USC awards posthumous degree to slain student Samantha Josephson

COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- A young woman from New Jersey who was murdered while away at school was given her college degree posthumously.

The University of South Carolina draped a cap and gown on the chair where Samantha Josephson of Robbinsville would have sat during graduation Saturday.

The school also gave her parents a diploma.

Police say Josephson was killed in March after getting into a car she mistook for her Uber.

University President Harris Pastides spoke about the lessons learned from the tragedy.

"Asking what's my name before entering a rideshare vehicle will save lives and must become as automatic to you as putting on your seat belt before getting behind the wheel," he said.

Police say Josephson got into a black car she thought was an Uber with Nathaniel David Rowland behind the wheel. She was abducted and killed.

Rowland is charged with murder and kidnapping.

Josephson was planning on going to law school at Drexel University after graduation.