Faculty & Staff

The Rotary Club of Aiken named USCA’s Chelce Dicks as its Student of the Month for September.    After she earns her degree in public health, Dicks plans to pursue a master's degree in health administration, followed by a doctorate.   “I can use my education and leadership skills to improve health care operations and help create better outcomes for patients and communities.” Dicks said.  The USCA public health program is relatively new, but it’s laying a foundation for Dicks, who aspires to be a hospital administrator and open her own hospital someday.  “I want to build a health care environment where dedicated professionals can serve others and where every patient is treated with compassion, respect and equality,” Dicks said.   “I do not expect everything to be perfect, but I want to be on a path that challenges me, allows me to grow and gives me a career and life I am truly content with.”  She said her experience with USCA is the groundwork upon which she will meet her personal and professional goals.  “I chose USCA because I wanted to stay close to home while also learning how to become my own person,” Dicks said.    “USCA has given me the opportunity to develop my independence, find my individuality, grow as a leader and make a positive impact in someone’s life every day, even through something as simple as a smile.”  When she’s opened her own hospital, Dicks will lead a team of medical professionals. She’s taking steps now to prepare for those responsibilities, sharpening her leadership skills through involvement in several USCA student organizations.   She serves as the vice president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Mu Lambda Chapter. She also serves as a Chancellor Ambassador, resident mentor, vice president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and student assistant to the executive director of campus well-being. In addition, she is a student assistant to the executive director of Fraternity and Sorority Life and student coordinator for Advance, Inspire Motivate, a peer-mentoring program.  “My most meaningful leadership experience has been serving as a resident mentor,” Dicks said.   “As someone who has one brother, I have learned through this experience how much young men need someone to believe in them, support them, and encourage them to grow emotionally and personally.” 

Internship or externship, which is better? USCA’s experiential education program offers both options, giving students a lot of flexibility. Internships allow students an opportunity to work with area partners in ways that complement classroom instruction. An extern position provides Pacers the same opportunities and often leads to a guaranteed job as soon as they graduate. Honors nursing student Lily Boswell, USCA ’27, chose the externship option and is working as a nurse extern at Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center in Augusta until she graduates.  “I really enjoy being a float pool nurse,” Boswell said. “It just keeps me busy and being part of a float pool, they just send me wherever they are the most understaffed or need the most help at that point, so I get to see a lot of different things. I have been at almost every unit at the hospital.” During her first 18 shifts, she worked as a patient care technician and helped patients with numerous health conditions by collaborating with nurses to extend effective care. Boswell proactively sought opportunities to support the nursing team, anticipating patient needs, assisting with hands-on care, and observing experienced nurses to deepen her clinical knowledge and strengthen her ability to contribute to safe, compassionate patient care. “My externship helps me get experience and more comfortable speaking with patients and making clinical decisions with the help of the nurses I am working with,” Boswell said.  “It kind of helps me see how they interact and how she charts things that are different at hospitals that you don’t really get to see or do as a student.” This externship impacted Boswell’s professional and personal growth. She is now more comfortable talking to patients and their families and has trained other people because of her increase in skills, confidence, and knowledge. She has also built connections with many people at the hospital. “I am more empathetic toward certain things, and it also gave me more confidence in my skill-base and decision-making,” Boswell said. She says she gained valuable insight into the type of nurse and person she aspires to be. Because of her externship, Boswell says she discovered an interest in working in critical care as a possible career. While the externship gave her additional insight, she credits USCA with building a strong foundation and setting her up for success — in class, as part of her sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi, at Wellstar and beyond. Boswell said she chose to go to USCA because she had “always heard good things about the nursing program here.” She also met a few of the instructors at admissions events and had good interactions with them. She appreciates the rigor of the program and the high pass rate on professional exams for USCA nursing students. The information she learned in her classes helped solidify her future as a nurse. This externship has allowed her to see theoretical concepts first-hand, which helped her begin to apply everything she has learned. “You learn about so many things, but it’s different to actually do those things; as a nurse, you learn a lot of things working even more than you do in school,” Boswell said.  She says her clinical experience at USCA helped set up her success during her externship as well.  USCA offers a Bachelor of Science in nursing and an online RN-to-BSN option. Through a blend of classroom instruction, interactive labs, immersive simulations, and real-world clinical experiences, Pacers gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to lead in patient care, education and translation of research. The USCA School of Nursing boasts a 95 percent pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam. Successful passage of the exam is necessary before nursing graduates can work in a clinical environment as a registered nurse. The school’s employment rate, or acceptance into graduate nursing schools, within six months of graduation and licensing is 100 percent. “Our NCLEX pass rate and job placement rate reflect the collective strength of our faculty, the rigor of our coursework, our commitment to high-impact teaching practices and meaningful clinical experiences,” said Dr. Katie Chargualaf, dean of the USCA School of Nursing. “We prepare students to do more than pass an exam; we prepare them to think critically, apply their knowledge in real-world settings and enter the nursing profession with confidence.” Boswell advises fellow Pacers take lessons learned in the classroom into the world and get practical, real-world experience through either an internship or an externship. She says it will help with resume prep and getting employed after graduation. “It makes you more desirable to be hired because you have something that other people might not have,” Boswell said.

