Author: Laura Holt

Greetings fellow Tigers!

It was a hard-fought game, but the Tigers were victorious against the NC State Wolfpack on Saturday. This weekend, Clemson Football returns to Death Valley to face one of our biggest conference rivals – the Florida State Seminoles – at 3:30 p.m. With a win, the Tigers will advance to the 2017 ACC Football Championship game. Tickets will be extremely limited for the division championship game in Charlotte on Dec. 2, so IPTAY is encouraging all members to meet tomorrow’s deadline, Nov. 10, to request tickets online or by calling the Clemson Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-CLEMSON.

Football is only one exciting event happening in Tiger Town this weekend. The men’s basketball team tips off their season tomorrow night at 7 p.m. in Littlejohn Coliseum against Western Carolina.

Tomorrow, Clemson University will celebrate Legacy Day by honoring alumni and members of the extended Clemson Family who live out its tradition of philanthropy. Activities, including tours of the grounds and a scavenger hunt, will be at Fort Hill from 2 to 4 p.m. Copies of the wills of Anna Calhoun Clemson and Thomas Green Clemson will be on display. A formal ceremony under the trees at 4 p.m. will dedicate a bronze leaf to Samuel B. and Patricia Oliver Deal, the newest inductee to the Fort Hill Legacy Society, a posthumous honor for those who have willed $1 million or more to the university. During the ceremony, distinguished alumnus Joe Turner also will reflect on his 50 years in the Clemson Family. Legacy Day will conclude with the Gratitude Celebration in the evening. You can read more about Legacy Day here or check our our student produced Legacy Day video below.

Tomorrow, Nov. 10, is the final day for this year’s Chicken Kickin’ Challenge, and we still need more donors to reach our goal of donating 1,000 chickens to Clemson Community Care, Helping Hands and Golden Corner Food Pantry. Everyone who makes a gift is eligible to purchase our exclusive Clemson fried chicken t-shirt and our Chicken Kickin’ bowl with recipes from Mrs. Swinney and Mrs. Clements. You can make your gift here.

It was a beautiful day in Tiger Town for the College of Business groundbreaking. Thank you to everyone who attended this momentous event that marked a new beginning for business education at Clemson University. With support from you – our donors – Clemson can change the face of one of the university’s fastest-growing academic disciplines. Please view photos from the event here and read more about the day here.

Thanks to a gift from the Garvin Design Group, the Clemson University School of Architecture has strengthened the bonds between the four program sites that constitute its “Fluid Campus.” The architectural firm based in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed $100,000 that created a state-of-the-art technology center in Lee Hall, transforming a classroom into the “Fluid Campus Connector.” In addition to advanced digital conferencing technology, the room in Lee III was outfitted with new shades, lighting, carpeting and acoustical treatment, all to enhance the function and comfort of this crucial communication artery. The Garvin Design Group has deep ties to Clemson. President Scott Garvin and firm principals Mark Timbes and David Sickinger all received their Bachelor of Science in Design and Master of Architecture degrees from Clemson University. Principal Terry Buchmann received a Bachelor of Science degree from Clemson before earning his Master of Architecture at the University of Virginia. Garvin Design Group has professional links to Clemson, as well, including multiple renovation projects; new entrances to the Brooks Center and Jervey Hall; and multiple feasibility studies that include the new College of Business building across from Bowman Field, the Advanced Materials Research Lab and Soccer Operations Complex. Read more about the Garvin Design Group and their contributions to Clemson here.

Gerald Glenn, a 1964 Clemson alumnus, along with his wife Candi, recently pledged the ninth Cornerstone Gift to athletics. Their $2.5 million unrestricted gift will benefit student-athletes of all 19 intercollegiate sports through new and upgraded athletics facilities, student development operations and academic programs. Gerald graduated from Clemson in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering and went on to become chairman, president and CEO of Chicago Bridge and Iron, one of the world’s largest construction companies. Prior to that, he was a director of Fluor Corporation and a group president of its primary subsidiary – Fluor Daniel Incorporated. In addition to lifetime giving at Clemson exceeding $8 million, Gerald currently serves as a member of the President’s Advisory Board and as chair of the Clemson University Foundation Board Development Committee. The Glenns have been active contributors to Clemson programs, including the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences Leadership Circle and the Fluor Daniel Engineering Innovation Center, the Barker Scholars Endowment and IPTAY. You can find additional information about the Glenns and their contributions to Clemson here or view photos from the announcement event.

