2010 - 2011
Table of Contents
Executive Summary 3 Introduction Impact 4 Co-Curricular Initiatives Community Service Programs 5 Alternative Break Service Trips 7 Student Organizations 10 Greek Organizations 15 University Housing and Residence Life 18 TRIO Programs - Opportunity Scholars 19 Outdoor Recreation 19 Student Athletes 20 Academic Initiatives Service-Learning Office of Undergraduate Research 21 College of Arts and Sciences 23 College of Education 23 Law School 23 Medical School 26 Moore School of Business 26 School of Library and Information Science Cancer Research Center of USC 27 English Programs for Internationals 27 Campus Partners Carolina Dining 30 Academic Enrichment and Conferences 30 University Housing 30 United Way Campaign 30 Service Honors and Awards National Awards 31 Campus Awards 31
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Table of Contents
Introduction Each year, University of South Carolina students, faculty, and staff take their time and talents beyond the classroom to benefit the community through service. This report summarizes these service projects and partnerships undertaken by members of the University of South Carolina (USC) Columbia campus during the 2010-2011 academic year. Due to the variety and extent of the service contributions made by various branches of the university, this listing is not exhaustive, but it reflects the deep commitment to community engagement demonstrated by faculty, students and staff alike. USC has identified teaching, research, and service as the three core tenants of the USC primary mission. The USC mission statement expounds on this value of service: Another important facet of the University’s public mission is service to its community, state, nation, and the world in such areas as public health, education, social issues, economic development, and family support systems. Founded in 1801 in Columbia, the University of South Carolina began providing programs in communities statewide in the 1950s and 1960s. At that time, a network of campuses was established in response to community initiative and support for accessible, affordable educational programs principally for local citizens (Approved by the Board of Trustees, June 30, 2004). According to the 2009 National Survey of Student Engagement Data, 64% of USC students surveyed have participated in community service since enrolling at the university and another 21% plan some service involvement before graduation. The Division of Student Affairs and Department of Academic Support fosters student engagement through providing enriching educational experiences. One of the seven major goals in their 2010 Blueprint for Service Excellence is to, “improve student progress and persistence to degree completion by increasing student engagement in campus life and by providing and supporting essential programs, services, and educational activities that lead to student success and satisfaction.” Organized service efforts at the university began in 1989 with the establishment of the Office of Community Service. Located in the Department of Student Life, the mission of Community Service Programs is: To promote volunteer service as an integral part of the educational values of the University of South Carolina. We cultivate programs that foster university engagement within the larger community that emphasize a deep commitment to learning through reflection. Through the integration of community service programs across the curriculum and co-curriculum, we strive to prepare students for a lifetime of community leadership and responsible citizenry (Revised May 2007).
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Introduction
Impact The USC community’s service contributions were as varied as the many skills and interests of its members. Volunteers were involved in hands-on community service, philanthropic fundraising, community-based research, service-learning, and advocacy initiatives. During 2010-2011, a reported 23,895 students, faculty and staff participated in volunteer service, donating 331,836 service hours to the community. These groups include student affairs departments, student organizations, academic departments, service-learning courses, and campus partners. In addition, the Carolina community made philanthropic donations to the community reported at $1,099,613, for a total economic impact of $6,584,862**. In addition, an estimated 77,483 pounds of food, 30,000 pounds of household goods, and 229,574 pounds of recyclables were collected by various service initiatives across campus. These were considerable contributions for which monetary values were difficult to determine, but their impact on the community and environment was certainly significant.
23,895 USC Volunteers • 331,836 service hours • $1,099,613 in donations
total impact: $6,584,862
* Estimate based on 2009 value of volunteer time in South Carolina at $ $16.53 per hour as determined by the Independent Sector http://www.independentsector.org/volunteer_time ** Report statistics based on voluntary submissions from USC partners as of August 15, 2011. For more information on how to contribute to future reports, contact Community Service Programs at (803) 777-3197.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Impact
Co-Curricular Initiatives Community Service Programs
Services & Partnerships Community Service Programs (CSP) provides resources to help students, faculty and staff become connected to the community. Consultations are available to help identify an appropriate volunteer placement at over 100 nonprofit agencies in the Columbia area. The CSP website, www.sa.sc.edu/communityservice, highlights upcoming service opportunities features a non-profit agency database. Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to subscribe to the Serve Carolina listserv, which distributes a weekly newsletter each Wednesday. Service Opportunity Fair In order to increase student’s awareness of volunteer opportunities, CSP sponsors the Service Opportunity Fair during the opening of the fall and spring semesters. Students had the opportunity to to meet representatives from 45 non-profit organizations in the fall and 34 organizations in the spring at this the information fair located at the Russell House University Union. Service Saturday Program In 2010-2011, the program engaged 827 participants at six monthly events. Service Saturdays partnered with 25 different non-profits to complete 39 projects. Student organizations and academic classes were given the opportunity to serve together. America Reads This federal work study program engaged 21 USC students in five local elementary schools. Students worked 4,200 hours to increase literacy skills at Bradley Elementary, Hyatt Park Elementary, Logan Elementary, South Kilbourne Elementary, and St. Martin de Porres Catholic School. Carolina Cares Each year in the month of November, CSP and the Carolina Service Council co-sponsor the Carolina Cares holiday drive. In 2010, USC students, faculty, and staff adopted 28 Nurturing Center families; in these families, as many as nine children in a single family had their gift wish lists fulfilled. In addition, approximately 800 stockings were filled with small gifts for low-income children through the Salvation Army. These accomplishments were recognized at the 56th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, which celebrated USC’s spirit of service with a beautiful holiday tree on the historic Horseshoe.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
“While my time in the classroom has given me the education necessary to be successful, it is my time in the community- working to understand the needs of its people- that has given me perspective.” Jennifer Conner Carolina Service Council President
MLK Day of Service
Sponsored in partnership with the Carolina Service Council, this 14th annual event held on the MLK Holiday allowed 515 students, faculty, and staff to join to honor Dr. King’s life and legacy through service to the community. After
Mrs. Pastides commissioned the Day of Service, participants were sent to work
at one of 27 non-profit sites. When volunteers arrived at their site they were introduced to the mission and services of the agency. At the end of the project,
student site leaders lead a closing reflection, which encouraged participants to consider ways to continue being active in the community. In 2011, a new
“Celebrate MLK” event series was coordinated to recognize the legacy of Dr. King beyond MLK Day of Service. The series included discussion forums
and engaging speakers through partnerships with USC faculty and the EMPOWER student organization. The culminating event, open to the public, featured Harold White, a former athletics administrator at USC, who shared his account of transitions following the campus’s integration. Through this unique series, the Carolina community was empowered to remember the past and share dreams of the future. Gamecocks Giving Back
On September 15, 2010, the Gamecocks Giving Back Service Pledge was launched to encourage student to
complete at least 10 hours of service in 2010-2011. 585 students signed the pledge and were added to the Serve Carolina Listserv to receive weekly information about current volunteer opportunities.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Community Service Intern Program
Five undergraduate students were selected to serve as Community Service Interns to support the mission of Community Service Programs during the 2010 – 2011 academic year. Major accomplishments included:
• Continuation of the weekly Serve Carolina Newsletter to increase awareness of service opportunities.
• Planning, promotion, and facilitation of 21 different weekday “Fill the Van” weekday service projects
The total number subscribed to the Serve Carolina listserv (2,843) increased by 109% over 2009-2010.
throughout the year with 163 student participants. The number of projects offered and participation increased by 25% over 2009-2010%. These projects exposed students to diverse community needs while helping non-profits
on issues including improving the environment, education, poverty, community health, and animals. Participants reported feeling that they made a positive contribution to the community, learning about the organization where they served, and planning to participate in future community service at USC.
