
Cool Classes Fall 2023
April 02, 2023, Erin Newman
To help you prepare for fall registration on the horizon, we have put together a list of 12 off-the-beaten-path classes to consider to fill that last elective gap.
April 02, 2023, Erin Newman
To help you prepare for fall registration on the horizon, we have put together a list of 12 off-the-beaten-path classes to consider to fill that last elective gap.
March 26, 2023, Allen Wallace
A year of work by the the 2023 University of South Carolina Dance Marathon team culminated in a huge success: $788,645 raised to fund the Child Life program at Columbia's Prisma Health Children's Hospital, part of the Children's Miracle Network.
March 21, 2023, Dana Woodward
Michael Sagas will take the helm at the university’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management on June 15.
February 24, 2023, Allen Wallace
As a partner and vice chairman of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, Sheila Johnson is the only African American woman with ownership in three professional sports teams. Students in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management are gaining unique insights from Johnson as she returns for a second semester to co-teach a class on leadership.
February 17, 2023, Page Ivey
Tourism is the main driver of South Carolina’s economy, accounting for about 10 percent of jobs in the state and an estimated annual impact of $29 billion. The University of South Carolina helps keep this economic engine humming by preparing graduates of the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management to take on key roles in a variety of businesses and by helping those businesses adapt and grow.
December 02, 2022, Téa Smith
Craft beer is big business but that doesn’t necessarily mean business is booming.In fact, for many of the nation’s smaller brewing operations, competing with established large-scale “macrobreweries” is a David and Goliath story — and the laws are stacked in Goliath’s favor. But Scott Taylor Jr.. and his colleagues at the Wine and Beverage Institute at USC School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management are working on the first of three papers exploring the negative impact of Prohibition-era laws on competition within the alcoholic beverage industry.
December 02, 2022, Megan Sexton
In the years since he arrived at the University of South Carolina, Andy Gillentine has seen the size of the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management undergraduate programs triple, while the master’s programs are 10 times as large.
October 13, 2022, Alexis Watts
Scott Smith, assistant professor at the University of South Carolina College of Hospitality, Retail and Sports Management and coaster enthusiast, has 10 tips that can help calm the squeamish stomach and get back to the hair-raising fun.
October 03, 2022, Allen Wallace
Cutting-edge academics, deep industry connections and top-tier faculty combine to create a first-class training ground for football industry leaders in HRSM’s Department of Sport and Entertainment Management, recognized as one of the best and biggest programs of its kind.
August 02, 2022, By Alexis Watts
Despite the brutal heat enveloping Congaree National Park, hikers smiled and chatted as they trekked several miles through the old growth bottomland hardwood forest — stop No. 4 on a monthlong, 350-mile tour of seven of South Carolina’s natural wonders.
July 28, 2022, Megan Sexton
In a field where careers can change in an instant and big money is always on the line, sports agent and HRSM grad Aaron Henderson understands the importance of doing the hard work. He expects the same professionalism and commitment from his clients.
July 26, 2022, Allen Wallace
For the fourth consecutive year, the University of South Carolina is among the top 10 in the country in hospitality and tourism management and No. 18 worldwide, according to the ShanghaiRanking’s 2022 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
June 29, 2022, Alexis Watts
Professor and ecotourism expert Tom Mullikin is leading a 30-day trek from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Lowcountry to spotlight South Carolina’s natural marvels, a journey that invites the public to explore the state through hiking, rafting, kayaking and diving.
June 28, 2022, Page Ivey
Khalid Ballouli knows first-hand what life is like for an aspiring professional ballplayer. It was his personal experience, which included six years as a pitcher in the minor leagues after playing for the Southeastern Conference’s Texas A&M University, that led him to his 10-year research project interviewing young players and their families about their experiences in travel baseball.
June 10, 2022, Savannah Bennett
Using real-time analysis, Gamecock Athletics reviews survey data and makes adjustments to football game-day logistics to better the overall fan experience.
April 12, 2022, Allen Wallace
On April 9, nearly 2,000 University of South Carolina students spent the day dancing together, closing more than a year of work with a huge success as they raised $931,016 to support the Child Life program at Prisma Health Children's Hospital.
