B-Note August 22, 2019
August 22, 2019
Greetings fellow Tigers!
It was a special weekend in Tiger Town, and I was happy to be a part of a monumental time in our students’ lives. I joined our University leaders to assist our students as they moved into their new homes here at Clemson. You can view photos from Move In here. Once the students were settled, we were able to officially kick off the new academic year Monday morning during Convocation in Littlejohn Coliseum. Freshmen, transfer and graduate students, along with faculty and staff, attended the annual ceremony and heard remarks from a number of distinguished speakers, including President James P. Clements and academic cornerstone partner Joe Erwin. Convocation was centered around the theme of T-I-G-E-R-S (tradition, inspiration, gratitude, experience, ring and success).
Our new students had the privilege of hearing encouraging words from a very respected and generous member of the Clemson Family, Joe Erwin. Joe graduated from Clemson in 1979 with a degree in political science, and last year, he and his wife, Gretchen, became the university’s second Academic Cornerstone Partner. Joe and Gretchen contributed a $2.5 million gift, including $1 million for the new College of Business building and $1.5 million for student scholarship and programming support for communication students and adjunct faculty. In 2012, Joe and Gretchen established The Erwin Center for Advertising and Communication, now the Erwin Center for Brand Communications, at Clemson. Thank you, Joe, for being an avid supporter of Clemson University and for sharing your insight and knowledge with our students.
Following the annual faculty meeting on Monday, Clemson celebrated several endowed chairs in Burton Gallery in Littlejohn Coliseum. This also gave us the opportunity to recognize the generous donors who have provided the funding to help attract and support these eminent scholars. The endowed chairs included:
-Dr. Amy Apon: C. Tycho Howle Director of the School of Computing and Endowed Chair, established by Tycho and Marie Howle in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences
-Dr. Mark Johnson: Thomas F. Hash ’69 Endowed Chair in Sustainable Development, established by Thomas and Becky Hash in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences
-Dr. Winifred E. Newman: Homer Curtis Mickel and Leona Carter Mickel Endowed Chair in Architecture, established by Mrs. Homozel Mickel Daniel in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities
On Tuesday, we held our annual Welcome Back Festival in downtown Clemson – sponsored by the Clemson Alumni Association and the Student Alumni Council. The 31st annual festival featured more than 80 local vendors offering a variety of merchandise and food. President Clements and Clemson Mayor J.C. Cook spoke during the event, and the Tiger mascot was there – along with the Clemson Spirit Squad – to pump up the crowd! $16,187.55 was raised during the festival to support the Student Alumni Council Scholarship Endowment Fund. It is wonderful to see events that can bring together the Clemson family while also honoring Clemson’s history and commitment to philanthropy!
B – Excited for the future!
It has been a busy week on the Clemson campus, and the fall semester has officially begun. The excitement for the future can be felt throughout our campus, reminding me that these bright and talented students would not be here without you. Your gifts to Clemson are creating opportunities for Clemson students and impacting their lives in incredible ways. Because of your support, students across our campus are following their dreams. Please watch this special video highlighting a student who has been directly impacted by your gifts to Clemson. You can also read more about your impact on our students through scholarships here. Thank you for your unwavering support and commitment to our students!
Go Tigers!
Brian O’Rourke