USCA Chancellor unveils plans during State of the University Address
Chancellor Dr. Heimmerman talks about campus improvements and plans for USCA during the State of the University Address in the Penland Building.
In his annual State of the University Address on Oct. 8, University of South Carolina Aiken Chancellor Daniel Heimmermann reflected on the remarkable accomplishments the institution has made over the past year.
“USCA continues to intrepidly pursue its noble mission of supporting high-quality academics and engaged teaching and learning, impactful research, and service to our community,” he told an audience of university and community members.
Heimmermann said the university welcomed 21 faculty and 34 staff members since the start of the calendar year, all of whom work across various disciplines and departments.
He went on to talk about how the university chartered its Strategic Plan 2030, known as “Educate. Innovate. Inspire.,” which calls for the development of high-quality academic programs that respond to workforce needs, improving student success, addressing regional needs, and bolstering a sustainable institutional foundation.
This past year, USCA faculty developed new graduate degrees in computer and informational science and educator leadership. New bachelor’s degree programs were created in public health and software engineering and new certificate programs in data science, cyber security, network security and information technology, strategic communication, real estate, and Spanish for clinical encounter.
Heimmermann explained the university’s vision for creating partnerships that support student workforce outcomes including those already in place with local industries and organizations like the Savannah River Site, Savannah River Mission Completion, and the Savannah River National Laboratory, along with various agencies, businesses, schools, and health care organizations that support student capstone projects and internships in science, business, education, and nursing.
In the past year, Heimmermann said USCA researchers obtained nearly $4 million in external grants from various agencies, including the National Institute of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Department of Energy (DOE). Dr. April DeLaurier, a professor of biology at USCA, was lauded as an example of the power of such partnerships when recently being awarded an NIH grant of nearly $700,000 to study protein expressions as it relates to human diseases.
Heimmermann went on to talk about the university’s commitment to affordability, saying USCA’s tuition had not been increased in seven years.
“In support of students and families, we continue to expand educational access to qualified students by maintaining reasonable tuition rates at levels that are attentive to students’ ability to pay,” Heimmermann said. “Half of our students pay nothing out of pocket for tuition and fees and nearly three-fourths pay less than half.”
Further, Heimmermann said the university has enhanced student support services with the creation of a Student Success Center on the first floor in the Gregg-Graniteville Library. The center serves as a one-stop-shop for student support, library services, academic advising, supplemental instruction, academic coaching and mentoring, and computer and technology support.
Heimmermann said the university is also in the process of reimagining the first-year freshmen experience to promote retention and student satisfaction. Over the past three years, USCA’s first-year retention rate has continued to improve, significantly contributing to this fall’s record enrollment of nearly 4,000 students.
He went on the talk about how the campus is physically changing to meet the needs of today’s students, citing renovations to in-class facilities, a new softball field, and a soon-to-be constructed soccer field. In addition, updates were also made to the Wellness Center and Pacer Commons, he said.
Heimmermann further detailed how over $2 million had been invested in USCA’s technology infrastructure. In addition to supporting the recently completed new Regional Security Operations Center, the Callen Center, and the Student Success Center, the university committed over $1 million in new computers and instructional technology upgrades for faculty and staff.
He went on to highlight the progress of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative (AMC), which is set to be completed in June. The AMC will enhance collaboration among the university, industry, and government, focusing on research and equipping students with skills in high-demand fields like engineering, robotics, cybersecurity, and more, all of which are essential for economic development and security.
Heimmermann said the AMC will soon be joined by the South Carolina National Guard’s Cyber Integration and Readiness Centers, which are scheduled to break ground in early 2025.
Finally, Heimmermann touched on student organizations and programs providing holistic, enhanced educational experiences on campus. The university’s 75 active organizations have hosted over 920 events within the past year. Additionally, this past year the university launched the Aiken Abroad initiative, which included four new faculty-led study abroad programs.
For more information, contact USCA Marketing & Communication at news@usca.edu.