Imagine a student sitting in a modern
classroom, using a portable computer to refer to a case decided just
yesterday; the professor extends class discussion with involvement of a
specialist in the field by videoconference. Meanwhile, in the large,
welcoming reading room in the library, students mingle with members of
the bar using library resources; others on the balcony combine the
advantages of the library and the wireless network by doing research
while looking out over the conversations in the courtyard.
One of the measures of
any great institution is the ability to respond to changing needs and
demands in a way that meets or exceeds expectations. In a recent study
on the impact of facilities on student achievement and performance, it
was found that facilities play a significant role in creating a
positive learning environment. We also know that facilities are an
important component of the decision-making process for both prospective
students and faculty members when deciding to attend or teach at a
particular law school. We should not underestimate the power and
influence of the environment to foster teaching, learning, and respect
for the role of law in our lives.
A new law school building will give greater prominence to the role the
law school already plays in serving as one of the major educational
flagships of the University. The time has come to support and build a
law school building that can provide the technology and other tools
that will facilitate the important role of educating individuals who
want a first-class legal education.
A state-of-the-art building has been designed by one of the nation’s
preeminent architectural firms, The Smith Group of Washington, D.C., in
conjunction with The Boudreaux Group of Columbia, S.C. The location on
the site of the former Columbia Museum of Art will feature a unique
blend of old and new architecture and will be strategically juxtaposed
between the State Capitol, the South Carolina Supreme Court, and the
National Advocacy Center. This new building will be a powerful
statement of the importance of the justice system on the fabric of
society in South Carolina. It will serve our state well in an
absolutely critical function for many years to come. We look forward to
sharing our vision for the new law school building with our fellow
alumni, and we invite your support! ■
— Mike Kelly & Steve Hamm, campaign co-chairs |
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Top: Architect’s rendering of
the new School of Law building.
Above (left to right): John
Boudreaux and Heather A. Mitchell from The Boudreaux Group with
Mike Kelly and Steve Hamm, campaign co-chairs. |
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| This fall we will
formally recommence the fundraising campaign for the new
law school building. The projected cost is $65 million. We
already have received some state funding and have raised $8
million from private sources. We plan to secure additional
government funding and raise an additional $25 million
privately. Campaign leadership includes Steve Hamm of
Richardson Plowden Carpenter & Robinson; Mike Kelly,
principal of the Mike Kelly Law Group; David Dukes,
managing partner of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough;
Harry Lightsey III of BellSouth; and Mike Spears of
Spartanburg, S.C. |
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