Dr. Michelle Garland appointed USC Upstate Faculty Athletic Representative
5/12/2022 11:18:00 AM | General
Following in the footsteps of the 15-year tenure of Dr. Jim Griffis as USC Upstate's Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR), Spartan Athletics welcomes Dr. Michelle Garland to the FAR role in 2022-23.
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"I am excited to be serving in this position, though I know doing so in the shadow of Dr. Jim Griffis is no small feat. I have worked with Jim as part of the Intercollegiate Athletic Committee for several years, and Jim has been an amazing mentor this past year, as we anticipated I would be taking his place. While I have much to learn, he has set me up to, hopefully, make this a smooth transition for all of our student-athletes," said Garland.
Dr. Garland is currently the Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies program and is an associate professor of Communication Studies. She received her B.A. from the College of Charleston and her Master's and Ph.D., both in Communication and Information from the University of Tennessee.  Dr. Garland's research area is instructional communication, focusing specifically on student-faculty communication and student outcomes impacted by the communication. She arrived at Upstate in 2015 following her time at Tennessee.
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"Dr. Garland, she is a passionate supporter of athletics. She attends games in all of our sports regularly, is a passionate fan, and most importantly she has a great relationship with our student-athletes and staff! I look forward to working with Dr. Garland to continue to build bridges between our department and our faculty, and to help strengthen our student-athletes' experience during their time on campus. Dr. Garland is a phenomenal choice as FAR and I can't wait to work with her!" said Daniel Feig, Vice Chancellor and Director of athletics.
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"I see my role as the bridge between academics and athletics. I want to do all I can to make the experience of the student-athlete the best it can be, not only in regard to their experience in athletics, but a holistic view of the full student experience here at Upstate," said Dr. Garland.
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An affection for athletics pre-dates her time at Upstate as she mentored student-athletes in communication classes while at Tennessee, as evidenced by the signed memorabilia adorning her office.
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Known to some as "Dr. G" or "Upstate mom," she has taken the same approach to cultivate meaningful relationships with students at Upstate over the last seven years.  "My favorite thing about Upstate is that our size makes it possible to truly get to know our students not just inside the classroom but outside it as well. I can't count the number of weddings and baby showers I've attended for my former students. I've even planned a wedding for two for them as well! That just speaks to the level of impact we can have on our Upstate students," said Garland. She welcomes student-athletes to stop by her office in the College of Arts and Sciences Building, Room 109.
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A varsity tennis player in high school (T. L. Hanna), Dr. Garland hails from Anderson, S.C.  Officially, Dr. Garland was appointed as Upstate's FAR on Friday, April 29.
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What they're saying
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Sarah Gildersleeve – Senior Woman Administrator/Associate AD/Student-athlete enrichment
"I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Dr. Garland over the past couple of years through various committees on campus and I am absolutely delighted that I now get to work so closely with her as our new FAR. She shares a similar heart for the wellbeing of our student-athletes that I do so I am excited to partner with her to continue to advance the overall student-athlete experience. With her we are getting someone who will be an advocate for our student-athletes in and out of the classroom, someone who is passionate about growing young people into leaders, and someone who will seek to enhance their lives through meaningful connections. Congratulations to Dr. Garland, I am ecstatic to work with her!"
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Dr. Robbie Davis – Associate AD/Compliance
"I look forward to forging a stronger partnership with Dr. Garland as she continues to lead and guide us in our relationships between athletics and faculty. Over the last few years, I have had a few opportunities to work with her and have consistently been impressed with her professionalism and leadership. I am excited for the student-athletes to have another highly dedicated FAR to pick up where Dr. Jim Griffis has concluded."
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Scout Hoffmeier '22 - Volleyball
"Dr. Garland is absolutely exceptional. She is the definition of a professor who is for the students. She thrives when her students thrive. She wins, her students win. Her compassionate heart yearns to love students where they are at and help lead them to where she knows they can be. Dr. Garland is a gift to USC Upstate and I feel honored to know her, love her and be loved by her!"
Brady Hinkle '22 – Men's golf (USC Upstate business analytics master's candidate)
"Dr. Garland was an extremely influential factor in my success throughout the short course we had this spring. With a very limited amount of time as well as very little knowledge about the topic, she was able to guide me through the process. I would not have been able to learn what I was able to learn as well as create a final product of high quality without her."
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Brittany Case '19Â - Softball
"Dr. Garland was a huge piece of my success in navigating being a student and an athlete. She always went above and beyond to make sure I was doing okay personally, academically, and athletically. Dr. Garland was understanding of the busy schedule student-athletes had to manage, so when we missed class due to games, she was understanding and checked in to ensure we did not fall behind. A moment in particular came to mind when I was in her Senior Seminar class, which was the final class that stood between me and graduation. I missed a lot of those classes but she met with me as frequently as needed in and outside of her assigned office hours to guide me across the finish line. Dr. Garland was an avid fan and it was always so rewarding to see her smiling face in the stands cheering us to victory. This feels like a natural progression for Dr. Garland to step into this role and I'm excited to hear of her continued success and sponsorship of the athletes at USC Upstate."
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Congrats Dr. Griffis!
Dr. Jim Griffis, a fixture at USC Upstate for 36 years, retired from the University following the Spring semester. As a lasting symbol of our appreciation for his years of service to Upstate student-athletes as FAR, the annual Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards have been renamed the Dr. Jim Griffis Male/Female Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards in his honor. The first of these newly renamed awards were presented at the "The Sparty Awards" in April. We wish Jim well in his retirement in Virginia!