The Glenns – like many of you – have made a commitment to Clemson University through gifts that move us forward both academically and athletically. We appreciate your continued devotion to our university. Legacy Day gives us the opportunity to reflect on our past, present and future gifts. I hope you all can join us tomorrow as we celebrate our history and our donors’ generous contributions to Clemson.

Go Tigers! Beat FSU!

Brian O’Rourke

Greetings fellow Tigers!

The rain didn’t stop our dedicated Clemson fans from showing up to cheer for the Tigers on Saturday night. Despite the wet and cold weather, our team had the fortitude to claim a victory against Georgia Tech. You can view photos from the game here.

Before the rain moved in on Saturday, it was a beautiful day in Tiger Town for the College of Business groundbreaking. Thank you to everyone who attended this momentous event that marked a new beginning for business education at Clemson University. With support from you – our donors – Clemson can change the face of one of the university’s fastest-growing academic disciplines. Please view photos from the event here.

Last week, President Clements hosted the President’s Forum on Inclusive Excellence, where he presented the James E. Bostic, Jr. Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Award to Serita Acker. Acker is the director of PEER and WISE in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences and has led diversity efforts to help Clemson recruit and retain underrepresented students in science and engineering majors for more than 20 years. Clemson University’s Office of Inclusion and Equity has established the James E. Bostic, Jr. Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Award to recognize faculty, staff and students for displaying an exceptional commitment to fostering an environment at Clemson University in which diversity is understood, valued, respected and appreciated. As the recipient of the award, Acker received a $1,000 cash prize and a distinctive commemorative award.

Gerald Glenn, a 1964 Clemson alumnus, along with his wife Candi, recently pledged the ninth Cornerstone Gift to athletics. Their $2.5 million unrestricted gift will benefit student-athletes of all 19 intercollegiate sports through new and upgraded athletics facilities, student development operations and academic programs. Gerald graduated from Clemson in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering and went on to become chairman, president and CEO of Chicago Bridge and Iron, one of the world’s largest construction companies. Prior to that, he was a director of Fluor Corporation and a group president of its primary subsidiary – Fluor Daniel Incorporated. In addition to lifetime giving at Clemson exceeding $8 million, Gerald currently serves as a member of the President’s Advisory Board and as chair of the Clemson University Foundation Board Development Committee. The Glenns have been active contributors to Clemson programs, including the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences Leadership Circle and the Fluor Daniel Engineering Innovation Center, the Barker Scholars Endowment and IPTAY. The Glenns were recognized during Saturday’s game for their Cornerstone gift. You can find additional information about the Glenns and their contributions to Clemson here.

The Glenns – like many of you – have made a commitment to Clemson University through gifts that move us forward both academically and athletically. We appreciate your continued devotion to our university. Our football team will need your support this weekend when they travel to Raleigh to face ACC rival North Carolina State at 3:30 p.m.

Go Tigers! Beat NC State!

 
Brian O’Rourke

Greetings fellow Tigers!

In one of their last big moments at Clemson University, 1,503 seniors crossed the Littlejohn Coliseum stage to receive their Clemson rings on Tuesday night. The Clemson ring and the ring ceremony are two of Clemson’s most recognizable traditions. This is a special memory that will stay with our seniors as they transition from students to alumni. You can view photos here and watch a short recap of the ceremony here.

The Clemson Young Alumni Council has named 10 alumni to its “Roaring 10,” recognizing these outstanding young alumni for their influence in business, leadership, community, education and philanthropic endeavors. The honor is given to individuals who exemplify Clemson University’s core values of honesty, integrity and respect. The 2017 Roaring 10 recipients – Suzanne Pickens Alvarez ’11; Elizabeth Armstrong Boylan ’08, Capt. Kevin Joseph Fitzsimmons ’08, Adam Thomas Haldeman ’09, John Mark Hendrick III ’08, Steven McMillian Hughes ’17, Kevin Michael McKenzie ’97, Connelly-Anne Bartle Ragley ’05, Joseph Cyrus Semsar ’09 and Mark Nicholas Ziats ’07 – were honored at a ceremony on Oct. 6 held under Library Bridge on Clemson’s campus. You can read more about this year’s “Roaring 10” here.

