History, Affiliations and Rankings 

Located in Columbia, South Carolina, the University of South Carolina is considered one of the leading public universities across the United States and in the world. The institution was established in the year 1880 and is famous for its collection of Scottish literature, works of Robert Burns and the largest on-display collections of Ernest Hemingway’s writings. On December 19, 1801, an act of the South Carolina General Assembly introduced by Governor John Drayton established South Carolina College in an effort to create concord between the Lowcountry and the Backcountry. The college began lessons with a standard classical curriculum on January 10, 1805, with an initial enrollment of nine pupils. Reverend Jonathan Maxcy, a Baptist clergyman and theologian, was the first president. However, the original campus master plan intended for a total of eleven buildings, all facing a wide green gathering area.  When finished, the eleven buildings formed a U-shape facing Sumter Street. The Horseshoe was named after its modified quadrangle. With the great assistance of the General Assembly, South Carolina College established itself as the foremost college of the South, attracting notable scholars such as Francis Lieber, Thomas Cooper, and Joseph LeConte. US News and World Report rated the university as the 104th best university in the United States with Financial Times naming it as the best university in terms of international experience. The university is affiliated with NCAA Division I FBS - SEC. In the QS World University Ranking 2021, the University of South Carolina ranked #571-580.

Infrastructure, Campuses and Courses

USC's 359-acre main campus in downtown Columbia is home to cutting-edge academic and administrative buildings, athletic facilities, university dormitories, dining venues, parking lots, green spaces, and paths. Aside from that, USC has seven satellite campuses spread across the state: Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Sumter, Union, Aiken, Beaufort, and Upstate. The Horseshoe is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the majority of its buildings exemplify the federal style of architecture popular in the country's early days. Among these is the South Carolina Library, created by Robert Mills and the country's first freestanding academic library. The student union, 24 housing halls, multiple academic buildings, Longstreet Theatre, the Koger Center for the Arts, the Carolina Coliseum, the Colonial Life Arena, Carolina Stadium, and various Olympic sports facilities are all part of it today. To enable better study and research, each of the campuses has exceptional academic facilities such as contemporary classrooms, high-tech laboratories, and lecture halls. The main source of information for studying, teaching, and research are the university libraries. USC includes nine colleges and six schools that offer undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional degrees as well as a variety of professional courses. Students can study medicine, engineering, computing, law, nursing, arts, sciences, business, music, information and communication technology, and pharmacy among others. 

Accomplishments and Alumni 

USC provides more than ample opportunities for the multidimensional development of students as well as offers a peaceful environment to nourish and foster their careers. The university has been recognised by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University of South Carolina is classified as a "very high research activity" research institution. In the 2019 fiscal year, the university received $278.6 million in research funding, a record amount for the school and an increase of 8% over the previous year. During his tenure as president of the University of South Carolina, John Palms defined a budgetary concept known as "Cathedrals of Excellence." The University of South Carolina was chosen by the US Department of Energy in May 2009 as one of 31 universities nationwide to house an Energy Frontier Research Center, which is expected to bring $12.5 million in federal funding to the College of Engineering and Computing, the largest single award in the university's history. "This funding solidifies the university's status as a pioneer in alternative-fuel research," President Pastides said. The SEC Academic Consortium includes the University of South Carolina. The programme, now renamed the SECU, was a joint effort meant to foster research, scholarship, and success among the Southeastern conference's member universities. The SECU was founded to support the collaborative academic initiatives of Southeastern Conference colleges. Its objectives include promoting the efforts and accomplishments of SEC faculty, students, and universities, as well as advancing the academic prestige of SEC universities. Notable university alumni include US senator Lindsey Graham and founder of XM Satellite radio, Gary Parsons, Andrew Card, Rita Cosby, Richard Riley, Stephen K. Benjamin, Joe Wilson, Larry Kellner, Alex Molinaroli, John B. Floyd, and more.

Student Diversity and Visiting Companies 

The University has students from a wide range of backgrounds, including race, national origin, religion, beliefs, age, socioeconomic level, gender, sexual orientation, and handicap status. University's vibrant and diverse campus offers several opportunities for students to engage with their peers. The University of South Carolina believes that diversity and inclusion are required for academic and institutional performance. Every student, faculty member, and staff member is not only important; their distinct viewpoints are the foundation of their strength and success. The total enrolment at the University of South Carolina is around 35,470 students. There are 26,174 undergraduates and 5,630 graduate students.The full-time undergraduate population of UofSC is made up of 54% women and 46% males. Women make up about 57% of full-time graduate students, while men make up 43%. The overall enrollment yield of the University of South Carolina-Columbia is 24 percent, which shows the number of admitted students who enrolled. Companies that visit the University of Carolina for recruitment of grads include Amazon, Deloitte, EY, Microsoft, Google, and more!