June 1, 2019
Pastides Alumni Center at the University of South Carolina
On April 10, the University of South Carolina community came together to Give 4 Garnet for the second annual day of giving. One of the initiatives was to name the Alumni Center in honor of President Pastides and First Lady Patricia Moore-Pastides.
More than 200 donors gave in support of this initiative and $5 million was raised to name the building after the Pastides family. The University of South Carolina Alumni Association’s Board of Governors approved the name and the Alumni Center will formally be called the Pastides Alumni Center at the University of South Carolina.
A name on a building is, and should be, an act of gratitude – an acknowledgement of unparalleled leadership and invaluable contributions to a greater good,” said Robert Dozier, chairman of the Alumni Association’s Board of Governors. “We can think of no better way to thank the Pastides’ for their innumerable contributions to Gamecock Nation than to name the Alumni Center after them,” Dozier added.
The Pastides’ had a desire for alumni to have a home on campus and in 2013, the Alumni Association formally announced plans for the university’s first Alumni Center. The project began in the fall of 2013 and construction completed in the spring of 2015.
President Pastides and Ms. Moore-Pastides will step down from their leadership on July 31. In 11 years, President Pastides conferred degrees upon 117,662 graduates – more than one-third of all living South Carolina alumni. Ms. Moore-Pastides has made our community healthier with her advocacy for wellness, teaching the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, promoting locally and organically grown produce, founding the Healthy Carolina Famers Market, conducting cooking demonstrations and collaborating with campus partners to promote meditation.
Alumni, students, faculty and staff have channeled their gratitude for the Pastides family online with the hashtag, #ThankYouPastides. In the coming months, signage on the building will change to reflect the new name.
About the Alumni Center
Located in the heart of Columbia’s Vista district, the Alumni Center is home to the University of South Carolina’s Alumni Association. The Alumni Center encompasses 30,000 square feet of beautifully created event space and is available for alumni as well as corporate and private functions. Its Gamecock gates welcome alumni home to the university much like the gates of the Horseshoe permits an entrance to the heart of the university for students and graduates alike. For more information, visit mycarolina.org/alumnicenter.
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