Author: Eugenia Davis

Dear Friends,

Creativity is one of the core values of our college — woven into every program, bearing fruit in countless ways. In November, the creativity of our students and faculty was on full display in notable ways.

First, the Clemson Players’ production of John Cariani’s romantic comedy Almost, Maine was brilliant. The acting, lighting, sound and sets were all excellent — all the work of our undergraduate students. Kudos to the entire cast and crew and a special thanks to Professor Shannon Robert, who directed the play. You can track the Clemson Players’ and their spring productions here.

Earlier in the month, I met with the college’s Creativity Professors for a discussion about their ongoing research. Each year, through a competitive application process, the college awards Creativity Professorship grants to members of the faculty who are actively engaged in research and integrating that research into their teaching. The breadth of scholarship among this year’s group is fascinating and inspiring — ranging from multi-disciplinary 3-D printing on clay to designs for a new university equine center to the redevelopment of the Greenville News site in downtown Greenville. I look forward to the spring, when once again we’ll see a group presentation of their research and its impacts on their teaching.

As I sit here in my office writing this, I am surrounded by a variety of fine art created by BFA and MFA students in our visual arts programs. Prints, photographs, ceramics, sculpture, paintings, drawings and mixed media — all of high quality, and provoking various interpretations of the world. The exhibition in the dean’s office (108 Strode Tower) is on display through the end of the semester; so if you haven’t seen it, and are on campus, please stop by. You can keep up with our visual arts students and all exhibitions in the Lee Gallery and other venues here.

Finally, in this season of thanksgiving (and giving), I want to thank you for your ongoing support of the vision and strategic goals of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities and encourage you to continue that support by making a gift to the college before the year’s end. Your investment will help grant opportunities and transform lives. For more information, please contact Donna Ruter, senior director of development, or visit here for an quick, one-step, targeted donation form.

With best wishes to all for a happy holiday season,

Rick

Dear Friends,

The past month has been a whirlwind – classes have been in session for 11 consecutive weeks and students, faculty and staff alike can’t wait until fall break next week. I’m not sure who needs it more – students or faculty!

At the October Board of Trustees meeting, an internal reorganization was approved for the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. The Historic Preservation program was moved into the School of Architecture from the Department of Planning, Development and Preservation. The move consolidates our Charleston-based programs into one administrative unit, providing historic preservation students more opportunities for close collaboration with the Charleston Architecture Center, our new Master of Resilient Urban Design program and the Clemson Architecture + Health studio. This reorganization prompted us to rename the department that houses our city and regional planning program and the master of real estate development to the Department of City Planning and Real Estate Development (CPRED). We are currently conducting a national search for a new department chair for CPRED, following Jim Spencer’s appointment as associate dean for research and graduate studies in the college.

Tiger Band returned from a VERY successful trip to Tallahassee and has had a tremendous year so far. With more than 350 students, it’s the biggest band in Clemson’s history, with members who consistently serve as extraordinary ambassadors for our university. Our band alumni organization, CUTBA, recently helped the Lexington, S.C. high school band after a number of their instruments were stolen while the school was closed during Hurricane Matthew. The Lexington band issued a plea for help via social media, and CUTBA came to the rescue by lending instruments that are reserved for Clemson’s alumni band. The instruments were delivered to Lexington by a Tiger Band alumnus, and we were all thrilled to help a band in need. Tiger Band students also raised over $6,000 for Dabo and Kathleen Sweeney’s “All In” Foundation and over $12,000 for research at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Great job, Tiger Band!

Speaking of football, I’d also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Professor Anjali Joseph and Jessica Martin for being named “Faculty Member of the Game” and “Staff Member of the Game” during Clemson’s homecoming game against N.C. State. Dr. Joseph is the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Endowed Chair in Architecture + Health Design and director of Clemson’s Health Facilities Design and Testing Center. Ms. Martin is director of CAAH’s Student Services Center. They are shown here left-to-right, along with members of their families and Provost Bob Jones. Congratulations to both for their professional excellence!

Last week I had a chance to take our CAAH Student Ambassadors to Atlanta to visit the corporate headquarters of the Coca-Cola Company.  Julie Seitz, a proud Clemson alumna, and her team spent the morning giving our students a remarkable professional development opportunity and learning about Coke’s world-class brand management. Julie is the director of Global Workplace Strategy and Operations at Coke and bleeds orange. Thank you, Julie!

Finally, I’d like to extend a special thank you to our Humanities Advancement Board (HAB) who last month helped host Sir David Cannadine, the distinguished Dodge Professor of History at Princeton University. Sir David gave a talk to several hundred students, faculty and community members on the special relationship between Roosevelt and Churchill and then joined the HAB for a private dinner event. Warm thanks to Professor Cannadine for his visit and to the HAB for their continued support of the humanities at Clemson.

As always, best wishes from campus and Go Tigers!