• Coordination of a student-led awareness dialogue, “The Hangover: USC Edition,” which focused on
alcohol abuse among college students and had 90 student attendees. Partnerships for the program included the
Office of Substance Abuse Prevention and Education (which provided planning support and speaker), Capstone Residence Hall (which provided publicity and sponsored free refreshments), and the Capstone Scholars Program
(which counted the program as a Capstone Conversation for their students). Graduate students in the Higher Education and Student Affairs program served as co-facilitators with the undergraduate interns to lead discussion groups to have an educational dialogue with student attendees about alcohol issues.
• Development of an awareness dialogue called “Waiting for Superman: Searching for Heroes in
Education,” which examined the South Carolina education system. An interactive panel discussion included USC
faculty from the Education Department, along with representatives from Teach for America, Cocky’s Reading
Express, and City Year. The 97 attendees not only learned about these critical issues, but also what they can do to help through advocacy and volunteerism. This event was part of Greek Week sponsored by the Greek Life Programming Board.
• Celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps with “Gamecocks in the Peace Corps: 50 Years
of Impact,” an interactive event that allowed attendees to talk with University of South Carolinagraduate students,
staff, faculty and alumni about their Peace Corps experiences and hear about international needs in the areas of social work, public health, business, and education.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Alternative Break Trips
Instead of traveling to sandy beaches or relaxing at home with family and friends, a growing percentage of USC
students spent their time away from school on an Alternative Break Service Trip. This past year trip, locations ranged from Detroit to El Salvador and were focused on a wide range of issues. Participants on these trips were provided with excellent opportunities to learn about community needs, develop team-work skills, and reflect on
their personal values.
Fall Break Cultural Preservation in Eastern Tennessee • 10 students, 1 staff • Projects: preserving the environment and learning about rural Appalachia • Partnership with the Cherokee Nation • Sponsored by Community Service Programs, Department of Student Life Hurricane Relief, New Orleans, LA • 42 students, 3 staff • Projects: repaired homes damaged by hurricane Katrina • Sponsored by Methodist Student Network, Carolina Campus Ministry Winter Break Home Repair, Johns Island, SC • 10 students, 2 staff • Projects: repaired low-income homes, cut firewood for those without heat • Partnership with Rural Mission • Sponsored by Methodist Student Network, Carolina Campus Ministry Spring Break Promoting Community Wellness, Auachuapan, El Salvador • 23 students, 3 staff • Projects: Provided dental, medical, and pharmaceutical services to 700 patients, constructed a home, led children’s programs for 100 youth • Sponsored by Methodist Student Network, Carolina Campus Ministry
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Community Development, Ensenada, Mexico • 12 students, 1 staff • Projects: Facilitated home repair and worked at an afterschool program and a shelter for battered women and their children • Partnership with Lantern Hill and Dobson Volunteer Service Program • Sponsored by Lutheran Campus Ministry, Carolina Campus Ministry Community Development, Petersfield, Jamaica • 10 students, 1 staff, 1 faculty • Projects: Taught in schools, worked on construction projects to assist local Association of Clubs • Students enrolled in JOUR 463A: Culture Communications, and Community • Partnership with Amizade • Sponsored by Preston Residential College in collaboration with USC Office of Study Abroad Community Development, Cruz Verde, Dominican Republic • 9 students, 1 staff • Projects: Facilitated after school child instruction and built and painted homes while living with host families • Partnership with Sister Island Project • Sponsored by Carolina Service Council, student service organization City Revitalization in Detroit, Michigan • 11 students, 2 staff • Projects: Demolished abandoned properties, painted artwork for city beautification, cleaned organization headquarters • Partnership with Motor City Blight Busters • Sponsored by Carolina Service Council, student service organization Youth Services Opportunity Project, Washington, DC • 10 students, 1 staff • Projects: Tutored and mentored elementary school students in afterschool program, facilitated educational program for students on understanding homelessness, volunteered at non-profit for homeless young adults on various projects including organizing clothing donations, health care kits, and helping individuals apply for jobs • Sponsored by Community Service Programs, Department of Student Life
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Soddy-Daisy, TN • 9 students, 1 staff • Projects: building and repairing part of the Cumberland Trail • Sponsored by Community Service Programs, Department of Student Life Murphy, NC • 10 students, 1 staff • Projects: restoring a section of the Hiwassee River watershed in North Carolina • Sponsored by Community Service Programs, Department of Student Life Maymester Community Church Development, Harlem, NY • 20 students, 2 staff • Projects: supported the work of local church through painting, gutting of a room for refurbishment, demolishing a building to create a parking lot, and trash pick-up • Partnership with Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church • Sponsored by Methodist Student Network, Carolina Campus Ministry Community Outreach, Nicaragua • 24 students, 4 staff • Spent time mentoring children, sponsored sports activities, led surveys, and partnered with local churches to assist with their ministries • Sponsored by Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Carolina Campus Ministry Service-Learning in Latin America, Ecuador • 20 students, 2 staff • Projects: two week cultural program included several days of service tutoring and mentoring the street children of Quito, Ecuador • As part of the class, 15 students also bundled books and helped with landscaping at the Tender Years Development Center in South Carolina • Students enrolled in COLA 298: Service Learning in Latin America • Sponsored by Capstone Scholars Program in collaboration with USC Office of Study Abroad Summer • Several students chose to volunteer abroad or participate in a service learning program in a foreign country, including South Africa, Tanzania, India, and other locations worldwide, over their summer break.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Dobson Volunteer Service Program
The Dobson Volunteer Service Program at the University of South Carolina provides funding support for students,
faculty and staff members to engage in direct service activities, both locally and abroad. The program underwrites
up to 50% of approved expenses for individuals and groups. Applicants must provide a description of their intended service and outline how the service will be of help to the population served, how it will complement their academic program, and the impact it may have on their spiritual development. They also complete a report and several presentations to community groups on their work. During 2010-2011 academic year, the Dobson Program funded 85 USC students, faculty, and staff on service trips.
