no cost–to the clients. Fowler estimates that the services his students provide could cost from a couple of hundred to millions of dollars in the graphic design and advertising industry.

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Pacer Athletics News

By Brent Hager

112 Pacers Make the PBC Presidential Honor Roll USC Aiken placed 112 student-athletes on the Peach Belt Conference Presidential Honor Roll of 1,630 student-athletes who received the honor.

The honor roll is divided into four groups: Gold Scholars (GPA 3.75 to 4.0): Tiffany Addison, Felix Asper, David Belfield, Leah Boghosian, Karin Cadwalader, Monica Cardonam, Ettore Damiani, Mathias Degardin, James Doane, Makayla Dudley, Mariah Durian, Bethany Fordham, Julia Forster, Carly Gilreath, Rodrigo Goncalves, Katelyn Grisillo, Alicia Hines, Lauren Howard, Hazel Kelley, Amber Laughinghouse, Jennifer Law, August Lindvall, James Lynch, Sarah Moore, Connor Norton, Clement Raymond, Samuel Schiff, Max Schoen, Nathan Shanko, Kelli Shealy, Dean Smith, Taylor Stratton, Emily Teelon, Katie Toman.

Silver Scholars (GPA 3.5 to 3.74): Hannah Allison, Douglas Ard, Adria Diaz Dalmau, Brye Epley, Brittany Faulkner, Jared Felix, Abby Frick, Christopher Girken, Jaime Gusano, Johnson Holliday, Kimberly Jergenson, Aly Johnson, Johan Jonsson, Cole Lee, Ashley Lind, Sarah Montei, Samantha Peka, Hannah Price, Mason Richardson, Taylor Simmons, Megan Smits, Julien Tan, Hubert Tisserand, Emry Tsitouris.

Bronze Scholars (GPA 3.25 to 3.44): Alejandro Andino, Jenna Beauregard, Keith Belfield, Andre Bernardini, Jordan Brown, Kayla Calvert, Kanishka Chawla, Samantha Chubb, Nicole Cranny, Austin Deal, Ashley Diedrich, Kate Duff, Ryan Dwyer, Jordan Foster, Victoria Giannaccini, Andrew Glover, Trevor Hutto, Brooke Inman, Billy Johns, Carl Knutsson, Samantha Lisek, Daane Mallek, Amanda Mazzie, Danielle Mercer, Taylor Morgan, Axel Ostensson, Casey Rish, Andre Simmond, Jarrel Smalls, Olivia Stiltner, Nadine Tusiama, Alexis Ware, Patrick Wiedemann, Mariana Yamashita.

Presidential Scholars (GPA 3.0 to 3.24): Rachelle Aupont, Stephanie Ball, Sarah Bernos, Andre Brown, Tori Caldwell, Dakota Curtis, Preston Dawson, Hunter Dollander, Edmund Eastick, Shawn Hotson, Brielle Jungblut, Julianne Leduc, Aubrey Lukacsko, Emily May, Sydney Kate Murphy, Jacob Norton, Chaz Pal, Gavin Stephenson, Magan Thrower, Chelsey Watts.

Athletic Hall of Fame The USC Aiken Athletic Department inducted five new members into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in February.

A coach, an administrator and three student-athletes were honored: Dr. William S. Carr (men’s basketball), who was inducted posthumously, Jeff Goff (golf ), Dr. Jim Kauffman (baseball/administrator), Zach Norris (men’s basketball) and Jessica Strickland (softball).

“The committee selected five outstanding people to

be inducted into our Hall of Fame,” Randy Warrick, director of athletics stated. “Each has made their marks in the Pacer history books. All are very deserving of this honor.”

Dr. Carr was one of the pioneers that helped start basketball at USC Aiken. As a volunteer coach, he contributed his time and resources to make USC Aiken basketball a success from 1961-68.

Under his guidance, the Pacers won league championships in 1962 and 1963 while finishing runner-up the following season. Dr. Carr’s 1965-66 team went undefeated during the regular season.

Jeff Goff, a native of Jackson, S.C., was a two-year member of the golf team. He captured the 2008 NCAA Individual National Championship and was tabbed a first-team All-American. Goff earned all-conference and all-region honors and is in the top 10 in USC Aiken history with a career scoring average of 73.78. Goff is 11th in Pacer history for single-season scoring average (73.20) and carded a career-low round of 66.

