USCA State of the University Address 2026
State of the University Address
September 9, 2026
Chancellor Daniel Heimmermann, PhD
- Remarks as Prepared -
Good afternoon! It is great to be with you today as we celebrate the university’s 65th anniversary and to reflect on the incredible accomplishments we have achieved during the past year and look at our exciting path forward. As you know, there is a lot of energy and excitement on campus right now as, once again, in defiance of national trends, we shattered enrollment records, welcomed the largest freshman class in history, and filled our residence halls to capacity. Indeed, USCA is one of the fastest growing universities in the southeast—a testament to USCA’s widening reputation as a premier regional university. It is a great time to be a Pacer!
The University of South Carolina Aiken continues to intrepidly pursue its noble mission of supporting high-quality academics and engaged teaching and learning, impactful research, and service to our community. Only three months ago we celebrated our spring 2026 commencement ceremony and the more than 463 newly-minted graduates, including five newly commissioned US Army officers as well as ten USCA Life graduates. This event reminds us of the powerful, transformative impact of a USCA education. Likewise, the start of another academic year marks a renewed and bright promise for the future of our university, state, region, and nation.
Before I start my address, I would like to welcome some of our distinguished guests: Our Legislative Delegation, Representatives from the Aiken County Commission on Higher Education, the Aiken Partnership Board, Aiken City Council, Aiken County Council, as well as our elected public officials, faculty, staff, alumni, students, and others who are with us today. I also would like to welcome to campus thirteen new faculty and 54 new staff persons this year across various disciplines and departments. Thank you all for joining us today!
Challenges and Path Forward
As I mentioned many times before, the greatest challenge and responsibility for universities today is to ensure that they remain relevant and responsive to the people and communities they serve. At USCA we do not take for granted public support for or trust in higher education. We acknowledge that this support and trust must be continuously earned. Like the pursuit of excellence, it is not once achieved and then can be forgotten; it must be striven for, intentionally, and relentlessly. Our fidelity to these principles is being pursued by the fulfillment of our Strategic Plan, 2030 (Educate. Innovate. Inspire) whose strategic pillars call for reaffirming and supporting the primacy of our academic mission by the development of high-quality academic programs that respond to current and future workforce needs, an enhanced institutional focus and support for improving student success outcomes, engaging teaching and learning, enhancing the campus experience, addressing regional needs, and bolstering a sustainable institutional foundation. As you will hear in the minutes that follow, during the past year, we continued to intrepidly advance these goals.
Pillar 1: Deliver a Flexible and Relevant Curriculum
USCA’s academic reputation is renowned and was reaffirmed by the numerous accolades and recognitions we have received this past year. December graduates in our Nursing program, which is celebrating 25 years of preparing graduates to enter the healthcare workforce, achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination. Our bachelor’s programs in Process and Mechanical Engineering have earned accreditation from ABET, and the School of Business was successfully reaccredited by AACSB—an accrediting body that represents only the top 6 percent business schools/programs. Finally, USCA’s elementary education programs were awarded a grade of “A” by the National Council on Teacher Quality.
Our university remains committed to delivering a flexible and relevant curriculum that prepares our graduates to meet South Carolina’s current and future workforce needs. During the past academic year, USCA faculty developed baccalaureate programs in Cyber Security and Electrical Engineering and an online master’s program in Exercise and Sports Science with a concentration in strength and conditioning. The School of Business faculty developed MBA specializations in AI for Business, Corporate Governance, Healthcare Operations, Human Resources Operations, and Project Leadership as well as undergraduate certificates in Digital Marketing in AI, Entrepreneurship, and Human Resource Operations. I would like to extend my thanks to the faculty, chairs, deans, and provost for their leadership in these efforts.
Internships and Experiential Learning
USCA’s academic programs provide students with a deeper, applied, real-world learning experience, making them job-ready on day one. Over 320 USCA students have completed internships during the past year with more than 150 employer sponsors. Many of these out-of-class experiences are done in partnership with local industries and organizations like SRS, SRMC, SRNL, and other agencies and businesses, school districts, and health care organizations which support our students’ capstone and internship experiences.