Rick

Dear Friends,

Last night, attending the amazing Branford Marsalis concert with Kurt Elling, I was struck once again by the power of creativity. The concert was a tour de force with amazing new compositions, unique arrangements of jazz standards and extended improvisational solos from each of the artists. For me, the concert reaffirmed the need to develop student creativity, regardless of a student’s major area of study.  Creativity has a transformational power that translates across disciplines. It is one of the four pillars of the college’s strategic plan, and we are committed to providing our students with a variety of classes and engagement opportunities in order to enhance creative thinking.

I have no doubt that creativity and creative thinking will be increasingly valued in a world where science, technology and engineering have dominated higher education policy over the past several years. In fact, students who are creative, critical thinkers, strong collaborators and can communicate clearly will have extraordinary opportunities in the 21^st century thought-based economy. These students will have the unique ability to solve the world’s biggest problems and find answers to new and existing issues that are critical to the job market and corporate world.

To reinforce this point, an IBM survey of more than 1,500 CEOs from 60 countries and 33 worldwide industries indicated that the #1 criteria for organizational success is creativity, topping such personal traits as vision, rigor or managerial skills. IBM stated that in order to navigate a highly volatile, increasingly complex environment, instilling creativity throughout the organization is a top priority.

This bodes well for students with a creative mindset, as the next generation of college graduates will find themselves in a world that is changing at an exponential rate, especially in the evolution of technology and job opportunities.

Former Secretary of Education and South Carolina Governor Richard Riley, foreshadowed this trend by asserting that, “We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist…using technologies that haven’t yet been invented…in order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet.”

This thinking is reinforced by the fact that the top 10 in-demand jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004.  Consequently, the need to provide a broad-based curriculum that gives students multiple opportunities to develop multiple skills, including creativity, is more important than ever.

The fact that millennial students will change jobs, on average, every 4.4 years according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, and need to be prepared not just for multiple jobs but multiple careers informs us that students who are nimble, creative, who can think critically, collaborate and effectively communicate will undoubtedly be successful.  Students who are able to find creative solutions to current and emerging issues will have excellent opportunities for sustainable and rewarding careers. What a great opportunity for the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities!

…

We recently learned of a $1,000,000+ grant from the State of South Carolina Department of Education to our American Sign Language program. I am extremely proud of Stephen Fitzmaurice’s grant establishing the first South Carolina Educational Interpreting Center at the University Center in Greenville. The new center will provide a much-needed service for educational interpreters of American Sign Language across the state. I have no doubt we’ll see great work coming from the center and from Professor Fitzmaurice and our American Sign Language faculty in the years ahead.

…

Finally, I close with a fond remembrance of Albert Holt, professor emeritus of English, who died Sept. 21. Professor Holt taught at Clemson for more than 35 years and advised hundreds of Clemson students. His subjects ranged from Shakespeare to composition to pioneering classes in African American literature. I share with you his obituary, which is a lively account of an inspired life. To Berniece Holt and Albert’s family, the college extends its heartfelt condolences.

Best wishes for October.  Go Tigers!

Rick

Dear Friends,

The school year is off to a fantastic start. More than 5,100 freshmen and transfer students have begun classes and the energy on campus is amazing!

Last month I hosted a dinner for all faculty in the college who earned promotion last year. This is undoubtedly my favorite event of the year as we get to celebrate collectively a milestone in the life of a faculty member. Faculty from architecture (David Lee), art (Valerie Zimany), English (Dominic Mastroianni), French (Kelly Peebles), geography (Billy Terry), history (Abel Bartley), landscape architecture (Hala Nassar and Paul Russell), performing arts (Justin Durham) and religious studies (Ben White) attended the event. As you can imagine, the conversations were fascinating and as diverse as the disciplines in attendance. I am extraordinarily proud of these faculty members and congratulate them for their career accomplishments.

Last week, the long-anticipated dedication of the Clemson Design Center in Charleston (CDC.C) took place at the historic Cigar Factory in Charleston. It was a magnificent event with many local and Clemson dignitaries attending, including President Clements, Provost Jones, Mayor Tecklenburg, VP Dalton, General Counsel Hood, CAF President Garvin and many faculty, students, staff and alumni.

This consolidated space for our architecture and historic preservation programs realizes more than 20 years of dedicated work by many. The Clemson Design Center in Charleston will allow Clemson to provide design and historic preservation leadership, education and service opportunities for our students and faculty.

In addition to the Clemson Architecture Center in Charleston, which has a 27-year history, and our Master of Science in Historic Preservation program, which was formulated as a partnership between Clemson and the College of Charleston more than 11 years ago, there will be two new programs housed in the space. A continuing partnership with the Medical University of South Carolina and our Architecture + Health program will have a studio housed in the CDC.C, and a new Master of Resilient Urban Design will begin accepting students this spring in anticipation of a launch next fall.

We couldn’t be more excited about the prospects for the Clemson Design Center in one of America’s great cities.

