Leslie Dennis

Leslie Dennis, a 2007 USC graduate, is now living her dream in the journalism world.
When Dennis was three, her first work, a book about her grandfather, was completed, marking the beginning of a love of writing. Since then, her fervor has not faltered.
Her first real journalism experiences were in high school. Not only was she the editor of her school’s paper, but she also attended conferences at places such as USC and the Governors’ School. She won many awards during her high school years, including journalist of the year at the 2003 SCSPA conference.
One such experience has forever marked her life. The summer following her junior year of high school, Leslie attended the Carolina Journalism Institute at USC as a student, and now, after being involved since then, she is the Director’s Assistant, and one of the top in command.
Dennis loves being a part of the schools that she dedicated so many years of her life to, as she is now the Scholastic Press Manager at the college and every day she gets interaction with the people who have been influencing her life since she was in high school.

Kaylee Smith

The fire of dreams is evident when you look into the face of Kaylee Smith, a current USC student, Starbucks employee, and, she hopes, future owner of her own coffee shop.
Smith, a business major, is trying to make her dream become a reality, exasperating every possible advantage she has been given in the city of Columbia. Her mornings are spent in class, her afternoons and evenings at work, and at night, she can be found locked up in her room, studying.
Part of the reason that this dream of hers is coming true is her true love of the work she is doing. She wants nothing more than to make her customers happy and she looks forward to going to work everyday, only concreting her goal.