We are looking forward to the 14th Annual Tiger Golf Gathering on Thursday, Nov. 30 at Greenville Country Club’s Riverside Course and on Friday, Dec. 1 at Greenville Country Club’s Chanticleer Course. The primary beneficiary of this event is the Clemson University men’s and women’s golf teams, but support is also provided to the Professional Golf Management Program at Clemson and South Carolina Junior Golf. We have a lot to celebrate this year with Kyle Stanley, Lucas Glover, Ben Martin, Jonathan Byrd and Sam Saunders all earning PGA Tour cards for the 2017-2018 season. The Havemeyer Trophy, won by Clemson’s Doc Redman at the U.S. Amateur, will be on display. The success of the Tiger Golf Gathering has allowed more than $1.8 million to be distributed to the event’s designated beneficiaries since the inception of the event. You can find additional information and details about participating in the 14th Annual Tiger Golf Gathering here.

Retired chemical engineer Jeffrey Gude worked odd jobs to save the money needed for his first year at Clemson, but after his freshman year, he realized he could not afford to continue his education and had to drop out. His dream of returning to Clemson to finish his degree came true five years later with his expenses paid for through the GI Bill. In 2013, Gude established an endowed scholarship that provides financial assistance to deserving chemical engineering students. In 2014, he created an annual scholarship to help additional students. Gude is continuing to build on his legacy today with a pledge of $1 million to the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences to fund numerous scholarships. You can read more about Jeffrey Gude and his generous contributions to the Clemson here.

We hope you can all join us tomorrow for the groundbreaking of one of the biggest academic building projects in the history of the University – Clemson University’s College of Business. The event will commence at 1 p.m. in front of the Alumni Center, north of Walter T. Cox Boulevard. Shuttles will begin transporting participants at noon from public parking lot R6 to the groundbreaking site. There will be an opportunity at the event to cast bricks that will be fired and used in the building. A reception will follow the ceremony, and shuttles will start returning to the parking area at 2 p.m. You can read more about the new building and the event here.

Mark your calendars for Nov. 10, when Clemson University will celebrate Legacy Day by honoring alumni and members of the extended Clemson Family who live out its tradition of philanthropy. Activities, including tours of the grounds and a scavenger hunt, will be at Fort Hill from 2 to 4 p.m. Copies of the wills of Anna Calhoun Clemson and Thomas Green Clemson will be on display. A formal ceremony under the trees at 4 p.m. will dedicate a bronze leaf to the newest inductee to the Fort Hill Legacy Society, a posthumous honor for those who bequeath $1 million or more to the university.

Clemson University is making positive changes that will move us forward on the path to be the best. There are transformations occurring around our campus, but we remain a university steeped in our traditions. Football weekends in the fall are synonymous with tradition at Clemson, and I hope to see you all at the game on Saturday when the Tigers return to Death Valley for an ACC match-up against Georgia Tech at 8 p.m.

Go Tigers! Beat Georgia Tech!

 
Brian O’Rourke

Greetings fellow Tigers!

Just in time for the cooler weather, our students, faculty and staff enjoyed a fall break earlier this week. Before the extended weekend, I had the honor of attending the Thomas F. Chapman Leadership Scholars Luncheon last week, where we recognized the current Chapman Scholars and honored Tom and Karen Chapman’s generous giving towards this program that faithfully enriches students’ academic preparation beyond the classroom and curriculum, instilling in them the qualities of a leader – intellect, courage and heart. You can view photos from the luncheon here.

 Be sure to tune in to the DIY network at 9 p.m. on Saturday, October 28 to watch Mary and Trey Hughey, first-time property flippers and Clemson alumni, tackle the job of flipping an enormous log cabin in South Carolina. Mary earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from Clemson in 2012, and Trey earned a Bachelor of Science in construction science management in 2013. You can find more information about Mary and Trey’s television debut here.

 If you’re an avid basketball fan – like me – you’ll be interested in the athletic ticket office’s announcement for exciting opportunities to purchase tickets for the Clemson men’s basketball games for the upcoming season. Purchase dates and options can be found here.

Matthew Flege, a Ph.D. student in Clemson’s youth, family and community studies department, will use a grant award of over $25,000 from the Corporation for National and Community Service to study how the effects of volunteerism change from person to person. Flege will study a large data set of members in AmeriCorps, a program that engages young adults in public service work across the U.S. He hopes to better understand these volunteers to improve both their experience and organizations’ understanding of effective recruitment. Flege’s research centers on a secondary analysis of an eight-year, longitudinal AmeriCorps study of 4,000 people split between those who served in AmeriCorps and those who expressed an interest but did not serve. Flege knows from experience as a volunteer that a group of volunteers is anything but homogenous, so he hopes his research can reveal just how different these groups are so that AmeriCorps can more effectively recruit and retain them. Flege will travel to Washington, D.C. twice to present findings to staff and other researchers representing AmeriCorps. You can read more about Flege’s volunteer study here.

