hen I became the University of South Carolina's 27th president in 2002, major goals were set for this flagship university and we hit the ground running. The journey since then has been both marathon and sprint, and we have passed significant milestones in a short time: record-level numbers of applications for admission, best-ever academically prepared freshman classes, and highest-ever levels of sponsored research funding.

We've also begun several exciting projects, some of them so ambitious that they have energized government leaders in the capital city of Columbia and throughout state government. I'm referring specifically to Innovista, our new innovation district that we believe will create a new model for the look and feel of a research campus in the 21st century. This past September, we unveiled details for the $141 million first phase of the initiative, which will transform both the University and Columbia's riverfront.

Just a few months ago, we announced the Magellan Scholar Program, which will give all of our 19,000-plus undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in hands-on research, scholarly projects, and creative endeavors. The program dovetails with our new Office of Undergraduate Research, which formalizes a commitment this University has to offer research-based learning in every discipline.

As you know, projects like these--if they are to be successful in the long term--do not grow overnight. They must be carefully planned and developed, and they must be integral to a coordinated and well-conceived vision for the future.

The University of South Carolina is running a marathon, and everything from campus planning to student life to information technology is following a road map we have crafted for this institution. We have started our journey as a very good university; our goal is to become a great one.

Andrew A. Sorensen
President, University of South Carolina
http://president.sc.edu