Remembering the Days: A USC Podcast

For 40 years Dennis Pruitt served as vice president for student affairs at USC, where he was responsible for nearly every facet of the student experience. In the face of near constant change, Pruitt helped create an ecosystem where successive generations of students could thrive in and out of the classroom. 

Since opening its doors in 1805, Carolina has made foreign language learning an essential part of its curriculum. Classical languages — Latin and Greek — are still taught, but they're now among a much larger group of languages offered, along with many opportunities for students to put their foreign language skills in practice. 

Built before WWII as the newest dorm for men, Preston College experienced a renaissance 30 years ago when it was completely renovated for its transformation into USC's first residential college for men and women. Since then, the centrally located residence hall has become a magnet for students with a bent toward creativity and leadership. 

Join us Tuesday Jan. 27 for another season of Remembering the Days, as we explore the rich and sometimes quirky history of the University of South Carolina. 

Jim Bowers was among the second small cohort of Black students to desegregate the University of South Carolina in the early 1960s, and he would later become the first Black professor in the university's School of Law. More than 50 years later, Bowers has returned to the law school with a substantial gift to improve the institution where he served as a trailblazer. 

Fifty years ago, USC established what would later become known as the Arnold School of Public Health, the state's only accredited public health college. It's mission, then and now, is to improve the health of all South Carolinians and help fill the pipeline of the public health workforce. 

USC has had 30 presidents, thus far, in more than two centuries of serving as the state's flagship university. But along with a solid president, a university needs great professors, department chairs, college deans and provosts. In his 43-year career at Carolina, Jerry Odom served USC with distinction in each of those roles and more. 

In 2021, the University of South Carolina became home to the Anne Frank Center, the only such center in North America and one of only four in the world. Here is the story of how the center came to be at Carolina and the larger story of its message of hope and understanding. 

More than 200 years ago, students at Carolina tried to start a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa — now the nation's most prestigious honor society — but their application was rejected by an Ivy League college. More than a century later, they tried again and succeeded, paving the way for high-achieving students to earn membership in one of academia's most exclusive clubs. 

USC's swimming and diving team jumped into the deep end of competition in 1922, 17 years before the university even had a pool on campus. Over the years, the team has included a number of All Americans and Olympic competitors.