Award-winning rapper Waka Flocka Flame will take the stage at the University of South Carolina Aiken Convocation Center on Sept. 10 for the university's USCA Unplugged Welcome Back Concert. Doors open at 6 p.m. Best known for his 2010 hit single "No Hands," Waka Flocka Flame has built a successful career in hip-hop with hits including "Grove St. Party" and "Round of Applause." The concert is open to the public, with tickets available for purchase online. Public seating is $20, plus applicable ticketing and handling fees. Local DJ Storm Cloud, Jasmine Preston '18, will open the concert before Waka Flocka Flame takes the stage. Media interested in attending the event should contact Angela Saxon to request media credentials. Event Details: What: USCA Unplugged Welcome Back Concert featuring Waka Flocka FlameWhen: Sept. 10Where: USCA Convocation CenterDoors open at: 6 p.m.Tickets: $20 for public seating, plus ticketing and handling fees

Each semester, the University of South Carolina Aiken recognizes students who achieved outstanding grades. USCA celebrates the achievements of these students with the release of its Spring 2026 President's and Dean's Lists. Undergraduate students named to the President's List achieved a perfect 4.0 grade point average while enrolled full-time at USCA. The Dean's List recognizes full-time undergraduate students who earned a 3.5 GPA or higher. "Students who make these lists should be proud of their accomplishments. We celebrate the excellence, dedication and hard work they invested in attaining their academic goals," said Dr. Philip Bridgmon, USCA provost. Students on the President's Honor List are automatically on the Dean's Honor List and will only appear on the President's Honor List.

