Enabling atrocity in the MENA and Sudan
USC UNESCO Fellow Marc Owen Jones documents in great depth and over many years how digital influence operations are reframing and normalizing violence and mass harm.
Alumna named Pulitzer finalist
When Hurricane Helene swept through the Southeast in 2024, Mary Ramsey reported from Asheville as the storm unfolded. Months later, her coverage of Helene's effect on 2024 presidential election turnout helped earn The Charlotte Observer recognition as a 2025 Pulitzer finalist for breaking news.
CIC Introduces new communication major
The college has officially launched a Bachelor of Arts in Communication major, marking the debut of a long-anticipated program at the university. While communication remains one of the most popular undergraduate majors nationwide, USC has never offered a dedicated degree in the field — until now.
AI-4-SC: CIC and USC Palmetto College partner to bring AI education to South Carolinians
This summer, the College of Information and Communications is co-sponsoring a series of courses on artificial intelligence that are free to the public.
CIC researchers advance solutions for accessible course materials
CIC researchers are working to close the accessibility gap in higher education, introducing a collaborative model to ensure blind, visually impaired, and print-disabled students receive course materials without delay.
Reading between the feathers
You may know Cocky from game day at Williams-Brice, but some of his biggest fans sit on classroom floors, not stadium seats. Behind the yellow beak are two seniors who’ve been involved with Cocky's Reading Express for the last four years.
Student-led digital campaign turns classroom project into real-world breakthrough
In USC's Google Nonprofit Marketing Immersion course, senior MaryGail Zack didn't just manage ads -- she led a strategy that connected a mental health nonprofit with a major music partner, proving impact matters more than impressions.
Ready, study, go: New programs equal new opportunities
The CIC is giving students more choices through its newest academic programs. Several students explain how these new offerings are preparing them for technologies and careers of the future.
iSchool celebrates graduates with pride, purpose and a touch of humor
From heartfelt cheers to a memorable keynote on service and humanity, the School of Information Science's spring graduation honored 60 graduates — and even featured a lighthearted family moment that made the crowd chuckle.
Building trust, expanding access: iSchool researchers tackle Information poverty
Faculty member Kim Thompson and Ph.D. student Machiat Tabassum explore how trust in librarians shapes access to information, and how strengthening that trust can help reduce information poverty in today's complex landscape.
Looking back: Catherine Pruitt, public relations major
From finding confidence at USC to cheering a national championship from Dublin, Pruitt says her journey was all about saying yes, embracing independence and chasing opportunity.
Looking back: Madison Chiang, advertising major
From first-gen uncertainty to finding her voice, Chiang's USC journey was about taking risks, building community and turning a passion for storytelling into purpose — with the confidence to take up space and go after what’s next.
College celebrates faculty and staff at end-of-year retreat
A call to evolve with each new generation of students set the tone for the spring 2026 CIC retreat, where leaders highlighted innovation, AI’s impact on media and the college’s continued growth.
SJMC students capture five first-place awards, five finalists in SPJ Region 3 honors
Students are earning major recognition in the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2025 Mark of Excellence Awards, with work that’s turning heads across the region—from breaking news to standout visual storytelling.
Journalism students earn national honors at BEA Festival of Media Arts
Student journalists earned national recognition at a leading media arts competition, with top honors in TV News and Sports showcasing their professional-level storytelling and reporting.
Valerie Bauerlein on telling the full story of the Murdaugh trial
At the Buchheit Family Lecture, WSJ reporter Valerie Bauerlein explains why the Alex Murdaugh case demanded deeper storytelling and what journalists can learn from it.
New course brings collaboration across the SEC, focuses on the future of college athletics
"The Future of College Athletics” will be facilitated by Honors faculty fellow and CIC sports media sequence head for the Sports Media Initiative in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
SJMC student awards celebrate excellence, community and family pride
Students, families and faculty gathered to celebrate standout achievement and community at the 2026 SJMC Student Awards, where academic excellence, leadership and heartfelt moments took center stage.
Who can you trust: Journalism in a chaotic information age
This public lecture by Gina Smith, founder and director of SC Investigate and a 2024 to 25 Nieman Fellow at Harvard, will explore how investigative journalism strengthens accountability and helps rebuild public trust.
Ad team places third in district competition
After months of strategic planning, collaboration and dedicated effort, the 15-member team secured third place overall and also received the prestigious Mosaic Award.
AI and FOIA focus of CIC award-winning faculty research
CIC faculty member Eric Robinson is helping shape the future of transparency in government as artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into public information processes.
7th Annual Augusta Baker Lecture features author Emely Rumble
Rumble will present on her acclaimed book Bibliotherapy in the Bronx, a powerful exploration of how literature can serve as a tool for healing within marginalized communities. The lecture will be Friday, April 17 at 6:30 p.m. at Richland Library Main,
Two universities, separated by an ocean, partner to improve outcomes
The new CIC partnership with Makerere University in Uganda engages them in global learning and supports international scholarly endeavors — both core aspects of Global Carolina.
Valerie Byrd Fort receives coveted I Love My Librarian Award
The American Library Association's award honors 10 exceptional librarians from academic, public and school libraries for expertise, dedication and profound impact on the people in their communities. Byrd Fort receives a $5,000 cash prize
Linda Lucas Walling keynotes the annual Deans' and Directors' Lecture and Awards ceremony
It was a night of both cheerful celebration and deep reflection at the annual event. Walling specialized in inclusive library services, especially for people with disabilities; her book The Disabled Child in the Library earned presidential recognition.