Welcome home to Carolina!

August 17, 2026

 Dear USC students,

It’s great to have you back at Carolina! We’re excited to start this new academic year with you – the 225th year of the University of South Carolina. We have lot of great activities planned for the weeks ahead. Personally, I am always very happy to see you back on campus – it’s too quiet here without you!

I hope you have arrived rested and ready for your new classes, not to mention all the great learning experiences and opportunities that await you as a Gamecock. We are here to support your success, and we are confident that you will focus your energy on earning the degree you are seeking. Around the world, there are more than 370,000 proud Gamecock graduates, and you are on your way to increasing that number!

Even though the summer months were quieter, we were very busy preparing for this new year. You’ll notice some changes as you navigate around campus in the coming months.

USC’s newest residential project is underway on Sumter Street. Two McBryde residence hall buildings have been demolished to make way for The Commons at Carolina, which will be ready to house students in Fall 2028. Across the street from McBryde, we’re preparing to build the third wing of the Honors Residence Hall, so you’ll be seeing a lot of construction in this area.

You’ll also see renovations this year at Thomas Cooper Library, McKissick Museum, and Barnwell College, among other spaces – all to modernize these areas for a better student experience. And several other building renovation projects are already completed or in process. Of course, Williams-Brice Stadium is among these, but that won’t interfere with the excitement of our home football games, which start on Sept. 5.

We’ve introduced some improvements to make parking easier, including an enhanced version of the ParkUSC+ app. This app will help direct drivers to available parking and improve traffic flow. It will also assist commuters using other transportation options.

Make sure you have your new Mobile CarolinaCard ready this year, so you can take advantage of the convenience of this digital access tool, always available on your phone or smartwatch. And make sure you check out the new dining options at Russell House and around campus.

As you get settled into the new semester, I hope you will also find time to submit your own creative artwork for this year’s Holiday Card Design Contest. The First Lady and I always look forward to seeing your ideas – and there’s a $500 prize for the winning selection!

But, first things first: Let’s kick off the new semester tonight with First Night Carolina on The Horseshoe, followed by a great first day of classes tomorrow. It’s going to be a great year!

Forever to thee!

Michael D. Amiridis
President