(Photo courtesy of University of South Carolina)

The largest college at the University of South Carolina has a new name honoring the vision and generosity of a prominent alumnus and his family.

The official name, the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, was announced on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, during a ceremony on the university’s historic Horseshoe.

The name recognizes a transformational gift from Bonnie and Peter McCausland and The McCausland Foundation.

Officials said their gift will create one of the nation's premier career development programs for students in the liberal arts and sciences, expand research and teaching in neuroscience and brain health, and support faculty excellence.

USC President Michael Amiridis expressed his deep appreciation for the McCausland family's historic contribution, which totals $75 million.

“This gift from Peter and Bonnie and The McCausland Foundation marks a new beginning for our university’s oldest and largest college,” Amiridis said. “The McCauslands’ commitment will strengthen the work of faculty and staff who offer to our students the knowledge and skills needed for robust careers and meaningful contributions to society.”

Amiridis added, “The broad reach of this investment in the arts, humanities and sciences will expand opportunities for USC students and impact the state of South Carolina for generations to come.”

Peter McCausland, a 1971 graduate of the University of South Carolina who majored in history and who went on to found Airgas, Inc., said the college and its faculty were foundational to his success.

“Through this gift, I hope to continue the legacy of excellence of the faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences, while expanding the opportunities for students majoring in Arts and Sciences to leave USC with the curiosity and critical-thinking skills to help them pursue their dreams,” he said.

Officials said the McCauslands’ landmark gift will have an immediate impact on students by creating new opportunities for internships and research. 

The gift will expand the college’s career development programs by providing paid internship stipends for up to 150 students per year, allowing them to explore career interests and gain professional experience without financial barriers.

Officials said that combined with other USC programs this will create one of the top career development programs available to students in the liberal arts and sciences.

The gift also will invest in the college’s neuroscience major — the university’s fastest-growing academic program — by creating funds for student and faculty research.

This enhances the work already being done by the McCausland Center for Brain Imaging, which has attracted nearly $50 million in research grants since its establishment by a gift from the McCauslands in 2006.

Faculty excellence also receives continued support from the McCausland Foundation gift.

The McCausland Faculty Fellowship, established in 2014, recognizes extraordinary early- and mid-career tenure-track faculty who have excelled in both teaching and research.

Officials said the McCauslands’ continued support will strengthen that program while providing additional funds to ensure that USC recruits and retains world-class faculty.

“The McCauslands' gift is truly extraordinary,” said Joel H. Samuels, dean of the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. “The liberal arts and sciences have always been the foundation of higher education, but our success in preparing students to launch careers is often overlooked. This gift allows us to create programs that will help our students discover their interests and develop skill sets that help them thrive in purposeful careers.” 

The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences joins a group of named colleges at USC, including the Darla Moore School of Business, the Arnold School of Public Health, the Joseph F. Rice School of Law and the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing.

Peter McCausland, founded Airgas, Inc., which grew to become the fifth largest industrial and medical gas company in the world.

Throughout his career, McCausland has remained closely connected to his alma mater, serving on former University President John Palms’ advisory council and the College of Arts and Sciences’ Board of Visitors.

Bonnie McCausland has built a dynamic career rooted in creativity, care and community service.

After earning a bachelor’s degree from Tufts University, she worked as an occupational therapist before launching two successful businesses in needlepoint and interior design.

A dedicated philanthropist, she has served on numerous nonprofit boards — including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Nantucket Conservation Foundation — and remains active in The McCausland Foundation. 

The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of the University of South Carolina.

A community of more than 10,000 students across 38 undergraduate and 36 graduate programs, the college prepares students for opportunities in a wide variety of careers.

The college's courses in the arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics and natural sciences support all USC students in developing the foundational skills necessary to succeed and flourish in their personal and professional lives.

The Nuclear Company, which is pioneering the modernization of nuclear construction and leading fleet-scale deployment of nuclear power across America, announced the opening of the company’s primary engineering and construction office in Columbia, South Carolina, in support of its mission to revitalize nuclear energy in the United States.

"When South Carolina attracts businesses like The Nuclear Company, it strengthens our economy, creates new opportunities for our people, and reinforces our position as a leader in energy innovation," said South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster.

The governor added, "Reliable, affordable energy is essential for our future prosperity, and this investment marks another step toward securing a bright future for our state. As our population increases and technology advances, expanding nuclear power will be critical to meeting our energy needs."

South Carolina ranks as the third-largest nuclear-producing state with more than half of its power generated by nuclear.

Officials said the region also offers a number of strategic advantages, including a robust energy infrastructure and leadership committed to nuclear’s resurgence in the United States.

The company also announced the completion of its Series A funding round, led by Eclipse. The round includes follow-on investments from all prior investors.

Those include CIV, whose co-founder Patrick Maloney also co-founded and serves as chairman of The Nuclear Company.

Additional investors include True Ventures, Wonder Ventures, Goldcrest Capital, and MCJ Collective.