Finally, I welcome two new program directors to the college. Cameron Bushnell, associate professor and associate chair of the Department of English, has been named director of the Pearce Center for Professional Communication, replacing Mike LeMahieu. John Morgenstern, also a member of the English faculty, has been named director of the Center for Electronic and Digital Publishing, home of the Clemson University Press. John replaces Wayne Chapman who retired in August. We look forward to continued great leadership for these two important programs in the college.

Best wishes for September and Go Tigers!

Rick

CAAH’s calendar is in stellar shape, with special events and activities planned throughout the year. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends — there’s something here for everyone, with more to come as the year unfolds. So read on, and stay tuned. Enjoy!

Heads up, CAAH students! Global engagement opportunities abound

Be part of the more than 260 College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities students going abroad each year! Clemson offers over a thousand options for study abroad, many of which are available at in-state tuition rates. Some last two weeks, some are semester-long, and some last a full academic year.

In just the past year, CAAH students studied in more than 30 countries – engaging in classes, internships, research, volunteering or creative inquires abroad. While abroad, you can earn credits for your major or minor in order to stay on track with graduation. Scholarships are available, and you do not have to speak a foreign language to go abroad.

To explore the wide array of opportunities, you should plan to visit a Clemson Study Abroad Fair (offered in September and February), attend a 101information session, or meet with the study abroad coordinator for CAAH, Ms. Spencer Davenport, at sdaven2@clemson.edu. Check out the Clemson Abroad website for more information and resources to plan your international experience.

Faculty and staff interested in global learning can contact the director of CAAH Global Engagement, Ms. Regina Foster, at rkomo@clemson.edu. Ms. Foster can advise you about developing an abroad program or experience for students and about global opportunities for faculty professional development.

We hope to CU Abroad!

News from the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts

Fall 2017 is shaping up to be another busy one for the Brooks Center!

• New York-based production company Worklight Productions returns to present the musical Cinderella in September. The Brooks Center and Worklight Productions have a longstanding relationship that has allowed Worklight to engage Clemson students to help put together the technical elements of their touring productions before heading out across the country.
• The Clemson Players will hold a reunion in October, with all past and present members invited to attend a weekend-long retreat filled with activities and old friends.
• The Department of Performing Arts will host four theatre students from London’s Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance, as the student exchange partnership between the two departments enters its second year. A total of eight students, four from London and four from Clemson, have already participated in the program that allows students from both countries to live and experience theatre in completely different environments.
• The Brooks Center will also present a number of exciting performances, including the Branford Marsalis Quartet with special guest Kurt Elling in October, as well as The King’s Singers in December. Visit the box office for tickets and details.

CAAH Student Services plans fall recruitment events

Welcome back to the CAAH Ambassadors, who will be assisting with family weekend and recruitment events throughout the fall. Student Services is encouraging prospective families to attend events planned for Sept. 16 and Nov. 4. Watch for event specifics here.

Student Services is also launching new services in prelaw advising this fall. Students interested in prelaw, and faculty interested in learning more about this new resource, should contact Mrs. Jessica Martin, director, at jessicm@clemson.edu.

Clemson to host construction conference in Charlotte

Clemson’s Department of Construction Science and Management, in conjunction with the department’s Corporate Partner Companies, is hosting a one-day conference on the construction industry in Charlotte, N.C. on Oct. 18. The conference, “The Ever-Changing World of Construction: Today’s Challenges – Tomorrow’s Opportunities,” will bring a slate of industry experts to share market intelligence and perspective to help participants deal with today’s challenges and effectively prepare for anticipated industry trends.

 Speakers and panelists include:

• Bill Caldwell, president and CEO, Waldrop Mechanical
• Anirban Basu, chairman and CEO, Sage Policy Group, Inc.
• Daniel Groves, CEO of Construction Industry Resources and director of operations and workforce consultant for the Construction Users Roundtable
• Phil Kuttner, AIA, LEED AP, chief executive officer, Little
• Mac Carpenter, president, BE&K Building Group
• James M. Benham, co-founder and CEO, JBKnowledge, Inc.
• Mittie Cannon, workforce developer, AMEC Foster Wheeler
• Mark Whitson, Southeast Regional Leader, DPR Construction
• Steve Skinner, executive vice president and general manager, Skanska USA

To register, or for more information, please contact the Department of Construction Science and Management at 864-656-0181.

Department of Philosophy and Religion events

The Department of Philosophy and Religion is looking forward to a number of new and continuing events in the coming year:

• The Lemon Lectures in Social, Legal and Political thought will host several speakers in the next academic year as part of the Law, Liberty and Justice program.
• In August Dr. Mashal Saif will conduct Clemson’s first-ever conference in Pakistan, entitled State, Society and Democracy in the Postcolony.
• In September Dr. Kelly Smith will host SoCIA, a workshop of the International Society for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Biology, which will focus on issues surrounding extraterrestrial life.
• In November the department will co-host the Mid-Atlantic Regional Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl competition.
• In February the department will host Dr. Bart Ehrman, the 2016-17 Phi Beta Kappa visiting scholar at Clemson and Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
• Kelly Smith will continue a special program that provides the Medical Ethics curriculum for the USC-Upstate School of Medicine in Greenville in the coming year.

