A Word from Dean Richard Goodstein – March 2017

March 2, 2017

Dear Friends,

March is a special time at Clemson – the campus is showing signs of the end of winter, students and faculty are fully engaged in teaching and research, and mid-term exams are here. Although we’ve had an extraordinarily mild winter, spring break and warmer weather are welcome!

In February, I had the pleasure of attending President Emeritus and Professor of Architecture Jim Barker’s “last lecture,” where his good friend and colleague Michael Fazio reflected on creating the architecture program at Mississippi State University. The Lee Hall auditorium was full, and the audience was captivated by the recounting of the formation of architecture studies at MSU. Jim’s wisdom that “If you’re a designer, you can design anything” still runs true today, as well as his advice to current students that there is “great value in making things.” As Jim transitions to the next phase of his illustrious career, we are grateful for his continuing focus on making a difference to students and faculty.

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The Clemson University Tiger Band Association (CUTBA) is dedicated to supporting band students at Clemson, and I am grateful to the hundreds of donors for their loyal and dedicated support of the band program at Clemson. Through the generous support of CUTBA, band scholarship endowments have surpassed $1,000,000 in direct student support. Pictured here is a recent presentation from CUTBA to the Clemson University Foundation for $38,000 to support Tiger Band students. The event was held at the Butler-Cook Band Plaza.

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This month I am pleased to highlight our Historic Preservation program. Located in Charleston at the historic Cigar Factory, the program is a Master of Science degree administered jointly through a partnership between the College of Charleston and Clemson University. Now in its 12^th year, the program gives students the opportunity to study the practice of historic preservation using Charleston and the Lowcountry as a living-learning laboratory.

During that time, Historic Preservation students have won 10 consecutive Peterson Prize awards, which recognize outstanding student drawings as adjudicated by the National Park Service, the Athenaeum of Philadelphia and the American Institute of Architects. This achievement is one of which we are very proud.

With Professor Amalia Leifeste (left) and Historic Preservation students at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Pendleton.

The HP program sometimes journeys outside the Lowcountry, as evidenced by a group of students (pictured here with Assistant Professor Amalia Leifeste) who recently visited the Upstate. Amalia and her students were invited by parishioners of Clemson’s Holy Trinity Episcopal Church to conduct a survey of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Pendleton, the historic church (est. 1819) where the remains of Thomas Green Clemson and Anna are located and the “mother church” of Holy Trinity.  Our students and Amalia will make several more trips to Pendleton this spring to continue their work.

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The College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities mourns the recent loss of three of its members — student Hannah Warren, professor emeritus Robert Mixon and retired senior lecturer of Spanish Roger Simpson. Their loss is deeply felt. Our condolences to the families, colleagues and friends of Hannah, Bob and Roger.

In closing, let me wish all of you a great month of March and Go Tigers!

Rick