University of South Carolina President
First to Receive National Recognition

RADFORD, Va., Oct. 19, 2001 – The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) has selected Dr. John M. Palms, president of the University of South Carolina (USC), as the first recipient of its Presidential Leadership Award in recognition of his outstanding support of honors education. The Council will present the award to Palms during its 2001 national conference the weekend of Nov. 3 at the Palmer House in Chicago.

   “Dr. Palms’ leadership allowed the University’s honors program to grow into one of the nation’s finest and most dynamic curricula,” said Dr. Hewett Joiner, NCHC president. Joiner added that Palms also articulated a vision to guide USC toward earning membership in the Association of American Universities, which includes 62 of the finest universities in North America.

   “Many presidents voice support for their honors programs. Dr. Palms invested resources to back his rhetorical endorsement. He increased the budget of the Honors College, expanded scholarships, enhanced the Admissions Office, raised general undergraduate admissions standards, and created Offices of Pre-Professional Advising and Fellowships and Scholars Programs to generate opportunities for high achieving USC students,” said Dr. Peter Sederberg, Dean of the South Carolina Honors College.

    Established more than 30 years ago as an enrichment program for gifted students, the South Carolina Honors College has since become a full-fledged college with more than 100 course offerings per semester and 250 freshmen enrolled each year. Since 1994, more than 150 USC honors students have won prestigious awards, including the Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater, Fulbright and National Science Foundation scholarships and fellowships totaling more than $3.5 million. Of the winners, 70 percent were honors students. Each year, the College enrolls an average of 50 National Merit Scholarship finalists.

   “On behalf of our institution and all honors students and professors, I feel honored by the NCHC’s recognition of our University’s accomplishments in enhancing quality education in undergraduate programs. It is a clear sign that cultivating excellence is an ever-present concern and a goal for all educators for decades to come,“ Palms said.

Under Palms’ leadership, the College has achieved a number of important milestones:

§         developed an Honors curriculum that requires students to fulfill demanding prerequisites;

§         increased enrollment and quality of incoming classes;

§        enhanced recruitment with improved facilities;

§         provided full-time advisors to counsel Honors students and cultivated effective partnerships with key academic support offices;

§        strengthened communication and technology resources, including the establishment of a Web site and alumni and student newsletters;

§         actively pursued gifts and endowment grants to support the College; and established the Honors Alumni Association to maintain communication with honors graduates.

    “Above all, John Palms is a student-oriented president. He enjoys interacting with students, hosting dinners and receptions for them and celebrating their achievements,” said Sederberg.

    Palms has served as president of USC since 1991. An educator and nuclear and atomic physicist, he previously served on the faculty at Emory University in Atlanta, and was president of Georgia State University from 1989 to 1991.

    Palms also serves on a number of corporate and community boards, including the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Exelon Corporation, Fortis, Inc. and the United Way of the Midlands of South Carolina. He is chairman of the board of the Institute for Defense Analyses, a high-ranking advisory institute to the U.S. Department of Defense. In spring 1995, students at USC selected Palms to receive the Richard A. Rempel Award for outstanding service to students.

    Founded in 1966, the National Collegiate Honors Council represents more than 900 American colleges and universities, faculty, students, administrators and others who support undergraduate honors education. NCHC’s mission is to cultivate and support the excellence that honors education represents across departments, programs, institutions and populations. As the leading proponent for honors education, NCHC is committed to supporting honors programs and promoting an awareness of honors learning nationwide. The Presidential Leadership award will be presented annually to outstanding honors educators at future NCHC conferences.