The Clemson Young Alumni Council, IPTAY and Clemson Alumni Association are excited to announce the 6^th annual Clemson Fall Band Party presented by Endeavor on Friday, October 27. If you’re headed to Tiger Town for next Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech, be sure to schedule a stop in Greenville at the event’s new location at the TD Stage at the Peace Center. There will be local food truck vendors and music by DJ Sha (Death Valley’s music provider) and the Brooks Dixon Band. Additional information about the Fall Band Party can be found here.

Donors, like Tom and Karen Chapman, have made a commitment to provide scholarship, knowledge and time to shape students into future leaders. Through your gifts and contributions to Clemson, you, too, can forever make a great impact on the lives of our students.

 Go Tigers!

 
Brian O’Rourke

Greetings fellow Tigers!

What an amazing Homecoming weekend in Tiger Town! I was excited to see so many of our alumni and members of our Clemson Family return to campus for the celebrations. Clemson Football continues to show determination week after week, advancing to 6-0 for the season following a victory against Wake Forest. You can view photos from the Homecoming game here. Whether making the trip north or watching from home, we hope you all join us in cheering for our Tigers when they face Syracuse Friday night at 7 p.m.

At an engagement reception last month, Clemson honored Michelin for their support of students, faculty and programs, totaling almost $5 million since 1977. Janet Krupka, Director of Recruiting, and Stacy Davis, Campus Recruiter at Michelin, joined students, faculty and staff from several programs supported by Michelin, including the Michelin Endowed Chair in Vehicle Electronic Systems Integration, the Michelin Scholarships for International Programs, the Michelin Career Center in the Center for Career and Professional Development and the “One SC 2 Sustain” collaborative sustainability Creative Inquiry course with the University of South Carolina. Students attending the event enjoyed learning more about career, co-op and internship opportunities at Michelin as well as Michelin’s passion for supporting higher education and the next generation of talent in engineering. Thank you, Michelin, for your 40 years of valued support of Clemson University! You can read more about the reception and Michelin’s support to Clemson here.

Having been named honorary alumni of Clemson University, Coach Dabo Swinney and his wife, Kathleen Swinney, were recently gifted Clemson rings from Libby and Charles Dalton. Charles E. Dalton of Greenville was recognized by the Clemson Alumni Association as one of four recipients of the 2014 Distinguished Service Award, the association’s highest honor. Charles graduated from Clemson in 1964. Charles served on the Clemson Alumni Association board as well as the Clemson University Foundation board of directors. The Daltons have been annual donors for more than 35 years.

Earlier this month, the Clemson University Emeritus College held its annual Emeritus Day activities and luncheon. The day celebrated the accomplishments of the Emeritus College and recognized outstanding faculty that continue to contribute to Clemson University beyond their retirement. Faculty were provided the opportunity to return to campus and reconnect with colleagues, as well as learn about the University benefits available to emeritus faculty. Keynote speaker President Emeritus James Barker addressed more than 200 attendees with an insightful message about “What Makes Clemson, Clemson?” The group welcomed the 2016-2017 retirees with a presentation of scrolls by President Clements and Provost Jones. The recent retirees have collectively given more than 830 years of service to Clemson University.

Clemson University’s board of trustees had its fall quarterly meeting on campus last week, where they approved four new master of arts teacher residency programs, funding for several recreation capital projects, modified pricing for six programs and construction of a new composite center. The new Clemson Composites Center will be housed at the Center for Manufacturing Innovation (CMI) in Greenville, a partnership of Clemson University and Greenville Technical College. Also in the university’s academic area, four new Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) teacher residency programs – in early childhood, elementary, secondary and middle-level education – were approved, along with a Bachelor of Science degree for middle-level education. The trustees supported the university administration’s request to institute new program pricing for six programs to strengthen the quality of undergraduate education, effective for entering students in fall 2018. The trustees also approved establishing the final project budget for the Snow Outdoor Fitness & Wellness Center construction with a resolution requesting issuance of state institution bonds up to $6,750,000 to finance the center and phase I concept to begin design of a softball complex. Trustee Ronnie Lee, who has been a trustee since 2010, was elected vice chairman of the board for a two-year term. Lee graduated from Clemson in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology. The trustees approved a salary increase and deferred compensation for President James P. Clements. More information about the meeting can be found here. Thank you, board of trustees, for all you do throughout the year!

