In This Issue:
University Parkway Detour Continues | They're Coming Home - Setting House Rules | Move-Out Policies and Procedures |
Commencement and Senior Celebration Brunch | Liberal Arts Education Value | DegreeWorks | USC Aiken Student Research | Endowed Scholarships | | Parent and Family Relations Office | Save the Date and Quick Links
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University Parkway Detour Continues
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The South Carolina Department of Transportation recently announced that work on University Parkway – from near the Market Place Shopping Center (where Groucho’s Deli is located) to the entrance to the Aiken Regional Medical Center on Physician’s Drive – will continue through May.
It is very likely that this portion of University Parkway will be closed during commencement exercises on May 8. Please plan accordingly if you will attend commencement or be on campus, and give yourself extra time to accommodate additional traffic.
All entrances to the university will be accessible; however, the one across from the hospital (on Medical Park Drive, across from Scholar Loop on campus) will only be available for those coming from the Trolley Line Road direction.
For future updates, click
here
.
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They're Coming Home - Setting House Rules
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Many residential students will complete this term's coursework and return home soon (and so will their dirty laundry)!
You may still consider them as barely graduating from high school, but in their minds they have been living independently, making their own meal and sleep schedule, and cleaning up after themselves (or not).
If your student will be living under your roof for the summer, it's best to establish some modified house rules --- rules that everyone can live with.
This
article relates to a
parent's game plan for setting house rules, and this
article comes from a
student's perspective. Both articles have great advice to consider.
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Be Informed About Move-Out
Policies and Procedures
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It's hard to believe that the year is almost over, and students will soon be moving out of housing!
If your student lives in Pacer Crossings, Pacer Commons, or Pacer Downs, you may want to
read this and then have a conversation with your resident student. Thank you for your support!
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Commencement and Senior Celebration Brunch
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The above decal will be available to parents and families at the May 8 commencement ceremony. If you cannot attend but would like one, please email
parents@usca.edu with student's full name and their USC Aiken email address.
We will notify students when they can pick up your decal for you. Sorry, we cannot mail decals.
Congratulations!
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Senior Celebration Brunch
Celebrate this special time by attending the
Senior Celebration Brunch
with your student! Photo opportunities with family and faculty will be available.
Graduating seniors receive a free brunch ticket; guests are charged a nominal fee.
The deadline for students to purchase guest brunch tickets is April 30.
Commencement Ceremony
Detailed information for guest arrival, seating, tickets, etc., can be found
here.
Please note that main floor doors leading into the arena will close at 5:50 p.m. for the student processional.
All guests should be seated by 5:45 p.m.
Please read details about the University Parkway detour (first newsletter article) and allow extra time to navigate the USC Aiken area.
If you cannot be with us in person, please watch the live-stream of the ceremony. The
link
will not be available until 15 minutes before the ceremony begins.
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Stay Calm and Know that a Liberal Arts Education is Valued!
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According to a recent LinkedIn blog, employers consider
soft skills (such as those learned in liberal arts) as being more important than hard skills. The current
Goldman-Sachs CEO agrees and stresses the importance of strong written communication skills.
To assist all students, USC Aiken's Writing Room provides tutoring and
workshops throughout the semester.
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Did you know that USC Aiken students have the ability to track their degree progress through Self Service Carolina?
DegreeWorks is an easy‐to‐use, web‐based, degree audit and academic advising software designed to enhance the advisement and academic planning process (e.g., track degree progress, prepare for registration, and plan for graduation). DegreeWorks has powerful tools that allow students to view their academic progress at any time and confirm how course choices fulfill degree/certificate requirements. Note that DegreeWorks is designed to aid and facilitate academic advising but is not intended to replace face‐to‐face advising sessions with academic advisors.
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USC Aiken Students Present Research
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USC Aiken's College of Sciences and Engineering was well represented at the 92
nd Annual Meeting of the South Carolina Academy of Science on March 30, at Francis Marion University.
Several USC Aiken STEM students gave poster or oral presentations. These students were mentored by eight different faculty from the Department of Biology and Geology and the Department of Chemistry and Physics.
This year’s USC Aiken award recipients were:
- Kali Wiggins and Dr. April DeLaurier (2nd place Molecular Biology oral)
- Shalyn Najjar and Dr. Andy Dyer (1st place: Environmental Science poster)
- Amanda Askins and Dr. Nathan Hancock (1st place Biology: Cell and Molecular oral AND Best overall undergraduate presentation)
- McKenzie Spires and Dr. William Jackson (1st place Biology: Molecular oral)
- Rachel Moment and Dr. April DeLaurier (2nd place: Biology: Molecular poster)
- Reese King and Dr. Nathan Hancock (1st place: Biology: Molecular poster)
- Wesley Brison and Dr. Michele Harmon (1st place Biology: Field and Zoology; Environmental Science)
Congratulations to these students and their families!
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USC Aiken's Advancement team works with generous donors who provide opportunities for students to afford college. We appreciate our donors and know that students and families do as well. If your student would like to investigate these scholarship opportunities, please share
this link with them.
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Parent and Family Relations Office Hours
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We are happy to reply to your messages during regular office hours, Monday - Thursday, 8:30 a.m. -
4:30 p.m. As always, you can email us at parents@usca.edu or call 803-641-2825.
If your Pacer is graduating this spring or summer, congratulations! It has been my pleasure to send you these newsletters. I hope they have been helpful. If you would like to continue receiving them, feel free. However, if you would like to unsubscribe please click the corresponding link at the bottom of this page.
Sincerely,
Sandy Talbott
Parent and Family Relations Coordinator
parents@usca.edu
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Save The Date
Spring term
April 29 - Classes end
Final exams - May 1 - 7
May 8 - Spring Commencement
Fall term
August 18 - Residential students move-in
August 21 - Freshmen Convocation
August 22 - Classes begin
September 21 - Family Day
October 10-11 - Fall break
November 26-27 - Thanksgiving holiday
December 6 - Classes end
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Parent and Family Relations| University of South Carolina Aiken | 803-641-2825 | parents@usca.edu | https://www.usca.edu/parents
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