Student Organizations
Carolina student organizations showed their commitment to helping others by organizing a variety of community service and philanthropy projects in 2010-2011. Many student organizations also hosted speakers on campus
to raise awareness of certain social issues. This report focuses on the actions taken by students to respond to community need.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Alpha Phi Omega • This fraternity works to ensure the safety of students by providing free escort transportation anywhere on campus during late night hours on weekdays. The group has also developed a relationship with St. Lawrence Place by volunteering with their afterschool programs and hosting a field day. To meet service requirements of 40 hours each semester, members help with a variety of other programs including Harvest Hope, Pets Inc., Hannah House, and Special Olympics. Carolina Service Council • Led A Thousand Thanks letter writing campaign for soldiers overseas resulting in over 1,200 supportive letter and cards. • Sponsored National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week in October, including a panel of speakers discussing the challenges facing South Carolina residents. • Planned a field day for Family Connection of SC, a community group that supports children with special needs and their families. • Coordinated Gamecocks Helping Japan T-Shirt sales with proceeds of $6,384 donated to the American Red Cross. Partnerships included Campus Media (t-shirt design), Residence Hall Association (t-shirt funding), Russell House Information Desk (distribution and donation collection), and Community Service Programs (overall l advisement). • Coordinated Valentine’s party and games for women and children at Hannah House transitional housing facility. • Raised over $120 for UNICEF by reverse trick-or-treating on Greene Street at Halloween. • Coordinated smaller monthly service programs, including service afternoons at St. Andrews Kids Café, Pets Inc., and other locations. • Staffed the kick-off event for the Pounds for the Pantry weight loss program sponsored by Campus Wellness by registering participants, helping with games, and assisting with set-up. • Organized National Volunteer Week celebration featuring a different service opportunity for students each day for one week in April. • Planned Serve Carolina Workshop to provide students with resources for planning and implementing independent service projects. • Sponsored Oxfam Hunger Banquet to educate USC students on world food inequality and poverty, featuring a guest speaker from Harvest Hope Food Bank • In collaboration with the university administration and Carolina Dining, spearheaded “Let’s Talk Trash” awareness campaign to promote campus cleanliness and sustainability through events like a library trash pickup and classroom trash raids. Students received information about how waste impacts the environment as well as reusable water bottles, wristbands, and T-shirts for participation in trivia contests, trash bag races, and other activities. • Co-sponsored MLK Day of Service and Carolina Cares Holiday Drive (see Community Service Program section for full descriptions). • Co-sponsored Canned Creations at Homecoming (see Homecoming Commission for full description). • Sponsored Alternative Break Service Trips to Detroit and Dominican Republic (see Alternative Breaks section). 12
2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Club Tennis Team • Members assisted the South Carolina Special Olympics by coaching in the disc golf segment at Seven Oaks Park once a week. Members also traveled with Special Olympics team members to the Midwinter games at the Citadel in Charleston and coached them during competition. Colleges Against Cancer • This nationwide collaboration of college students, faculty, and staff dedicated to eliminating cancer works to support the programs and mission of the American Cancer Society through advocacy, cancer education, and survivorship. CAC hosted several cancer education events on campus, coordinated visits to patients undergoing treatment at local hospitals, and celebrated survivors at Relay for Life. • At USC’s Relay for Life, an all night fundraiser for cancer research and patient services, 1,300 students, faculty and staff on 67 teams raised $85,555 in 2011. Dance Marathon • Dance Marathon at the University of South Carolina is the largest student-run philanthropy on campus. It is an annual 24-hour, no-sitting, no-sleeping event held in February. It celebrates the culmination of efforts to raise financial and emotional support for the patients of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital, located in Columbia, SC. In 2011, 650 USC student dancers raised $160,584.05 in donations. In addition to the event itself, Dance Marathon held a 5K, Lip Sync Competition, Battle of the Bands, and Community Gala throughout the year to raise funds for Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital. Girls on the Run of Columbia • This afterschool program prepares girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. The girls train for a 5k race while participating in experiential lessons related to physical, social and emotional health. During the 2010-2011 year, 29 students and 3 staff members served as volunteer coaches. An additional 15 students aided with administrative duties and special events.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Homecoming Commission • Canned Creations is an annual canned food drive that most recently has taken place during the week of Homecoming as a competitive event for student organizations. Construction of each creation, built entirely of non-perishable food, takes place on Greene Street in front of the Russell House. Judging is based on adherence to homecoming theme, esthetics, presentation, and overall design. All cans are collected and donated to Harvest Hope Food Bank, with an estimated 8, 247 pounds donated in 2010. Sponsored in collaboration with Carolina Service Council. Lutheran Campus Ministry • 2 students and 1 staff member attended Gulf Atlantic Lutheran Student Movement fall service retreat in Aiken, SC to work with local organization Lutherans Acting to Correct Housing (LATCH) to repair and build homes • Planned and participated in youth activities once a month at Epworth Children’s Home • Staffed Methodist Youth Basketball Tournament hosted by Epworth Children’s Home • Served breakfast for the homeless on Sundays at Trinity Episcopal Church • Volunteered for a day with Habitat for Humanity McNair Scholars Association • Made cards for terminally ill children at Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital through the Isaac’s Friends charity that were distributed the week of Valentine’s Day. • Organized a clothing drive to collect donations for Goodwill. Methodist Student Network • Organized fundraising effort for continued relief efforts in Haiti around the one-year anniversary of the earthquake • Sold crafts to raise money for a scholarship for an Angolan student • Helped with Epworth Children Home’s fund raising BBQ sale in the spring • Taught English as a second language classes to adults in the Brookland area as part of the West Metro Hispanic Ministry • Sent regular volunteers to St. Lawrence Place to tutor and mentor at risk elementary and middle school children in their after school program • Sent regular volunteers to tutor Latino students at BC Grammar School to help them towards English proficiency • Sent volunteers each weekday to serve food, befriend and interact with the patrons at the Washington Soup Cella • Went Christmas caroling at C.M. Tucker Nursing Care Center • Served food at the city’s Winter Shelter • Organized donations to the Oliver Gospel Mission Food Pantry
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Pan-African Student Association (PANASA) • Dressed in traditional African clothes, brought props from members’ home countries, and gave small presentations to children in kindergarten through second grade at A.C. Moore Elementary School’s International Day. Presbyterian Student Association • Served meals at the Washington Street United Methodist Church Soup Cellar and at the Salvation Arm throughout the academic year. • Led games and crafts at AC Moore Elementary School’s Fall Festival and Columbia College’s BooRiffic Children’s Festival. Shandon College Ministry of Shandon Baptist Church • Sponsored Food for the Heart donation drive to collect and sort cans of food for Harvest Hope Food Bank. • Facilitated a Halloween Party for Epworth children including candy and games. • Organized LoveLoud service day at Meadowfield Elementary including painting and landscaping. • Sold programs at high school championship playoffs and final to raise funds for “The Hannah Sobeski Movie,” a film about a 17-year-old’s battle with cancer and her inspiring story • Made Valentine’s Day cards with the elderly at Agape Senior Center Society for Human Resources Management • The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) held a clothing drive to collect professional and business attire for those in need and looking for employment opportunities. SHRM members were involved in publicizing the weeklong drive, collecting clothing, and delivering donations to Goodwill. Student Government • Volunteered and helped recruit additional volunteers for Cocky’s Reading Express events. Cocky’s Reading Express is a SC literacy program. • Generated over $1500 for student scholarships through sales of the Carolina T, Student Government’s first t-shirt selling fundraiser. • Organized multiple grocery bag collection drives for Harvest Hope Food Bank to collect over 29 pounds of plastic bags used in providing local impoverished families with food. • Compiled a handout of all of the religious organizations and meeting places on campus to promote awareness of the diverse religions on campus and assist students in finding an organization that fosters their faith.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Student Society of Health-System Pharmacy During American Pharmacist’s Month in October, the organization visited the Williams Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center to interact with the veteran population and increase awareness of pharmacy services in the community and hospital setting. Students worked in shifts for a week to hand out informational pamphlets to veterans and discuss relevant health topics, including immunizations and influenza, diabetes, heartburn, and hypertension. This service project improved patient interaction and counseling skills for students from all pharmacy classes, from first years to third years, increased awareness within the community of pharmacists’ role in the healthcare team, and provided patients with information about chronic disease states and the therapies available to manage them. Waverly Center • The Waverly Center is a student-run non-profit focused on providing mentoring and tutoring services for young students in the Lower Waverly neighborhood. During 2010-2011, the group expanded its reach to include programming at the St. Martin De Porres School. In October, the students organized a field trip to Riverbanks Zoo. The group also initiated a public health fair led at St. Martin De Porres that included instruction on healthy eating, exercise planning,diabetes, and smoking prevention.
