USC Salkehatchie Opens Forensic Lab on Allendale Campus, Expands Training

USC Salkehatchie announced the opening in January 2025 of a new forensic science laboratory on the Allendale West Campus, a move that brings practical laboratory training to students in a region long underserved by postsecondary science resources. The lab offers instruction in fingerprinting, drug screening, DNA techniques and other forensic methods, and it supports criminal justice and chemistry coursework offered through the campus and partnering programs.

The Allendale campus serves students from Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton and Hampton counties as part of USC Salkehatchie, the University of South Carolina regional campus system. The West Campus at 465 James Brandt Boulevard hosts classroom buildings, student services and athletics programs including softball, baseball and soccer. The campus grants associate degrees including Associate of Arts and Associate of Science, and it provides selected upper division coursework through partnerships such as USC Palmetto College. Early enrollment partnerships have enabled local high school students to graduate with associate degrees, and spring 2025 commencement celebrations recognized graduates and early college students from area high schools including Allendale Fairfax High School.

The forensic lab will have implications beyond campus curriculum. In a rural region where laboratory resources are limited, locally trained technicians and analysts may help reduce backlog on evidence processing, expand community capacity for drug screening related to overdose investigations, and support collaborations between law enforcement, public health and regional employers. That potential aligns with the campus role as a regional education, cultural and workforce development anchor, offering library facilities, labs and outreach programs intended to increase access to postsecondary education and career training.

For students, the new lab adds applied learning that can translate to local job opportunities in criminal justice, public safety and laboratory science. For the wider community, the investment addresses equity by putting hands on scientific training within commuting distance of residents who have historically faced barriers to higher education and technical certification.

Practical campus resources remain available to the public. Library and student services hours and contact information are maintained on the USC Salkehatchie site, and campus visits are available by appointment for prospective students and community partners seeking details about degrees, programs and community partnerships.