March 23, 2022, Megan Sexton
Susan O'Malley, the first woman to run a professional sports franchise, has brought her knowledge, insight and enthusiasm to the University of South Carolina, focusing on giving students a taste of the fast-paced field of sports and event management.
January 27, 2022, Allen Wallace
Many things have changed since the annual Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments debuted in 2016, but one constant remains: the University of South Carolina is No. 1 in the nation.
November 10, 2021, Cam Adams
While the fall semester is far from over, it is time to start thinking about registering for spring 2022 classes. In addition to the essentials all students need to satisfy graduation requirements, we found a few classes open to all majors that you might want to look into.
September 23, 2021, Craig Brandhorst
Sport and entertainment management major Shawnese Cleveland’s internship at the Russell House was a crash course in pandemic protocols. Cleveland is one of 10 Gamecocks Carolinian magazine spoke to about how the pandemic has changed the way we work.
August 23, 2021, Savannah Bennett
Marjorie Weber was a widow in her 40s when she decided to return to college to earn her teaching degree from the University of South Carolina where her late husband had been an education professor. She also served as a starting point for a string of family members attending South Carolina, including a granddaughter and two great-granddaughters, who are current education students. They are among the hundreds of students who follow family members to become Gamecocks each year.
August 19, 2021, Allen Wallace
South Carolina’s flagship university continues to lead the way in preparing the future leaders of the state’s biggest industry. The University of South Carolina is again among the top 10 in the country in hospitality and tourism management.
August 12, 2021, Page Ivey
Brian Mihalik uses 360-degree virtual reality technology to put his students into venues around the world — locations where many of his sport and entertainment management students hope to work someday.
August 12, 2021, Cam Adams
The University of South Carolina is expanding its degree offerings with 13 new programs set to launch this fall that will better prepare students for careers in cybersecurity, education, nursing, business and music among other fields.
August 12, 2021, Allen Wallace
The University of South Carolina’s Apple Authorized Campus Store, Gamecock iHub, officially opens for business Aug. 13 with a grand opening ceremony. It is only the second in the nation to incorporate experiential learning into its business model.
August 05, 2021, Megan Sexton
COVID has upended tourism, from the way individuals travel to the way the industry does business. Tourism professor Simon Hudson is one of 10 Gamecocks Carolinian magazine spoke to about how the pandemic has changed the way we work.
June 25, 2021, Tenell Felder
Japan will host the Summer Olympic Games July 23 to Aug. 8. Though the Olympics will be taking place in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they will continue to be officially branded as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. To help journalists report on the Tokyo games, the University of South Carolina has compiled a list of faculty experts.
June 23, 2021, Chris Horn
For associate professor of hotel, tourism and retail management Marketa Kubickova, the hospitality industry has been a passion of hers and she wants to prepare students to be future industry leaders.
May 27, 2021, Megan Sexton
James Hull works in the Office of Veterans and Military Services at the University of South Carolina, certifying veteran education benefits for students. He also has taken on a project that combines both his love of history and his military service: Documenting every UofSC student or alumni who died while serving in uniform over the past 120 years.
May 26, 2021, Abe Danaher
David Cárdenas has been named the interim dean of the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, effective July 1. He takes over for the current interim dean, Matt Brown, who has been in the position since July 2020.
May 05, 2021, Page Ivey
Jaden Sorbie wasn’t really interested in her “family business” of flying — at least not when she arrived at the University of South Carolina campus with a goal of working in live event management. All it took was a year of working with the pilots in the South Carolina Air National Guard and Sorbie was hooked.
April 20, 2021, Craig Brandhorst
First-generation college student Shawnese Cleveland started her academic career as a political science major, intent on going to law school one day and perhaps working in government. After watching the event staff do their thing during a women’s basketball game at Colonial Life Arena, the Georgia native changed her mind and changed her major. Now, following back-to-back campus internships, the sport and entertainment management major is kicking off her career at a Las Vegas resort.
