Officials of the Community Development & Improvement Corporation (CDIC) of Aiken announced Friday afternoon that approximately $4.4 million has been secured from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and other sources to build the first dormitory on a site contiguous to the USC Salkehatchie Allendale campus. The dorm will house 101 students. USC Salkehatchie currently has more than 1100 students and has experienced an increase of over 58% in enrollment over the past five years.
The announcement was made by CDIC Chief Executive Officer Reginal Barner and USC Salkehatchie Dean Dr. Ann Carmichael. Carmichael said the housing will be "a milestone for the University." "Providing a housing complex adjacent to our campus is going to allow us to better attract and retain those students who want the full college experience that includes campus residential living. This project will not only be a catalyst for economic development, it will take Allendale another step closer to being a true college town," Carmichael said. Dr. Chris Plyler, Vice Provost and Executive Dean of Extended University, USC Columbia, attended the announcement.
"The University of South Carolina is excited about this next step in the development of the USC Salkehatchie campus. Having a residential facility will enable the campus to attract students from all over the state. This is exactly what the University supports, serving the people of South Carolina by the development of its regional campuses," Plyler said.
The facility will be built in a dormitory style with kitchenettes, common areas, study lounges and recreation rooms and will be exclusively for ALL USC Salkehatchie students.The project, which has been in development for seven years, is expected to be completed by Fall, 2013.
