University of South Carolina
January 17, 2013
A publication for faculty, staff and friends of the university
Aiken
Beaufort
Columbia
USC Times
Lancaster
Leaving a legacy
W
hen Jennifer Jablonski was a senior in high school in Virginia she traveled to South Carolina for the USC Band Clinic. She had already been accepted to her top choice for college – Northwestern University. She was an AllState saxophonist and planned to continue her music studies in college. Then she met James Copenhaver. Within a few days, Jablonski went from knowing nothing about South Carolina and its flagship university to “being wowed.” Copenhaver, director of USC Bands
name and constantly challenged all of his students to excel no matter their role in the band, said Kirk Randazzo, director of the Carolina Leadership Initiative and former band member. “What I believe is truly remarkable about all of this, is that my story is simply one of thousands of similar stories,” Randazzo said. “Jim had the same effect on everyone. It’s not that he only focused on a select group of individuals. He worked with every single person and helped him/ her develop into someone better.”
Salkehatchie
Sumter
Union
Upstate
By Liz McCarthy
The Carolina band performs during the bicentennial in 1986 (above); Jennifer Jablonski poses for a photo in her band uniform in 1991 (above right); Ken Corbett snaps a photo of Jim Copenhaver in the 1970s (right); Copenhaver talks with students during a football game (below).
“Through the years, I have been involved with many activities associated with the band and the School of Music, including every summer music camp since 1977 and the USC Band Clinic that Jim started in 1977. I saw firsthand Jim’s love of mentoring young people and his love of music.” — Ken Corbett, former band member (year graduated) and director of USC Trademark and Licensing at the time, approached Jablonski about auditioning for the school’s music program. It seemed, at least to Jablonski, that Copenhaver really cared. “I already felt important to him,” said Jablonski, the School of Music’s director of admissions. “He wanted me here. He took the time to learn about me and my family.” That personal attention didn’t stop when Jablonski decided to attend Carolina and join USC Bands. And it wasn’t unique to Jablonski. “He was a vested partner in my experience here,” she said. “When you’re 18, you just need to feel like someone is on your team.” Copenhaver’s personal outreach and recruitment of star students and musicians like Jablonski became his trademark. Ask any former band member. The tenacious director knew everyone’s
Copenhaver, who directed USC Bands for 34 years, will be honored this month when the band hall on Sumter Street is named for him. In 2011, he gave a $1 million gift to the School of Music – the largest in the school’s history – to endow scholarships for USC band students. His former students recall his passion for USC, his precision when running the program and the indelible mark he left on their lives. “I arrived on the USC Campus as a freshman in August 1976, the same year Jim became our director of bands. Both of us started a new chapter in our lives that year, and for me, it was the start of having one of the most influential persons in my life,” said Ken Corbett, director of USC trademark and licensing and former band member. “He is the secret of my success
and taught me everything I know.” It was Copenhaver who convinced Jablonski to return to her alma mater. She could see the differences he continued to make in the music school. Copenhaver’s detailed oversight and management of the band program from scholarships to the bands’ music, created stability and respect from his peers in the field, Jablonski said. “The USC Bands program has consistently been on the right trajectory. It has just gotten better and better over the years,” she said. “Copenhaver built the
program to the point that it was a really attractive and potential-filled program for someone like Scott Weiss, [current director of Carolina bands], to want to take it on when Mr. Copenhaver was ready to retire. We had already demonstrated that our band program could be successful, so it was a very desirable position for the country’s best applicants. We are in a position to continue the tradition of excellence that Copenhaver brought to USC Bands.”
UniverSiTy of SoUTh CArolinA
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SCienCe on iCe By Craig Brandhorst
Some people will go to the ends of the earth for a white Christmas. Okay, so it wasn’t just the snow, ice and subzero temperatures that drew University of South Carolina alumna Liz Ratliff to Antarctica’s IceCube Neutrino Observatory this holiday season, but the polar conditions did play a role. Ratliff, who holds both a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, ’04, and a master’s in secondary math education, ’08, was at the South Pole studying neutrinos as part of a PolarTREC expedition funded by the National Science Foundation. The PolarTREC program pairs K-12 teachers with scientists doing real-world research. It is designed to raise awareness about climatological issues that affect the earth’s polar regions and also to spark interest in the so-called “STEM areas” of science, technology, engineering and math education. Ratliff, a math teacher at North Carolina’s Gaston Day School, spent her time in Antarctica helping researchers explore little-understood subatomic particles called neutrinos. “Every second, there are about 10 million [neutrinos] going through your fingernail,” Ratliff said. “But the problem is we can’t detect them very easily so it’s really hard to learn about them.” However, with the right equipment and under the right conditions — i.e. through a powerful neutrino telescope — evidence of neutrinos can be detected as the tiny particles collide with other particles generating tiny flashes of light under the dark Antarctic ice. “This is the fun part of science — observing the universe and trying to make sense of it,” said Ratliff, who returned home just before New Year’s. “It’s human nature to want to figure things out, and that’s what we’re trying to do with neutrinos right now.” While at the South Pole, Ratliff blogged about her experiences through the PolarTREC website. Now that she’s stateside again, she will continue use her research experiences to inspire her students to pursue their own interests. “As a teacher, it’s really easy to get very focused on your subject and to forget the context and the reason for why students need to learn it,” said Ratliff. “Going to work with scientists brings everything into perspective — getting students to pass my class is not the end goal. The goal is to help them learn to solve problems, to think logically, and to build up their toolbox so that they’ll have the skills to do whatever job they want to do.” To learn more about Ratliff’s journey check out her journal entries from the South Pole: http://www.polartrec.com/member/liz-ratliff.