April 13, 2021, Megan Sexton
Associate professor in sport and entertainment management at the University of South Carolina Nick Watanabe focuses on the economics of sports along with human behavior in the context of sport.
March 22, 2021, Allen Wallace
Tom Regan and Nick Watanabe are associate professors of sport and entertainment management in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management. We talked to them last year about the pandemic’s potential economic impact on the sport and entertainment industry. We caught up with them this spring to find out how things are going and what it will take for the industry to bounce back.
March 18, 2021, Craig Brandhorst
A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, we asked members of the university community to share their expertise about how the coronavirus has affected all facets of life and offer insights on ways to move forward. Simon Hudson, a professor of tourism in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, speaks about COVID-19’s economic impact on the tourism industry.
December 18, 2020
It’s been a year — but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t plenty to celebrate, recognize and honor at the University of South Carolina in 2020. UofSC rose to each and every challenge this year and raised the bar for the year to come.
November 27, 2020, Caleigh McDaniel
Students have have faced many challenges due to COVID-19, and their stories of resilience have become prominent topics in our weekly "Campus Conversations." Check out these students who have adapted to and overcome obstacles brought on by the pandemic.
November 18, 2020, Allen Wallace
The University of South Carolina’s sport science programs are ranked No. 1 in the United States for the fourth consecutive year in the Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments.
October 29, 2020, Chris Horn
Retail sales in the U.S. account for about one-half of personal consumer spending and nearly one-third of the country’s gross domestic product. But COVID-19 and its accompanying ripples — social distancing, lockdowns, layoffs and changes in consumer behavior — have unleashed turmoil in the retail sector. Jeff Campbell, an associate professor and chair of the retailing department in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, offers his perspective on the current landscape in retailing and what lies ahead.
October 08, 2020, Page Ivey
Kjahna O knew from the time she was a young girl, growing up in Southern California, that she wanted to be involved in football. After earning her master’s degree in the sport and entertainment management program at the University of South Carolina, O earned a spot with the Atlanta Falcons, helping that team find the best college players to round out its roster each year.
September 29, 2020, Megan Sexton
Catherine Gustafson was working as a general manager at a private club in Columbia in 1993 when a Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management faculty member became ill halfway through the spring semester. She was asked to step in and finish teaching the club management class.
August 06, 2020, Allen Wallace
COVID-19 has hit the restaurant industry hard as businesses work to find safe and sustainable ways to keep serving. School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Director Robin DiPietro shares her expertise on the challenges facing owners, employees and customers in South Carolina and beyond.
August 06, 2020
"COVID-19 had such a strong impact on my summer plans as I was not able to go home during the whole summer, increasing the time without seeing my family and friends (almost one year)."
July 16, 2020, Craig Brandhorst
As the coronavirus threatens health and upends daily life throughout the world, UofSC Today is turning to our faculty to help us make sense of it all. While no one can predict exactly what will happen in the coming months, our faculty can help us ask the right questions and put important context around emerging events. Simon Hudson, a professor of tourism in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management and author of the new book "COVID-19 and Travel: Impacts, Responses and Outcomes," keeps us up-to date on the pandemic’s travel sector impact.
July 13, 2020, Allen Wallace
The University of South Carolina has announced the establishment of The Nicole and David Tepper Scholars Program in the university’s acclaimed Department of Sport and Entertainment Management. The program will provide four-year scholarships to a cohort of four incoming freshmen each year. Tepper Scholars will receive $10,000 per year toward their education and will gain access to additional enrichment opportunities.
April 30, 2020, Megan Sexton
Professor Mark Nagel explains the popularity of competitive video games and how esports is helping fill the void left by the absence of mainstream sporting events.
April 17, 2020, Page Ivey and Megan Sexton
Faculty across the university who have more experience with online teaching have worked to help their less tech-savvy colleagues during this time of remote-only classes.
March 20, 2020, Craig Brandhorst
Simon Hudson, tourism professor and researcher in the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, discusses COVID-19’s economic impact on the tourism industry.