Dr. Kauffman worked with USC Aiken from 1976-2005. For two years, he volunteered to coach the

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baseball team when USC Aiken considered dropping the program. In 1980, as the Associate Chancellor and Dean of Students, Kauffman coordinated a welcomehome celebration for the NAIA National District 6 Basketball Champions. From 1980-84, he served as the Acting Athletic Director and Athletic Director and was a huge supporter of the women’s teams transition to NAIA District 6.

Dr. Kauffman made several key hires for USC Aiken, including Dru McPherson (women’s basketball) and Glen DeHart (men’s basketball). He also spearheaded the move to add lights to JH Satcher Field. Kauffman served as the Faculty Athletic Representative for five years and is still a Pacer Club member.

Zach Norris was a standout on the basketball team from 1976-80. During his sophomore season, Norris netted 10.6 points per contest.

As a junior, he led the team with 16.1 points per game. During his final season, Norris guided the team to 21 wins, including a 12-3 mark at home. He sparked the Pacers to four wins in the NAIA Tournament.

Jessica Strickland was a four-year letter winner with the softball team from 2006 to 2009. A native of North Charleston, Strickland was a three-time All-American and a four-time first-team all-conference selection. In 2007, Strickland was named the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year.

Strickland is USC Aiken’s career leader in six offensive categories and in the top five of four more. She is also in the top 10 in Peach Belt Conference history for career home runs and RBI.

Chancellor Sandra Jordan and Director of Athletics Randy Warrick honor the 2015-16 Hall of Fame Inductees. (From left: Jeff Goff, Zach Norris, Jessica Strickland and Dr. Jim Kaufman)

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Welcome Coach Miller

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n June 7 Athletic Director Randy Warrick announced that Mark Miller is our new head women's basketball coach.

"Mark is a proven winner every place he has been," Warrick stated.

"He has reached the postseason 10 straight seasons as a head coach and has led his teams to seven NCAA Tournament berths. Mark will come in and do a great job for us. He will also be a great fit in the community."

"Our players and fans are going to enjoy Coach Miller's energy and enthusiasm, said Chancellor Sandra Jordan. His record of winning games against tough opponents speaks for itself, but I was equally impressed by his deep concern for the success of each player on and off the court. We're thrilled to have him out in front of the Pacers and we look forward to working closely with him."

"I'm really excited about the opportunity," Miller said. "USC Aiken is a great place. Aiken is a great fit for my family. I'm excited about everything the school and community presents.”

Miller comes to USC Aiken from Holy Family University. There, he guided his teams to three Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament Championships and six NCAA Tournament appearances. During the 2011-12 season, Miller led his team to the NCAA East Region Championship game. Collectively, he guided Holy Family to two region championship games, three NCAA East Region semifinal berths and an NCAA Tournament first round bid.

Golf Team Claims Highest GPA In Division II

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SC Aiken’s golf team has been named Academic National Champions for Division II, as announced by the GCAA Wednesday afternoon.

It marked the first time in school history that the Pacers have garnered the highest GPA in Division II. A record 208 teams submitted GPAs of 3.00 or higher to earn all-academic team recognition.

To be eligible for GCAA all-academic team honors, a college or university must submit the GPAs for each player on its official squad list for the academic year.

Academic National Champions

Division I - Valparaiso Division II - USC Aiken Division III - UT Dallas NAIA - Embry-Riddle Prescott NJCAA DI - Garden City NJCAA DII – Meridian

All-Academic Team Accolade; 5 Earn Scholar-Athlete Award

By Hannah Allison

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n July The Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced its 2016 Academic Awards and the University of South Carolina Aiken men’s tennis team earned the all-academic team award. Five student-athletes also picked up the ITA scholar-athlete accolade. More than 4,200 scholar-athletes were recognized across all divisions, along with over 700 all-academic teams.

The Pacers’ Mathias Degardin, Ettore Damiani, Jaime Gusano, Clement Raymond and Julien Tan were honored for their academic excellence.

In order to earn ITA Scholar-Athlete status, a player must meet the following criteria: 1) be a varsity letter winner, 2) have a grade point average of at least 3.50 (on a 4.00 scale) for the current academic year, and 3) have been enrolled at their present school for at least two semesters (including freshman through senior year).