A familiar downtown space is getting a facelift, thanks to one of University of South Carolina Aiken's own. USCA art Professor Joseph Kameen's original design has been selected for a new mural in The Alley, where his work will become part of Aiken's growing public art scene. "I'm so excited to have been chosen to work on this project, and it's an enormous honor to have my work in such an important public space. I always enjoy the opportunity to work on a large scale, and this project also came at a really great time to align with my teaching at the university," Kameen said. "I recently received a grant through the provost, Dr. Phillip Bridgmon, to purchase iPads and creative software for my students. These are the same programs I used to plan this mural, and it's great to have this direct example available so that I can walk them through the process in the classroom." Earlier this year, the City of Aiken Arts Commission issued an open call inviting artists with ties to the Aiken area to submit original designs for the project. "The design for the mural was inspired by cutaway illustrations — the kind that might show the intricate inner workings of a submarine or a factory. I imagined all of the amazing creative work happening inside of the buildings in Aiken, and I wanted to give a peek into those practices and invite the community to engage and become involved," Kameen said. "My hope is to inspire viewers to continue to imagine and look for all of the creativity that lives in this community." Including Kameen's, the commission received more than 20 submissions. "This is an exciting moment for the city and for the Aiken Downtown Cultural District," said Wendy Hirsch, chair of the City of Aiken Arts Commission. "To see the first new piece of public art for the Cultural District become a reality is incredibly rewarding. "Joseph's mural gives us an opportunity to celebrate the creativity that already exists in Aiken while adding something new and engaging for residents and visitors to experience downtown. We hope this is the first of many projects that continue to bring art into our public spaces." The mural is located within the Aiken Downtown Cultural District, an area officially designated through the South Carolina Arts Commission's Cultural District program. Kameen's design will replace an equestrian-themed mural which has been in The Alley for several years. That mural will be moved to a different location in town. The transition reflects the City's ongoing commitment to public art by honoring existing work while creating opportunities for new artistic expression within the Aiken Downtown Cultural District. Kameen, originally from Pittsburgh, teaches drawing, painting and digital art. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and sculpture from Boston University and a Master of Fine Arts in painting from Indiana University Bloomington. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including exhibitions in New York, London, Berlin and Greece. His paintings explore the relationships among experience, memory and identity, often finding opportunities for reflection in everyday spaces, objects and experiences. The public is invited to attend the unveiling of the new mural from 5:30-6 p.m. Sept. 10 and celebrate Kameen's addition to downtown Aiken's growing collection of public art. Immediately following the unveiling, attendees are invited to walk around the corner to the Aiken Center for the Arts, 122 Laurens Street SW, for the opening reception of Kameen's latest exhibition, "Everything I Have." The reception will be held from 6-8 p.m. The exhibition will remain on view through Oct. 15. "It has been a really wonderful experience working with everyone in the city who helped make this project happen," Kameen said. "I would particularly like to thank Eric Gordon, tourism manager for the City of Aiken, and the members of the Aiken Arts Commission for their support".

A couple of University of South Carolina Aiken students were recognized for the character, compassion and commitment they bring to their community during the inaugural Mayor's Citizens of Excellence Awards ceremony on Aug. 17. Aiken Mayor Teddy Milner presented the awards to USCA students Cashmere Goodwin and Alexis Ewing, celebrating their kindness, respect, service and positive impact on those around them. "I am honored and proud to accept this award as a representative of the many students at USCA who are passionate about being active members of the university and the city," said Goodwin, USCA '27. "I am especially grateful to my advisor who nominated me, for recognizing the hard work and dedication of the students. This award is a reminder that the commitment my peers and I bring is seen and valued." The exercise and sports science major thanked the mayor for "celebrating the younger generation's contributions alongside our respected community leaders." The plaques presented to Goodwin and Ewing carried an inscription: "In recognition of your outstanding dedication, exceptional performance, and unwavering commitment to excellence." For Ewing, who is from Aiken, the recognition was quite personal. "As an Aiken native, I am truly and humbly honored to be nominated and recognized as someone who embodies these values in this way," said Ewing, USCA '26. Her approach to service is rooted in faith and a desire to lead by example. She points to 1 Timothy 4:12, which calls believers to "set an example … in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." "I strive to humbly uphold these character qualities in my daily life," Ewing said. "It is an honor to be recognized for simply being who I am called to be." Ewing also expressed gratitude for the university and community leaders who have encouraged and supported her throughout her college journey. "As I prepare for my career as a registered nurse, my heart is filled with much gratitude as my time as a student here is coming to an end," she said. "This award has reminded me of all the blessings I have received over the last four years." The Mayor's Citizens of Excellence Awards spotlight people who help strengthen Aiken through everyday acts of service, leadership and compassion. For Goodwin and Ewing, the honor represents more than an award — it reflects the values they strive to live out both on campus and throughout the community.