University of South Carolina Libraries
Pro Bono Program awarded for services S. C. education commission cites law school’s aid to community BY MICHAEL LAFORGIA The USC School of Law's Pro Bono Program, a community ser vice organization that operates through the School of Law, was awarded the 2003 Service Learning award on Jan. 8 by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. Members of the Pro Bono Program met with newly hired law school dean Burnele Powell tor lunch Monday, and Powell in aised the program for its many accomplishments over the years. “It certainly was a well-de served honor that was a nice treat t< i heart” Powell said. “I found it quite frankly confirmatory of all the good things I've been hearing j. about the law school.” 1 USC's Pro Bono Program began in 1989 after the law school re ceived a grant from the South Carolina Bar Foundation. In 1991, the program was named the 444th Daily Point of Light by President George Bush. The law school or ganization launched a food drive for local food banks in 1994, which has since raised more than 25,000 pounds of food. The program won the Community Service Award from Harvest Food Bank in 1997. Volunteers for the Pro Bono Program have been helping stu dents at elementary schools since 1999. Current Pro Bono projects in clude Computer Buddies, in which law students set up educational computer programs on family computers, a Guardian Ad Litem project, in which law students ap pear in court on behalf of abused or neglected children and work for the South Carolina Center for Capital Litigation, where law stu dents assist attorneys who repre sent death-sentenced inmates. “It's a mix of legal and non-le gal projects,” said Pam Robinson, who has directed the program since it began. “We're actually quite a model because we've been around so long.” Robinson said not all law schools have pro bono programs, and of those that do, not every school has a program as extensive as Carolina's. She added that she is surprised by each new award the program wins. Robinson said the student board members were responsible for making the program what it is today. “They're the real heart and soul of the program,” she said. T.vrvn The CHE also presented awards to two-year public schools and in dependent colleges. Robinson said she expects the program to continue to excel, par ticularly under Powell's leader ship. “I think there'll be renewed en ergy from our dean,” Robinson said. USC's Pro Bono program is funded in part by the South Carolina Bar Foundation and by the law school. Kelley said the CHE created a Service Learning award to recog nize South Carolina institutions' combining formal study with com munity service. “No money is exchanged — it's just a matter of service. The com mittee felt this needed to be recog nized,” Kelley said. A statewide committee of 10 members chosen for their in volvement with higher education made the final decision. Vermelle Johnson of the CHE chaired the committee. A ppnrH in £7 tn assistant direc tor of the CHE's division of Academic Affairs and Licensing, said the Pro Bono Program stood out among other service pro grams at four vanr nnhlir in “It was the breadth of what the pro bono project did that was very impressive to the committee.” LYNN KELLEY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION’S DIVISION OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND LICENSING Kelley, USC beat out 10 oth er candidates to win the award. There are 12 four-year pub lic campuses in South Carolina. Kelley said the choice was unanimous. The award stitutions. “The variety of the things un dertaken by the pro bono project have been significant,” Kelley said. “It was the breadth of what the pro bono project did that was very impressive to the committee.” marks the third year the CHE has honored South Carolina institu tions with a Service Learning Award. Last year, Clemson won the award for a computer skills devel opment program. According to Kelley, the deci sion was made last November, but presentation of the award was de layed until January by other CHE scheduling matters. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecocknews@gwm.sc.edu SURFYOURSELF ' For more information on the Pro Bono Program, visit http://www.law.sc.edu/probono/pbhp.htm. Registry to include S.C. film BY ALEXIS BASS THE GAMECOCK The USC Movietonews film “Jenkins Orphanage Band” has been selected as one of 25 films to be entered into the National Film Registry. Filmed in 1928, the Movietonews film records the brass band of the Jenkins Orphanage in Charleston. The or phanage was founded by the Rev. Daniel Jenkins for African American children. The band orig inally was assembled to raise mon ey for the orphanage, but the band quickly became a world-renowned musical group in the early 20th century. Out of this band sprang such musical legends as trum peter Jabbo Smith, guitarist Freddie Green and William “Cat” Anderson of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. The creation of the pop ular 1920s dance “The Charleston” is also attributed to the group. This “orphan film” is one of many films that is annually rec ognized for being “culturally, his torically or aesthetically signifi cant,” said Librarian of Congress James Billington in a news re lease. “Orphan films” are motion pictures that have been neglected over the years since their produc tion. The film was noticed at the annual Orphan Film Symposium on campus, an event Where many international leaders of film preservation discuss methods to save, study and screen “orphan films.” Universal Studios' head of new audio restoration was part of the group at the symposium and donated Universal's state-of-the art facility to restore the “Jenkins Orphanage Band” film. The 11 minute sound film made by a Fox Movietonews crew is part of the university's portion of the Movietonews newsreel collection donated by the 20th Century Fox Film Corporation. USC music his tory professor Julie Hubbert was researching the film for the uni versity's Center for Southern African-American Music and in troduced the film screening at the 2002 symposium. “Even better than an audio recording, this film captures the music, the repertoire, the look, the gestures and movements of an African-American style that in fluenced contemporary musical forms,” Hubbert said. This film may be the only surviving record of the band, which became the “incubator for jazz talent.” Not only is the film getting recognition, but South Carolina is receiving attention as well, said Dan Streible, founder of the sym posium and professor of film stud ies. “The National Film Registry distinction is noteworthy for South Carolina for several rea sons: the film not only is from USC's own Newsfilm Library, but it also documents an extraordi nary piece of the state's history,” he said in a news release. The new ly restored version of the “Jenkins Orphanage Band” will premiere - at the 4th Orphan Film Symposium. The public screening is free and scheduled for 8 p.m. on March 24 in the Russell House Theater. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecocknewsCa-gwm.sc.edu 800 feet of Gulf Beach Frontage • 2 Large Outdoor Swimming Pools Sailboat, Jet Ski & Parasail Rentals • Lazy River Ride & Water Slide Huge Beachfront Hot Tub • Volleyball *'501165 001012 people Airport Limo Service • Live Band & D1 • World's Longest Keg Party WetT-Shirt, Hard Body& Venus Swimwear Contests World Famous TiKI BaR! . ...into Student Government Elections 2004 ^ I I Do something good for USC Dun for an Office : Be a leader '% «rf 't r< i* I * ~ TBsh^jlf^AL W> ••'~ f* 1 i : k5 . **♦ t tTwe ' a ':?S- <\ - . 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