USC UPSTATE COLLEGE OF SPRING 2016 Upstate to Introduce New Campus and Academic Program to Downtown Greenville Over the past several years, USC Upstate has demonstrated a Office of Service-Learning and Community Engagement, the steady evolution toward expanding its presence in the region program will utilize the unique “urban laboratory” opportunity and further fulfilling its metropolitan mission. In the upcoming the downtown Greenville location provides and offer students months, this evolution will take another major step forward a hands-on learning experience. with the opening of the university’s downtown Greenville location and the establishment of a new major in urban and “We realized very quickly that the best place for the students regional studies. to begin their studies in a program like this was in a place like Greenville, which is nationally recognized and is studied around USC Upstate’s River Street Campus, located at 501 River St. the country in urban development programs as an example of above Greenville’s Centre Stage theatre, will begin offering urban redevelopment,” McCormick noted. “Its success story is classes this August, with students having the opportunity to take known nationwide, so to position the program in the middle of courses in history, religion, art and other popular areas of study. that couldn’t be more ideal. That’s what we mean by the urban laboratory. You walk out the door and it’s the “We want to have more and more of our “ laboratory.” undergraduates to find this location convenient We see this as an engine and find this location very desirable for their for recruiting more However, the urban and regional studies needs,” Dr. Rob McCormick, associate dean of students and getting the program will not simply be focused on areas the College of Arts and Sciences, said. “We’d USC Upstate message to like Greenville. Issues in rural development and like to have as many involved there as we can.” redevelopment will also be addressed in hopes of people in Greenville.” providing services to smaller communities in the The location will feature three classrooms, a region and throughout the state. Furthermore, conference room, a lobby and office space, as well as an outdoor the program will provide training and educational opportunities patio for special events. In addition to serving current students, to community leaders through its local government academy. the downtown campus will be a valuable tool for expanding Upstate’s reach. “This is designed to attract municipal leaders from around the state of South Carolina to meet with figures around the country “We see this as an engine for recruiting more students to that deal in urban and regional studies issues as well as real USC Upstate and getting the USC Upstate message to people estate developers and banking officials who are involved in those in Greenville,” McCormick said. “Greenville’s dynamic growth investment opportunities,” McCormick added. “It’s designed to necessitates it. We need to position ourselves, especially in bring the municipal figures who tackle these issues together downtown Greenville.” to share ideas of what can be done to make South Carolina an attractive and highly livable place.” The River Street Campus will also house Upstate’s new bachelor’s program in urban and regional studies, which will begin accepting The downtown location is owned by Greenville real estate students in Fall 2017 and be the only one of its kind in South developer Phil Hughes, who has been a significant supporter of Carolina. Developed by McCormick and Dr. Abe Goldberg, the campus. associate professor of political science and director of Upstate’s Faculty & Program Updates ���������� 2 Staff Updates �������������������������������� 6 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Student & Alumni Updates ������������ 5 Giving Back ����������������������������������� 6 Breaking Down Walls: Students Work to Provide Opportunity for Upstate Inmates A common goal for professors in any college course is to challenge Both Hernández-Laroche and Hauptman have years of experience students to take on new experiences and perspectives they might working with inmates and community education. Prior to working otherwise never engage – even if that means going to jail. in higher education, Hauptman worked in administration at the South Carolina Department of Corrections for six years, This semester, several USC Upstate students are partnering with including the last few years in the Division of Educational Services. the Spartanburg Adult Education program to provide tutoring to Hernández-Laroche began tutoring in high school and eventually inmates at the Spartanburg County Detention Center as they taught college-level Spanish as part of the San Quentin Prison prepare to take the South Carolina High School Equivalency University Project. Certificate exam. The opportunity is part of the service learning component of a course taught by Dr. Samantha Hauptman and In preparation for the program, students were trained on the USC Dr. Araceli Hernández-Laroche, assistant professors of criminal Upstate campus by Tammy Cooley, director of Spartanburg Adult justice and French, respectively, that focuses on terrorism, torture, Education. Although anxious at first, students’ confidence in their and the culture of fear that has manifested in society. ability as tutors has steadily grown since beginning the detention center visits in February. So far, 14 students have participated in the tutoring program, which brings them to the detention center twice per week to tutor “I was reading their initial reactions from early February, and that’s inmates in math and English skills. The tutoring is meant to better where they expressed this anxiety. Am I going to be a good tutor? prepare inmates before they enroll in more formal coursework But I think that now we’ve done it a few times they are a lot geared toward passing the equivalency certificate exam. more relaxed and they realize they know a lot more math than they thought they knew,” Hernández-Laroche said. “They’ve been “One of the most important things we do for offenders in jail or a very valuable resource. All that anxiety now has disappeared.” prison is to help them get their GED or high school diploma so that they have a better chance of gaining meaningful employment The current tutoring program will run through June, but on the outside,” Hauptman said. “That obviously benefits the Hernández-Laroche and Hauptman would ultimately like to see inmates, but it also benefits the community as it is instrumental in involvement continue over the summer and into the upcoming reducing recidivism.” school year through the work of other USC Upstate volunteers. Additional participants would also allow tutoring to be offered to Hauptman and Hernández-Laroche also believe the students have both female and male inmates. much to gain from the opportunity. Students or community members interested in volunteering for “The earlier students get involved with non-profits in the the program can contact Hauptman at [email protected] community, the more they have a leg up in terms of developing or Hernández-Laroche at [email protected]. leadership skills, but also lots of communication skills, and the more they become invested in their local communities,” Hernández- Laroche said. FACULTY & PROGRAM UPDATES Caster Completes Second Term as LLC Chair After six years as chair of the Department of Language, Literature In addition, LLC expanded its stewardship of African American and Composition, Dr. Peter Caster, associate professor of English, Studies, creating the first tenure-track position in that area and will step down after two successful terms in the position. more than tripling the number of such courses taught each year. Furthermore, the department created Spanish 101 and 102 courses During his time as chair, LLC faculty published two books and specifically for nursing and business majors and implemented received over $300,000 in grants. Faculty also collaboratively an enhanced classroom featuring multiple visual displays and authored a textbook for first-year writing, raising over $15,000 25 computers. for the department foundation, with which the Warren J. Carson student scholarship for academic excellence was established. 2 Pingley Receives Fulbright Fellowship to Teach in Hungary Dr. Allison Pingley, associate professor of political science, has election. For the contemporary issue of politics course, students been awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to teach in Hungary this fall. will discuss hot topics such as gay marriage, immigration, Pingley will be teaching two classes at Eotvos Lorand University in abortion, gun control, and drug laws, examining how the Budapest – a bachelor’s course in contemporary issues of politics, American approach to these issues is similar or different from and a master’s course in U.S. campaigns and elections. those taken by other countries. The course in campaigns and elections will focus on the U.S. electoral system and process, including the upcoming presidential Richardson Completes Doctorate in Health Administration Dr. Susan Richardson, instructor of informatics at USC Upstate, Study,” focused on the concern surrounding the current healthcare recently completed her doctoral study through the University of environment’s unlimited access to health information by patients, Phoenix, earning a Doctor of Health Administration (DHA). providers and payers. The purpose of the study was to develop a best practice for Health Information