over The CoUnTer
By Jeff Stensland
B
ob Davis believes in thinking big and taking risks. The trick, he says, will be motivating students to do the same. As the new chair at the Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center, Davis aims to help students — and faculty members — expand their notion of what’s possible. It’s a subject he talks about with an almost evangelical fervor. “You have to ask questions and challenge the status quo, and that just doesn’t come naturally to a lot of students,” he says. He knows because it certainly didn’t for him. As a child he went to live with extended family on a farm near Florence, S.C., a change that he says instilled in him an overly cautious world view that favored pragmatism. “I chose pharmacy because it was a safe, secure environment,” he says. “You had a job for life once you got that license.” But while earning his pharmacy degree at the Medical University of South Carolina, he befriended a fellow student with an entrepreneurial flair and longtime dean Bill Golod, who mentored Davis, encouraged him to take a nontraditional career route. “The combination of those two people was critical to me becoming who I am,” says Davis, who will lead the Innovation Center as a part of the South Carolina College of Pharmacy that was created to foster new approaches to the profession. Instead of working behind a pharmacy counter right after graduation, he helped develop successful pharmacy dispensing and patient education programs for indigent residents of
“you have to ask questions and challenge the status quo, and that just doesn’t come naturally to a lot of students.”
South Carolina’s Sea Islands. He later founded his own pharmacy practice and went on to reach the upper echelons of the pharmacy industry, holding executive posts at four multibillion dollar companies, including FoxMeyer Corp., Health Mart, Inc. and ScripCard Enterprises. He also served as president of the American Pharmacists Association and held faculty positions at both USC and MUSC. Davis says it’s important for future pharmacists to take a multi-disciplinary approach to the job as the pharmacy profession undergoes rapid change, partly as a result of national healthcare reform. Pharmacists will have a much larger role than they do today in coordinating patient care and serving as access points for underserved populations of health care consumers. The Innovation Center will work closely with faculty from the Darla Moore School of Business, introducing students to the business side of pharmacy management and teaching them how to launch start-ups that meet shifting customer demands. Upcoming projects include a business plan development competition, a scholarship program and a guest lecture series. Davis also would like to explore ways to match individual students with specific mentors based not only on areas of interest, but also personality traits. “Pharmacy today is more about dispensing manufacturers’ products, but that’s changing,” he says. “We need to find the best ways to connect with students so they become motivated, lifelong learners.”
USC Times
January 17, 2013
3
Five questions with … Mary Wagner, director of undergraduate admissions
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What are you looking forward to most in 2013? I’m especially looking forward to this August. That’s when we welcome the first class entirely admitted and enrolled via Banner, the new student information system, which will be a huge milestone for our office and the university.
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What impact do winning sports teams have on applications?
Get social Want to know what’s cooking at McCutchen House? Or know about the latest research? Or take a stab at some university trivia? The university has numerous social media outlets across campus and on any platform so you can get social and stay connected. “We use it for everything from customer service to fundraising,” says Mandi Engram, the university’s social media strategist. Here are some of the things the university is using social media to do: • connect and engage with prospective and current students, alumni, faculty, staff and supporters of the university; • share photos, videos and stories of campus life and Gamecocks making an impact around the world; • share the latest university happenings, news and events; • create awareness and enhance perception of the university; • create a sense of pride among the Carolina community.
I certainly don’t think it hurts, but it doesn’t explain all the growth USC has enjoyed over the past decade. In 10 years we have more than doubled our applications. Gamecocks have great spirit whether or not we win. A winning program is a great thing, but it’s not the only thing.
Instagram: UofSC: Follow the university’s Instagram for scenic shots of campus and other bits of news. On Tuesday, Instagrammers are invited to guess some university trivia for a prize.
Facebook: facebook.com/uofsc Facebook is the perfect place to share photos, videos and get social. Check out what the university and others are saying about Carolina and join the conversation.
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You did your undergrad here. What made you decide to come back as a professional?
Facebook: facebook.com/USCTimes USC Times’ Facebook page shares the latest news for faculty and staff. Share your thoughts with your colleagues here.
There is something about the culture and spirit of Carolina that is infectious and empowering. When I came back in 2004, I knew it was the right move because it felt like coming home.
