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For more information, please contact [email protected]. dailygamecock.com UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA MONDAY, MARCH 24, 2014 VOL. 114, NO. 41 ● SINCE 1908 USC woman Shave to save of the year Teams, individuals raise money, cut hair for philanthropy fi nalists named Sarah Thomas [email protected] Winner to be announced Wednesday afternoon Hannah Jeffrey [email protected] After the six finalists for USC’s woman of the year award were announced last week, one thing was clear: girls rule. To be eligible for initial consideration, nominees were required to have a GPA of 3.0 or better and at least 60 credit hours. Academic awards, campus involvement, community involvement and contributions to USC and other women were also considered. The six women chosen selected as fi nalists range from third to fourth-year students and hail from South Carolina, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Each of the finalists differs from her fellow ladies in terms of majors, activities and backgrounds, but all six said they were surprised to fi nd out they had been selected as a fi nalist. Leila Heidari, a fourth-year health student, was particularly honored to be nominated and selected as one of the six fi nalists after she watched several of her role models go through the same process in previous years. “During my time as an undergrad, I’ve really looked up to the women who have been nominated in the past,” Heidari said. “It means a lot to be considered now in the same category as my role models.” For fourth-year finance student Priyanka Juneja, starting her organization at USC, Girls for Brian Almond / THE DAILY GAMECOCK Tomor row, was not only a personal 50 women had their heads shaved at the event, where the initial goal of $100,000 was surpassed and donated. achievement, but also the start to what she hopes will be a long-lasting legacy. Tea ms of “shavees” shaved t hei r “Last semester, I realized this is a heads Saturday at Jillian’s as part of legacy that I’m leaving behind at USC the St. Baldrick’s Foundation Shave- and I was kind of ecstatic that the hard a-thon to raise money for childhood work I put in the past few years was cancer research. being recognized,” Juneja said. “It’s The event’s initial goal was always a great thing to be recognized $100,000, which was reached with for something you’ve been working approximately $105,000 and counting hard on.” Saturday afternoon. Over the last year, Catherine About 300 participants shaved their Davenport has seen hardships and head to raise money, 50 of whom were heartbreak after her father died last women. year. But when the third-year English The annual event began eight years student turned to the USC community, ago, and each year people have raised she found how supportive her “Carolina money for St. Baldrick’s to have their family” was. heads shaved. This weekend, the event “It’s been an amazing year that was full of fi rst-time shavees, as well started out so terribly with so much as a few veterans. heartbreak,” Davenport said. “But The money raised takes the form through that heartbreak, I learned that of grants, much of which comes back this is such an incredible place.” to South Carolina children’s hospitals As far as fourth-year biomedical according to Krystle Eckrote, one of Brian Almond/ THE DAILY GAMECOCK engineering student Kathryn the event’s co-coordinators About 300 participants had their heads shaved Saturday at the annual event. Kingsmore knows, she wouldn’t be Shavees began fundraising online where she is today without the help same. matter. It’s just hair.” in September and continued to raise of those who believed in her. So now, “It was the most amazing feeling One aspect that makes this event so money up until this weekend’s event. she’s taking the time to thanks them by in my life,” Ballington said. “It was unique is that it is focused on childhood Many fundraisers choose to continue putting others fi rst. so freeing and I felt like a whole new research, something that Ballington raising money after the event, as well. “I just try to love other people and person.” said she really appreciated. Most participants register and put them above myself,” Kingsmore But Ballington realized that some “All cancer is bad, but the children fundraise ahead of time, but walk-ins said. “I really just believe in forming may be more hesitant than she was are our future,” Ballington said. “As I were also welcome to collect some last- meaningful relationships with other before her fi rst shave. get older and if I get cancer, don’t raise minute donations and get shaved. people.” “If you’ve never done it and you’re money for me, give it to the children. Brandi Ballington shaved her head After being close friends with the afraid of what your head is going to I’ve lived my life. Give it to the children for the second year in a row with last two women of the year, third-year look like or what people are going to her family and recommended that public relations student Alli Finkelston say, who cares?” she said. “It doesn’t SHAVE • 3 everybody, especially women, do the she knew she was in the company of five very accomplished women. And she credits her spot as a fi nalist to her involvement on campus. “I like to encourage service and I Gamecocks earn 1st round win want to inspire others to do the same,” Finkelston said. “If winning Women move past Cal State Northridge SEC player of the year Tiffany Mitchell lived up to her would promote some of the awesome in NCAA Tournament Sunday title and led South Carolina with 24 points in the game to organizations that I’m a part of, that go with a team-high four assists. The sophomore said the would be great.” Gamecocks’ key to pulling away from Northridge in the And for fourth-year exercise science Danny Garrison end was sticking to their strengths. student Emily Learner, being selected [email protected] “They kind of just stayed around the whole time, even as a finalist out of what she called “a though we got a double digit lead,” Mitchell said. “We great pool of women” was a testament For the fi rst time as a No. 1 seed, the South Carolina kind of just kept our composure and just got the ball inside to her own service work. women’s basketball team cruised to a fi rst-round NCAA and just kept doing what we were doing.” “I try to do a lot to give back in Tournament win Sunday with a 73-58 victory over Cal Freshman center Alaina Coates joined Mitchell in service to both the USC community State Northridge. double-fi gures scoring, turning in the second-most points and the Greater Columbia community,” Despite the convincing final margin, the Matadors on the team with 13 and bringing down a game-high 16 Learner said. “I try to be a role model refused to go down without a fi ght throughout the game. rebounds. by just being myself.” “We’re not going to win any style points,” coach Dawn Two more Gamecocks broke the double-digit barrier in All six finalists will be recognized Staley said. “We are who we are. I don’t think we just the contest, with juniors Aleighsa Welch and Elem Ibiam Wednesday at the annual Outstanding come out and blow teams out. We knew that Cal State each registering 11 points. Women at USC Celebration, where the Northridge did some things we had trouble with all season South Carolina only allowed one Matador to break the 2014 USC Outstanding Woman of the long.” Year will be announced. The No. 16 seed cut South Carolina’s lead to as little as four points with 13 minutes remaining in the game. TOURNEY • 8 DG 2 Monday, March 24, 2014 McConnell named College Th ird dead dolphin found in Father, son charged with of Charleston president Beaufort County this week farm equipment theft Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell was named A third dead bottlenose dolphin was found this A Batesburg father and son have been charged president of the College of Charleston, his alma week in Beaufort County waters, according to with a daylight farm equipment theft by Lexington mater, according to The State. The State. County Sheriff’s Department deputies, according McConnell will succeed current president Susan Trogdon, a Beaufort resident, said she to The State. George Benson, who has led the school for the had been paddling in the Harbour River Saturday Jerry Myer Hill, 68, and Darryl Jerome Hill, 43, last seven years. morning when she saw the dead dolphin with were charged and have both been released from “I am confi dent we can create a transformational a foot-long scrape on its side floating in the jail on $15,000 bond each.