A Word from Dean Richard Goodstein – October 2018

October 9, 2018

Professor Emeritus John Jacques, left, and Dean Richard Goodstein met with Seattle-area alumni this week.

Dear Friends,

The calendar says this is fall semester; however, with warm and humid weather over the past month, we are truly looking forward to the golden lights, crisp nights and the promise of daytime temperatures that will soon begin to fall along with the leaves.

It’s been an extraordinary month, as I write from Victoria, British Columbia, having spent the past several days in Seattle at the International Conference of Fine Arts Deans and hosting a Clemson alumni reception on Saturday evening.

I want to recognize several outstanding College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities students who have recently impressed us with their creativity and original thinking.

Dean Richard Goodstein and Carrie Bull stand beside her award-winning art from the NextUp exhibition.

On Oct. 2, we celebrated student artists who contributed works to the “NextUp Invitational” exhibition, now in its third year within the dean’s suite. Our staff looks forward to seeing the skills and creativity our BFA students demonstrate each semester, as established in their Art Foundations classes. The show is installed by student interns, who learn many aspects of what it takes to create and curate an exhibition as part of their education in the Department of Art

I was thrilled to have a great turnout for the reception, and honored to meet several parents who traveled to Clemson to attend. A best of show award was presented to Carrie Bull of Lexington, South Carolina, for her work “Anchored With (Faulty) Intention.”

All of us who work in Strode Tower will continue to enjoy the art in the NextUp exhibition each day until the show comes down in January. We hope that at some point in the semester, you might stop by between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to enjoy it, too.

Duckenfield Scholars

October began with a presentation by the 2018 Duckenfield Scholars. The Honors College program, which is named for Christopher J. Duckenfield, allows two Clemson students to attend summer school at Oxford each year.

2018 Duckenfield Scholars Jessica Harris, left, and Hannah Jane Pearson are shown with Dr. Ken Addison of Oxford University.

This year we were proud that both of the scholars who were selected had majors in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. Jessica Harris is a double major in Philosophy and Economics. Hannah Jane Pearson is majoring in English and Languages: American Sign Language, which are both degree programs within CAAH.

Both students received high praise for their outstanding work in England over the summer. Hannah completed a critical analysis of Jane Austen’s “Mansfield Park.” She had the opportunity to visit Jane Austen’s house and see the writing table where Austen penned “Pride and Prejudice.” Jessica did a deep dive into climate change, examining the benefits of advanced interventions from both an economic and human perspective.

Those who were able to attend their Duckenfield presentation were not only impressed with their research, but their enthusiasm and sense of fun.

I encourage our honors students to learn more about the Duckenfield program and consider applying for 2019.

A new season

As the seasons change, there too are significant changes in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. I am pleased to announce these recent appointments and new roles;  Please join me in congratulating all of them:

• Constancio Nakuma, CAAH senior associate dean of academic affairs, has been appointed acting associate provost for academic affairs in the Office of the Provost. Among his duties, Constancio is responsible for supporting teaching and learning excellence at Clemson University, as well as the stewardship of education policies, accreditation and faculty scholarship. For more than a decade, Constancio has served our College as a professor of French, chair of the Department of Languages, associate dean and, most recently, senior associate dean. We wish him well as he contributes his considerable skills at the University level.
• Lee Morrissey has been appointed interim associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities, after assuming the role in an acting capacity in mid-August. He is a professor of English, past chair of the department and is the founding director of the Humanities Hub.
• Brian McGrath, a professor of English, has been appointed interim associate director of the Humanities Hub. Brian will assist with bringing humanities programming to Clemson and also raising awareness of the humanities during Lee’s interim service to the College.
• Cari Brooks has been appointed the new director of CAAH Student Services. Brooks has served as the interim director since the departure of Jessica Martin. She will lead our student services team, which is responsible for recruitment, advising and global engagement in our College. Cari has served as Student Services coordinator since 2017. She also helped launch the CAAH On Deck mentoring program. We look forward to her leadership of Student Services.
• Margaret Owens has served on the Clemson University development team since 2012. In her role as an executive director of development, she will now play a greater part in connecting alumni, friends and supporters of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities with the ways they can support the needs of our students and foster the excellence of our faculty.

Silvia!

We were fortunate to have Silva Siboldi Carroll, her husband Mark and son David with us for several days in September.

Executive Director of the Clemson Alumni Association Wil Brasington, left, and Alumni Board member Brandt Gilbert flank honorary alumna Silvia Carroll.

Over the years, Silvia has become the spirit and heart of our Fluid Campus program in Genoa as its administrative director. Students and alumni of architecture tell us their time studying at the Charles E. Daniel Center for Building, Research and Urban Studies – or the “Villa” – has been both life-changing and life-affirming. We know their fondness for Genoa and the Villa is no small part due to the warmth and vitality with which Silvia approaches a wide range of duties, from ordering food to making sure our students are surrounded with exceptional teachers and staff.

Silvia was on South Carolina soil – in towering heels, of course – to be recognized by the Clemson University Alumni Association at a dinner in her honor. Silvia is now an honorary alumna of Clemson, and has a ring to prove it!

I am proud that her loyalty, devotion and service to Clemson has been officially recognized. Of all of our exceptional alumni, I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this honor.

Happy autumn and Go Tigers!

Rick