Clemson recently announced the 2017-2018 recipient of the Bosch Endowed Fellowship in Automotive Engineering at an event at CU-ICAR. Bosch established this fellowship endowment in 2014 with a gift of $560,000. Caroline Louis, who received her undergraduate degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Clemson in May, was announced as this year’s fellowship recipient. She was joined by the past three Bosch Fellows, Valerie Clements (2016), Lauren Mims (2015) and Vismita Sonagra (2014), along with Clemson leadership and several executives from Bosch. Guests at the fellowship event enjoyed hearing more about the accomplishments of all four Bosch Fellows to date, as well as Bosch’s passion for diversifying the STEM workforce, and particularly the automotive industry, which helped inspire the creation of this fellowship for underrepresented populations in automotive engineering. Thank you, Bosch, for your investment in Clemson students and programs! You can find more information about the Bosch Endowed Fellowship and this year’s recipient here.

Clemson University’s emergency management operations and training are more technologically advanced than just a year ago – and will continue improving – courtesy of three alumni and Lexington-based Avtec Inc., the leading independent provider of pure Internet Protocol (IP) dispatch console solutions. Avtec, which recently supplied the Clemson Unified Command Post with dispatching software, products and services valued at approximately $428,000, has donated an additional $75,000 in cash to strengthen the academic, research and public service programming related to emergency management in the university’s Watt Family Innovation Center. The cash contribution will support a variety of multidisciplinary emergency management projects to be conducted in the Avtec Emergency Response Center. Avtec Chief Executive Officer Michael Branning (Clemson Class of ’86) and family members Donna Branning Thompson (’88) and Linda Branning Doherty (’92) were instrumental in making the donation to their alma mater. More information about Avtec and its gift to Clemson can be found here.

We are thankful for the partnership and generosity of organizations and individuals who support Clemson and make positive impacts across the University. Your contributions allow our students, faculty and staff to reach new heights, proving that our university is among the best, on and off the field.

 Go Tigers! Beat Syracuse!

Brian O’Rourke

Greetings fellow Tigers!

There are many great traditions at Clemson, and last week we celebrated the anniversary of one in particular – the $2 bill. In 1977, Georgia Tech decided to stop playing football against Clemson. In a show of protest, students and alumni scattered $2 bills across the city of Atlanta to demonstrate the financial impact Clemson had on the city. The following year, our fans stamped the $2 bills with orange Tiger Paws at the Gator Bowl, making the tradition what it is today. It was fitting that as we celebrated the anniversary of the $2 bill, our team and fans were traveling. The Tigers brought home the win against Virginia Tech, but we hope that the fans left all their $2 bills in Blacksburg. With their victory against the Hokies, the Tigers moved to 5-0 for the season, and Clemson Football became the first team in college football history to post three top-15 wins in September.

This week we will be celebrating another Clemson tradition – homecoming – when our alumni return for celebrations spotlighting football, fans and the Clemson spirit. Student organizations have been busy constructing Homecoming floats that will be on display throughout the weekend. Clemson Homecoming will officially commence with our annual Tigerama – one of the nation’s largest student-run pep rallies. Beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday in Memorial Stadium, Tigerama will feature cheerleaders, Rally Cats, the Tiger band, gospel choir, the football team and a skit competition. Miss Homecoming will be announced during the show, which will end with a fireworks display. You can find additional information about Tigerama here. If you’re unable to attend, you can watch a live-stream here.

We are looking forward to welcoming back our Clemson alumni during Homecoming weekend, and I hope to see you all at the game on Saturday when the Tigers face Wake Forest at 12 p.m. You can find a full list of Homecoming events here.

The Clemson University chapter of Habitat for Humanity has been working tirelessly on its annual Homecoming Build since last week. The project takes place on Bowman field and is the organization’s biggest project each year. This is the 24th year for the service project, and each year more than 500 volunteers donate their time to build a home for a local family in just 10 days. The campus chapter and student volunteers partner with both the Pickens County and Oconee County Habitat branches, which provide their own funding, materials and volunteers. The house will be completed and available for viewing on Bowman field before the Homecoming football game on Saturday. You can read more about Clemson’s Habitat for Humanity project here.