Volleyball Team Honored for Academic Excellence

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he USC Aiken volleyball team was one of 762 teams honored by the AVCA with the Team Academic Award for the 2015-16 academic year.

The award honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining a minimum 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale.

The AVCA Team Academic Award has become one of the AVCA’s fastest growing awards programs, seeing an impressive surge in teams honored over the past several years. Since the award’s inception in 1993, the number of award winners has increased from 62 to 762.

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“Each player gave me a bit of insight,” Holliday continued.

“Stephen Boudreau told me to continue playing hard each time out; Hayden Letien reminded me to always believe in myself.

Brandon Robinson-Thompson was a good role model for how one should be.”

Grace Under Pressure

Benefitting from the learning season, Holliday opened his redshirt-freshman season with two straight tournaments under par, including his second-place effort at the season-opening Kiawah Island Invitational where he posted a four-under par, 68.

The 68 also marked a low-round for him for the season, which he tied at the 2015 PBC Championship. Holliday garnered three top-10 finishes on the year and three more in the top 20. His efforts landed him as an all-tournament team selection for the Peach Belt Conference. Holliday also picked up Freshman AllAmerica honors and honorable mention All-America accolades.

“I never envisioned doing so well from the start,” Holliday said.

“I didn’t know what to expect. Even though I redshirted, I didn’t expect to go and play so well after the trouble I’d had in my game the previous two years.

“Playing in every tournament was a blessing,” Holliday continued. “Each tournament was conditioning me to become better under pressure in situations I had never before encountered.

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SC Aiken Pacer Johnson Holliday is a terrific golfer. And he knows a thing or two about how to become one: overcoming adversity, maintaining focus, and especially, keeping priorities in the proper order.

His success is all the sweeter for what he’s faced.

During high school, the Galivants Ferry, S.C., native’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. Given only a 10 percent chance to live, Cheryl Holliday underwent surgery to remove a tumor.

Happily, she beat the cancer and can now be seen watching Holliday, a redshirt-junior, thrive on the golf course. Cheryl Holliday was there to watch her son compete at the Wexford Invitational (where he finished

second with an 11-under par) and at the 19th Annual Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate, where he was the team’s top performer.

Holliday, who had an outstanding junior season at Aynor High School, started having small problems with his game during his senior year and they kept building. “I continually tried to figure out how to make my swing better, putt better and play better – and it flooded into my freshman year at USC Aiken.”

Holliday chose USC Aiken because of the academics. His father owns a business in his hometown and with its solid business program, Holliday thought USC Aiken would be an outstanding fit.

“Everyone told me to pursue Division I, but I talked with a lot

of people and decided USC Aiken was the best fit for me. Under Coach Carlisle, the team plays in a lot of Division I tournaments, has a highly competitive schedule and the school is always in the hunt for a National Championship.”

Recruited into the 2013-2014 team loaded with upperclassmen, Holliday managed to enter his freshman season like several other first-year students. He didn’t have the pressure of competing at tournaments or trying to make the top five each week. Instead, Holliday learned from the older teammates.

“I wouldn’t have been comfortable playing as a freshman,” Holliday said. “I was able to get a solid base of academics. I worked on my game and sought advice from the upperclassmen on the team.

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It was much tougher than playing junior golf or amateur events.”

The 2014-15 squad featured Holliday and two-time AllAmerican in Robinson-Thompson, but with the departure of three seniors from last year’s team, Holliday’s role on the team changed for the third straight season.

Injury threatened to change his plans. Forced to lay off anything golf-related over the summer, Holliday didn’t swing a golf club until a couple of weeks before the season started.

“It was weird because heading into this season, I didn’t have high expectations because I was hurt all summer,” Holliday stated.

“When I was preparing for our first tournament, I was trying to get a feel and started playing really well. That kept my confidence up.

“It also helped me separate myself from where I was before. I started becoming a leader on the team,” Holliday said.

The leadership skills he learned from older team members have served him well in his leadership role on the squad comprised of one junior, one redshirt-sophomore, a sophomore, two redshirtfreshmen and one true freshman.

