Diversity is one of the hallmarks of the University of South Carolina and particularly the College of Arts and Sciences. We attract students from everywhere in the US and from a hundred different countries around the world. This makes us a culturally rich and interesting place to be. This month’s Student of the Month is Ms. Mary T. Boyle (she likes to go by ‘Molly’) who came to USC from New Jersey and has added to the richness of that diversity in our College. Molly is a double major in English and Philosophy, and enjoys the intellectual pursuits afforded by that combination of majors. In fact, she names as her favorite interests reading and writing, surely a perfect alignment of intent and action in her double major, but does not exclude art and music from her repertoire of interests. She has made the President’s list each semester she has been here and has been supported throughout that time by both McKissick and Capstone Scholarships. She has also been a recipient of the Rising Senior Awards in both English and Philosophy, a true intellectual tribute to her interdisciplinary qualities as a student, and one readily recognized by both departments.

Molly lives in Cape May, New Jersey, when not on campus, and is the 11th of 12 children of Daniel and Margaret Boyle. She is originally from Washington, DC, then moved to Pennsylvania, before moving to New Jersey, where her Dad has a family medicine practice, so she is no stranger to changing places. Part of her motivation in choosing a university was to find new places to discover and know. So what does bring a student from outside South Carolina to USC? Surprisingly, for many it is more than simply the great weather difference between north and south, it is the keen interest in the social, cultural and historical aspects of the state, the region and its people. Molly embraces these differences and savors them. She states it simply and eloquently when she points out that ‘the best experiences at USC have been with the people I‘ve met who live here’. She has been a tutor in English for the Department of Athletics and enjoys all the great sports represented at USC, especially baseball. She has also taught in an after school program at a local elementary school and enjoyed the often remarkable insights afforded by 3rd to 5th grade students.

One of the most important things a student can do in their career at USC is to participate in Study Abroad. Last year Molly took up the challenge of that activity and headed off to Rome. She had a wonderful time in Roma, while also taking advantage of that great city as a doorway to all of Western Europe. As only such travel can do, Molly came to develop and appreciate a global perspective not just on how the world sees us, but on how we see ourselves in the world. Ms. Boyle graduates in May 2010 with highest honors and has in mind to apply to graduate school or law school. We know that whatever path she follows, her success in the College of Arts and Sciences will stand her in good stead for the rest of her life.

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