Involvement in co-curricular activities is an important aspect of college life. The Office of Student Involvement in the Division of Student Affairs provides supports for a wide variety of activities for the student body, including Student Organizations, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Intercultural Education & Engagement, Leadership Programs, Community Engagement, and Campus Programming.

Leadership and Service Programs

The Office of Leadership and Service (OLS) offers programs to support the development of leadership skills in students and to support their involvement in leadership experiences on campus.  A variety of leadership programs are available and include:

• Freshman Leadership Experience (FLEX)-  A program designed to introduce freshman students to the basic concepts of leadership through teambuilding activities, self-reflection, and skills-building.  A retreat and a series of leadership sessions are held throughout the year.  Each student is also matched with an upperclass leadership mentor.
• Women in Leadership Development (WiLD)- A program that serves upperclass (sophomore through senior) women who are interested in further developing their leadership skills.  On and off-campus leadership sessions are provided.
• LEAD (Leadership Exploration and Development) Programs- A variety of one-time and/or sequential leadership sessions designed to enhance the leadership skills of students are offered throughout the year.

Service Programs

The Office of Leadership and Service offers a variety of programs and services designed to facilitate the connection between students and the community through service opportunities. These service programs include:

• IMPACT - The student community service organization sponsors bi-monthly service opportunities and special events such as the Angel Tree, Spartan Day of Service, MLK Day of Service, and Food Recovery Network.
• Alternative Breaks - A student-led organization plans and sponsors service trips throughout the southeast during fall and spring breaks.
• Volunteer Service - Students interested in becoming involved in community service activities can access information about a wide variety of service opportunities through the office. Assistance can also be provided to identify and plan community service projects.  
• Service-Learning - The OLS supports this method of teaching and learning that integrates participation in community service activities into credit-bearing courses by assisting faculty members in finding community partners and assisting students in identifying service-learning courses.

Campus Programming

The Office of Student Involvement sponsors a variety of student programs including Premier Fair, Homecoming, Winter Blast, as well as the coordination of The Big Green Welcome. Student Involvement is also home to the Campus Activities Board (CAB), a student organization dedicated to planning social events for the campus community. CAB aims to provide a diverse range of programs that allow students to develop socially, while also attempting to create a more unified campus. All of the on-campus CAB events are completely free and open to all enrolled students.

Registered Student Organizations

USC Upstate is home to more than 75 registered student organizations, including Academic and Honorary groups, faith-based organizations and other special interest organizations. For an up to date list of all registered student organizations, please contact the Office of Student Involvement at 864-503-5122.  

Fraternity and Sorority Life

USC Upstate is home to 13 active Greek-lettered fraternities and sororities (5 men’s organizations, and 8 women’s organizations). For more information about becoming involved in Fraternity and Sorority Life, visit https://uscupstate.edu/student-experience/get-involved/fraternity-and-sorority-life/ or contact the Office of Student Involvement at 864-503-5122 with further questions.

Men’s Organizations
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Women’s Organizations
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Chi Upsilon Sigma National Latin Sorority, Inc.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Delta Zeta Sorority
Phi Mu Fraternity
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity

Intercultural Education & Engagement

Intercultural Education & Engagement (IEE) strives to influence campus culture by cultivating intercultural knowledge, competency, and leadership. Fostering co-curricular programming, student support, and identity development initiatives, IEE commits to enhancing the experiences of diversity, equity, and inclusion on USC Upstate's campus.

These programs and services give all students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to learn, develop and grow individually and within community, as they are challenged to cultivate of a deeper and more accurate understanding of themselves and our globally diverse society. Please explore the resources on the Office of Intercultural Education & Engagement website to learn more about our campus community.

Inclusivity Workshops - Facilitated discussions relating to various aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion are available by request. To learn more about workshops offered, visit the office of Intercultural Education & Engagement website. To request a workshop for students or professional staff, email involvement@uscupstate.edu.

Cultural, Heritage, and Affinity Campus Celebration - Explore intercultural programming and events on campus celebrating cultural and affinity identities. Signature celebrations include:

• Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
• Black History Month
• Multicultural Mix & Mingle
• Faith Fest
• First Generation Celebration Week
• Latinx Heritage Month
• LGBTQ+ History Month
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Week
• Women's History Month

Safe Zone Training - The Safe Zone Program is a campus-wide initiative that educates on LGBTQ+ identities, gender, and sexuality, and power and privilege. The intent is also to educate on allyship for the purpose of building a more inclusive community.

Community Engagement

The Office of Student Involvement supports Community Engagement through the development of service projects, assisting with service-learning courses, supporting the AmeriCorps VISTA program, and the advisement of IMPACT, the student led community service organization. Annual service projects and fundraisers hosted by IMPACT include Spartan Day of Service, Haunted Hollow, Angel Tree, and Lake Sweep. The Office of Student Involvement also oversees the Alternative Break program that includes multiple Alternative Fall Break trips and Alternative Spring Break trips.

Student Government Association

The Student Government Association is the official elected body that represents all USC Upstate students. SGA officers work to conduct student functions and to maintain lines of communication among the faculty, the administration, and the student body. Students are appointed to various university committees upon the recommendations of the SGA.