 Bettye Cecil has seen – and made – many positive changes in the field of aging. The Cecil family owns and operates White Oak, a group of 16 long-term care communities in North and South Carolina. Bettye earned an education degree while she and her husband, Oliver Kent Cecil, raised their five young children, and she joined the family business in 1974 when federal regulations required nursing homes to employ a full-time social service director and activity coordinator. Through her work, Bettye helped shape the field of stimulating activity for older adults. Bettye and Kent, who passed away in 1996, have continued their dedication to health care and older adults through their generosity to Clemson. Kent, a 1950 Clemson architecture graduate, and their oldest son, Oliver Jr., created a fellowship in Oliver and Bettye’s name to provide support for geriatrics and genetics studies, establishing an endowment with a $25,000 gift in 1991. Bettye has continued their legacy and giving at Clemson with the creation of a distinguished professorship in memory of her husband. In 2006, Bettye expanded her philanthropy even further by creating The Bettye Cecil Endowment for Clinical Learning and Research Center. The fund supports the needs in the simulation lab for Clemson nursing students – a critical component of their education. You can read more about Bettye, her contributions to the health care field and her philanthropy to Clemson here.

Clemson University is defined by traditions, and this weekend many of them will be on display – Homecoming, Tigerama, the hill and Howard’s Rock. I hope to see you all return to campus this weekend to participate in these Clemson traditions and to cheer for our Tigers as they look to defeat the Wake Forest Deacons on Saturday in Death Valley.

 Go Tigers! Beat Wake!

Brian O’Rourke                                                                                                

Greetings fellow Tigers!

We were excited to see so many of our fans return to Death Valley on Saturday when the Tigers faced Boston College. I hope you all had a wonderful game day in Tiger Town for our 4th quarter win. You can find a recap of the Tigers’ 34-7 victory here and view photos of the game here. I had the pleasure of visiting with many of our parents during this Family Weekend at the student affairs picnic. I had the opportunity, along with Paul Criscione of the Boston College Gridiron Club, to visit the Tiger Tailgate Show, where Paul and I discussed the O’Rourke-McFadden trophy. The trophy honors the relationship between Clemson and Boston College, which dates back more than 70 years. The trophy was established in 2008 to recognize the efforts of Tiger fans welcoming Boston College into the ACC. The trophy features two leather helmet replicas of those used by Charlie O’Rourke of Boston College and Banks McFadden of Clemson when they competed against each other in the 1940 Cotton Bowl Classic. We were proud to bring home the trophy for the seventh consecutive year.

Charles and Susan Barker of Virginia Beach, Virginia, were named 2017 recipients of the Herb Coughlan Memorial Family of the Year award by the Clemson University Parents Council. Vice President for Student Affairs Almeda Jacks presented the Barkers with the award following the first quarter of the game Saturday against Boston College. The award has been presented annually since 2001 to a family that has demonstrated dynamic leadership and service to Clemson. Charles Barker is the president and chief executive officer of Charlie Barker Automotive in the Hampton Roads area. Barker is a member of the President’s Advisory Board at Clemson. His daughter, Lexie, is a sophomore at Clemson. In addition to his service on the advisory board, Barker is a pillar donor for the Samuel J. Cadden Chapel project and an avid supporter of ClemsonLIFE and IPTAY. In a short time, Clemson University has made a big impact on the Barker family. You can read more about the Barker family and the award here.

John Blackburn, a ’69 Clemson alumnus, created his own career in equine facility design – designing horse farms and stables that take into account the health of the horse, the demands of the site and the needs of the owner. At the peak of his career – and after Clemson developed a landscape architecture program – John felt motivated to give back to his alma mater, specifically the architecture department. He began by teaching lectures to Clemson’s equine management students and went on to lead an exercise on campus that brought together students in architecture, landscape architecture and equine management. Under John’s guidance, the students used the Clemson Equine Center as a case study, examining its design and functionality. You can read more about John and his contributions to Clemson here.

The College of Business is moving forward with plans to break ground and assimilate occupancy of its new home, which will be constructed in the heart of Clemson University’s campus. Groundbreaking is scheduled for 1 p.m., Friday, Oct. 27, in front of the Alumni Center, north of Walter T. Cox Boulevard. The college’s $87.5 million, 176,000 square foot building will nearly double Clemson University’s business education space and become the anchor of a new academic precinct that will one day occupy up to 700,000 square feet of building space. You can read more about the College of Business’ new home and the groundbreaking here.

