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Special Edition: Bill and Laura Pelham Gift Announcement

June 4, 2021

Brian O'Rourke BNote video

Greetings, fellow Tigers!

I am thrilled to share with you that William “Bill” H. Pelham, AIA, ’77 and M’81, and Laura Pelham have become our newest Academic Cornerstone Partners with a gift of $3 million.

Bill always felt that attending the Clemson University School of Architecture was a life-changing experience, especially the semester he spent in Genoa, Italy. Immersed in design and culture at Clemson’s first Fluid Campus satellite — the Charles E. Daniel Center for Building Research and Urban Studies, also known as “the Villa” — he describes the trip as eye-opening and confidence-building, navigating his way through Western Europe to sketch, study and admire what he calls “phenomenal architecture.”

Now, desiring to create more life-altering opportunities for talented architecture students, Bill and Laura, art and education philanthropists, are giving the Clemson University School of Architecture, in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities (CAAH), a new gift of $3 million.

Pelham family at gift announcement

Through Bill and Laura’s thoughtful generosity, more students will have the opportunity to pursue an education and future careers in architecture. They are also providing our University with a more inclusive pipeline of students, especially within the School of Architecture.

Strengthening Clemson’s relationship with the Fine Arts Center (FAC) in Greenville, South Carolina, this gift will provide need-based scholarships for talented students who attended the Fine Arts Center’s architectural program: “Art of Architecture. These highly qualified FAC graduates might not otherwise be able to pursue architectural studies while remaining in the state.

Through Bill and Laura’s thoughtful generosity, more students will have the opportunity to pursue an education and future careers in architecture. They are also providing our University with a more inclusive pipeline of students, especially within the School of Architecture.

Strengthening Clemson’s relationship with the Fine Arts Center (FAC) in Greenville, South Carolina, this gift will provide need-based scholarships for talented students who attended the Fine Arts Center’s architectural program: “Art of Architecture. These highly qualified FAC graduates might not otherwise be able to pursue architectural studies while remaining in the state.

Additionally, their gift will support an endowment for Emerging Scholars, creating the architecture track for this program, and provide unrestricted funds for the School of Architecture and CAAH.

The Clemson Emerging Scholars Program exposes students from the I-95 corridor in South Carolina to higher education, concentrating on academic preparation, leadership skills and the college application process.

This gift not only provides opportunities to retain the state’s top talent and create a pipeline of undergraduates exposed to interdisciplinary research, public service and design activism but also supports instruction and facilities.

Bill earned a Bachelor of Arts in pre-architecture in 1977 and a master’s in architecture in 1981, and he has generously given back to Clemson University and the School of Architecture over the years. Two endowments established earlier, one for the Director of the School of Architecture and one for the CAF, will be increased, providing unrestricted funding forever.

Today, Bill remains the president of Pelham Architects LLC, which he founded in 1983. The company specializes in residential projects, including new houses, renovations and additions and historic preservation. Although Laura did not attend Clemson University, her father did, and she grew up frequenting Clemson events and then married a Clemson alumnus — even though she attended the University of South Carolina, earning a Bachelor of Science in nursing. She retired from the Greenville Hospital System as a registered nurse and continues to support art and education causes.

To honor this wonderful gift from Bill and Laura, we held a special event celebrating the couple’s generosity. You can view photos here and video recapping the celebration here. I hope you will also take the time to watch this special video highlighting Bill and Laura and their gift here.

Bill Pelham at gift annoucement

I hope you will reach out to us directly if you would like to learn more about how you can follow in the footsteps of Bill and Laura Pelham and provide Clemson with financial stability by establishing an endowment. It would be our pleasure to assist you! I also invite you to read more about endowments here.

B – Joining Together!

It is hard to believe that we are drawing nearer to the end of this fiscal year. Despite the challenges we have faced, the Clemson Family has come together in extraordinary ways to support one another. Let’s continue to join together in support of our fellow Tigers and finish the year strong!

Among our goals for the year is reaching 20 percent in alumni participation, but we need the support of our fellow Tigers. You can make your gift and encourage other alumni to do the same! Visit https://iamatiger.clemson.edu/giving, call 864 656-5896 or mail your gift to Annual Giving Office, PO Box 1889, Clemson, SC 29633.

Thank you for supporting Clemson – today, tomorrow and forever!

Go Tigers!

Brian O’Rourke