An artist returns to his roots: Clemson’s Center for Visual Arts hosts “Stories on My Back”

“Stories on My Back,” an installation by Clemson MFA alumnus Richard A. Lou, will open the 2016-17 season in the Lee Gallery.  On Friday, Sept. 23 at 5:30 p.m., the artist will give a presentation about his work with a reception to follow in the gallery.

Lou’s multimedia installation combines photography, found objects and sound walls of tamale husks. The artist writes, “As a contemporary image-maker I am interested in collecting dissonant ideas and narratives, allowing them to bump into each other, to coax new meanings and possibilities that dismantle the hierarchy of images. The work serves as an ideological, social, political and cultural matrix from which I understand my place in this world and to make a simple marking of the cultural shifts of my community.”

For more information about exhibitions in the Lee Gallery, as well as other Center for Visual Arts galleries and venues, visit www.clemson.edu/cva.

Design + Building alumni activities planned

Design + Building alumni (architecture; construction science and management; landscape architecture; planning, development and preservation) who graduated in 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996 and 2006, will be welcomed back to campus for a Lee Hall “Reunion of the Decades” Sept. 15-17, 2016. Events include:

• Thursday, Sept. 15: An evening reception, sponsored by the CAF, honoring the anniversary of Dean Harlan McClure’s 100th birthday, with a presentation by his family of original artwork by Dean McClure.
• Friday, Sept. 16: A noon barbecue will be hosted by Design + Building departments, followed by afternoon opportunities for alumni to interact with students and classmates. The “Reunion of the Decades,” a ticketed event hosted by the CAF, will be held that evening at the Madren Center.
• Saturday, Sept. 17:  A block of tickets will be reserved for the Clemson Tigers vs. South Carolina State Bulldogs football game.

Architecture + Health alumni event scheduled

Architecture + Health alumni will gather in Clemson on Saturday Aug. 20^th, following the conclusion of the AIA AAH South Atlantic Regional Chautauqua 7.0 in Greenville (to be held on August 19^th). Program news and updates will be shared, including academic work and research activities. Attendees will also participate in kickoff planning for the 2018 50th anniversary of the Clemson Architecture + Health program.

Department of History fall events

The Department of History will welcome illustrious British historian Sir David Cannadine for a lecture and visit to campus later this fall. Sir David is the Dodge Professor of History at Princeton and has published extensively about modern Britain. The exact date hasn’t been set yet; so please check your September issue of CAAH Monthly for a calendar link to all CAAH events. Warmest thanks to the Humanities Advancement Board for their sponsorship of Sir David’s visit.

History alumni will return to Hardin Hall for a reunion on September 9 – a special opportunity to reconnect with old friends, classmates and professors.

News from the Master of Science in Historic Preservation Program

Faculty and students in MSHP are excited about a new agreement with the Bermuda National Trust to begin a multi-year effort to complete architectural documentation drawings for 250 buildings in World Heritage town of St. Georges.

This fall, faculty and students are completing historic structures reports on all CCC-era buildings, structures and landscape features at Kings Mountain National Military Park and Kings Mountain State Park in South Carolina.

Languages conference set for September

Clemson’s German and Spanish programs – in collaboration with the German-American Chamber of Commerce – are hosting the International Forum for German and Spanish in the Professions. The forum, the sixth annual fall conference highlighting German companies in our region, spotlights German companies with investments and operations in Latin America. The daylong event will be held in the Hendrix Student Center on Sept. 28.

In addition to German and Spanish students from Clemson, students from USC-Upstate and Kennesaw State University are planning to attend. The event will feature a keynote speaker on the complexity of working between three cultures and a panel discussion on challenges and opportunities for a German companies operating in Latin America.

Clemson Design Center in Charleston opens

This fall, Clemson’s Charleston-based students in architecture, historic preservation, Architecture+Health and landscape architecture, will be the first to study in the new Clemson Design Center, based in the historic, renovated Cigar Factory on East Bay Street.

“Clemson is thrilled with this solution to house our allied design programs in Charleston under one roof,” said Dean Richard E. Goodstein. “It has been a long-time goal of the university’s to integrate the creativity, scholarship and service outreach of these programs in one central location.”

RCID Research Forum fall schedule set

Clemson’s Ph.D. program in Rhetorics, Communication, and Information design will launch its 2016-2017 Research Forum series on Aug. 22 at 9 a.m. in the Class of 1941 Studio for Student Communication, Daniel Hall. Daniel Frost, assistant professor of political science, will speak about his research, followed by a Q&A. Frost will be the 76^th scholar to present his research in the RCID Research Forum.