March 20, 2020, Craig Brandhorst
Sport and entertainment management professors Tom Regan and Nick Watanabe from the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management answer questions about COVID-19’s economic impact on the sport and entertainment industries.
March 17, 2020, Carol J.G. Ward
The University of South Carolina’s Office of Communications and Public Affairs has compiled a list of faculty experts who can discuss topics relevant to the coronavirus pandemic.
March 03, 2020, Allen Wallace
UofSC’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management and South Carolina Athletics teamed up with CLC, the university’s exclusive trademark licensing agency, and IMG’s fashion events division to offer three students the opportunity to attend the 2020 New York Fashion week in February for a behind-the-scenes look at the fashion industry.
February 03, 2020, Allen Wallace
A year after Coach Harold White passed away, his memory lives on, thanks in part to a scholarship created in his name.
December 02, 2019, Communications and Public Affairs staff
There was plenty to be proud of at the University of South Carolina in 2019, with accomplishments from the classroom to the research lab to the athletic field.
November 22, 2019, Craig Brandhorst
The University of South Carolina has plenty of good teachers. But some, like senior instructor of retailing Karen Edwards, take their efforts in the classroom to the next level.
November 05, 2019, Allen Wallace
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Matthew Sigmon is just a few classes away from finishing his master's degree in sport and entertainment management while he has also been on active duty.
August 30, 2019, Bryony Wardell
Behind the bright lights, beyond the stage, Oak View Group has built a global family of companies that have become known as the leading force in the sport and live entertainment industry. It takes commitment and experience to lead one of those divisions – something University of South Carolina alumnus Sam Piccione III knows firsthand.
August 22, 2019, Allen Wallace
The historic McCutchen House opens for the fall semester on August 29, serving lunch Tuesdays through Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and four-course dinners on Thursday nights.
August 05, 2019, Allen Wallace
Lilla McCutchen grew up playing on the Horseshoe and spending her summers at her grandparents' home there, now known as McCutchen House. She shares her memories of 80 years as a Gamecock.
June 27, 2019, Allen Wallace
University of South Carolina students will have opportunities to learn about tourism and hospitality management for years to come in a setting that closely resembles paradise, thanks to a newly extended partnership with the University of Aruba.
June 04, 2019, Allen Wallace
The Fulbright program is one of the most famous and prestigious scholarship programs in the world, with 59 alumni who also have Nobel Prizes and 82 Pulitzer Prize winners. Many people in academia try throughout their career and never win a Fulbright Scholarship. Professor Mark Rosenbaum, chair of the University of South Carolina Department of Retailing, now has three.
May 29, 2019, Chris Horn
Do reward and recognition programs actually increase employee engagement? Haemoon Oh and his research team plan to conduct research to test the reliability of a growing body of research on employee engagement.
May 06, 2019, Allen Wallace
Andrew Super will graduate from the University of South Carolina May 11, but earning his diploma might be the second most impressive thing he has accomplished during his college career. In the past two and a half years, he has helped provide numerous free prosthetic devices for children and veterans in need, through a company he co-founded.
April 04, 2019, Mia Grimm
Stuck on what to do with your class schedule for next semester? We've compiled a list of cool, unconventional classes in every college.
March 29, 2019, Allen Wallace
The latest collaboration between the university and veterans came to fruition March 22 at McCutchen House, as a group of Wounded Warriors took part in a private Chef du Jour class designed especially for them.
March 01, 2019, Allen Wallace
This month, for the first time in almost 50 years, March Madness returns to Columbia, South Carolina, with the city chosen as a host site for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. As fan excitement builds, faculty in the University of South Carolina’s sport and entertainment management department share their expertise on what the event will mean for the city and the campus community.
February 28, 2019, Allen Wallace
A year ago, University of South Carolina Dance Marathon made history, raising more than a million dollars for the kids at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital (then known as Palmetto Health). Just days after that success, they began working to do it again. That yearlong effort concludes Saturday with the student organization’s annual Main Event.
February 01, 2019, Allen Wallace
The University of South Carolina and Monumental Sports & Entertainment are proud to announce a new internship program for female students majoring in sport and entertainment management. The partnership will provide four paid internships per year to advance students’ career experience and develop the industry’s future leaders.
