The P. Kathryn Hicks Visual Arts Center
Renovated in 2003, this building is named for P. Kathryn "Katie" Hicks, a professor of art at USC Upstate for more than 30 years. The renovation of this building, nestled in the Susan Jacobs Arboretum, provides ample studio space for drawing, painting, graphic design, printmaking, digital imaging, and three-dimensional design. In 2011 the Visual Arts program acquired an industrial laser cutter and engraver that supports projects in art and design education and is located in an adjoining area of the digital design Apple McIntosh lab.
P. Kathryn "Katie" Hicks, Professor Emeritus of Art
Katie Hicks has devoted 35 years of her life to the University of South Carolina Upstate. 
Even after retiring from her 30 year teaching career, Hicks remains on campus as professor emeritus of art.
Hicks began her life at USC Upstate in 1974 as the first full-time visual arts faculty member. During her tenure at USC Upstate, Hicks has taught studio art, painting, ceramics, theory and art history, just to name a few. Courses she has taught in recent semesters include art criticism, women in antiquity, ancient art history and ceramics, with her favorite being ancient art history. Hicks has also taken sabbaticals to Greece and Turkey, where she studied the local art and the history of diverse cultures.
Not only has Hicks dedicated her life to teaching countless art students at USC Upstate, but she and her husband Dr. Lawrence Roël have also made significant financial contributions to the institution, providing for the renovation of the P. Kathryn Hicks Visual Arts Center. The couple also served on the campaign team that raised funds for the construction of the Health Education Complex.