All are welcome to attend. The full roster for fall is shown here. All sessions begin at 9 a.m. in the same location:

• Aug. 22: Research Forum, Daniel Frost (Political Science )
• Sept. 5: Oyewole (Wole) Oyekoya (Director of Visualization Clemson Computing and Information Technology )
• Sept. 19: Megan E. Eatman (English)
• Oct. 3: David Blakesley (English)
• Oct. 17: Salvador A Oropesa (Languages)
• Oct. 31: Michael Meng (History)

CAF Lecture Series announced

The upcoming fall 2016 special lecture series sponsored by the Clemson Architectural Foundation (CAF) will engage students and faculty with professional and creative perspectives from a variety of speakers from diverse backgrounds and locations. All lectures will take place in the Lee 2-111 Auditorium.

• Aug. 24 at 4 p.m. – Witold Rybczynski, writer and architectural critic. Witold’s lecture will serve as the School of Architecture’s convocation lecture.
• Sept. 14 at 3 p.m. – Rick Archer, principal at Overland Partners, San Antonio, Texas.
• Sept. 28 at 4 p.m. – Eran Chen, AIA, LEED®, Israeli-born architect, founder and executive director of ODA, an award-winning architectural firm based in NYC.
• Oct. 3 at 4:30 p.m. – Sara Zewde, an emerging African-American designer at award-winning Gustafson Guthrie Nichol landscape architecture firm based in Seattle, Washington.
• Oct. 12 at 4 p.m. – Allison Williams, FAIA, AECOM vice president and director of design for the firm’s West region.

Department of English events

Two featured events from our colleagues in English:

• Rosemarie Garland-Thomson will visit campus in mid-October. Thompson is professor of English and bioethics at Emory University. Date and time TBD.
• The annual Clemson Literary Festival is set for late March 2017. This year marks the tenth anniversary of Litfest. We look forward to celebrating the anniversary and to another great festival of readings, panels and conversation, and we’ll keep you posted as authors are booked and events are set.

News from the School of Architecture’s Fluid Campus

• In Charleston, a newly formed advisory board for Clemson’s Integrated Path to Architectural Licensing (IPAL) initiative will be meeting to help the school launch this innovative new program.
• In Genoa at the Daniel Center, lecturer Joseph E. Schott will be serving as the professor-in-residence for the fall and spring semesters, capably assisted by long-time director Silvia Siboldi Carroll, and faculty Luca Rocca, Giuditta Poletti, Francesco Saverio Fera and Nicola Delledonne.
• In Barcelona, Miguel Roldan, director of the Barcelona Architecture Center, has assembled an amazing group of faculty who will lead Clemson students, together with students from Texas A&M and Roger Williams universities, in an immersive semester of professional study.
• In Clemson, new and established faculty, many new students and even more continuing students, will be welcomed “back to school” at the school’s convocation lecture by Witold Rybczynski, Aug. 24 at 4 p.m., Lee 2-111.
• Across all locations, the school will be preparing for a Spring 2017 accreditation visit by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).

Clemson researchers and students building a better operating room

A multidisciplinary team of researchers from Clemson University, the Medical University of South Carolina and Health Sciences South Carolina are working together to create a safer, more ergonomic hospital operating room. The Realizing Improved Patient Care through Human-Centered Design in the OR (RIPCHD.OR) project is using an integrated systems approach to explore the operating room physical environment, workflows, equipment, various systems and design.

Part of the project involves the construction of an operating room mock-up that will be built at the new Clemson Design Center in Charleston. The mock-up and associated learning lab will provide the RIPCHD.OR researchers with an opportunity to develop, test, refine and implement innovative design ideas and strategies that improve operating room safety and outcomes.

Department of Landscape Architecture

All hands on deck this fall as all landscape architecture faculty, staff and students prepare for the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB) team, who will be evaluating Clemson’s professionally accredited Master of Landscape Architecture program during their Nov. 13^th-16^th visit.

Next May 26-28, faculty will be presenting their peer-reviewed research at the annual Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA) conference hosted by Beijing Forestry University, Peking University and Tsinghua University in Beijing, People’s Republic of China.

Dear Friends,

Warm greetings from campus. As we swelter in the August heat and humidity, there is anticipation in the air for the start of the 2016-2017 school year.  A record number of matriculating freshmen are expected on campus this week and faculty who have been away for the summer are returning to their offices to prepare for the start of the semester.

We did it! In July Clemson announced the successful completion of the $1B “Will to Lead” capital campaign with a grand total of $1,062,528,346. Clemson has the smallest alumni base of any public university in the U.S. to reach a $1B capital campaign goal – an amazing accomplishment that we should celebrate. I thank each and every one of you who helped us exceed this impressive goal. Every gift, from $1 to $100,000, makes a difference in the lives of our students and that is one reason why private giving is so important. I also congratulate our AAH development officers – Donna Dant, Donna Carver, Renee Dooley and Rachelle Beckner – on their dedicated efforts on behalf of the college and Clemson.

On July 1, Clemson reorganized into seven colleges, including a new College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences and a new College of Sciences. The College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities is remaining intact with the exception of the Department of Communication, which is moving to the new College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences. It is bittersweet, saying goodbye to the Department of Communication, but we wish them great success in their new college. We know that communication faculty are excited to be more closely aligned with their colleagues in the social sciences.

