The University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA) marked the start of its new academic year and celebrated its 65-year connection with the community on August 22 with the Downtown Takeover event. Held at the Newberry Street Festival Center, the family-friendly gathering featured live music, food trucks, a beer tent, and a mechanical bull, alongside face painting and a bouncy castle for children.
Daniel Heimmermann, USCA Chancellor, emphasized the event as an opportunity for the university to showcase its students, faculty, and staff while fostering engagement with the community. He highlighted USCA’s role as an integral part of Aiken, aiming to celebrate the university alongside its residents.
Ahmed Samaha, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, noted the Downtown Takeover reinforces the university’s deep ties within the community, drawing a parallel to the Double Knot statue on campus, which symbolizes the connection between Aiken and the university. He expressed excitement about celebrating the new academic year with the community, acknowledging the significant support USCA receives.
The event was co-sponsored by USCA and the Aiken Downtown Development Association (ADDA). EmmaLee Sams, Executive Director of the ADDA, expressed gratitude for the continued partnership, noting the importance of USCA choosing to host an event downtown and bringing its staff and students to engage with the wider community.
Paul Crook, Director of the Etherredge Center at USCA, and USCA graduate Cliff Bennett, a local radio host, served as Masters of Ceremonies. They recognized alumni from the Banksia era (1961-1972), before the university moved to its current campus, and thanked donors who contribute $1.6 million in scholarships to the university’s two colleges and three schools.
Fall semester classes at USCA began on August 18. The university offers 70 programs of study, including five master’s programs, 32 bachelor’s degrees, and seven undergraduate certificates. More than 25% of USCA’s undergraduate students receive full tuition support, and over 40% graduate without debt.
Lauren Bell, president of the USCA Student Government Association, a junior majoring in secondary education with an English focus, expressed her excitement for the second annual Downtown Takeover. She hopes the event becomes an annual tradition that strengthens community bonds, attributing USCA’s current standing to community support. Bell sees it as a way to share the university’s spirit with children, parents, alumni, and current students.