“The only way to be a leader is to know that our main goal is to win a National Championship,” Holliday said. “I continue to let everyone know that golf isn’t everything. We need to enjoy the game and the process of getting better.”

Holliday has built strong bonds with his teammates and treats them like family, even inviting them to Galivants Ferry for Thanksgiving.

With the support of his teammates and his family, Holliday should continue to excel this season and the next two before hopefully turning pro.

But if things get difficult on the links, Holliday can run his hands over top of the belt that his mother made for him when she was sick, helping him remember what’s really important will get him through.

The USC Aiken Men’s Golf Team was named Academic National Champions for Division II. See story on page 44.

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USCA MAGAZINE / FALL 2016

A Message from the Alumni Council President

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s the new president of the USC Aiken Alumni Council, I am excited to share the progress our alumni leadership has made this past year, particularly as it relates to alumni chapters, engagement and networking opportunities at alumni events, and volunteering for your alma mater. Some points of pride include: The University of South Carolina Aiken was ranked #1 among top public regional colleges in the South in the 2016 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s guide, “America’s Best Colleges.” This is the eleventh time the university has been honored with this award.

In addition to the Midlands Chapter, USC Aiken introduced two new alumni chapters, the Aiken Chapter and the GeorgiaLina Chapter.

The Alumni Council helped to raise over $15,000 this past year for student scholarships. The USC Aiken Golf Classic raised nearly $10,000, The Pacers and Polo Silent Auction raised $4,392, while the first annual Double Knot Trail Trot was held on September 19, 2015 and raised over $1,000.

How do you like the new format of our USC Aiken Alumni Magazine? I hope you will agree that the alumni magazine has a more professional look and feel to it, and that you’ll enjoy the articles and class notes. The University will begin publishing two issues per year, and I encourage you to share your latest family, career, and volunteer information for the Class Notes section.

As always, the University appreciates your input. For more information on volunteering, giving or feedback, please visit usca.edu/alumni, or email Randy Duckett, Director of Alumni Relations at Randyd@usca.edu.

Thank you!

Jacob Cook

Class of 1970

CLASS NOTES

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Martha (Garrison) Morris (secretarial science) “Enjoying retirement immensely. Spend time exercising and chauffeuring grandchildren. The photo was taken just after a haircut donating hair to Children Without Hair.”

Class of 1979 Craig M Wheeland, Ph.D. (history) Promotion/New Job: Villanova University appointed Wheeland Vice Provost for Academics in January 2016. “I started at Villanova as an Assistant Professor in 1990, became an Associate Professor in 1996 and a Full Professor in 2006.

For the past 10 years I have enjoyed working as a member of the University’s leadership team and I am deeply grateful to continue to serve in my new role.”

Class of 1981 Dru Nix After 21 years, Nix stepped down from her position as associate commissioner with the S.C. High School League at the end of June. Nix oversaw five different sports during her tenure. A native of Aiken, she was an accomplished athlete at Aiken High and went on to play two sports at USC Aiken.

She was MVP for the volleyball and basketball teams and was part of USC Aiken’s Hall of Fame class in 2009. After graduation, Nix had a short stint as USC Aiken’s volleyball and basketball coach, leading the teams to district titles.

Class of 1989 Debbie Rodgers Poole (early childhood education) Promotion/New Job: Poole was named principal of New Providence Elementary School in Lexington School District One in September 2015. Poole taught at Ridge Spring— Monetta Elementary in Aiken County from 1989-2002 before going to Lexington County School District One. She taught at Oak Grove Elementary before being named as assistant principal at New Providence Elementary in 2008.

She and her husband, Larry, live in Batesburg with their two daughters, Sarah and Beth.

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Class of 1995

Class of 2003

Timothy B. Gamble (business administration – management) Happy Retirement! After a service connected disability retirement from the US Navy Gamble went to work for an industrial gas company earning his degree while working in Aiken. Progressive promotions led to his role as International Manager of Safety, Quality and Environmental Control.

Gamble says, “My Bachelor’s degree from USCA had a definitive impact on both my professional and personal life.”