Greek Life
Greek Life at USC has a strong tradition of service and philanthropy. During the 2010-2011 academic year, 4,416 Greek students contributed an estimated 126,872 service hours and $ 575,521.60 to the community. In additional to individual projects and philanthropies, the Greek Programming Board sponsored several additional service projects: Carolina/Clemson Blood Drive • This 26th annual blood drive competition between USC and Clemson takes place the week prior to the rival football game. This year USC collected 4,036 pints of blood, beating Clemson yet again. This blood drive is now the largest collegiate blood drive in the country. The Blood Drive team also organized a spring blood drive during Greek Week, which collected an additional 78 pints of blood. Trick or Treat with the Greeks • The Boys and Girls Club of Columbia, along with Carolina faculty and staff families were invited to the Greek Village for this annual event. Children had the opportunity to play games and trickor treat from house to house in a safe, fun environment. Greek Programming Board Philanthropy Makes Wishes Come True • The Greek Programming Board adopted Carolina Sunshine for Children, an organization that grants the wishes of terminally ill children, as its official philanthropic partner. Over $1,200 was raised for this philanthropy during the 2010-2011 academic year. Greek Programming Board designed and sold Greek SEC Championship t-shirts to commemorate a successful football season, with profits being donated. Greek Week created healthy competition to raise money by students voting in “penny wars” throughout the week and by participating in a percent night at Yoghut. 16
2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Greek Programming Board Philanthropy Makes Wishes Come True • In order to incorporate Greek values into Greek Week, the first Service Day was held for teams to participate in service projects throughout Columbia. 35 students completed 2-3 hours of service each at The Waterford Assisted Living, Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital, Oliver Gospel Mission, and Pets, Inc. The following reflect the service and philanthropic contributions of the Greek organizations as reported by the Fraternity and Sorority Report of 2009-2010: Alpha Chi Omega Sorority • 5,100 service hours • $61,724 raised for charity • 237 volunteers
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. • 1,466.5 service hours • $5,068 raised for charity • 58 volunteers
Beta Theta Pi Fraternity • 1,908 service hours • $2,815 raised for charity • 78 volunteers
Alpha Delta Pi Sorority • 14,670 service hours • $26,236 raised for charity • 274 volunteers
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. • 1,600 service hours • $2,315 raised for charity • 25 volunteers
Chi Omega Sorority • 12,965 service hours • $23,754 raised for charity • 269 volunteers
Alpha Epsilon Pi Sorority • 710 service hours • $2,400 raised for charity • 29 volunteers
Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity • 3,456 service hours • $2,000 raised for charity • 81 volunteers
Chi Psi Fraternity • 2,029 service hours • $1,400 raised for charity • 129 volunteers
Delta Delta Delta Sorority • 7,829 service hours • $55,423 raised for charity • 262 volunteers
Gamma Phi Beta Sorority • 14,842 service hours • $57,191 raised for charity • 198 volunteers
Kappa Delta Sorority • 7,663 service hours • $52,889 raised for charity • 287 volunteers
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. • 1,839.5 service hours • $3,792 raised for charity • 33 volunteers
Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. • 100 service hours • 6 volunteers
Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority • 6,887 service hours • $13,138 raised for charity • 203 volunteers
Delta Tau Delta Fraternity • 2,203 service hours • $1,235 raised for charity • 67 volunteers
Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity • 183 service hours • $2,350 raised for charity • 132 volunteers
Kappa Sigma Fraternity • 976 service hours • $8,190 raised for charity • 138 volunteers
Delta Zeta Sorority • 9,198 service hours • $53,954 raised for charity • 261 volunteers
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. • 874 service hours • $3,060 raised for charity • 15 volunteers
Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity • 1,331 service hours • $12,360 raised for charity • 69 volunteers
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. • 95 service hours • $1,300 raised for charity • 1 volunteers
Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity • 1,079 service hours • $1,040 raised for charity • 72 volunteers
Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity • 1,534 service hours • $3,150 raised for charity • 122 volunteers
Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity • 5,297 service hours • $27,674 raised for charity • 255 volunteers
Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity • 415 service hours • $1,840 raised for charity • 110 volunteers
Theta Delta Chi Fraternity • 726 service hours • $7,525 raised for charity • 25 volunteers
Phi Mu Sorority • 5,010 service hours • $17,500 raised for charity • 216 volunteers
Sigma Chi Fraternity • 361 service hours • $2,275 raised for charity • 111 volunteers
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. • 301 service hours • $800 raised for charity • 9 volunteers
Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity • 11,673 service hours • $2,573 raised for charity • 67 volunteers
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. • 352.75 service hours • $1,149 raised for charity • 7 volunteers
Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. • 45 service hours • 5 volunteers
Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity • 1,546 service hours • $5,400 raised for charity • 132 volunteers
Sigma Nu Fraternity • 2,143 service hours • $24,500 raised for charity • 136 volunteers
Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority • 7,574.5 service hours • $68,992 raised for charity • 244 volunteers
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Disaster Relief Response
Even with a new academic year, support for disaster relief in Haiti continued, and just as the university community came together to provide relief for Haiti in 2010, several service initiatives were organized following the devastating earthquake in Japan on March 11, 2011. The following summary highlights a few of these programs: Donation Table Fundraising In January 2011, students collected donations for Hope for Haiti, a charity organization focused on healthcare and education at student-organized performances of the musical revue Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. Donation Table Fundraising Members of the Methodist Student Network collected donations at tables in front of the Russell House around the one-year anniversary of the Haiti earthquake. Gamecocks Helping Haiti T-Shirt Sales USC students, faculty, and staff donating at least $10 to the American Red Cross for Japan relief were given a Gamecocks Helping Japan t-shirt. A total of $6,384 was collected. Charity Tennis Tournament The Club Tennis team organized a charity tennis tournament in April that raised almost $500 to benefit a local Special Olympics team and the Japanese tsunami relief fund. Gas Card Raffle Alpha Phi Omega hosted a raffle for a gas card that was used to raise money sent to earthquake victims in Japan. Nihon Club Fundraiser The Nihon Club, a student group that celebrates Japanese culture, partnered with the International Student Association at Columbia College to raise $204 for Japan relief. Hats for Japan As a creative way to help outside of providing monetary donations, several students at the USC School of Law knitted hats in anticipation of fall and winter hardship for victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami. The message “Thinking of You” in Japanese characters was attached to each hat.
DEAL (Drop everything and Lead) This three-day program allows honors college students to develop themselves as future leaders of the Carolina community. Participants go on to plan and execute a community or university initiative during the month of October. Several of these projects incorporated service to the Columbia or campus community:
Project VIDA • Several participants recruited other Honors College students for Project VIDA, an initiative to educate middle-schoolers on health, hygiene, and nutrition. Volunteers created presentations and interactive activities and spent a week at a local afterschool program speaking on various health topics. Second Servings • One participant created a program aimed at reducing waste of food on campus and providing food to the hungry in the local community by providing donations of unserved food to community organizations 2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina Co-curricular initiatives 19 three times a week. Through collaboration with university administration and Sodexo, the program donated over 3,000 pounds of food to local youth homes and veterans homes.
DEAL (Drop everything and Lead) This three-day program allows honors college students to develop
themselves as future leaders of the Carolina community. Participants go on to plan and execute a community or university initiative during the month of October. Several of these projects incorporated service to the Columbia or campus community: Project VIDA • Several participants recruited other Honors College students for Project VIDA, an initiative to educate middle-schoolers on health, hygiene, and nutrition. Volunteers created presentations and interactive activities and spent a week at a local afterschool program speaking on various health topics. Second Servings • One participant created a program aimed at reducing waste of food on campus and providing food to the hungry in the local community by providing donations of unserved food to community organizations three times a week. Through collaboration with university administration and Sodexo, the program donated over 3,000 pounds of food to local youth homes and veterans homes.
