Discover the Top 8 Unforgettable Fun Facts About the University of South Carolina!

1. From Biology Student to Mascot Legacy

Who needs a stork when you've got a rooster? The University of South Carolina got their feathered family through DIY and a dash of imagination: John Nelson, a biology student, kick-started the mascot legacy in 1971 by donning a homemade Gamecock costume, only for Cocky, the current bird on the block, to swoop in as the agile 'son of Big Spur' in 1980, crowing his way to five National Champion College Mascot titles and numerous other accolades.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Sibling Rivalry: The Palmetto Series

If the University of South Carolina and Clemson University were sibling rivals, they'd be tossing dinner rolls across the table and arguing over their inheritance: These two schools have been locked in the Palmetto Series, a multi-sport athletic competition, since 1896, making it way more than just a football game. Their rivalry ignited from tensions about each school's charter, like a real-life game of "Who's the favorite child?" Today, they've both grown up and transformed, with South Carolina branching out with campuses across the state and Clemson embracing coeducation, but their competitive spirit remains as strong as ever, despite a meager 132-mile buffer between them.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know that Clemson University has its own 17,500-acre experimental forest for research, education, and recreation? Discover more about this unique haven for wild things and PhDs!

=> Fun Facts about Clemson-University

3. Jefferson's Lovechild: South Caroliniana Library

If Thomas Jefferson and a Southern belle had a lovechild, it would probably look like the University of South Carolina's South Caroliniana Library: an elegant building steeped in history, it boasts four white columns, a Reading Room replica of Jefferson's personal library, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Pioneering the way in 1840 as the nation's first freestanding college library, it even basked in the greatness of African American leader Richard Greener during the post-Civil War era.
Source => sc.edu

4. Economic Powerhouse: USC's Monopoly

If the University of South Carolina were a Monopoly board, it would undoubtedly hold the esteemed "Go" square, passing bucks and opportunities to all who embark on its academic game: This education powerhouse supports over 60,000 jobs statewide and generates $220 million in tax revenue annually, proving its economic might and USC's status as an unstoppable force for South Carolina's financial success.
Source => sc.edu

5. Hogwarts-level Manners: The Carolinian Creed

Here's a campus rule that's Creed-ible: the University of South Carolina's very own "Carolinian Creed" has been making sure its students stay on top of their Hogwarts-level manners since 1990! The serious reveal: Established to uphold values like integrity and inclusivity, the Carolinian Creed is signed by every potential student in their admissions application, discussed in their University 101 course, and faculty members are encouraged to incorporate it into their work at the university, with events like CREEDx and Carolinian Creed Champion Awards taking place to honor its ideals.
Source => sc.edu

6. The Dance Marathon Shuffle

Who needs the Cha-Cha Slide when you've got the USC Dance Marathon Shuffle: Since 1998, University of South Carolina students have raised over $7.2 million for the Child Life program at Prisma Health Children's Hospital, helping children with life-threatening illnesses, their families, and supporting the USC Dance Marathon Playground—an entirely student-run organization of over 250 volunteers.
Source => sc.edu

7. Birth of the Gamecock Mascot

Who needs a magical Sorting Hat when you have a fiery rivalry to light the way: The University of South Carolina's Gamecock mascot was born out of a rowdy student celebration back in 1902 after defeating their in-state nemesis, Clemson. In a blaze of passion, the students burned a drawing of a gamecock and a disheveled tiger, leaving local newspapers no choice but to crown them the Gamecocks. While this ferocious fowl might represent their indomitable fighting spirit, it's worth noting that cockfighting, as a sport, was banned in South Carolina 15 years prior to USC adopting their feisty mascot. So, while they stand tall and proud in garnet and black, it's more about the spirit of the fight, rather than the fight itself.
Source => sc.edu

8. Keeper of the Scottish Bard: G. Ross Roy Collection

Whoever said, "You can take our lives, but you can never take our freedom" clearly didn't account for the poetic prowess of a certain Scottish bard: the University of South Carolina is the proud keeper of the G. Ross Roy Collection, which boasts a vast array of manuscripts from the legendary Robert Burns, featuring his handwritten poems and even some of his bureaucratic exploits for the Excise – all transported across the Atlantic in January 2008, and primed for the big 250th birthday bash of the man himself!
Source => sc.edu