Our international business program has continued to earn consecutive No. 1 rankings in U.S. News & World Report. And a clear signal of our momentum is that we have also enjoyed strong support in private giving with robust gains in overall gifts and number of donors. In the first half of fiscal year 2008, private giving increased 58 percent over the same period last year.
In nearly every measure, from a 70 percent increase in research funding during the past five years to rising student retention rates, South Carolina is proving itself to be a leader among national universities.
In the pages that follow, allow me to share with you some of South Carolina's success stories. I think you'll agree that this University has made impressive gains on its road to greatness--a greatness defined not only by academic achievement but also by the real difference the University makes in the lives of our students and society.
