2011-2012 Liaisons
Jason Alston, Communications Liaison
Jason Alston is the GSA’s Communications Liaison and is responsible for the GSA’s monthly newsletter. Jason is a first year doctoral student in the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina. He is part of the school's new Cultural Heritage Informatics Leadership Program.
Jason is originally from Warren County, North Carolina and holds an undergraduate degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a Masters in Library Science from North Carolina Central University. Before transitioning into libraries, Jason worked as a reporter for the Henderson Daily Dispatch in Henderson, North Carolina.
Jason Alston
alstonjk@email.sc.edu
TaCorey Campbell, Programming Liaison
TaCorey Campbell is the Programming Liaison for the Graduate Student Association and is responsible for assisting in the development of special events for graduate students. TaCorey graduated from Lander University in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in healthcare management. He currently works for the USC School of Medicine in Pediatric Endocrinology. TaCorey is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public health with a concentration in health services policy and management.
TaCorey Campbell
Campb384@email.sc.edu
Neil Crawford, Diversity Affairs Liaison/ Chair, Graduate Student Diversity Task Force
Neil Crawford is the GSA’s Diversity Affairs Liaison and Chair of the Graduate Student Diversity Task Force. A native of Clover, SC, Neil is pursuing an International MBA at the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business.
After graduating from Morehouse College with a degree in finance, Neil worked as an investment banking analyst at Salomon Smith Barney (SSB). At SSB, he provided strategic advisory support and helped execute numerous capital market transactions. He also helped increase professional diversity by leading an initiative to recruit more minority students from historically black colleges.
After departing from SSB, he accepted a London City Fellowship. The London City Fellowship was designed to give outstanding minority professionals the opportunity to work at a London investment firm, gain in-depth knowledge of global markets and create a genuine network abroad. He spent the next three years working as a securities analyst at Dresdner Bank where he produced research reports on Pan European construction and building stocks.
Before entering business school, he was a finance associate at CarVal Investors assigned to Crosstown Songs, United Kingdom. In this role, he was responsible for implementing standardized valuation models and new financial reporting systems. Under his leadership, he transformed the music executives’ key commercial milestones into quantitative metrics.
Neil looks forward to the opportunity of working with students and administrators to raise the awareness of USC's graduate programs among a diverse spectrum of people.
Neil Crawford
neil.crawford@imba.moore.sc.edu
John Knox, Health Insurance Liaison
John Knox is the Graduate Student Association's Health Insurance Liaison. As such, he works to ensure that graduate students have access to quality health care and affordable health insurance. John is a PhD student in English at USC. Please feel free to contact John with any questions or concerns you may have pertaining to health care or insurance.
John Knox
knoxt@email.sc.edu
Melanie Laffin, Teaching Assistant Liaison
Melanie Laffin is the Teaching Assistant (TA) Liaison for the University of South Carolina Graduate Student Association. In this role, she is responsible for TA related issues such as stipends and TA training. Melanie received a Bachelor of Science in General Mathematics from Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan, in 2009. She then went on to work on her Masters of Science in Discrete Mathematics, again from Michigan Technological University which she received in Spring 2011. The title of her thesis was "Group divisible designs with block size 6 and (3,r)-regular graphs". She is currently a student in the Doctor of Philosophy program in the Mathematics department, and a recipient of the STEPs to STEM scholarship. Melanie is originally from metro Detroit, Michigan.
Melanie Laffin
laffin@email.sc.edu
Matthew Lauer, Graduate Student Life Liaison
Matthew Lauer is the Graduate Student Life Liaison for the Graduate Student Association. In this capacity, Matthew advocates for student life issues and manages extracurricular recreational activities for graduate students on behalf of the GSA. A native of Carmel, Indiana, Matthew received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Carolina in 2011. He was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity and was an active member of the Fraternity’s Standards Board and a frequent contributor to the Fraternity’s intramural sports. During his time at USC, Matthew served as an equipment manager for the USC Football Team for all four years. Matthew spent an entire summer interning for the New York Jets, and has had the pleasure of interning for two Sports Management firms, Aregatta Inc. and Metis Sports Management, as well. Matthew is currently a graduate student at the University of South Carolina preparing for law school while pursuing his Masters in Sport Entertainment and Management.
Matthew Lauer
lauerm@email.sc.edu
Aaron Rutledge, Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives
Aaron Rutledge is the Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives for the Graduate Student Association. In this role, Aaron assists the GSA President in developing approaches and action plans to tackle pertinent graduate student issues. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Aaron had the opportunity to spend the last several years in Atlanta, Georgia at as a student and professional at Emory University. As an undergraduate student, he received a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia with a secondary concentration in Community Building and Social Change. His involvements on campus ranged from the Student Ambassador Program, to Greek Life, to Student Government and Orientation. As a student leader, he constantly worked to improve the experience of prospective and current students on Emory’s campus. After graduating from Emory, Aaron continued to work at the institution for the following year as the First-Year at Emory Fellow overseeing many of the first-year programs within residence halls. Currently, he is a first-year student in the Higher Education and Student Affairs program within the College of Education while also working as the Graduate Assistant for Residential Curricular Initiatives within University Housing.
Aaron Rutledge
rutledaj@email.sc.edu
Danielle Schoffman, Graduate Assistant Liaison
Danielle Schoffman is the Graduate Assistant Liaison to the University of South Carolina’s Graduate Student Association. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Danielle received a dual Bachelor of Arts Degree from Stanford University majoring in Human Biology and Anthropological Sciences. After graduation, Danielle worked as a project coordinator at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, managing clinical trials for behavioral weight management and assisting in data analysis. In the fall of 2011, she entered the Arnold School of Public Health’s Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior PhD program. Danielle’s research interests are public health nutrition, physical activity, and obesity prevention; use of mobile technologies in behavioral interventions; and novel approaches to objective measurement of physical activity. Danielle looks forward to representing the hundreds of Graduate Assistants at USC and hopes to be a resource for students to communicate their needs to the GSA and USC administration.
Danielle Schoffman
schoffmd@email.sc.edu
Lauren Vervaecke, Spouse and Family Liaison
Lauren Vervaecke is the Spouse and Family Liaison for the University of South Carolina's Graduate Student Association. In this role, she advocates on behalf of the unique needs of graduate student spouses and their families. A native of Moline, IL, Lauren graduated with an Associate of Science Degree from Black Hawk College in 2009 and was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and Psi Beta. She then transferred to St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA to receive a Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology with two minor degrees in Biology and Psychology. During this time, Lauren presented scientific research at the National American College of Sports Medicine Conference and published her abstract in the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise Journal. Currently she is pursuing a master’s degree in the Applied Exercise Physiology Program at the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health. Lauren aspires to go on to receive her PhD in Applied Exercise Physiology and work as a Health Science Researcher and as a Professor.
Lauren Vervaecke
vervaeck@email.sc.edu
Michelle Zimberlin, Organizational Outreach Liaison
Michelle Zimberlin is the Organizational Outreach Liaison for the Graduate Student Association. After growing up in Connecticut she attended Binghamton University, in New York, and received a B.S in Biology. While there she was President of Delta Epsilon Mu, and acted as a liaison between Greek life and the Professional Fraternity Council. Michelle is excited to move down to South Carolina and become a gamecock. She is currently working on her Master's in Marine Science and would like to continue her education and obtain a Ph.D.
Michelle Zimberlin
zimberli@email.sc.edu