In addition to external internships, USCA offers students on-campus experiential learning opportunities at our student-run Regional Security Operations Center (RSOC), and this past year these learning experiences were extended to South Aiken and Aiken High School students. Experiential learning also includes undergraduate research. In July, thirty science and engineering students presented the results of their summer research projects at the Seventh Annual Summer Scholar Institute Research Symposium poster session at the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative. Two USCA biology majors, Hayden Driver and Joseph Suazo, spent the summer interning at Harvard Medical School, where they conducted research under the direction of USCA alumna and Harvard professor of pathology, Dr. Connie Arthur (USCA ’06). Also, this past year, students in history, English, and humanities participated in a digital archives project led by Deborah Harmon and Todd Hagstette. I would like to thank Corey Feraldi and Sumner Markwalter from Career Services as well as our sponsoring faculty and external partners for their efforts in organizing and promoting these out-of-class learning experiences.
Grants, Scholarship and Creative Performance
USCA faculty continue to engage in impactful scholarly activities, including grant-funded research. During the past year USC Aiken researchers brought in nearly $5 million in federal and state external grants. Titan Paul was the recipient of an NSF grant ($199,999); Michele Harmon received a Department of Energy Award ($173,864); and Judy Beck and Bridget Coleman received a $540,000 grant from the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (CHE) to establish the PRIME Center of Excellence in math education. Finally, with the support of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, USCA Nursing was awarded a $2 million federal appropriation grant that will fund a high-fidelity simulation lab.
Faculty Scholarship/Creative Activity
In addition to external grant activity, USCA faculty were recognized for leadership in their academic disciplines, organized academic conferences, and authored peer-reviewed scholarship. Dr. Sonya Edwards, from the School of Nursing, was selected for the 2026-27 Amy V. Crockcroft Leadership Fellowship program through the University of South Carolina College of Nursing. This past April the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures joined with Augusta University to host the Languages in the South Conference. School of Education faculty published peer-reviewed scholarship and delivered more than 50 presentations at regional, national and international conferences. More specifically, Michelle Rashid co-published in Theory & Practice in Rural Education (2025). Alexia Helsley, from the History and Political Science Department, recently published a book, Rebecca Brewton Motte. Art professor Joe Kameem’s latest artwork (a mural) will be unveiled tomorrow in downtown Aiken. Dr. David Morris, from the Department of Communication and Emerging Media, co-authored in the News and Research Journal (2025). Engineering Professor Md Abdul Karim’s work appeared in the Journal of Alloys and Compounds. Bri Coulombe, Bridget Cho, and Jane Stafford, from the Department of Psychology, authored a paper in the Journal of Adolescence, and in the School of Business Professor Al-hash-mi Lasyoud published in Business Strategy and the Environment. I wish to thank these and other faculty for their scholarly and creative productivity during the past year. To further support faculty scholarly and creative activities I am pleased to announce that the university has doubled its budget for faculty travel.
Pillar 2: Reimagine the Composition of the Student Body
USCA remains responsive to the evolving composition and needs of our student body. Pacer students reflect the breadth of our state. Nearly nine of ten USCA students hail from the Palmetto State with nearly three-quarters of our alumni remaining in South Carolina after graduation.
Affordability and Access
In support of affordability and access for our students and families, we continue to expand educational access to qualified students by maintaining tuition rates that have remained constant for the past eight years. Further, during the past academic year (2025-26), USCA awarded nearly $36 million in federal and state scholarships, and more than $1.6 million in private awards to over 1,000 students. The result is that one-third of our students pay nothing out of pocket for tuition and fees, and nearly half pay less than half with many graduating with no debt.
Enrollment Management
In our commitment to increasing post-secondary educational attainment in our state and region we remain laser focused on student recruitment, retention, and student success. The past year’s strategic marketing and recruitment initiatives have resulted in dramatically increased USCA brand awareness, especially outside our traditional service area. Indeed, last year we had a 47 percent increase in freshmen applications generally and an 81 percent increase in freshman applicants who lived outside of our traditional service area—enrolling 43 percent more of these students this fall.