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Pinterest: UofSC The university’s Pinterest is the perfect place to find beautiful pictures of campus, see some Carolina décor or find upcoming events.
In admissions, how influential is community service involvement?
Twitter: @UofSC The university’s Twitter account gives up-to-date news and information, a little humor and a great way to communicate about what you are doing and seeing around campus. Tweet @UofSC and you’ll likely get a retweet or response.
Students from recent applicant pools are among the most altruistic group I’ve seen in all my years of college admissions. That makes them a good fit for USC where community service is deeply ingrained in the campus culture.
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Flickr: UofSC University communications uses Flickr to share photos from news stories, events or other shareable images. The photostream has everything from dinner at McCutchen House to historical images from a recent book release.
What is USC’s best selling point? It’s hard to narrow it down to one, but I’m most proud of how welcome we make people feel when they are here. Whether visiting for the first or the 50th time, I love when students tell us they appreciate the care, attention and friendliness they experience on campus. Know someone we should ask five questions? Send us a tip – lizmccarthy@sc.edu Congratulations to all of USC’s newly accepted students. See you next fall!
YouTube: youtube.com/user/southcarolina On YouTube you can find videos about university alumni, departments or big events such as commencement. University news videos can also be found on the main YouTube channel.
Foursquare: UofSC Did you know you can check-in at the university? Share your tips and find out what’s going on around campus. Tag @UofSC or use the hashtag #UofSC on any social media platform to keep the university community in the loop.
USC TimeS
4
JAnUAry 17, 2013
Body, mind, SpiriT
Campus Wellness offers faculty, staff healthy activities drop-in Services: blood pressure screening body composition screening
By Marshall Swanson
By Appointment:
A
sk Marguerite O’Brien about her personal reasons for taking an interest in health and wellness and she’ll quote Virgil. “The greatest wealth is health.” Her initial motivation for maintaining a healthy lifestyle as an adult was the hedge it provided against a family history of inheritable illnesses like high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. But she also feels better psychologically and emotionally when she exercises and eats well. “On paper at least, I’m doomed [by genetics],” says O’Brien, director of Campus Wellness. Fitness was part of O’Brien’s childhood in Brooklyn, N.Y., where her parents often told her to “go outside and play,” which meant “running around with friends.” The physical, social, and carefree aspects of the play were important, says O’Brien. She later took up tennis in high school because her mother had played the game and it provided a good aerobic workout. While at Carolina, where O’Brien received her bachelor’s degree in international studies, she began working out at The FIRM — now a Lexington gym — as a way to get exercise and to enjoy its social aspects.
from The vAUlT
When she started her first career as an organizational administrator at the Carolina Peace Resource Center, she became a part-time instructor at the gym, teaching aerobic weight training. That inspired her to study anatomy, physiology and kinesiology and became a full-time fitness professional, gaining certification as a personal trainer. O’Brien’s personal fitness routine varies, but she exercises deliberately six days a week with combinations of aerobics, strength training, body weight training, indoor cycling and yoga. She brings her interest in personal fitness to her job by encouraging her staff to stay active and by leading yoga and mindfulness sessions on campus in addition to her responsibilities as the unit’s administrator who designs and oversees its programs. The core of her job, however, is an emphasis on overall health and wellness and “to make sure that the university’s faculty, staff and students are taking care of themselves.” “That’s what makes me tick,” says O’Brien. “My mission is to help the folks in our community achieve health and wellness in body, mind, and spirit.”
exercise consultations fitness assessments work site wellness screening massage therapy dietitian appointments
other regular programs mindful mondays – one monday of each month to practice mindfulness and meditation Choose to lose- a weight management program that focuses on creating a solid foundation for losing weight Sweet Success- a diabetes management program gamecocks on the move- a program to train for a 5k run/walk healthy Aging Series - with sessions on topics like fall prevention, hearing loss and bone density grocery store tours Cooking demonstrations by dietitians
USC TimeS vol. 24, no. 1 | JAnUAry 17, 2013
Acquired by the South Caroliniana library’s manuscript division in 1966, this unusual 19th century rebus ad asks: “What do you get when you combine a bear, a jackass and a man in a top hat vomiting in a bucket?” Solve the riddle, and the joke’s on you! otherwise, watch this space for more curiosities from USC libraries and special collections in the months ahead.
USC Times is published 20 times a year for the faculty and staff of the University of South Carolina by the Division of Communications. Managing editor: Liz McCarthy Designer: Linda Dodge Contributors: Peggy Binette, Craig Brandhorst, Frenché Brewer, Glenn Hare, Thom Harman, Chris Horn, Page Ivey, Steven Powell, Megan Sexton, Jeff Stensland and Marshall Swanson Photographers: Kim Truett To reach us: 803-777-2848 or lizmccarthy@sc.edu Campus correspondents: Patti McGrath, Aiken Candace Brasseur, Beaufort Shana Dry, Lancaster Jane Brewer, Salkehatchie Tammy Whaley, Upstate Annie Houston, Union
The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics, sexual orientation or veteran status.