A look at some of the members of the Class of 2007, where they've been, and where they're going.

Name: Lauren Simms
Hometown: Columbia
High School: Spring Valley High School
Major: Exercise Science

At Spring Valley High School, star basketball player Lauren Simms knew that her academic future would be a critical factor in her choice of college.

Recruited by some of the best colleges and universities in the nation – including Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech – Simms realized that one of the best choices was right in her own backyard: the University of South Carolina.

"My family would be able to come and see me play, and I would have the opportunity to compete in the SEC, one of the nation's toughest conferences," she said.

In high school, Simms discovered an interest in helping players recover from their sports injuries. So, she chose the university because of the reputation of its department of exercise science.

Today, she not only has the background from her many classes in fitness, anatomy and health, but she also knows what it's like to spend time recovering from an injury. At the end of her sophomore year, she severely injured her knee. Surgery and rehabilitation time sidelined her for about six months. The experience affirmed her decision to help other athletes.

Simms recently signed with a sports agent and is weighing her options to play basketball overseas. Then, she plans to return to the United States and pursue a Ph.D. in physical therapy.

"This past semester, I had an internship at a rehabilitation center. It was great hands-on experience for my future career," she said. "I know that I want to work in a sports or health clinic to help athletes recover from their injuries."

A cum laude graduate, Simms made the Dean's List every semester at Carolina. She credits the guidance of the athletic department with helping her stay on track academically in spite of a hectic travel and practice schedule.

"It was a shock, at first, how much we were on the road," said Simms, named the women's basketball team Most Valuable Player. "But my academic adviser helped me plan my time and stay focused on the academic side of my life. Now, I'll be ready for graduate school when I finish playing basketball."