Support Planning & Services

We make leveraging micro-credentials as a strategy for personalizing professional learning simpler for you. We offer a wide range of supports and services to assist you in meeting your goals.


Micro-credentials

Micro-credentials are a natural extension of educators’ professional learning journeys. Educators engage in both formal and informal professional learning activities but are rarely recognized for their informal learning.


Micro-credential Stacks

Educators eager to develop a full skill set in a particular area might demonstrate each of the associated competencies, or micro-credentials, within a stack.

  • SCTS 4.0
  • Early Childhood
  • Whole Child Development
  • and more...

Resources, Stories & News



ENGAGE Sessions

Is your school, district or organization interested in leveraging micro-credentials as a strategy for personalizing professional learning? Connect with us to attend an ENGAGE Session to learn more.

Contact us at mCrED@sc.edu for details.


Our Team

Email: SCARBROE@mailbox.sc.edu

Elizabeth is a former instructional coach with 17 years of experience in education. She is passionate about building a collaborative culture in schools, equipping teacher leaders, and fostering professional learning and growth. A graduate of the University of South Carolina’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Elizabeth is also National Board Certified in Early Adolescence: English Language Arts and has a master’s degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. Throughout her career, Elizabeth has supported teachers through learning communities to create opportunities for collaboration and innovation. Through CarolinaCrED, she is excited to continue building teacher capacity and leadership among South Carolina educators.

Email: sherylh@mailbox.sc.edu

Sheryl Horton serves as the Program Coordinator for Professional Partnerships and has worked for the University of South Carolina for 20 years. Prior to serving in this role, she served as the Student Services Coordinator for the Office of Educational Outreach. Sheryl is gifted at providing customer service assistance to schools, administrators, teachers, and students throughout the state of South Carolina. During her tenure in the College of Education, Sheryl has been honored with the 2013 Hidden Gem Award. She demonstrates a service mentality daily and thrives on helping educators enjoy the benefits of deep partnerships.

Libby J. Ortmann is a three-time National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) with more than 35 years of experience in education in her home state, South Carolina. Libby earned both her B.A. and M.Ed from the University of South Carolina. She previously served as a middle school teacher, curriculum coach and lead instructor for our state’s alternative certification program. Libby worked as a Teacher-In-Residence for the South Carolina Center for Teacher Recruitment, now known as the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement (CERRA), where she focused on ProTeam, Teacher Cadets, and Teacher Forum. Most recently, Libby served as an Education Associate at the South Carolina Department of Education in the Office of Educator Effectiveness and Leadership Development leading South Carolina’s Collective Leadership Initiative and the Micro-credential Academy. In Libby’s new role, she serves as a Micro-credential Support Specialist within the office of CarolinaCrED in the USC College of Education.

Email: vanburen@sc.edu

Cindy Van Buren has been a SC educator since 1988. She has previously served as the Deputy Superintendent for the Division of School Effectiveness for the South Carolina Department of Education, the Chair of the Department of Education at Newberry College, the Director of Teacher Education at Winthrop University, and as a high school administrator and teacher at Rock Hill High School. Since joining the staff in the College of Education at USC in 2015, she has dedicated her work to building and maintaining partnerships that improve the lives of teachers, students, schools and districts in SC.