University Housing Give It Up for Good Program This program took place during the last three weeks of the spring semester as students moved out of the residence halls. The goal was to reduce the amount of material sent to landfills that could have been reused or recycled. Students were able to donate not only clothing, food, household items, plastic bags, appliances, and school supplies, but also bulk items like carpet, furniture, and loft wood. Habitat for Humanity, Hannah House, the Salvation Army, Harvest Hope, and other local organizations benefited from the donations. During the spring 2011 program, almost 15 tons (30,000 lbs) of individual items, like clothing and food, were collected for donation. Household goods like bedding, desk lamps, and kitchen items make up the largest share of the donations with 7,220 lbs. collected of these items alone. Residence Life and Living Learning Communities Living- learning communities are academically themed communities that provide students with the opportunity to live in an environment that promotes diversity, embraces excellence, encourages insightful faculty-student interaction and works to develop a strong sense of community. During the 2009-2010 academic year, living and learning communities reported incorporating community service opportunities into their programming for students.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Capstone Scholars • As part of the Capstone Scholar Program, each student is required to participate in at least one community service opportunity each semester. The program reported 910 students completing 7820 hours across both fall 2010 and spring 2011 semesters. Capstone Scholars participate in projects individually and in groups, from volunteering at university-wide Service Saturdays to participating in the Hand Middle School mentoring program. The program also organizes its own Service Friday projects. • Students formed a new group, the Student United Way, that led several service projects throughout the academic year, including contributing over 20 volunteer hours at Pets, Inc., painting a mural for the family shelter, and coordinating a pie-eating contest to raise over $100 for United Way of the Midlands. Pre-Med Community • Residents of the Pre-Med Community chose assisting the Free Medical Clinic as their major service initiative for the year. Each member was required to obtain 5 volunteer hours for the Free Medical Clinic by direct service at the clinic or donating office paper, toilet paper, tissues, and paper towels. The PreMed Community also obtained around $10,000 for the Free Medical Clinic through a grant application on behalf of the organizaion. Overall, the Pre-Med Community contributed 400 hours of service to the Free Medical Clinic and about 500 hours to other local and campus initiatives. Residence Hall Association Hands of Hunger Charity Poker Tournament • Sponsored Hands of Hunger Charity Poker Tournament Students enter to play in this spring tournament by donating 5 cans or 5 dollars. As a result, 1,322 pounds of food were donated to the Harvest Hope Food Bank. Gamecocks Helping Japan T-Shirt Fundraiser • Funded purchase of Gamecocks Helping Japan t-shirts in collaboration with Carolina Service Council. Students received a t-shirt for a $10 donation made to the American Red Cross. RecycleMania • Sponsored RecycleMania, a national eight-week competitive recycling program for students living in residence halls and the Greek Village. 114 tons (229,574 pounds) of recyclable materials was collected during the challenge. Outreach programs during the eight weeks such as an information fair, Recycle Olympics, and a Clean Out Your Files Day for staff of University Housing raised awareness about waste and recycling on campus.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Co-curricular initiatives
Maxcy College • Completed a month-long penny war to raise money for the March of Dimes. Residents donated coins and paper money, and the floor with the most points won a prize. The residents raised over $150 for March of Dimes at the end of the month.
Student Life Staff service
To give back to the community, the Department of Student Life sponsored two community service days for professional staff during the 2010-11 academic year. In late summer, 31 staff traveled to Carolina Children’s Home and prepared the outdoor areas for the fall season. At the conclusion of spring semester, 20 volunteers planted 24 trees in Granby Park.
TRIO Programs: Opportunity Scholars Program
The Opportunity Scholars Program is designed to help first generation college students make the adjustment to college life, and community service helps connects these students to their new university community. The Opportunity Scholars were involved in the following service activities: • Participated in a river sweep cleanup near Riverbanks Zoo with Keep the Midlands Beautiful • Handed out candy and facilitated games during Boo at the Zoo, an annual Halloween event held at Riverbanks Zoo • Collected money for the Salvation Army by ringing the bell in front of Wal-Mart during the holidays • Traveled door to door on Halloween collecting canned goods for the Harvest Hope Food Bank • Planted bulbs and weeded at the Children’s Garden • Read books to children at the Harmony School
Outdoor Recreation
In partnership with Keep the Midlands Beautiful and the City of Columbia Park Rangers, the office adopted a section of the Broad River with the pledge to clean the water and banks from the Diversion Dam to the Gervais Street Bridge. The office sponsored four service waterways trips led by Outdoor Recreation staff and provided kayaks, gloves and trash bags for participating students, faculty and staff.
Student Athletes
“Team Gamecocks” unifies all USC student-athletes for the purpose of providing community service to Columbia and the surrounding area. 18 sports teams participated in events and made appearances this year, resulting in a total of 3,884 hours of service provided, an increase of 800 hours from 2009-10. Team Gamecocks served the Midlands in many ways, including reading to elementary school children, collecting food for the Harvest Hope Food Bank, visiting hospitalized veterans and children, participating in Dance Marathon and the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) 5k Walk, and even shaving their heads in support of “Camp Kemo.” This year, athletic department coaches and staff were also active in the community by providing free sports clinics, planting trees and organizing events that raise money for worthy causes across the Midlands. This year the Athletic Department honored the softball team with the “Life Skills Team of the Year” award, largely due to the 408 hours of service the team provided. This resulted in a record 18 hours per student-athlete, a feat Academic partnerships 2010 - 2011 while Community Service Annual Report • University of SouthofCarolina they maintaining a team grade point average 3.3. 22 accomplished
Academic Partnerships Service-Learning
Service-learning is a form of active learning that connects meaningful community service with academic coursework and purposeful reflection. It involves engagement in the community, alongside local agencies, to develop solutions to address pressing community concerns and reinforce what is learned in the classroom. As students engage in settings beyond the classroom, they encounter real-life issues, discover how to find solutions to complex problems, and learn from both faculty and community experts. In short, service-learning is an active way to learn that inspires creative and positive social change. During the 2010-2011 academic year, 41 sections of 37 unique courses were identified as service-learning classes. This is a 14% decrease from the 2009-2010 academic year. Service-learning classes were featured in 17 different academic departments representing 8 of the university’s 13 colleges and schools. Enrollment in service-learning classes was estimated at 531 students in the fall semester and 708 students in the spring. This is a total of 1239 students for the academic year, a 46% increase from 2009-2010. Below is a listing of 2010-2011 service-learning classes: Arnold School of Public Health • HPEB 502: Applied Aspects of Human Nutrition • HPEB 748: Community Health Development College of Arts and Sciences • DANC 470: Dance Education III – Dance Pedagogy for Middle and High School • GERM 401P (Fall and Spring): Practicum Teaching German to Young Children • MART E590: Special Topics in Media Arts - Community Media • PHIL 101H: Ethics of Food • PSYC 487: Community Psychology • PSYC 489 (Fall and Spring): Community Psychology Practicum • SPAN 305/LASP 305 (Fall and Spring): Working with Hispanic Clients • SPAN 301: Service Learning in Spanish • WGST 112 (Fall and Spring): Women in Society: A SL Approach College of Education • EDTE 521: Mid-level Teaching And Management College of Hospitality, Retail, & Sports Management • HRSM 301 (Fall and Spring): Hospitality, Retail, & Sport Management Professional Development Seminar • HRTM 490 (Fall and Spring): Hospitality Management Strategy • TSTM J444: Corporate Training and Development • TSTM 544: Training Systems • TSTM 564: Project Management for Information Systems 23
2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Academic partnerships
College of Mass Communications and Information Studies • JOUR 531, section 003: Public Relations Campaigns • JOUR 566 (Fall and Spring): Public Relations Management Moore School of Business • MGSC 497 (Fall and Spring): Global Supply Chain and Operations Management Capstone Project School of Music • MUED 454: Music for Young Children South Carolina Honors College • ANTH 291S: Sugar in the Blood: Cultural Beliefs, Attitudes, and Treatment of Diabetes in the African American Community • SCHC 330T: Community Action and Research • SCHC 333Y: Local Food as a Catalyst for Community Transformation: Putting Green Values into Action • SCHC 362O: Zen and the Art of Everything • SCHC 364F: Spanish for Healthcare Providers • SCHC 364G: Making the Connections: Latino Health, Culture, and Community Outreach • SCHC 372C: Communicating for a Cause • SCHC 381K: Arabic Food and Culture • SCHC 476E: Environmental Justice and Health Disparities University 101 In the fall 2010, two service-learning sections partnered with 40 students with the Challenging Horizons Program a transitional mentoring program focused on middle school students. Students completed approximately 400 hours of service to the community.