For the third consecutive year, USCA has recorded historic enrollment. Fall 2026 enrollment will exceed 4,500 students (3,559 undergraduate and 970 graduate students). This amounts to a nearly 10 percent overall increase from the previous fall—an 8 percent increase in undergraduates and a 25 percent increase in graduate students. Our enrollment gains were due to a number of factors including a 39 percent increase in new graduate students, an 18 percent increase in freshmen, a 10 percent increase and an 12 percent increase in continuing graduate and undergraduate students respectively. Importantly, our record enrollment translated into nearly a ten percent increase in tuition revenue. Thanks go out to Nathan Rice and his Enrollment Management and Marketing teams for their innovative and hard work.
Retention/Student Success
Our record enrollment numbers are in no small part attributed to our student success and retention efforts. USCA provides students with a supportive path to graduation with engaged teaching, robust academic advising and mentoring, and effective academic and non-academic support services that respond to students’ holistic needs. The result has been an unprecedented eleven percent increase in student retention over the past five years. Our record enrollment and student success rates are the product of our high-quality student support systems and the people who serve them.
Callen Center
The Callen Center for Engaged Teaching and Learning offers faculty the latest teaching and learning methodologies, advising and engagement approaches, and assistance with classroom systems integration. This past year, the Callen Center sponsored fifty (50) workshops for faculty and staff on topics ranging from the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence to integrating archival primary sources into classroom instruction. Forty (40) faculty earned workshop attendance certificates last year. Overall, the Center facilitated 398 individual registrations from faculty and staff. Among those who participated last year, some faculty and staff attended numerous sessions. Special recognition goes to Dr. Bob Leach, Dr. Linda Wang, Dr. Bri Coulombe, and Dr. Philip Mason. Their ongoing commitment to engaged teaching and learning reflects their dedication to student engagement and learning. I also want to thank Dr. Tim Lintner for his leadership in championing the mission of the Callen Center.
Student Success Center
Serving as the academic heart of the university and celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Gregg Graniteville Library is the home of the Student Success Center which continues to strengthen its role as a central destination for learning, support, and student success. This year, collaborative teams across the Library and Student Success Center further integrated their holistic student support services by expanding outreach initiatives and strengthening partnerships among advising, tutoring, coaching, and library services. For example, academic coaching and early warning initiatives continued to yield positive outcomes, with nearly 80% of academically at-risk students who participated in coaching improving their cumulative GPA. These efforts reflect a shared commitment to innovation, student engagement, collaboration, and academic success. I would like to thank Dr. Lisa Ennis, Dean of the Gregg-Graniteville Library, and her staff for their collaborative and effective leadership.
Faculty Advising Academy
The Student Success Center is also the central hub for our high-quality academic advising, which is critical for student success. In addition to our dedicated professional advisors, such as Beth Martin, faculty continue to receive training through our Faculty Advisor Academy, which entered its second year. This past year, the Advising Academy sponsored a total of 50 workshops in the 2025-2026 academic year with 298 attendees across all workshops. Eight faculty members received a Certification of Recognition for their dedication to outstanding advising at USCA and completion of the academy, and over 30 unique faculty members engaged in the series. Special recognition goes to star faculty advisers, including Bethany Fralick (Engineering), Michelle Petrie (Sociology), Jason Munsell (Communication & Emerging Media), and Susan Glenn (Chemistry). My appreciation goes to Collytte Medders, Director of Academic Advising, for leading these efforts.
Retention
Our holistic approach to student support and success has led to record retention and a record number of degrees awarded. Indeed, this past year the University produced 925 graduates (certificates, baccalaureate, and masters), the overwhelming majority of whom remain in our state. Thanks go out to Dr. Katie Smith and her staff for leading our student success efforts.
