Case Study: University of South Carolina Upstate achieves higher student engagement and improved outcomes with Anthology Blackboard Ultra and Anthology Ally

How USC Upstate Modernized the Student Experience with Blackboard

The University of South Carolina Upstate (USC Upstate) is a regional public university serving about 5,000 students with a strong focus on practical, career-aligned instruction and broad accessibility. Faced with 75% of students taking at least some coursework online and a need to modernize the learning experience for diverse learners (including working nurses and many first‑generation students), USC Upstate sought a modern, accessible LMS and related tools; they selected Anthology’s Blackboard (Ultra) and Anthology Ally to meet those needs.

Anthology upgraded USC Upstate to Blackboard Ultra and paired it with Anthology Ally, using a staggered rollout and a transition plan developed with Anthology to support faculty and programs. The change drove measurable gains: Ultra users were 11.8% more likely to spend 21+ hours in a course, 20.5% more likely to have substantial interactions with materials, and 27.7% more likely to submit 25+ assessment items; non‑submission fell from 27.9% to 2.3%, and grades of D or below declined 2.2% overall (with larger drops for HyFlex/Hybrid courses). Anthology’s AI tools and Ally also improved rubric creation, accessibility, and faculty engagement—over 20 product features requested by USC Upstate have been adopted.

University of South Carolina Upstate

Celena Kusch

Executive Director, Center for Academic Innovation and Faculty Support