INSIDE THIS ISSUE Faculty & Program Highlights ............................................. 3 Student & Alumni Spotlight ................................................. 4 Spartans in the Community ................................................ 5 New CAS Faculty and Staff.................................................. 6 USC UPSTATE COLLEGE OF A NEW BEGINNING The transition will be overseen by two established leaders within the university. Dr. Rob McCormick, who is currently serving as the associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, has been named the interim dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. The College of Science and Technology will be led by Dr. Jeannie Chapman, who is now the chair of NSE. Both McCormick and Chapman have been appointed to their positions for one year, with the possibility of longer appointments after the interim period and initial transition are complete. Chapman says the reorganization will benefit The College of Arts and Sciences at USC Upstate is current USC Upstate students and faculty as well as on the verge of an exciting transition that promises positively impacting those in years to come. to position its academic programs, faculty and “To use a science analogy, I envision the new students for continued future success. Beginning college having its own gravitational field that can in the fall 2018 semester, the CAS will become two attract students to USC Upstate so that we become separate colleges – the College of Science and a destination school for students who wish to Technology and the College of Arts, Humanities and study the sciences, mathematics, informatics, Social Sciences. etc.,” Chapman said. “We have the opportunity to The College of Science and Technology will be highlight and build current programs, and we will be comprised of the Division of Natural Sciences agile enough to respond to changing and emerging and Engineering, the Division of Mathematics fields with new programming.” and Computer Science, and the Department of In addition to the new beginnings this Informatics and Engineering Systems. The College reorganization will bring, it will also mark the end of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences will Dr. Dirk Schlingmann’s eight successful years include the Department of Languages, Literature, as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. and Composition, the Department Fine Arts and During his time as dean, Schlingmann has not Communication Studies, the Department of only helped strengthen and develop the CAS Psychology, the Department of History, Political programs on the Upstate campus, but he has been Science, Philosophy, and American Studies, and integral in broadening the university’s presence the Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice, and globally. This has come through partnerships with Women’s Studies. international businesses in the Upstate like BMW “I am convinced that these measured changes and Draexlmaier as well as many teaching and will put us in a better position to address the study abroad opportunities for faculty and students. challenges we will face and to take advantage of Schlingmann will continue teaching at USC Upstate the opportunities that we are presented with in the in the Divison of Mathematics and years ahead,” said Dr. Clif Flynn, provost and senior Computer Science. vice chancellor for academic affairs. HOLLYWOOD ENDING: UPSTATE FILM PROFESSOR TO RETIRE Dr. Ray Merlock’s passion for film is obvious from the moment you arrive at his office door in the Humanities and Performing Arts Center. With the exception of a small space reserved for office hours and contact information, the door is blanketed with DVD covers and movie memorabilia ranging from classic west- erns to recent Academy Award winners. For the past 32 years, Merlock has taught film and journalism courses at USC Upstate, offering full-time students and interest- ed community members alike new and innovative ways to explore and enjoy popular culture. “It was OK to talk about movies and TV shows and popular culture,” Merlock said. “They were important and significant and related to opportunities they could have not just for enjoyment but for the careers they might want to pursue.” Yet, as Merlock prepares to retire at the end of the spring 2018 semester, his impact on USC Upstate and the community will ex- tend far beyond an appreciation for the silver screen. He played an integral part in the establishment of the communication major, and, through the coordination of hundreds of internships, made sure students would leave with more than just classroom experience and a degree. Merlock lists the communication major and a thriving internship program as his two proudest accomplishments at the university. With professional experience in journalism and communication in both the Army as well as a civilian, Merlock helped cultivate a passion for the area of study with students. Although the university was at first reluctant to add the new academic program, demand was made undeniably clear. The administration’s hesitancy was met with public student demonstrations supporting the degree, which was eventually approved. With the degree program in place, Merlock worked with media outlets, public relations and advertising agencies, and others in the field to provide students with real-world opportunities through internships. When he arrived, students interested in the field of communication were essentially limited to one recur- ring internship through South Carolina Educational Television. Today, under Merlock’s guidance, students have worked with hundreds of companies and organizations across the country. For Merlock, the impact on students has been clear. In addition to giving them the chance to utilize and expand the skills they’ve learned in the classroom, internships have allowed students to spend time in a professional environment many had yet to experience. “I could tell the difference between a student at the beginning of an internship and when he or she had finished,” Merlock said. With the spring semester, and his three current film offerings of Comic Book Heroes in Film, Love and Sex in Film and The Films of Clint Eastwood coming to a close, Merlock’s focus on connecting popular culture with the real world remains as strong as ever. “It’s more than OK to like movies,” Merlock said. “It’s necessary. If you like movies, then you have cultural currency with what you can exchange with other people.” 2 FACULTY & PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS PILGRIM WINS 2018 DISTINGUISHED RESEARCH SERVICE AWARD Dr. Melissa Pilgrim, director of research and associate for faculty and student researchers. professor of biology, was one of 10 recipients across the Pilgrim and the other reviewers evaluate more than 600 USC system of the new Distinguished Research Service applications for university programs along with 1,000 Award. The award is given as recognition for the reviewers Discover USC presentations each year. for the university’s internal funding and awards programs STOLZ PUBLISHES BOOK ON BLACK SABBATH Dr. Nolan Stolz, assistant professor of music and During his research and writing, Stolz interviewed several coordinator of commercial music at USC Upstate, recently Black Sabbath members, including drummers Malcom released his book “Experiencing Black Sabbath: Cope and Bobby Rondinelli, bassist Laurence Cottle, A Listener’s Companion.” keyboard player Jezz Woodroffe, lead singer Tony Martin, The book, which was released in November as part of and early manager and influencer Jim Simpson. He also the Listener’s-Companion series produced by Rowman & visited the band’s hometown of Birmingham, England. Littlefield, documents the stories behind the entire Black Sabbath catalog and includes every studio song produced by the band. FOURTH ANNUAL TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING PANEL HELD AT UPSTATE Maria Monteso, instructor of Spanish at USC Upstate, joined electronically by Dr. Miguel Tolosa Igualada, who recently organized the Fourth Annual Translation teaches translation and interpreting at the University of and Interpreting Panel discussion on March 6. The Alicante in Spain, and Estela Alcalá Tello, a translation event addressed the growing need for translators and and interpreting graduate who is known for managing interpreters and the potential opportunities that exist for international and multilingual projects. careers in the fields. The panel was sponsored by the Division of Languages, Rachel Hildebrandt, a translator who has published Literature and Composition, Student Life, and the South German-to-English translations of both fiction and Carolina Humanities Council’s Fast Track Literary Grant. nonfiction works, was the keynote panelist. She was 10 CAS FACULTY RECEIVE RISE AWARD Ten faculty members from the College of Arts and Sciences The CAS award recipients are Dr. Andrew Beer (PSY), Dr. recently received RISE (Research Initiatives for Summer Ona Egbue (NSE), Dr. Thomas McConnell (LLC), Dr. Allison Engagement) awards for research during the upcoming Pingley (HPPA), Dr. Matthew Placek (HPPA), Dr. Shannon summer. RISE provides financial support for faculty at the Polchow (LLC), Dr. Monica Shehi (LLC), Dr. Nolan Stolz USC system campuses, and USC Upstate faculty received (FACS), Dr. Carolyn Webber (FACS) and 11 of the 21 total awards. Dr. Wei Zhong (MCS). TOTH INTERVIEWED FOR SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE ARTICLE Dr. Reid Toth, associate professor of criminal justice, was American Studies, “The Orangeburg Massacre: A Case featured as a central source in a February Smithsonian Study