Joining The Nuclear Company’s board is Greg Reichow, partner at Eclipse and a former executive at Tesla overseeing global manufacturing, factory/automation engineering, supply chain, and product excellence.

“U.S. reindustrialization depends heavily on the availability of low cost and clean baseload power. However, our country’s ability to scale nuclear power is one of the most critical challenges of our time,” Reichow said.

Reichow added, “The Nuclear Company is taking a disciplined, scalable approach to nuclear construction — one that mirrors the industrialization and rapid scaling we’ve seen in other sectors like automotive and aerospace. Eclipse is thrilled to support this team as they execute on their ambitious mission.”

Despite the need for nuclear’s firm baseload power, the biggest challenges facing the industry are that nuclear projects are almost always over budget and behind schedule, officials said.

The Nuclear Company, which is evaluating sites to support a 6-gigawatt fleet of reactors, aims to avoid those pitfalls through its design-once, build-many methodology, which lowers costs and minimizes delays.

Officials said the approach leverages advanced construction and manufacturing methods alongside cutting-edge digital technologies, such as AI-driven site selection, real-time construction updates, and integrated supply chain logistics.

The officials said the key to The Nuclear Company’s approach is using proven, licensed technology, which will allow the company to achieve significant cost reductions and shortened project timelines, meeting its commitment to on-time, on-budget deployment of its first fleet of nuclear reactors in America.

“America’s longstanding leadership in nuclear power is threatening to slip away,” said The Nuclear Company Co-founder and CEO Jonathan Webb. “China has built 37 reactors in the past decade, with 30 more under construction and another 80 expected in the next 10 years. In that time, America has built only two reactors, with none under construction.”

Webb added, “ We can’t stand to lose nuclear and its technology development like we lost manufacturing and all of its jobs. Beyond that, AI and the electrification of everything need nuclear’s firm, clean baseload power. The Nuclear Company is coming to South Carolina to show how we can meet these challenges and continue to grow both employment and the American economy at large.”

Unemployment rate movements were mixed in Q1, according to a Wells Fargo economics report.

It said the average quarterly jobless rate rose in 24 states and DC, declined in 19 states, and were unchanged in seven states.

Notably, the report said jobless rates in Ohio, Michigan, Massachusetts and Virginia rose, while South Carolina, West Virginia and Indiana posted the largest declines.

Also:

The share of states registering higher unemployment remains elevated, indicating softer labor market fundamentals and mounting economic risks.

That said, the share is down from the peak set in late 2023 and below the level associated with national recession.

A threshold of 34 states reporting higher unemployment rates over the previous three months is historically associated with recessions.

Employment growth was firmest in states with relatively strong population growth, generally in the Southeast and Mountain West.

Idaho, South Carolina and Utah experienced the fastest annual job growth in Q1, where payrolls rose 2.6 percent, 2.3 percent and 2 percent on a year-to-year basis, respectively.

Payroll levels shrank over the year in four states and DC. Arizona registered the largest contraction (-0.4 percent), followed by Iowa (-0.3 percent), Massachusetts and West Virginia (-0.2 percent).

In terms of sequential quarterly growth, payrolls strengthened notably in New Mexico, Hawaii, South Carolina and Florida where payrolls expanded between 2.7 percent and 3.0 percent over the quarter, annualized.

The District of Columbia saw the sharpest slowdown, with payrolls falling 1.2 percent on an annualized quarter-to-quarter basis.

Since the contraction occurred in January and job growth was modestly positive in February and March, the quarterly decline likely reflects typical turnover associated with a new administration, Wells Fargo said.

Otter Learning, with headquarters in North Charleston, South Carolina, has appointed Wei-Li Chong as its new chief executive officer and president.

Officials said Chong, former president of KinderCare Learning Companies, and a current Otter Learning board member, is widely recognized for elevating culture and experience as strategic levers to drive business growth and performance.

“Wei-Li was the driving force behind KinderCare’s business transformation, setting a new industry standard that fueled its unprecedented success nearly a decade ago,” said Chase Begor, co-founder of Otter Learning.

Begor added, “In many ways, he redefined how early learning organizations think about culture, experience, and impact. We could not be more excited to have him at the helm as we enter our next phase of growth.”

Founded in 2018 by Begor and Spencer Kushner, Otter Learning has grown to operate more than 70 early childhood education centers across the southeastern United States.

“I’ve been away from the early learning industry for six years, and I’m thrilled to be back with Otter Learning,” said Wei-Li Chong. “Chase and Spencer have built an enduring company with a clear vision and strong values that prioritize employees, families, and communities. I’m excited to help expand Otter Learning’s impact and reach even more families.”

Additionally, Begor and Kushner will leverage their experience scaling businesses to formalize their support of WIN Consulting, a firm founded by Chong.

“I created WIN to help companies modernize the way they lead by measuring employee productivity as the strongest predictor of both business performance and company culture,” said Chong.

“Too often, organizations treat performance and culture as separate entities — one driven by Finance, the other by HR,” Chong added. “Companies who successfully integrate the two gain a lasting competitive advantage and drive sustainable growth.”