January 24, 2019, Chris Horn
Imagine how many threads of social media a professional sports team might generate in a single day. Now imagine tracking each one — every tweet, every Facebook comment, every Instagram post — every day for every team in Major League Baseball. If you can get your mind wrapped around that, welcome to Nick Watanabe’s world.
January 17, 2019, Allen Wallace
The National Retail Foundation (NRF) Big Show in New York City is the largest retail conference in the United States, and this year it included the biggest group of Gamecocks yet.
January 11, 2019, Chris Horn
A University of South Carolina faculty member, staff member and two students who exemplify Martin Luther King Jr.’s commitment to service, equality and social justice will be honored at the university’s annual MLK Commemorative Breakfast Jan. 18.
December 07, 2018, Diane Parham
Year after year, the number of lives transformed by the University of South Carolina’s Gamecock Guarantee program keeps growing. But numbers alone don’t tell the full story.
December 03, 2018, Allen Wallace
Passion for her chosen field combined with hard work took Tayler Metivier to the place every student wants to be: approaching graduation with multiple job offers in hand. She leaves the University of South Carolina this month with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management and a job in Maui, Hawaii, as an operations corporate management trainee with Hyatt Hotels.
November 02, 2018, Julie Smith Turner
Sandy Strick is a teacher who teaches teachers. That is, she’s one of only two faculty members in the University of South Carolina’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management who teaches pedagogy to the school’s doctoral students.
November 02, 2018, Allen Wallace
College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management senior Parker Coggins has worked hard from her first day on campus to stand out from the crowd and build a reputation. Her efforts paid off recently with a big win: a $20,000 Scholarship of Excellence from The Statler Foundation.
October 19, 2018, Allen Wallace
The University of South Carolina’s sport science programs are making an impact around the world, and the success has earned global recognition. The programs are ranked No. 1 in the United States for the third consecutive year in the Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments.
October 01, 2018, Allen Wallace
A recent American Horse Council study finds that the U.S. equine industry is responsible for about $122 billion in economic impact and 1.74 million jobs that generate $79 billion in salaries, wages and benefits. How much of that is felt in South Carolina? That’s the question University of South Carolina researchers will answer after receiving a $46,500 grant from the state agriculture department.
August 31, 2018, Allen Wallace
Tiffany Ancharski earned her bachelor’s degree in sport and entertainment management in May. Thanks to that degree and her accomplishments in and out of the classroom, she earned a place as one of just six interns hired by the College Football Playoff, out of hundreds of applicants from all over the country.
August 30, 2018, Allen Wallace
Beginning Sept. 6, McCutchen House will be open for lunch Tuesday-Friday and for dinner each Thursday night. The on-campus, student-run restaurant offers a variety of dining experiences while serving as a hands-on training ground for hospitality management majors in the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management.
August 23, 2018, Allen Wallace
The University of South Carolina’s Russell House has a new look and a lot of great new meal options this fall, and one of America’s most famous chefs will be on campus Aug. 28 to get things started at a restaurant she helped create.
August 06, 2018, Allen Wallace
If you’re planning a vacation, odds are Uzbekistan has not been at the top of your list. That could change very soon, though, as the University of South Carolina enters a partnership to nurture the burgeoning tourism industry and service economy in the former Soviet republic.
July 06, 2018, Allen Wallace
Veshannah Lovelace served her country in the Army for 20 years, then put the skills learned there to work at the University of South Carolina.
June 04, 2018, Allen Wallace
Kate Ruscher is living her dream, working in New York City in the heart of the fashion world. On her 22nd birthday, she stood beside her Tory Burch Foundation co-workers and rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
April 27, 2018, Allen Wallace
Catherine Snyder did not come to the University of South Carolina with the intention of becoming a leader almost immediately. However, when the opportunity came, she was ready to make the most of it.
April 02, 2018, Allen Wallace
More than 6,600 athletes from 71 nations and territories will compete from April 4-15 in the XXI Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast, and nine University of South Carolina students are part of the production team behind the mega-event.