Mr. James (Jamie) R. Matthews (business administration) Promotion: James R. Matthews, II, CPA (Jamie) became a partner at McGregor and Company, LLP on May 1, 2016. He received his Masters of Accountancy degree from USC in 2004 and his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from USC Aiken in 2003. He started with the firm as an intern in 2003 while in graduate school, joining the professional staff in 2004. Jamie received his certification as a Public Accountant in 2008. Jamie is based at the firm’s Columbia office and has provided audit, review, compilation, tax and consulting services to the firm’s clients for the past 12 years, developing a concentration in automotive dealerships, wholesale distributors, construction companies, closely held businesses, and school districts.

Class of 1996 Mr. Loren Saxton (psychology) Promotion/New Job: Saxton was recently added to T-Mobile, USA and their Plano, TX office as a Senior Enterprise IT Compliance Analyst. He recently added two certifications to his skillset: ISACA’s Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and also the Certified in Risk and Information Security Controls (CRISC). He became a Microsoft Certified Professional in 2004

Class of 2005 Kendall Carter (communication) Promotion/New Job: “I am working for the Training and Business Development Office at Aiken Technical College as a Solution Advisor. In this role, I am responsible for managing relationships with clients to conduct discovery meetings, uncover training opportunities, and work with the ATC staff to develop and deliver customized training and continuing education programs for clients.”

Class of 2001 Kathy Brantley (communication) Brantley is in her 14th year as a member of the USC Aiken Admissions staff, is enrolled in the new STEM MBA program, and is now a grandmother of three.

Kathy Brantley welcoming her newest grandchild, Libby Welty, along with Leif and Lily Welty, Libby’s big brother and sister.

Henry O’Neal Crider, Jr. (business administration) Promotion/New Job: Crider has been promoted from Manager to Senior Manager effective June 1, 2016. Crider joined McGregor’s professional staff in 2005 after an internship. He received his B.S. in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from USC Aiken in 2005 and became a Certified Public Accountant in 2013. Neal works in the Barnwell office and performs both audit and tax services for the firm’s clients in nonpublic, governmental and non-profit sectors. A graduate of the SCACPA Leadership institute, Crider has served on several committees with SCACPA. He is a member of the Aiken Young Professionals (AYP) where he enjoys networking with local business leaders. He also serves on the governing board of the Family and Marriage Coalition of Aiken (FAMCO).

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Class of 2007

Ruslyn Daves (business management) Daves graduated this past May from Mercer’s Walter F. George School of Law. “Also, I am getting married this November 5, 2016. It has been a busy past few years!”

Jon Cub Paul (business management) Congratulations to the Pauls who recently celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary at Disney World.

Class of 2010

Class of 2013

Anthony Donell Langford, Jr. (communication) Promotion/New Job: Langford is now a RESEA (Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessments) Representative with the South Carolina Department of Employment & Workforce in Columbia, S.C.

Rachel Knight (communication) Promotion/New Job: Knight has taken a new position as the Development Director at Trident Literacy Association in Charleston, SC.

Class of 2015

The day of Langford’s big interview.

Class of 2011 William Blake Leaphart (business management) Promotion/New Job: Leaphart is now a Continuous Improvement Analyst with Savannah River Nuclear Solutions at SRS.

Ms. Amy Duckett (exercise and sports science) New Job: After graduating from USC Aiken, Duckett moved to Greenville, SC and worked as a traveling Exercise Physiologist.

“For three months, I traveled throughout the southeast performing stress tests on firefighters. In December of 2015, I moved back to Aiken and took a job as a Cardiology Technician at Carolina Heart and Vascular—where I’ve been for the last 6 months. I love my job! And I love working across the street from the school that gave me so many tools for success!”

Share your news with us usca.edu/alumni/spotlight/share-your-news.dot

Christina (Dirks) Berkshire (fine arts) “Berkshire Guitars, the business my husband runs with his father, recently relocated to the corner of 5th St. and Telfair St. in Downtown Augusta. It has been a great move so far, with more room in the shop for both custom guitars and new equipment. They continue to offer the CSRA’s only full-service guitar & stringed instrument repair and they maintain their high quality of work in this great historic Augusta building. I am so proud of them!”

@USCAiken @USCAiken /USCAiken The new Berkshire Guitars building on the corner of 5th and Telfair in Downtown Augusta, GA.

