Despite the academic and personal challenges of your sophomore year, it is very important to still get involved around campus. The University of South Carolina offers many opportunities for students to actively participate both on campus and in the surrounding community. Below you will find examples of activities and events to enrich your undergraduate experience.

Undergraduate Research

• The Office of Undergraduate Research can help you find many opportunities to engage in undergraduate research with a focus on faculty-student mentorship.
• Learn more about research funding opportunities like Magellan Scholars and Undergraduate Research Mini-Grants.
• Participate in Discovery Day, a one day opportunity for undergraduate students to present their research.

Service Learning and Volunteer Opportunities

• Service-Learning integrates meaningful community service with academic coursework. Check out the listing of courses that offer Service-Learning on their website.
• Community Service Programs web page is easy to navigate and provides an abundance of information on ways you can be involved in the University community and the city of Columbia.
• You can sign up for the community service listserv to stay current with upcoming events that fit your schedule and allow you to participate in fun, meaningful activities. This can also be found on the Community Service Programs website.
• Joining a student service organization brings together like-minded students on a mission to serve those in need.

Study Abroad

• Studying Abroad is a great way to broaden your horizons and have the experience of a lifetime. Check out USC’s Study Abroad website to read student testimonials and find answers to many FAQ’s.
• If you have more questions and want to explore your Study Abroad options by country, program, city or even subject check out their website or talk to a study abroad advisor.
• Your sophomore and junior year are opportune times to study abroad, so plan ahead! Be sure to keep up with dates and deadlines so that you do not miss an amazing opportunity.

Student Involvement

• Student Government provides students with experience dealing with the rigors of the political arena. Within the web page you can find applications for various positions within the organization.
• Student Organizations presents a user-friendly web page geared towards your success in finding an organization you may enjoy. There is a convenient search option that helps narrow down clubs and groups according to what interests you.
• Were you a transfer student? Are you an out of state student? Check out the Student Success website for ways to get involved with transfer and out of state programs or become a student mentor.
• Use the Student Engagement Plan to see how you can optimize your involvement on campus!
• Consider taking a linked course. Faculty teaching courses within a link collaborate to ensure the integration of content across the courses and also provide out-of-class experiences to enhance the learning in the linked courses. Links can consist of two, three, or more courses.

Campus Recreation

• Intramural Sports encourage fun and fair play while still maintaining exciting levels of competition.
• If you enjoy exercise and the many benefits of team sports consider creating an intramural sports team. There are various sports offered both fall and spring semester, in league formats as well as tournament style. Visit their website for a complete list of available sports and registration deadlines.

Campus Initiatives

• Many great things are happening at the University of South Carolina. Healthy Carolina & Tobacco Free USC were both implemented to help students be healthy in mind, body and spirit. Also, both initiatives were started to make the University of South Carolina a great place to live, learn, work and play.
• In addition to Healthy Carolina, the University of South Carolina has an Office of Student Judicial Programs that works with the University of South Carolina Police Department to make sure that all students stay safe on campus. You can become involved through the Carolina Student Judicial Council.