Episode 148- The Carolina Experience

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Episode 148- The Carolina Experience

Office Hours with John Gardner

Amber Fallucca, Ambra Hiott, and Silvia Patricia Rios Husain are a part of a team at the University of South Carolina scaling their first-year experience to support all students through graduation. Learn how their focus on building and maintaining a sense of belonging improves outcomes.

Amber Fallucca serves as the inaugural Director of the Carolina Experience, University of South Carolina’s focus on providing access to a comprehensive undergraduate experience through an emphasis on transfer, sophomore, junior, and senior student experiences. Prior to joining Carolina Experience, Amber served as USC’s Quality Enhancement Plan Director on integrative and experiential learning. Amber also serves as affiliate faculty in the College of Education at USC where she earned her PhD in Higher Education Administration.


Ambra Hiott currently serves as the Director of the Leadership and Service Center at the University of South Carolina. People recognize her expertise in student leadership, addressing basic needs insecurity, student governance, community partnerships, student involvement, and resolving conflict. She has previous experience in a variety of higher education functional areas including orientation and transition programming, residence life, and student activities. She earned her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Student Affairs Leadership from the University of Georgia.  


Dr. Silvia Patricia Rios Husain serves as the Associate Vice President for Student Success within the University of South Carolina’s Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support.  Her career spans over 20 years in higher education, with a deep commitment to fostering student success and enhancing the student experience. 

As AVP, she provides strategic direction and oversight to University 101 Programs, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, Career Center, Student Success Center, and Carolina Experience. The Carolina Experience is a new initiative to make the entire four-year student experience as impactful as the first year. This initiative leverages and scales peer leadership and structured collaboration while focusing on  students’ career readiness and overall health and well-being.