There are other changes outside of the College of AAH. With the University’s consolidation of the social sciences under one administrative umbrella, the former College of Business and Behavioral Sciences is now the stand-alone College of Business. Additionally, there is a restructured College of Engineering Computing and Applied Sciences.

Kudos to Provost Jones and the reorganization committee for bringing greater clarity and focus to the University’s academic mission through this administrative restructuring.

The college’s leadership team has concluded a significant strategic planning process conducted over the past year with two overarching academic goals:

1. To prepare talent for the evolving economy and help drive innovation, the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities will emphasize creativity and cultural literacy through teaching, research and service.
2. To serve the public good and prepare citizens for informed participation, the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities will study, understand and create sustainable healthy places, and civic cultures and communities.

As we look to the new school year, these goals will help us continue our quest to empower students through excellence in creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and cultural awareness through engaged learning, research and teaching. What an exciting time to be in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities!

Best wishes to all and Go Tigers!

Rick

Dear Friends,

Campus is fairly quiet these days except for the sounds emanating from all the various construction projects across town. It won’t be quiet for long as freshman orientation begins on June 13. More than 3,200 incoming freshmen will be visiting campus over the next several weeks. The circle of campus life is always in motion, and I never tire of seeing wide-eyed 18-year-olds who are about to begin the next journey of their lives. Our student services staff is busy preparing for the annual summer invasion of matriculating freshmen to ensure a smooth takeoff. I know they are as excited as I am to meet the class of 2020.

A note of congratulations goes to two special friends of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. Jim Barker and James Bostic received Clemson’s highest public honor, the Clemson Medallion, on Saturday, May 28 at the Brooks Center. The Medallion is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to Clemson in the spirit of the University’s founder, Thomas Green Clemson.

As most of you know, Jim Barker is the founding dean of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities, served as the 14^th president of Clemson University and is currently teaching in the School of Architecture. He was appropriately recognized for his transformational leadership of Clemson during his distinguished career.

Also honored was James E. Bostic, who has contributed his expertise, time and resources to Clemson, most recently in the promotion of diversity and inclusiveness. He generously supports Rhondda Thomas’ research in telling the full story of Clemson’s history.

I am extraordinarily proud of these two honorees who are so closely tied to the College and hope you will join me in congratulating both of them.

…

The College’s STEAM initiatives and collaboration with the College of Engineering and Science were on full display during last month’s Artisphere Festival in downtown Greenville. Our Artisphere exhibits demonstrated the value of infusing the arts into the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math. I believe Clemson should be a national leader in STEAM education and our STEAM Network of faculty and staff have great momentum in providing leadership for this initiative. I thank them for their extraordinary work!

…

I am pleased to congratulate the following faculty members who recently were notified of promotion and/or tenure for their outstanding work:

• Abel Bartley: Promotion to Professor of History
• Sarah Cooper: Promotion to Senior Lecturer of English
• Justin Durham: Promotion to Associate Professor of Music with Tenure
• Cynthia Haynes: Promotion to Professor of English
• David Lee: Promotion to Associate Professor of Architecture with Tenure
• Megan MacAlystre: Promotion to Senior Lecturer of English
• Dominic Mastroianni: Promotion to Associate Professor of English with Tenure
• Angela Naimou: Promotion to Associate Professor of English with Tenure
• Hala Nassar: Promotion to Professor of Landscape Architecture
• Kelly Peebles: Promotion to Associate Professor of Languages with Tenure
• John Pursley: Promotion to Senior Lecturer of English
• Paul Russell: Promotion to Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture with Tenure
• Travers Scott: Promotion to Associate Professor of Communication with Tenure
• William Terry: Promotion to Associate Professor of Geography with Tenure
• Ben White: Promotion to Associate Professor of Religion with Tenure
• Julie Wilkerson: Promotion to Senior Lecturer of Architecture
• Valerie Zimany: Promotion to Associate Professor of Art with Tenure

These career achievements represent years of dedicated work. I hope you will help me congratulate these deserving faculty members.

…

Finally, I want to thank Gale Plocic for her four years of service to the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities as the administrative coordinator in the Dean’s Office. We will miss her professionalism and dedicated approach to her work and wish her the best in the next phase of her career in Georgia.

With best wishes to all for the beginning of summer,

Rick

Warm congratulations to all winners of this year’s faculty and staff awards!

Lightsey Fellows Program: Lee Wilson, Department of History, and Elizabeth Jemison, Department of Philosophy and Religion

Established by Dr. and Mrs. Harry M. Lightsey with an original pledge of $100,000, the endowment provides support for junior faculty members in the humanities for summer research projects that will advance their scholarship. A peer review committee of faculty has judged these proposals.

John B. and Thelma A. Gentry Award for Teaching Excellence in the Humanities: Lucian Ghita, Department of English

Established by Frank and Sarah Gentry to honor Mr. Gentry’s parents, John and Thelma Gentry, this peer-reviewed award recognizes an outstanding humanities faculty member and provides an annual competitive fund to support projects, materials and activities that will improve and enrich teaching in the humanities.