Pillar 3: Enhance the Campus Experience
A supportive and engaging campus environment is integral not only to attracting more students and providing them with holistic, enhanced educational experiences but also to instilling in students a sense of belonging and pride in their university resulting in higher persistence levels and overall satisfaction. USCA has over 100 active organizations ranging from intramurals to Greek Life. The USCA Greek community is at its largest in the history of the university. I would like to thank Vice Chancellor Ahmed Samaha and his staff as well as faculty for their leadership providing our students with these robust campus experiences.
Athletics, including club sports, are significant contributors to the USCA campus experience and have garnered numerous accolades during the past year. USCA’s women’s polo team was crowned the USPA Division I National Intercollegiate champions, defeating Texas A&M University. Head golf coach Mike Carlisle, who has served USCA for 37 years, was inducted into the South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame in January 2026. Eighty-one percent of the USCA student athletes were named to the PBC Presidential Honor Roll recognizing academic achievement for the 25-26 academic year. Also, during the past year USCA earned an NCAA D2 Award of Excellence for third place for its inclusive community engagement event "A Night in Wonderland,” featuring our USCA Life Students. Finally, last April, the USCA League of Legends esports/gaming team delivered a convincing performance in the champions division of the final of the Peach Belt Championship, sweeping the University of North Georgia in a decisive victory. I would like to express my gratitude and congratulations to Athletic Director Todd Wilkinson and his coaches and staff as well as polo coach Parker Scott and USCA esports sponsor, Dr. David Morris for leading programs that create winners both on and off the court, field, and screen.
New and Improved Campus Facilities/Infrastructure
This past year witnessed additions and investments in our physical campus, ensuring students are provided with outstanding academic, athletics, and other facilities. This fall engineering classes moved into the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative (AMC)--making our engineering program the only one in the nation that is housed in a national lab building. The newly-named Dr. Robert Alexander Student Activities Center received numerous upgrades, including to the Starbucks. The Pacer Soccer Field was completed and will be officially dedicated later this fall. I would like to note that both the Pacer men and women soccer teams so far are undefeated at this new venue. Just behind the new soccer field you may have noticed that construction of the South Carolina National Guard Readiness Center is underway. In addition to providing training space for guardsmen, the Readiness Center will provide the university with conference rooms, classrooms, and other spaces. Later this fall, construction will begin on the South Carolina National Guard (SCNG) Cyber Integration Center (CIC) which will be located next to the AMC. Like the AMC, the CIC will be occupied by USCA students and staff who will work and learn side-by-side with National Guard men and women.
Facilities Maintenance
In addition to these projects, during the past year, our university engineer Brian Enter and his staff completed nearly $9.5 million in campus maintenance and improvements, including the construction of the Auxiliary Services Storage Building and Soccer Facility as well as the replacement of the Student Activities Center roof and the HVAC system in this building (Etherredge Center). The University also invested in technology infrastructure. Over $1.2 million was committed to upgrade 41 classroom and meeting spaces across campus. Further, the Technology Services Division, in conjunction with the College of Sciences and Engineering, built and launched a high-performance computing (HPC) research cluster, a first for USC Aiken, giving USCA science and engineering faculty unprecedented access to computing resources for research that requires complex computations and significant processing power. Finally, the university’s student-run Regional Security Operations Center (RSOC) signed additional MOUs with South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s (SLED) Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity team, Aiken Electric Cooperative, and Aiken County Public School District to provide these entities with cybersecurity services. I would like to thank Vice Chancellor Ernest Pringle and his team for their work on these projects.
Future Campus Projects
We also are planning for future campus development. Our Facilities Master Plan lays out our path for future intentional growth as the university transitions its physical footprint from a commuter school to more of a residential campus through the creation of improved gathering areas, additional green spaces, a revitalized quad, newly branded wayfinding signage, as well as plans for the development of an entertainment/restaurant/retail district on campus as well as new student housing. I look forward to sharing more news about these exciting ventures in the coming months.
Pillar 4: Address the Pressing Needs of the Region (USCA Impact)
USCA’s impact on our community and its commitment to solving our region’s more pressing needs and providing rich cultural and educational access cannot be overstated. First of all, the university is a powerful economic engine, contributing more than $350 million annually to our regional economy and supporting nearly 2,800 jobs, and it serves the region in many other ways.
