University of South Carolina has named Michael Amiridis its 30th president
The announcement that Michael Amiridis would be the 30th president of the University of South Carolina system came on Jan. 14. He will be taking on his new responsibilities beginning during the summer. The USC Board of Trustees voted unanimously on the decision.
The Greek native attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, graduating with a Ph.D. in chemical engineering in 1991. He worked in the field for several years before joining the University of South Carolina in 1994 as a professor of chemical engineering.
Amiridis has served as chancellor of the University of Illinois-Chicago since 2015. Amiridis’ experience in the University of South Carolina system includes acting as a chemical engineering professor, department chair, and dean of the College of Engineering and Computing on the Columbia campus. Amiridis also served as the executive vice president for academic affairs and as provost from 2009 until 2015, when he became chancellor of UIC.
The first-generation college student looks to improve the experience of other first-generation students. “We need to have targeted services towards these students and keep in mind that the most important thing that we do to change the world and build the future … our goal is to be building the future of the state of South Carolina. The most important thing that we have to do is to help the students from low socioeconomic backgrounds to advance through knowledge.”
Amiridis replaces interim President Harris Pastides, who returned to the university in May 2021 to serve the position until a president could be selected.
Image courtesy of University of Illinois Chicago.