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In Memoriam: Family and Friends of USC Aiken FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY Sandra Lynn Arnott ‘94 March 18, 2016 Mrs. Virginia N. Bahnmuller November 3, 2015 Mrs. Anne S. Barham May 11, 2016 Mr. William R. Bishop February 26, 2016 The Honorable Sol Blatt, Jr. April 20, 2016 Mrs. Norma J. Boatwright ‘83 April 14, 2016 Mr. Jerry Cantrell March 18, 2016 Ms. Polly H. Chapman November 1, 2015 Mr. John M. Coleman March 15, 2016 Ms. Barbara E. Couch ‘92 April 29, 2016 Ms. Edna S. Dales April 11, 2016 Dr. Connie L. Davis November 30, 2015 Mrs. Anne P. Elliott June 24, 2016 Mr. C. LaVaun Fox June 23, 2016 Ms. Margaret N. Fussell ‘05 October 30, 2015 Mr. James Gamble February 10, 2016 Mr. Clifford R. Gardner January 22, 2016 Mrs. Ann S. Gordon February 11, 2016 Mr. Andrew J. Grodzicki October 27, 2015

Mr. Lucius D. Hand ’92, ’82, & ’74 September 5, 2015

Mr. Edward N. Rich November 20, 2015

Mrs. Shirley H. Hasty ’77 January 10, 2016

Dr. James W. Harrison June 18, 2016

Mr. William George Riehl ’10 November 24, 2015

Mrs. Lillie Brock Kight ’72 December 28, 2015

Mrs. Shirley H. Hasty ’77 January 10, 2016

Ms. Jill H. Ryon December 24, 2015

Mr. Ricky Charles Patterson ’96 September 24, 2015

Mrs. Lisa Hosang March 20, 2016

Mr. Richard C. Shank April 22, 2016

Ms. Carlene B. Proctor ’93 February 12, 2016

Mr. C. F. Johnson March 17, 2016

Ms. Lillian Stevenson ’90 October 10, 2015

Mr. William George Riehl ’10 November 24, 2015

Mr. John Legare Jones May 4, 2016

Dr. Arch W. Templeton February 23, 2016

Mr. Carlos Bernard Starlings ’02 January 18, 2016

Ms. Miquela H. Keating October 4, 2015

Ms. Harriet Celeste Toole September 14, 2015

Ms. Lillian Stevenson ’90 October 10, 2015

Mrs. Vera R. Keisler February 27, 2016

Mr. Andrew E. Torrence, Sr. November 29, 2015

Mrs. Jennifer S. Taylor ’81 July 1, 2015

Mr. George R. Kierspe July 20, 2015

Mr. Peter F. Van Zile June 25, 2016

Dr. Ingrid C. Kupprat April 16, 2016

Dr. Niren M. Vyas February 22, 2016

RETIREES Dr. Martha Lillian “Marty” Hursey July 12, 2016

Mr. Henry S. Laffitte December 31, 2015

Mr. Benson Weeks January 20, 2016

Mr. William R. Mills July 20, 2015

Mrs. Louise W. Williams April 20, 2016

Mr. James E. Mock October 17, 2015

Dr. Charles H. Witten July 21, 2015

Professor Linda C. Owens April 17, 2016 Mrs. Claudia Waites Peeples September 16, 2015 Mr. Albert H. Peters, Jr. June 18, 2016 Ms. Patricia B. Phelps April 8, 2016 Mr. Dan J. Ratchford January 6, 2016 Mr. Herman A. Reeves July 24, 2015

What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.

—Albert Pike

Mrs. Ann S. Gordon February 11, 2016 Professor Linda C. Owens April 17, 2016 Dr. Niren M. Vyas February 22, 2016

ALUMNI Sandra Lynn Arnott ’94 March 18, 2016 Mrs. Norma J. Boatwright ’83 April 14, 2016 Ms. Barbara E. Couch ’92 April 29, 2016 Ms. Margaret N. Fussell ’05 October 30, 2015 Ms. Carolyn Fulmer Garner ’83 August 14, 2015 Mr. Lucius D. Hand ’92, ’82, ‘74 September 5, 2015

Photograph by Michael St. John Orvieto, Italy Summer 2016

University Advancement 471 University Parkway Aiken, SC 29801

USC AIKEN HOMECOMING JANUARY 21, 2017

Reconnect, Reunite, and Reminisce REGISTER ONLINE AT USCA.EDU/ALUMNI