USCA is a leader in innovation and economic development and in promoting regional collaboration. The university stands at the center of the emerging Aiken Innovation and STEM Corridor anchored not only by relevant academic programs and cutting-edge applied research, but as host to the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative as well as the future South Carolina National Guard’s Cyber Integration Center.
USCA also is a regional leader in workforce recruitment and development through inspiring, recruiting and preparing the next generation of workforce in the CSRA. As you know, our campus hosts an educational continuum spanning from kindergarten through graduate school. The Ruth Patrick Science Education Center welcomes more than 75,000 K-12 students annually at events, such as next week’s SEED STEM Festival, allowing young people the opportunity to discover the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. USCA also is home to the Aiken Scholars Academy which, once again, was named the best high school in our state and ranked 14th nationally. ASA students and many others, culminate their educational journey by enrolling in USCA’s academic programs, where they benefit from local internships and eventual job placements most likely in the CSRA.
USCA also serves as a leader in promoting regional collaboration to support innovation, economic and workforce development. This past February the university hosted its inaugural AI & Cyber Innovation Week which brought together industry, academia, and government for a week-long focus on AI, Cyber, Energy, and Defense through drone training, network security courses, national speakers, and practitioner activities. In that same month the USCA Innovation, Economic and Workforce Development Council was established. Composed of regional, state, and local economic development and innovation leaders, the council serves as an advisory body, helping the university align its research, innovation, and strategic initiatives with broader economic and regional development goals. The Council works to strengthen collaboration between the university, industry, and government, to foster innovation ecosystems and workforce development to promote regional economic growth, to advise on policy and strategy, and to drive innovation and regional prosperity. Council members currently are engaged in three cutting-edge projects, including an AI-Synthesis of Regional Strategic Plans, a Community-Based Tabletop Exercise Building Aiken’s Cyber Resilience, and developing an Energy-Resilient Logistics Corridor Plan to enable rapid response and decision-making capacity during natural and other regional crises.
Also, this summer USCA has broadened its effort to expand cybersecurity education, workforce development, and community engagement in the CSRA region with the opening of the Aiken Energy & Innovation Exchange (AIEX). Located in the Tom Young Center for Research and Innovation, the AIEX provides downtown access to the resources and expertise of the university. In this public engagement center, students, educators, industry leaders, and community members can engage in cybersecurity and innovation programs. Last month the AIEX culminated its sponsored “Summer of Cyber,” a free professional development and workforce training series, and hosted other events that supported innovation. I would like to thank Tom Scott for his efforts on this crucial initiative as well as the city of Aiken, especially Megan Pruitt, the Executive Director of the Aiken Corporation and manager of the Tom Young Center.
The university also has remained faithful to its commitment to the cultural enrichment of our wider community. The performances sponsored by the Cultural Series at the Etherredge Center, which is marking its 40th year, are renowned and increasingly popular. This past year, 32,000 people attended events at the Etherredge Center--a 14 percent increase from the previous year; Cultural Series ticket sales for FY26 were up 52 percent from the previous year. In addition, I am pleased to announce that the university once again will resume hosting popular shows at the Convocation Center. In fact, tomorrow evening the Convo will host a welcome back concert featuring the well-known rap artist Waka Flocka Flame. I will see you all there! The Center for Lifelong Learning (CLL), meanwhile, continues to provide residents with diverse continuing educational programs. Thank you to Paul Crook and Robert Murphy and their staff, and the legions of volunteers who make the Cultural Series and the Center for Lifelong Learning successful.