Dean’s Awards for Faculty
The annual dean’s awards are peer-reviewed by the college faculty awards committee. Each award comes with a plaque of recognition, placement on the list of awardees in the dean’s office and a cash award.

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching: Gabriela Stoicea, assistant professor of German in the Department of Languages

As one nominator commented, “[Her] classes rank among the very best that the university has to offer.  … I found them to be incredibly intellectually stimulating, and other students and I often mulled over ideas from class discussions long after class had ended.”

Another wrote, “She always upheld a certain atmosphere in her classroom that encouraged productive and thought-provoking conversation. She led us as we powerfully worked through seemingly difficult topics, such as societal oppression on the individual or the complexities of moral standards.”

And, from her own teaching statement, Professor Stoicea reminds us all of this very important message: “Contributing to my students’ intellectual formation is a privilege I never take for granted, but one that I work hard to earn every single day.”

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research: Vernon Burton, professor of history in the Department of History

As one nominator stated, “His influence stems directly from his research activity in multiple areas: from the traditional (books, journal essays, reviews) to the cutting edge (digital history and computing) to the civic (as a popular speaker, a public intellectual, and even as an expert witness in legal matters, including especially civil rights cases.)

Another nominator commented that, “Vernon Burton is the most prominent scholar alive today specializing in the history of the American South and one of the most productive researchers on our campus. … When national and state politicians and the national and international media want historical context and insight into the South’s unique and often troubled past, as well as other issues in American history, they turn to Vernon Burton.”

Dean’s Awards for Staff
The Dean’s Awards for Staff are peer-reviewed, with an outside representative serving on the selection committee. Each award comes with a plaque of recognition, placement on the list of awardees in the dean’s office and a cash award.

Dean’s Team Player Award: Sarah Edison, administrative assistant in the Department of Performing Arts

In one letter of nomination, the author wrote, “Sarah is a highly productive collaborative member of our team, is collegial, professional and always ensures that our department and our university look good.  … Because our department deals with live performances and events, there are often a variety of crises that must be managed so that audience members and patrons remain unaware. Sarah is a calm and confident “behind-the-scenes” player in these situations. When the Brooks Center is in need of additional labor, she often stays late, comes in early and works over weekends to ensure that things are done to her high standards.”

Another wrote, “Within the Department of Performing Arts, Sarah works with each ensemble director to craft programs and posters for their concerts. She carefully tailors each piece to the request of faculty members from across the theatre and music disciplines and is incredibly accurate and efficient at doing so.”

And finally, “Sarah’s contributions extend far beyond the Brooks Center.  … This year, as a member of the STEAM Task Force, she took minutes, coordinated meeting times, and helped organize the job responsibilities of the members.”

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Outstanding Customer Service: Emily Clarke, administrative assistant in the Department of English

The ASAP/7 Organizing Committee nominated Emily Clarke for her “extraordinary work as a co-organizer of the ASAP/7 conference hosted by Clemson University on September 24-25, 2015 at the Hyatt Regency in Greenville. … The conference took over two years of planning and brought over 300 leading scholars, artists and writers to Greenville.  … The conference required an enormous amount of skill and initiative: we had to coordinate and assist the international association as well as the hundreds of organizations, businesses and individual participants involved. Emily voluntarily went above and beyond…continuing all her regular staff duties with good cheer, even as she helped us on weeknights and weekends, especially in the months leading up to the event. She designed the ASAP/7 logo and website and adapted that design for some of the most handsome conference t-shirts and tote bags we have ever seen. She was the lead contact for our plenary speakers and for tech support at the Hyatt.”

CAAH Student Choice Awards:

Each year, the CAAH Student Ambassadors coordinate two awards for faculty in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. The Ambassadors call for nominations and, as a committee, they recognize two members of the faculty for outstanding teaching and advising. This year’s winners were announced at the annual Honors and Awards Day for students in April.

Advisor of the Year: Matt Powers of the Department of Landscape Architecture

Teacher of the Year: Garry Bertholf of the Department of English

Dear Friends,

Walking across campus recently, I was struck by the sights and sounds of finals week. Students were finishing their exams, running to deliver their final papers before a deadline and others were carrying their belongings to their cars for the summer break. I recall the bittersweet memories of this time of year as a graduating senior, saying goodbye to great friends and my home for the past four years, and saying hello to an unknown future without the comforts of campus. As I vividly remember, it was an equally exciting and terrifying time in my life.

What gives me great joy is knowing the lasting impact our faculty have had on our students. I have no doubt our graduates are prepared for whatever their future holds due to their work inside and outside the classroom.

For faculty in the college, it’s also a time of reflection of the past year – the “light bulb” moments we had with our students, and the anticipation of summer.

