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Those who make this walk are forever changed. That's the result of the USC Aiken experience.
It's life changing. A foundation for all you achieve, where ever your path takes you. This
is where you learn to choose it well. I'm not afraid to step up and that's what the
experience here has helped me do. I have met the best friends of my life here while I was
a student. And just having that supportive faculty at USCA was what I needed. And everybody
at USC Aiken wants you to succede. It gave me a lot of confidence to go out into the
real business world and say "You know, I think I can do this, give me a shot". When USC Aiken
came into being, the world was a very different place. Aiken rode the crest of change along
with the rest of the country, but still the community at large wondered how they'd keep
pace. Together, they decided they'd create a university. With no idea where the campus
would finally be built, the Aiken County Commission for higher education boldly moved forward.
In 1961 under the direction of Dr. Chris Sharpe, they opened the school in a majestic winter
colonie mansion built in the 1930s named Banksia. Well Aiken and it's self is a unique place
to live. When I was coming along, you know my family had limited resources and USCA had
just started, I had other friends who were going off to college but then I had some friends
who mentioned USCA and for me to have an opportunity I thought that was the best for myself and
my family not only just for the money but for the education that USCA offered. By the
late 60s as the word spread and it's reputation grew, Banksia simply couldn't make room for
everybody. One afternoon, people gathered on a downtown Aiken street to watch USC Aiken
students make a passionate plea for a new campus, now it was clear the community of
Aiken couldn't invision it's self anymore with out it's university. With in two years
the doors of a brand new building swung wide on a 144 acer piece of property just west
of town. In the open court yard of the building that would one day be named in honor of Bob
Penland, was a sculpture created by the artist, Charles Perry, the double knot. Symbolizes
the friendship and connection between the community and the university. One of my fondest
memories was registration day. No computers there was no such thing as registering online,
so we would come 3 in the morning and camp out on the sidewalk. You pretty much recognized
everybody from then on out because you met them that morning on the sidewalk at some
point. The university of south carolina Aiken has always been a school that fosters relationships
where each student is recognized, guided and challenged where the community has a place
to contribute to it's growth. in 1983 Bill Casper concluded his 20 years of leadership
and Dr. Robert Alexander was chosen to succede him. By this time it was becoming clear that
students from all over the country were considering a future at USC Aiken. After that, growth
was witnessed everywhere on campus. From the addition to on campus housing to the creation
of the Etheredge center for the fine and performing arts. And a jewel of southern history was
added to the campus' landscape when the 1829 plantation home called Edgewood arrived in
the mid 80s. I graduated in 1983 in the spring and I started here in the fall but it's when
I came here and I started taking classes with Dr. Harry Shealy, Dr. Hugh Handlet, Dr. John
Spooner, and we did all those outdoor field classes that they taught me that I can take
that love for the outdoors and for nature and turn it into a career that I could be
really, really passionate about. The 1990 brought with it even more construction to
accommodate new academic programs and students of all ages saw it as the best opportunity
for their future. I was working, I was a working mother and my children were young but I was
somewhat dissatisfied with my job so I guess dissatisfaction is the road to opportunity
and USCA was there for that opportunity. The faculty was awesome, they cared about your
success and they made you feel like a professional and made me really want to be a teacher. In
1995 the campus was enlarged to an astonishing 453 acres. Even though it's campus had grown
eminently the university still retained the core values from it's beginning. The nation
took notice when in 1993 USC Aiken was named as one of the top three public colleges in
the south. It's a distinctive ranking USC Aiken has held ever since and a steller way
to begin a new century. Out of all the division two schools USC Aiken stuck out the most academically.
Actually my God brother helped me make the discussion, who is the assistant US attorney.
He talked about that, he said you know being a professional your school says a lot about
you. USC Aiken has a reputation in this community as being a top notch program. In 2001 Dr.
Thomas Hallman was inaugurated to serve as USC Aiken's third chancellor. The new baseball
stadium was dedicated, and the golf team won the NCAA National Championship for three years
in a row. Incoming freshman got a new housing complex to make it easier to get involved
with their campus community. The convocation center, which opened in 2008 is now the premier
venue for athletics and entertainment. In 2012 Dr. Sandra Jordan because USC Aiken's
4th chancellor. With a collaborative style and a theme of "Forward Together" she is positioning
the campus for the future in a number of exciting ways. You know I feel like the most fortunate
chancellor in the world. This institution has benefited from wonderful stuardship and
there are so many committed people who want to see this institution be all it can be.
With that going for us, how can we not have a wonderful future. Yes, certainly it's a
story about the university's growth and accomplishments but in the end what it all comes down to is
what people carry with them into the rest of their lives. People as me daily "Where
did you go to school?" "Where did you get your degree?" and I am proud to tell them
I came to USC Aiken graduated once I am proud of the fact I was able to come back and get
my four year degree and encourage others to come do the same. I had opportunities that
other college students just do not have. My one piece of advice that I would give to any
USC Aiken student is when you come to a small campus like this, you have so many opportunities
to become involved and becoming a part of the campus in one way or another helps to
jump start your career and get you into the next step. I loved the close atmosphere at
USC Aiken, my heart is with USC Aiken it was everything I needed at that time in my life.
I guess kinda like my dad always says "Always have the personality you just have to be in
the right situation to kind of bring it out" and that's what USC Aiken has done for me.
What I saw 40 years ago compared to what I see now it totally delightful.