Clemson University has participated in a yearlong process with the Atlantic Coast Conference, partner ACC universities and the Smithsonian Institution to create the first “ACCelerate: ACC Smithsonian Creativity and Innovation Festival.” Presented by Virginia Tech and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, the ACCelerate Festival is a three-day celebration of creative exploration and research at the nexus of science, engineering, arts and design. Visitors to the festival will interact with leading innovators from ACC universities and engage with new interdisciplinary technologies that draw upon art, science and humanities to address global challenges. Held at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. Oct. 13-15, the event is programmed by Virginia Tech’s Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology and the museum’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. The festival is free and showcases the 15 universities of the ACC in an opportunity for the schools to display their work to each other and, more importantly, to the public. You can learn more about ACCelerate and the Clemson projects that will be featured at the festival here.

We are incredibly grateful for our donors who contribute significantly to the success of this university. Whether it’s for scholarships, endowed faculty positions, new facilities or student engagement opportunities, every gift makes a difference. While we may give back for a variety of reasons, we always have one shared interest – Clemson University!

The Tigers will travel to Blacksburg, Virginia for a matchup against the Virginia Tech Hokies this Saturday at 8 p.m. As the next stop on College GameDay’s schedule, this is a game you don’t want to miss!

Go Tigers! Beat VT!

Brian O’Rourke

Greetings fellow Tigers!

We were honored to welcome Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to Clemson University last Thursday for a moderated question-and-answer session with students. President James P. Clements noted that it was the first time a sitting justice of the U.S. Supreme Court had spoken on the Clemson campus. Sotomayor moved through the packed house of more than 900 members of the university community, stopping several times to organize group photos as she candidly answered questions submitted in advance by students. Sotomayor’s visit was sponsored by the President’s Forum on Inclusive Excellence in partnership with the Humanities Advancement Board of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. If you were unable to attend the event, you can watch a full video of the session here and read an article about Justice Sotomayor’s visit here.

 I hope you all watched the Tigers play an exciting game against the Louisville Cardinals Saturday night. What an amazing victory! We are incredibly proud of our football team who, through hard work and determination, has advanced to 3-0. Whether the games are at home or away, we love spending our weekends supporting our Tigers surrounded by our Clemson family. We’re looking forward to another weekend of football when the Tigers return to Death Valley to face Boston College on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

We are thrilled to announce that Clemson University ranked #4 in alumni participation among national universities per the U.S.News & World Report, 2018, moving up two spots from last year. Only Alabama, William & Mary and Georgia Tech were ranked above Clemson. Thank you, alumni, for your continued support. This is an amazing accomplishment!

In a nondescript industrial steel building not far from Clemson University’s main campus, civil engineers fire two-by-four lumber out of an air cannon and test model buildings in a 50-mph wind tunnel to study the damaging effects of high-speed winds, like those created by tornadoes and by hurricanes Harvey and Irma. By measuring wind pressures and the structural integrity of building designs, the engineers at the Wind Load Test Facility can inform construction codes and building methods so structures, from homes to hospitals, are safer and more secure. Clemson has one of the largest atmospheric boundary wind tunnels in the country. It allows engineers to stratify winds to more accurately mimic atmospheric conditions. You can watch a video featuring this research, which is part of a series of research videos produced by Clemson Broadcast Productions, on Clemson’s YouTube site within the Research and Innovation playlist. You can read more about the Clemson engineering’s wind study here.

The Greenville Health Authority board (GHA) has awarded Clemson University a total of $2.66 million for diabetes prevention efforts and scholarships to increase diversity in the nurse practitioner workforce. Clemson University’s public health sciences department and Clemson Cooperative Extension received a grant for $2.25 million to fund a diabetes prevention and management initiative, while Clemson’s School of Nursing received a grant for $410,000 to provide scholarships for nurse practitioner students. The Greenville Health Authority board, previously known as the Greenville Health System (GHS) board of trustees, is providing the funding as part of a 20-year pledge to make Greenville County the healthiest in America by 2036. All grant recipients will be honored at a reception at 3 p.m. Thursday in the Greenville Memorial Hospital Community Room located at 701 Grove Road in Greenville. You can read more about the two grants awarded to Clemson here.

We enjoy seeing our students, faculty and staff make discoveries, innovate and succeed at Clemson. Their victories are responsible for Clemson’s continued ranking as a top university, but this is all made possible by your enduring support of our university. We’re excited to see everyone this weekend when Clemson Football returns home for a match-up against Boston College. We also hope to see you and your families at the Clemson Annual Major Gift Clubs Family Breakfast on Sunday, Sept. 24 from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. on the Cooper Library Bridge. Please RSVP to 864-656-0123 or rsvp@clemson.edu if you plan to attend the breakfast.