Office of Undergraduate Research 24
2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Academic partnerships
Magellan Scholar Program
The Magellan Scholar program was created to enrich the academic experience of USC’s undergraduates through
research opportunities in all disciplines. By providing access to faculty mentoring relationships and a professional
research experience, this program enables students to creatively explore their interests at a more in-depth level than can be attained in the classroom. The following research proposals were funded this academic year surrounding community issues: • Flooding in Five Points: A Monitoring and Modeling Plan to Propose an Engineering Solution. Student: Ryan Hall • Effect of Technology And Connectedness on Community-Dwelling Older Adults. Student: David Smith • Effects of Self-Efficacy Coaching in Math and Vocabulary. Student: Daryn Barker • Intergenerational Dance: Reaching Connecting and Building Community. Students: Jennifer Coffey; Amanda Nelson • Bringing Stage Combat to South Carolina Schools. Student: Lauren Koch • Don’t Talk with Your Mouth Full: Language Socialization of Chinese American Children. Students: Rachel Balzer; Zac McClendon • BrailleSC: Accessible Design for Digital Resources. Student: Cory Bohon • Through Aged Eyes: Environmental Gerontology Through Photovoice. Student: Angela Johnson • Preserving Their Past: Using Multimedia to Document the Ward One Community. Student: Jade McDuffie • The Real Food Movement: Community Gardening as an Educational Tool on University Campuses. Student: Tegan Plock Discovery Day
Discovery Day is an annual event for undergraduates at the University of South Carolina to showcase students’ scholarly pursuits in and out of the classroom. Students present their experiences ranging from research and
scholarship projects, study abroad, internships and co-ops, national fellowship competitions, and service-learning and community service. Students have the opportunity to make poster, oral, creative, or artistic presentations as well as visual art displays. The following 24 civic engagement topics were presented by students during Discovery Day on April 22, 2011: • Carolina Science Outreach: Investigating Methods of Advocating Science to the Public. Students: Reginald Bain; Ronald (Jim) Talbert; Samuel Johnson • Gender Differences in Academic Self-Efficacy in Grades 3 to 8. Student: Daryn Barker • Making the Web More Open: Building An Accessible Future. Student: Cory Bohon • RecycleMania 2011. Student: Christine Burke • E.S.C.A.P.E. Student: Caitlin Dutton • Interactive Museum Project. Students: Taylor Ferguson; Leslie Smith • Effects of monthly dental care coaching on improving dental health in elementary students compared to usual care. Student: Sukhi Guram • Ripples of Hope. Student: Brittany Hayes 25
2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Academic partnerships
• Evaluation of Transitional Mentoring Program Effects On Middle School Students. Student: Alexandra Ingram • Through Aging Eyes: Environmental Gerontology through PhotoVoice. Student: Angela Johnson • Ecuaexperienca. Students: Josh King; Drew McElwee; Chris Frantel; Lauren Stitzlein; Sydney Spence; Emily Ingram • Undergraduate Driven Research at the Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine & Coastal Sciences. Students: Kyra Marsigliano; Emma Kelley • Microcredit in South Carolina: An effective way to improve per capita GDP?. Student: Patrick Morris • PATH: An Ecological Framework of Public Health that Increases Physical Activity in Underdeserved Communities. Student: Arianne Muhammad • Promoting Intelligent World Citizenship through Service: An Alternative Spring Break to the DR. Student: Katharine Parham • Evaluating the Impact of Child Support Grants in Lesotho. Student: Will Payne • Try Not to Bore Him: A Cross-Cultural Examination of Battered Women’s Shelters in Seville, Spain and Columbia, SC and the Feminine Societal Role as Dictated by Each City’s Response to Domestic Violence. Student: Allison Reid • Impact of Point of Selection Signage for “5 A-Day and 50k” Tailored to Eating Identity. Student: Bernadette Riemer • Brain Awareness Week 2010: Small Group Based Elementary School Activities. Student: Eric Robinson • A Call to Action: National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week Campaign. Student: Laura Simpson • “Students Allied for Better Immigrant Opportunities” promotes comprehensive immigration reform in US. Student: Lisa Splawinski • Cultural and Linguistic Competency Practices: An Assessment of South Carolina Free Medical Clinics. Student: Elizabeth Walker • The Relationship Between Volunteerism and Self-Esteem. Student: Bobbi Jo Wilson • Documenting the Story of Service Learning. Student: Michael Youngblood
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Academic partnerships
College of Arts and Sciences Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences
Nine USC students worked with K-7th grade at-risk youth to explore geoscience-related topics through the ScienceQuest program. Teams met weekly for 10-12 weeks each academic semester or summer. In partnership
with the National Science Foundation and Fast Forward Technology Center, the goal of the program is to expose,
excite and increase minority student participation in the geosciences using hands-on afterschool science activities facilitated by role-model undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in STEM field. Department of Theatre and Dance
The department’s dance company performed at Oak Pointe Elementary School for an audience of about 250 children, including a session of special needs children.
Department of Women’s and Gender Studies Wemen’s Well-Being Initiative (WWBI) WWBI planned and facilitated three arts and media based workshops for young women, ages 12-17, participating in Lexington County’s Community Juvenile Arbitration, a diversion program aimed at keeping youth out of the formal justice system which allows youths to complete community sanctions as restitution for their offenses. Undergraduate and graduate students from various disciplines conducted an arts workshop at the Cayce/West Columbia Branch Library in West Columbia, S.C., as one of these sanctions. Workshop topics included healthy relationships, peer pressure, health decision making, drug abuse and prevention, self-esteem and body image and incorporated abstract artworks, poetry, collages, and group discussion. The Women’s Well-Being Initiative also launched a literacy program at Fulmer Middle School in the spring. Undergraduate students from the University of South Carolina’s Teaching Fellows and INK, the undergraduate
English association, tutored 8th grade students at Fulmer Middle School in reading and writing in preparation for the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards exam (PASS) in March. The WWBI has developed several initiatives to serve local Hispanic populations. The WWBI partnered with Lexington 2 School District and the South Carolina Hispanic/Latino Health Coalition to provide support for School Orientation for Hispanic Parents and supported a graduate student in piloting an e-health literacy course, which will provide an introduction to computers and information regarding accessing and searching the Internet, creating and managing an email account, and using a search engine to locate reliable health information to the Latino population. The WWBI also worked with Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands and Palmetto y Luna’s “La Tropa” (a writing/acting group of Latinas) to support a performance of a Spanish-language adaptation of The Vagina Monologues, “Migra, Amor, y Migrañas.”
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Academic partnerships
College of Education
Through a “College 101” event, the Collegiate Middle Level Organization hosted 70 middle school students from WA Perry Middle School in Richland One for a college tour and dinner to promote interest in college study.
College of engineering and computing Department of Theatre and Dance
At its first Fix-IT Day, students and faculty volunteered to help solve hardware and software problems on
computers brought in by members of the community. The event, organized in part through the ACM (Applied and Computational Mathematics) student chapter at USC, was publicized by the WIS-TV news station and several newspaper articles, and participants came from as far as Charlotte and some rural areas of SC without access to computer repair shops.
