Dear Best of Carolina 2025 readers,

What a ride! It feels appropriate that my last edition of Best of Carolina as editor-in-chief is old-school and nostalgic, reminiscing about the traditions, experiences and community that make Columbia great. Welcome to BOC: U!

Acting as the Marketing Director of Garnet Media Group and the editor-in-chief of Best of Carolina has been the absolute highlight of my time at USC. Working with this team through the years has been an absolute blast, starting as a writer and photographer and finishing as an editor and copy editor. It’s been great to see this team and its members grow and elevate their work to what it is today.

It has been an honor to get to know Columbia’s institutions, businesses, and organizations over the four editions of Best of Carolina to which I have contributed. Coming from a small town in California, I initially felt like an outsider. But after spending more than four years living and experiencing Columbia, I have developed a great appreciation for the work, effort and hospitality this community provides to anyone fortunate enough to be here.

Now it’s your turn to turn back the clock. Sit back and feel the nostalgia of your time at USC or your experiences in Columbia. Remember the best-of-the-best things about this community, and enjoy Best of Carolina 2025.

Best,

Tyler Sprague

Marketing Director | Garnet Media Group