On April 22, the Andrew Carnegie Corporation announced the 2016 Carnegie Fellows – a competitive fellowship program that identifies and rewards scholarship addressing significant challenges to U.S. democracy and international order. I am proud to announce that Dr. Maribel Morey, assistant professor of history, was chosen as one of 33 national winners. The fellowship comes with a $200,000 award in support of Dr. Morey’s work. Her proposal, titled “Big Philanthropy in the Lives of Black Americans: What Today’s Foundations Can Learn from this History,” will, according to Maribel, “detail the transformation of these philanthropic organizations from supporters of segregated education of black Americans to key institutions of the civil rights struggle.” This seems a very poignant national recognition of a Clemson faculty member, especially at this time in Clemson’s history. Congratulations Maribel!

In April we received a generous gift in celebration of three generations of Clemson graduates through an endowment established by Wilbur N. Ginn, Jr. (USN retired), his wife, Dorothy, and their son Wilbur N. Ginn III (English, 1969) and his wife, Alice. Part of the Ginn Endowment is dedicated to unrestricted support of the humanities. We are extraordinarily grateful for the Ginn’s generosity and dedicated Clemson spirit.

Finally, I pay tribute to this year’s retirees. With more than 166 years of service to Clemson, we honor these faculty and staff members for their exceptional teaching, research and service in support of our goal to make Clemson a top national university:

• Alton Brant developed Clemson’s American Sign Language program, the only one of its kind in South Carolina, and has directly impacted the lives of the Deaf Community throughout the region through our ASL interpreting program.
• Joan Bridgewood led the Russian studies program in the Department of Languages for 30 years.
• Wayne Chapman, professor of English, an internationally recognized Yeats scholar, served as editor of the SC Review, founder of the Center for Electronic and Digital Press, the University Press and developed a thriving partnership with Oxford University Press through Liverpool University.
• Toshiko Kishimoto started the Japanese program at Clemson, including the Language and International Trade program, and has been champion of Japanese culture in Clemson for 28 years.
• Sonja Massey, administrative assistant to the Clemson University Bands, has played an instrumental (pun intended) role in the many successes of the Clemson Bands for more than 28 years.
• Bill Stanton, lecturer of English, is retiring after 17 years of service. Bill taught a range of general education courses, including first-year composition and sophomore literature courses.  He is also a musician, and has recorded and released two CDs of his music over the past 3 years.
• Tony Wintz, lecturer of Construction Science and Management, is retiring after 11 years of teaching. He taught Materials and Methods, Contract Documents, Soils and Foundations and other courses.

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate our graduates and thank our faculty and staff for a fantastic year. I hope you enjoy the beginning of summer and a well-deserved break in the academic year.

Rick

Dear Friends,

I had the amazing opportunity to accompany 21 special guests, along with President and Mrs. Clements, to visit the School of Architecture’s villa in Genoa, Italy last month. It was an incredible trip that allowed the group to see firsthand the transformational educational and cultural opportunities available to our students at the Charles E. Daniel Center for Building Research and Urban Studies.

We were joined by a number of villa “alumni,” who were glad to see the continuing success of our program, along with several guests who saw the villa for the first time. Also joining us for this special trip was Susan McClure, widow of Dean Emeritus Harlan McClure. I know the trip provided some special memories for Susan.

In addition to seeing student work, touring the villa and a walking tour of Genoa led by one of our local adjunct faculty members, Giuditta Poletti, we visited Pisa, Florence, Santa Margherita, Carrara and Portofino. One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to a marble quarry and the Michelangelo sculpture studio in Carrera. We were all amazed at the scale of the operation and the remarkable work of the sculpture artists.

The villa students, led by faculty-in-residence George Schafer, provided us with an insight into their projects one afternoon and we were able to spend time talking with them about their work. We also were treated to a special party, hosted by the administrative director of the villa, Silvia Siboldi Carroll, which featured local Ligurian cuisine prepared by our resident staff. It was a memorable night, and I am grateful to all for making this a special occasion.

At the villa party on Friday evening, a gentleman introduced himself as a professor of mathematics at the University of Genoa. The professor’s family lived nearby, and heard that there were American students occupying the villa. Some thirty years ago he knocked on the front door of the villa and asked if anyone there could teach him English. It so happens that Chris Tedesco, a student at the time (and wife of current faculty member Rob Silance), answered the door and agreed to tutor him. Chris and Rob have kept up with their Genovese friend over the years and I was thrilled to hear the story.

You will be happy to know, especially our villa “alumni,” that our students continue to do amazing work in Genoa and our faculty are providing outstanding educational opportunities that continue to distinguish a Clemson architecture education through our Fluid Campus program.

A big thanks to architecture alumnus and president emeritus of the Clemson Architectural Foundation, William H. “Bill” Pelham, AIA,, for the terrific photos!

In closing, a special note of congratulations to Pamela Robinson, Clemson alumna and current member of the Humanities Advancement Board, for being named the South Carolina Lawyers Weekly Lawyer of the Year. Congratulations, Pam – we are proud of your accomplishment!

With best wishes from campus,

Rick