College of engineering and computing School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management
In April, the HRTM 386 class hosted “Sip, Shout, and Shag to Benefit Camp Kemo,” a gala with food, entertainment, and a silent auction to raise money for Camp Kemo, a one-week summer program that provides fun activities for children battling cancer. 80 students, 6 faculty, 10 student volunteers planned and staffed the event, which raised $58,726.16 for Camp Kemo. 10 HRTM students later chose to volunteer with the camp over the summer.
Other HRTM students chose to work closely with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia (BBBSGC) by volunteering at its “Bowl for Kid’s Sake” fundraiser and becoming mentors for youth in the program. HRTM faculty also organized a Harvest Hope food drive at the close of the fall and spring semesters.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Academic partnerships
School of Law
The USC School of Law works to connect law students to the community through pro bono work and community service opportunities to enrich their learning experience.
On August 20, 2010, the School of Law conducted its 2nd Annual Incoming Law Student Community Service
Day, an opportunity to introduce new students to the legal and humanitarian needs of the Columbia community
and encourage them to consider service an integral part of their time at USC. Service projects were completed with 16 different organizations, including LRADAC, Palmetto Health Foundation, SC Appleseed Legal Justice
Center, SC Department of Juvenile Justice, SC Legal Services, St. Lawrence Place, Protection and Advocacy for
People with Disabilities, Richland County Public Defender’s Office and Women’s Shelter. The spirit of service continued into the fall with students contributing 43,206 lbs of food to Harvest Hope in November and serving a Thanksgiving meal at St. Lawrence Place.
Law In addition the academic year starts off with a Community Service Day for all incoming students. Many other law students and faculty members join in this day of service that is highlighted with a real time blog.
The Pro Bono Program at USC celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2010 by collecting information about past and
continued pro bono work of Law School alumni and launching a new pro bono program for the arts community called South Carolina Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (SCVLA). After 20 years, the Pro Bono Program is still
going strong with 28 participants performing administrative duties, researching cases, mentoring youth, and other hands-on activities with a variety of organizations, many of which provide legal assistance to unrepresented
populations. Students participating in the program improve their legal skills through their volunteer activities
while fostering the ethic of service, and all volunteers are placed with an organization. Opportunities for service were provided with the following organizations in 2010-2011: • • • • • • • • • •
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Free Medical Clinic Harvest Hope Food Bank Homeless Legal Clinic Lexington County Juvenile Arbitration Program Literacy Project Logan Elementary School tutoring Project Ayuda: Law Students Helping the Hispanic Community Public Defenders’ Offices Richland County CASA – Court Appointed Special Advocates SC Access to Justice Commission
2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Academic partnerships
• • • • • • • •
SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center SC Bar Pro Bono Program SC Department of Consumer Affairs SC Department of Juvenile Justice SC Office of Indigent Defense – Appellate Division SC Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts Team Advocacy – Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc. VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance)
School of Medicine Despite their busy schedules, students, faculty, and staff at USC’s School of Medicine are involved in a wide variety of community work. Below is an overview of service projects and contributions completed by students at the School of Medicine that impacted the community: Big Brother Big Sisters 50 medical students mentored youth for at least four hours per month Black Tie White Coat Gala Raised $63,000 in funds for Columbia Free Medical Clinic and School of Medicine Scholarships. Free to Breathe 5k • On November 7th, 2010, a group of medical students participated in the “Free to Breathe” K5 walk. The event was sponsored by the National Lung Cancer Partnership and a total of $24,731.87 was raised for research, education and awareness programs. Free Medical Clinic Student volunteers provided administrative as well as one-one-one client support. Good Samaritan Clinic Student volunteers to help counsel patients about nutrition, exercise and smoking cessation. Heart Health Month Students volunteered at EdVenture in a variety of educational activities during Heart Health Month. Medical Students for Burn Care International Sent a number of medical students abroad who volunteered to work for 4 weeks at burn clinics in socio-economically depressed regions of the world. Palmetto AIDS Life Support Services Students coordinated a food drive for PALSS as well as volunteered at the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner services
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Academic partnerships
Palmetto Medical Initiative A group of 13 medical students travelled to Uganda with the Palmetto Medical Initiative to volunteer 10 days. School of Medicine Library Library faculty & staff participated in the Light the Night Walk for the South Carolina Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), which funds research for cures and patient support services. Faculty and staff also collected 134 magazines and donated them to the VA Hospital for use in their waiting areas. Student National Medical Association • First and second year medical students hosted SNMA’s 6th annual community health fair to promote the importance of preventive care. The fair offered free blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), lipid and glucose, vision screenings and other health screenings, health consultations and 30-minute health seminar/ sessions with medical professionals from the School of Medicine, and fun activities like contra dancing and cooking lessons. • Through the Youth Science Enrichment Program, medical students interacted with local elementary school students to provide valuable health information and encourage them to pursue careers in medicine. • USC SNMA hosts an annual Pre-med Conference to reach out to high school and undergraduate students who have an interest in medicine. Many students do not have the mentors necessary to reach their goals, and this program educates them about reaching their goals and connects them with mentors within the medical school. • Project Heart is a partnership with the SNMA and the Free Medical Clinic that gives first and second year medical students that practical experience providing critical health education, such as smoking cessation, diet, and exercise strategies. • SNMA participated in a book drive with Richland School District Two, and hundreds of books for elementary and middle school students were collected through the medical student community alone.
Moore school of business Moore School of Business Graduate Division • Fifty-six students from the Master of Accountancy, Master of Arts in Economics, Master of Human Resources, and Master of International Business programs participated in an afternoon of community service at 5 sites in the Columbia area during their orientation. The IMBA program also conducted their own community service day with 85 students participating. • Twenty Master of Human Resources students volunteered to staff the annual Midlands Heart Ball held by the American Heart Association to raise money to fight heart disease.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Campus partnerships
School of Library and Information Science Cocky’s Reading Express • Cocky’s Reading Express is an outreach project aimed at eliminating illiteracy in South Carolina. It is a partnership between Student Government and the School of Library and Information Science. Throughout the year, USC students and our mascot Cocky travel to elementary schools around the state to read aloud to children and talk with them about the importance of reading. Children are given a book to take home after making a pledge to Cocky that will read aloud at home with their family. • This past year, Cocky’s Reading Express visited 75 schools, child development centers, and libraries across the state and distributed over 17,835 books to the children of South Carolina. The program had 66 volunteers and they contributed over 830 hours of service. Master in Library and Information Science • Three graduate students volunteered at the Richland County Public Library, helping with a variety of tasks like assisting with library programs, working with processing of library materials, and providing general information on library services.
Cancer research center of usc
WE CAN! Colon Cancer Program • The WE CAN! Colon Cancer Program is an awareness, educational, and community navigation program for colon cancer prevention and control among males and females aged 50 and older that targets those who do not have a regular source of preventive care, health insurance, or have other needs. 4 faculty, 3 staff, and 2 graduate students participated in awareness and educational programs, conducted presentations, hosted exhibits at community events, and collaborated on project-related research. • Students volunteered administrative and client support.