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"I am excited to be serving in this position, though I know doing so in the shadow of Dr. Jim Griffis is no small feat. I have worked with Jim as part of the Intercollegiate Athletic Committee for several years, and Jim has been an amazing mentor this past year, as we anticipated I would be taking his place. While I have much to learn, he has set me up to, hopefully, make this a smooth transition for all of our student-athletes," said Garland.
Dr. Garland is currently the Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies program and is an associate professor of Communication Studies. She received her B.A. from the College of Charleston and her Master's and Ph.D., both in Communication and Information from the University of Tennessee.  Dr. Garland's research area is instructional communication, focusing specifically on student-faculty communication and student outcomes impacted by the communication. She arrived at Upstate in 2015 following her time at Tennessee.
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"Dr. Garland, she is a passionate supporter of athletics. She attends games in all of our sports regularly, is a passionate fan, and most importantly she has a great relationship with our student-athletes and staff! I look forward to working with Dr. Garland to continue to build bridges between our department and our faculty, and to help strengthen our student-athletes' experience during their time on campus. Dr. Garland is a phenomenal choice as FAR and I can't wait to work with her!" said Daniel Feig, Vice Chancellor and Director of athletics.
Â
"I see my role as the bridge between academics and athletics. I want to do all I can to make the experience of the student-athlete the best it can be, not only in regard to their experience in athletics, but a holistic view of the full student experience here at Upstate," said Dr. Garland.
Â
An affection for athletics pre-dates her time at Upstate as she mentored student-athletes in communication classes while at Tennessee, as evidenced by the signed memorabilia adorning her office.
Â
Known to some as "Dr. G" or "Upstate mom," she has taken the same approach to cultivate meaningful relationships with students at Upstate over the last seven years.  "My favorite thing about Upstate is that our size makes it possible to truly get to know our students not just inside the classroom but outside it as well. I can't count the number of weddings and baby showers I've attended for my former students. I've even planned a wedding for two for them as well! That just speaks to the level of impact we can have on our Upstate students," said Garland. She welcomes student-athletes to stop by her office in the College of Arts and Sciences Building, Room 109.
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A varsity tennis player in high school (T. L. Hanna), Dr. Garland hails from Anderson, S.C.  Officially, Dr. Garland was appointed as Upstate's FAR on Friday, April 29.
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What they're saying
Â
Sarah Gildersleeve – Senior Woman Administrator/Associate AD/Student-athlete enrichment
"I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Dr. Garland over the past couple of years through various committees on campus and I am absolutely delighted that I now get to work so closely with her as our new FAR. She shares a similar heart for the wellbeing of our student-athletes that I do so I am excited to partner with her to continue to advance the overall student-athlete experience. With her we are getting someone who will be an advocate for our student-athletes in and out of the classroom, someone who is passionate about growing young people into leaders, and someone who will seek to enhance their lives through meaningful connections. Congratulations to Dr. Garland, I am ecstatic to work with her!"
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Dr. Robbie Davis – Associate AD/Compliance
"I look forward to forging a stronger partnership with Dr. Garland as she continues to lead and guide us in our relationships between athletics and faculty. Over the last few years, I have had a few opportunities to work with her and have consistently been impressed with her professionalism and leadership. I am excited for the student-athletes to have another highly dedicated FAR to pick up where Dr. Jim Griffis has concluded."
Â
Scout Hoffmeier '22 - Volleyball
"Dr. Garland is absolutely exceptional. She is the definition of a professor who is for the students. She thrives when her students thrive. She wins, her students win. Her compassionate heart yearns to love students where they are at and help lead them to where she knows they can be. Dr. Garland is a gift to USC Upstate and I feel honored to know her, love her and be loved by her!"
Brady Hinkle '22 – Men's golf (USC Upstate business analytics master's candidate)
"Dr. Garland was an extremely influential factor in my success throughout the short course we had this spring. With a very limited amount of time as well as very little knowledge about the topic, she was able to guide me through the process. I would not have been able to learn what I was able to learn as well as create a final product of high quality without her."
Â
Brittany Case '19Â - Softball
"Dr. Garland was a huge piece of my success in navigating being a student and an athlete. She always went above and beyond to make sure I was doing okay personally, academically, and athletically. Dr. Garland was understanding of the busy schedule student-athletes had to manage, so when we missed class due to games, she was understanding and checked in to ensure we did not fall behind. A moment in particular came to mind when I was in her Senior Seminar class, which was the final class that stood between me and graduation. I missed a lot of those classes but she met with me as frequently as needed in and outside of her assigned office hours to guide me across the finish line. Dr. Garland was an avid fan and it was always so rewarding to see her smiling face in the stands cheering us to victory. This feels like a natural progression for Dr. Garland to step into this role and I'm excited to hear of her continued success and sponsorship of the athletes at USC Upstate."
Â
Congrats Dr. Griffis!
Dr. Jim Griffis, a fixture at USC Upstate for 36 years, retired from the University following the Spring semester. As a lasting symbol of our appreciation for his years of service to Upstate student-athletes as FAR, the annual Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards have been renamed the Dr. Jim Griffis Male/Female Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards in his honor. The first of these newly renamed awards were presented at the "The Sparty Awards" in April. We wish Jim well in his retirement in Virginia!
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