 Go Tigers!

Brian O’Rourke

Greetings fellow Tigers!

It is a great time to be a Clemson Tiger! It was a thrilling victory for our Clemson Tigers as they defeated the Auburn Tigers Saturday night. We were happy to see so many of our fans come out to support our football team and cheer them on to a big win. You can view photos from the game here. Following the excitement of the Tigers advancing to 2-0 for the season, we are now thrilled to announce that U.S. News & World Report has ranked Clemson University 23^rd among public universities in the 2018 edition of Best Colleges Rankings. This marks the 10th year our university has been ranked among the top 25 public schools. You can find more information about our ranking and the report here.

The Clemson campus was closed the beginning of the week due to the effects of Hurricane Irma. We are fortunate that our community did not sustain widespread damage, and we continue to keep those in our thoughts who have been greatly affected by the storm. We hope that members of our Clemson family who were in the path of the hurricane are safe and wish them the best as they begin recovering from the storm.

Clemson University is honored to be the recipient of INSIGHT into Diversity magazine’s 2017 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award. The national honor goes to U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate inclusive excellence. Clemson University put together programs and initiatives that address the needs and concerns of people of different races, cultures, abilities, sexual orientation and backgrounds. This is the first time Clemson received the prestigious award. You can find more information about this award here.

B-the best!
Being ranked as a top university, claiming victories in athletics and winning national awards, Clemson continues to prove that we are one the best. Your continued support contributes greatly to our success as a university, and the Clemson Tigers will need your encouragement this weekend as our football team faces Louisville Saturday night at 8 p.m. for their first away game of the season.

Go Tigers!

Brian O’Rourke

Greetings fellow Tigers!

What a spectacular weekend in Tiger Town! With a soccer victory on Friday and a football victory on Saturday, the Tigers continue to prove we are champions on the field. Clemson Football opened the 2017 season with a win on Saturday in Death Valley, defeating the Kent State Golden Flashes 56-3. The 56 points were the most the Tigers scored in a season opener since 1990. You can view photos from Saturday’s game here. On Friday night, Clemson Soccer Head Coach Mike Noonan earned his 300th career victory, as his No. 5 Tigers took down the South Carolina Gamecocks 4-1 at Historic Riggs Field. With the win, the Tigers defeated the Gamecocks for the fourth consecutive time and improved to 3-0-0 on the season. You can read more about men’s soccer victory over South Carolina here.

The weekend was full of enthusiasm and celebrations, and we were excited to kick off First Friday at the Board of Trustees Volunteer Leadership Reception on Friday evening. We are thankful for all you do throughout the year. You can view photos from the reception here.

For some, the interest surrounding the total solar eclipse has faded, but for others there is still data to collect and research to conduct about the phenomenon. During the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, while tens of thousands were experiencing the solar eclipse on the expansive grounds of Clemson University, Professor Sean Brittain and several students from the department of physics and astronomy were collecting scientific data on the roof of the Watt Family Innovation Center. Using a telescope and computer software, Brittain and his team gathered images of the sun’s outer atmosphere – the corona – during the 2 minutes and 37 seconds of totality. These images will be compiled with thousands of others taken by 68 identical telescopes placed along the 2,500-mile path of totality, in an effort dubbed the Citizen CATE (Continental-America Telescopic Eclipse) Experiment. They will provide 90 minutes of unprecedented, continuous footage to better understand the details of the sun’s corona. You can read more about Professor Sean Brittain’s scientific data collection here.

While the Auburn Tigers may be our opponents on the field this weekend, they are Clemson’s partner off the field in an effort to save the tiger population. Members of the Global Tiger Initiative Council will meet at the Madren Center on tomorrow to discuss progress and next steps in their efforts to save wild tiger populations worldwide. Clemson University President James P. Clements serves on the council and was responsible for initiating the U.S. Tiger University Consortium that includes Clemson, Auburn, Louisiana State University and the University of Missouri, all schools with tiger mascots. The universities are combining their expertise in training, research, technology and communications for a common goal: saving tigers. You can make your gift to save the tigers here. A message from President Clements and additional information about the initiative and the council’s meeting can be found here.

B- A part of something special!

Fall is a special time of year at Clemson when we spend our weekends surrounded by our fellow fans. We have another exciting weekend ahead as our team prepares to face the Auburn at 7 p.m. on Saturday. We are excited to see so many members of our Clemson family return to campus to support Clemson Tiger Football.

Go (Clemson) Tigers!

Brian O’Rourke