A final example of our commitment to our region and educational access is our USCA Life Program, which continued its mission of preparing students with intellectual and developmental disabilities for meaningful, self-directed lives through academic engagement, career preparation, independent living, and community inclusion. The program enrolled 29 students representing communities across South Carolina and celebrated the graduation of 10 students this past May. Of particular note, this past March, USCA LIFE partnered with the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce to host its first employer summit. The event brought more than a dozen employment agencies and organizations from across the region, which shared information about career pathways and employment opportunities for students with disabilities. I would like to highlight one of our third-year USCA Life students, Breyden Anderson, who represented Aiken in the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games held in Minneapolis where he won a bronze medal in tennis. A special thanks to Dr. Melissa Martin and her team and the School of Education for their vision and the dedicated work they invest in this special program.
Pillar 5: Bolster a Sustainable Foundation
Fulfilling the university’s mission, including increasing the number of graduates, supporting high-quality academics, impactful research and service, and raising external funds hinges on the ability of the university to effectively and consistently tell its story in the most compelling light.
Last year’s university brand refresh and integrated marketing campaign dramatically enhanced the university’s brand awareness throughout our region which, in no small part, contributed to our record number of applications and students, including those from outside our traditional service area. In fact, our new brand earned national and international acclaim as it won a Gold Award from MarCom Awards alongside names such as Tripadvisor and Wells Fargo. A special thanks goes to Heather Hensley and her creative team for making USCA no longer the region’s best kept secret!
USCA could not fully achieve its mission without the financial support of our state and our generous donors, alumni, and friends. The impactful advocacy of our local legislative delegation has enabled USCA to meet and exceed its expected goals. We are grateful to our elected officials, led by Senator Tom Young, for another successful legislative year for the university which included over $1 million in tuition mitigation, $2.5 million for deferred maintenance and $5 million for the Penland Welcome Center renovation.
The generosity of alumni, donors, and corporate partners propelled USCA to its strongest fundraising year in the past five years. During FY26, the University received $2.55 million in philanthropic support, surpassing our goal and representing 15% growth over FY25. Of this total, donors supported well over 1,000 scholarship awards for a total of $1.6 million for USCA students. I would like to thank Vice Chancellor Dan Elwell and his staff for this important work.
USCA's newest alumni also demonstrated their belief in the university's mission through philanthropy. The inaugural Reins of Legacy giving society inspired more than 130 graduating seniors to make their first philanthropic gift, reflecting their appreciation for the opportunities, experiences and community that shaped their time at USCA. Their participation signals the beginning of a lifelong tradition of engagement and investment in the success of future Pacers. These philanthropic investments and commitments from our alumni and donors reflect a growing belief in USCA's mission and an enduring commitment to providing students with the opportunities, experiences and resources they need to thrive. A special thanks goes to Carmen Williams, Director of Alumni Affairs, for her impressive work during the past year.
Finally, it goes without saying that the foundation of this or any other organization is its people: our devoted faculty and staff. The university does not take their work for granted as it continues to invest in our employees. This past year, 29 meritorious faculty were promoted/tenured/received positive post-tenure reviews. Also, two years ago, the university made an unprecedented investment in our hard-working and loyal employees which amounted to the largest single-time investment in salary increases in the history of our university. As I mentioned at last month’s faculty and staff Welcome Back Brunch, we plan to undertake another market compensation study that will lead to market-based salary adjustments for eligible faculty and staff.
Our support for our dedicated staff also includes a offering a robust array of professional development opportunities. During the past year our Human Resources office offered more than 50 workshops to support faculty and staff on topics ranging from benefits, mental health, and personal finance. We also began the Chancellor's Institute for Professional Excellence. This stands as a testament to USCA’s commitment to our faculty and staff and the confidence and support that the university has in their noble work of educating and supporting the next generation of professionals and leaders in our state, region, and nation. I would like to thank Vice Chancellor of Finance Cam Reagin and Human Resource Director Carla Hayes and their staff for their work on this important project.
Closing
In closing, with your continued support, building upon our tremendous legacy and momentum, USCA will continue its responsive and impactful service to its students and our community in fulfillment of its original promise made six and a half decades ago. Again, I express my heartfelt appreciation for all of those in attendance today who have enabled our fulfillment of this sacred vow to serve our region, state, and nation.
Thank you and, as always, Go Pacers!
To request the Chancellor attend or officiate at your event, please complete the request form.