My Carolina

A "Promising" Night for Carolina!

This year’s annual President’s Reception, hosted by My Carolina Club of Richland and Lexington Counties, marked the twentieth consecutive year of celebrating local Carolina alumni and the University they love. More than 600 alumni, friends and donors attended the celebration—a blend of the traditional with a "promise" for the new. My Carolina Club of Richland and Lexington Counties generated $11,500 by event sponsors, alumni who chose to make a donation in order to help underwrite the festivities.

“This year’s President’s Reception was a special evening for Carolina alumni and friends to come together to celebrate the launch of the university’s billion-dollar capital campaign,” says My Carolina Director of Alumni Engagement Elizabeth Muth, ’05, My Carolina member. “The board members of My Carolina Club of Richland and Lexington counties were gracious hosts for such an exciting event.”

President Harris Pastides, rather than serving in his usual role as greeter with co-host First Lady Ms. Patricia Moore-Pastides, welcomed the crowd live from Hollywood in order to connect with not only those in close proximity to the University, but also to those in the 27 other cities that were simultaneously celebrating the public launch of “Carolina’s Promise,” the unprecedented billion-dollar campaign for the University of South Carolina.

"Thursday, May 10, was an evening to celebrate with our fellow Carolina alumni coast to coast," says My Carolina Director of Regional Alumni Engagement Kinsey Cooper, '05, 08, My Carolina member. "Together, we watched President Pastides live from Los Angeles, heard a campus update from a University dean locally in each of the regional cities, and celebrated our common bond as graduates of the University of South Carolina system. More than 2,000 Gamecocks were united under one cause, at the same time, on the same night.  It was a great time to be a part of Carolina’s Promise!"

Carol Routh, ’75, ’77, My Carolina Life Member, is a board member for My Carolina Club of Richland and Lexington Counties and served as planner of the Columbia-area event as committee chairperson.

“Our alumni had plenty of time to mix and mingle, while still being attentive to the parts of the night that were dedicated to the capital campaign launch party,” Carol says. “Many appreciated the reminders of the Horseshoe from the decorations at the entrance and in the ballroom. The master of ceremonies and the singer were nice additions to the event.”

What made this year's event different from years past:

• The event took place at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center rather than the Zone at Williams-Brice Stadium;


• Replicas of the Horseshoe gates and Maxcy monument, which debuted last fall during Homecoming weekend, were the centerpieces for the Columbia-based launch party;


• The emcee for the night was Tyron McFarlan, Jr., ’96, ringmaster for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 2005 until 2008;


• A special appearance was made by country music star Julie Roberts, '99, who wrote and performed the signature song for the “Carolina’s Promise” campaign, named “Sweet Carolina;”


• Alumni and friends in 27 other cities were connected to Columbia through social media, sharing their experiences at the various venues on the “Carolina’s Promise” Facebook page, and the live simulcast from Columbia and Hollywood.
  

Stephanie Warren, ’08, ’10, My Carolina Life Member, attended the New York City party, which is one of the most active areas of alumni engagement for the University of South Carolina.

She says, “The New York City gathering brought together many generations of Gamecocks to kick off the ‘Carolina's Promise’ campaign. I had read a little bit about the campaign, but getting to hear President Pastides talk about ‘Carolina's Promise’ and seeing the video of the University was very exciting for us all. Seeing the campus and accomplishments of where I went to school made me an even prouder graduate, and singing the alma mater with alumni across the nation was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!”

Read more about Carolina's Promise
View the Carolina's Promise Facebook page
See how singer Julie Roberts was inspired by Carolina