March 07, 2018, John Brunelli
The University of South Carolina is expanding its global reach in Southeast Asia. President Harris Pastides recently signed partnerships with three universities in Vietnam, which will allow for collaboration in teaching, research and service. Now, the Office of Study Abroad is sending a delegation of faculty and staff to the country over spring break to explore other opportunities for Carolina students.
March 05, 2018, Allen Wallace
Rachel Nesbitt has managed employees at one of the biggest golf tournaments in the world. She has traveled the country to meet leaders in the club management industry and has built an impressive resume. One that is all the more impressive because Nesbitt is 23 years old, and just a year ago was an undergraduate student in hospitality management.
March 01, 2018, Allen Wallace
University of South Carolina Dance Marathon has grown to be the largest student-run philanthropic organization at Carolina and celebrated its 20th anniversary by raising more than $1 million for Columbia's children's hospital.
February 21, 2018, Allen Wallace
Victor Kidd is the first African-American doctoral student in the University of South Carolina’s sport and entertainment management Ph.D. program. He is also the first student overall from his program to win a SPARC grant — a merit-based grant designed to ignite research and creative excellence.
February 19, 2018, Mary-Kathryn Craft
Global studies, one of the University of South Carolina’s newest and fastest growing majors, equips students to lead in our increasingly connected world. An interdisciplinary program housed in the College of Arts and Science, global studies is home to 125 undergraduates who focus on humanities paired with intensive language study and courses in professional schools.
February 12, 2018, Sydney Bernhardt
Freshman retailing major Sydney Bernhardt visited New York City for the National Retail Federation Student Convention, thanks in part to winning a Rising Star Scholarship from the organization.
January 12, 2018, Kathryn McPhail
A cherished, childhood friendship led Tori Vaeth to study special education at the University of South Carolina. Now, the College of Education double alumna is leading a program that’s training and placing young adults with intellectual disabilities in rewarding careers.
January 08, 2018, Allen Wallace
2018 will be a year of retail technology innovation for the University of South Carolina, as a flurry of new industry partnerships provide a digital foundation to prepare retail management students to lead the industry.
December 20, 2017, Allen Wallace
The University of South Carolina’s sport science programs are ranked No. 1 in the United States for the second year in a row, and No. 4 in the world by ShanghaiRanking's 2017 Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments.
December 12, 2017, Chris Horn
It’s been 13 years since Billy Buckner played baseball for the University of South Carolina, memorably striking out 16 batters one afternoon against Clemson and winning seven games in the 2004 season. Now, after taking several online classes and on campus, he has a bachelor’s in interdisciplinary studies from the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management.
December 12, 2017, Allen Wallace
Former Hootie & the Blowfish tour manager Paul Graham has been a star in the sport and entertainment management field for decades. Recently, he has also been simultaneously a teacher and a student at USC and will claim his master's degree this month.
November 27, 2017, Allen Wallace
Imagine going shopping and having your phone or fitness tracker make product recommendations for you based on your breath or the current physical state of your body. It is not science fiction. It’s the future of retailing and health care digitization according to researchers at University of South Carolina’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management.
October 16, 2017, Allen Wallace
For the second year in a row, UofSC is taking students to one of the rarest classrooms in the world: the Galapagos Islands. The cross-disciplinary study abroad program offers diverse lessons, but the overarching theme is sustainability.
October 02, 2017, Megan Sexton
During the years he roamed the sidelines as Cocky, Garrett Humphries was never able to take part in a beloved Carolina tradition, tailgating at Williams-Brice. He’s making up for it now – in style. Humphries owns a train car on the Cockaboose Railroad, allowing him to celebrate pre- and post-game in the shadow of the stadium.
September 18, 2017, Allen Wallace
Tailgating has become as important as the game to many college football fans, but how did it grow to be such a big deal? UofSC Professor Andy Gillentine is one of the world's leading experts on tailgating, and his two decades of research have helped shape its present and future.
August 17, 2017, Allen Wallace
Experts hope solar eclipse will have a positive effect on South Carolina's economy now and in the future.