Arnold School of Public • Adopted a family for the holidays who lost their home in a fire. Office for the Study of Aging The Office for the Study of Aging (OSA) at the Arnold School of Public Health is committed to advancing research and education in aging issues as a service to the SC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). OSA’s mission is to promote healthy aging through program development, evaluation, education/training and research. The OSA’s commitment to service to SC’s aging community includes: • Conducting Dementia Dialogues across the state, in collaboration with the Bureau of Long Term Care, DHHS. Dementia Dialogues is a five part learning experience designed to educate individuals who care for persons who exhibit signs and symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s Disease and is provided at no cost to the participant. Over the past 10 years, Dementia Dialogues has been presented in 450 locations across South Carolina, reaching over 15,600 participants.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Honors and Awards
• Piloting the Caregiver Coaching Service in Community Long Term Care (CLTC), a Medicaid home and community-based waiver program, to provide support and education to caregivers of participants in the program. The Caregiver Coaching Service promotes caregiver wellness and provides the first opportunity for caregivers of CLTC participants to receive in-home support and training to assist them in keeping their loved ones in the home. Graduate students participated in the development of the training curricula for the pilot and are also involved in the research-related activities to evaluate the program. Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders USC’s Speech and Hearing Research Center contributed pro bono work to the community through the following
initiatives: • Speech, language and hearing screenings to 366 preschool children, ages 3 through 5, in 16 preschools and daycares in the greater Columbia area • Stroke recovery support groups with speech-language therapy to help members improve their communication abilities alongside individuals with similar communication problems • Speech, language, hearing, cognitive and swallowing screenings to 322 adults who have suffered from traumatic brain injuries or other neurological insults to prevent medical, social and vocational complications so individuals may re-enter the work force • Host for meetings of the Midlands South Carolina Chapter of the National Stuttering Association a nonprofit organization that supports children and adults who stutter and their families
English programs for internationals
Harvest Hope Food Drive • Organized a food drive for Harvest Hope Food Bank in September 2010 to help meet needs during the peak back-to-school season. A total of 550 lbs of food was collected, and an additional $335 was donated later in the year. Salvation Arm Christmas Project • Collected $1,125 to purchase bicycles and helmets, dolls houses, remote control cars, and other toys for 8 children on the Salvation Army “Angel Tree.” Department of Juvenile Justice Outreach • Two students played board games, played sports, and worked on landscaping projects with incarcerated youths at the Department of Juvenile Justice every Friday, helping broaden the youths’ perspectives by meeting international citizens, perhaps for the first time.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Honors and Awards
Campus Partnerships Carolina Dining Beat Hunger
• Held a Beat Hunger pep rally and sold Helping Hands to raise $4,450 for Harvest Hope Food Bank.
Fresh on the Farm Program • Purchased 25% of produce served in dining facilities from 26 certified local South Carolina farmers. Hunger Heart Program • Sold hunger hearts for $1 each in campus dining halls, collecting a total donation of $4,227 for Harvest Hope Food Bank Columbia Homeless Shelter Project • During the winter storm of January 2011, Carolina Dining contributed 275 meals to the city homeless shelter. • During the spring semester, students collaborated with Carolina Dining to organize food delivery to four homeless shelters three times a week. 6,720 meals were provided over the course of the semester. Yoplait “Save Lids to Save Lives” • University of South Carolina again placed third in the country in the Yoplait, “Save Lids to Save Lives,” due to the collaboration of Carolina Dining and Zeta Tau Alpha Campus Wellness
Campus Wellness is kicking off a new program called Pounds for the Pantry on October 1st. Participants will set a weight loss goal to reach by December 3rd. Piggly Wiggly is sponsoring the program and has pledged to donate 25 cents to the Harvest Hope food bank for each pound of weight lost during the program.
university housing
Annual Fall Festival and Breast Cancer Awareness Event This project is designed to raise money and canned food items for various non-profit organizations in the Columbia community. Housing staff were invited to attend a fall festival filled with games, food, fun, and prizes. All proceeds and canned food items were donated to the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and Harvest Hope. “WE CARE” Adopt a Family Program The University Housing’s Staff Enrichment Team adopted 14 families with 33 children for the holidays to help members of the Housing department who needed assistance during the holiday season.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
USC career center
Staff in the Career Center collected nutritious and easy-to-prepare non-perishable food items for Harvest Hope’s
Backpack Project, which gives needy school children afterschool and weekend snacks. The staff also participated in an afternoon of service at Harvest Hope Food Bank preparing donation boxes.
Academic enrichment and conferences
Carolina Gives Back • For the third straight year, participants of the Carolina Master Scholars Adventure Series, a summer camp program for sixth – 12th graders during June and July, gave back to the Columbia community. Each week, the program highlighted a different local charity and requested donations from students and the USC community. Organizations receiving donations this year included the American Red Cross, Zig the Pig, Children’s Chance, SC Children with Cancer, Family Connections, Harvest Hope Food Bank, Project Pet and the Humane Society. After collecting donations, the scholars packed them and presented them to the organization each Wednesday on behalf of USC. • 30th Annual Conference on the First Year Reading Experience • The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition engaged in a special philanthropy project that collected donations from conference participants to help provide 1,185 copies of Empowering Parents of First-Year College Students: A Guide for Success, to parents of seniors in two local Atlanta high schools with which the Center had established a partnership.
United Way Campaign
Faculty and Staff Support for United Way Campaign • 703 USC Columbia faculty and staff donated a total of $103,806 to United Way of the Midlands in 2010.
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Honors and awards National awards 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Servicer Honor Roll with Distinction The University of South Carolina was named to the 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. This is the fifth consecutive year that the university has been recognized by The Corporation for National and Community Service for their innovative programs and projects that meet community needs. In addition to being named to the honor roll, the university achieved “with distinction” honors due to its long-standing initiatives and community impact. USC is the only institution in Columbia to be named to this list with distinction.
Campus Awards Community Service Awards, Department of Student Life Outstanding Student Volunteer Award • Recipients: Molly Butters Outstanding Student Volunteer Award • Recipients: Alisa Cooney-Ligett Rosemary Broadway Memorial Scholarship • Recipient: Laura Simpson Outstanding Student Organization Service Award • Recipient: Club Tennis at USC Ambassador of Service Award • Recipient: Dr. Patrick Hickey, faculty principal of Capstone Scholars Program Outstanding Service Professional Award • Recipient: Kathey Holder, The Nurturing Center Outstanding Service-Learning Award • Recipient: Dr. Mary Baskin Waters, Women in Society: A Service Learning Approach Strom Thurmond / Steve Cannon Carolina Cares Award • Recipient: Kaeli Weaver
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
Presidential Volunteer Service Award • This national award from The President’s Council of Service and Civic Participation honors Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service. The following graduate and undergraduate students contributed 100 plus hours of community service between the 12-month period of April 30, 2010-April 30, 2011: Gold Level (250 or more hours of service) • Molly Butters • Kiera Goff • Helen Knight • Katherine Parham • Nicholas Riley Silver Level (175 to 249 hours of service) • Xi Chen • Caroline Clark Bronze Level (100 to 174 hours of service) • Sarah All • Katie Boland • Caroline Crabbe • Janelle Gadson-Sheppard • Christina Galardi • Laurie Graves • Kevin Sheppard • Laura Simpson • Marcus Yancey University Awards Day Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award • The Sullivan award is the university’s highest honor for undergraduate students and is given each year to one male and one female graduating senior for their outstanding academic achievements, campus leadership, exemplary character, and service to the community. • Recipients: Jim Manning and Katie Parham Steven N. Swanger Leadership Award • The Swanger award is the university’s second-highest undergraduate honor. The award is named for a former president of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), which sponsors the university’s Awards Day. It is given to a graduating senior for exemplary leadership and for making significant contributions to the Carolina community. • Recipient: Madison Shepherd University’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Committee Social Justice Award • 2011 Staff Honoree: Andrea Williams, associate director for the Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities (IPEHD) • 2011 Student Honoree: India Rose, Ph.D. candidate in Arnold School of Public Health • 2011 Faculty Honorees: Dr. Sacoby M. Wilson, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and Dr. Patricia Wilson-Witherspoon, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine 37
2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina
For more information, contact: Community Service Programs Department of Student Life Campus Life Center Russell House 227 (803) 777-7130 saserve@mailbox.sc.edu
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2010 - 2011 Community Service Annual Report • University of South Carolina