Author: Karen Land

Dear students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of CAAH:

Autumn greetings! With a break in the weather, it’s finally beginning to feel like October at Clemson University.

I want to share some news from the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities.

In my role as Interim Dean, my highest priority is to ensure a strong future for the College by securing a strong Dean. I am happy to announce that our national search for a permanent Dean continues in earnest. We have placed an ad in the Chronicle of Higher Education in addition to engaging the search firm R. William Funk & Associates.

If you are aware of any exceptional leaders who have the credentials and vision to lead our College forward, I ask that you send those nominations to the search firm as soon as possible though Krisha Creal (krisha.creal@rwilliamfunk.com).

The search committee will meet with the most qualified applicants in December and January, and we are on track to have a new Dean in place next spring.

School of Architecture seeks new director

Clemson University has benefitted greatly from Kate Schwennsen’s leadership in the School of Architecture since her arrival at Clemson in 2010. Schwennsen served as the national president of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2006 and received the 2018 Educator Honor from the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) – the most prestigious national award the organization presents to educators.

During Kate’s tenure, the School of Architecture has thrived, producing exceptional graduates and garnering high rankings in DesignIntelligence. The School opened impressive new facilities – Lee III on the main campus and the Clemson Design Center in Charleston – and added the forward-thinking Master of Resilient Urban Design program.

Schwennsen is now passing the torch to a new director.

We have placed an ad in the Chronicle of Higher Education and ask for all nominations, inquiries and questions to be sent to the care of Dr. Winifred Elysee Newman, Mickel Professor of Architecture and chair of the search committee (elyssen@clemson.edu).

New era in construction science

We are proud to announce that our College’s highly regarded construction science program has a new name, thanks to the recent $5 million Academic Cornerstone Partner gift from Michael and Robyn Nieri. Michael Nieri is the founder and president of Great Southern Homes and an alumnus of the construction science program at Clemson.

The gift was formally announced and the Nieris were celebrated at a luncheon held Sept. 20 at the WestZone Club at Memorial Stadium. President James P. Clements called the Nieri gift both “generous and visionary.”

“It’s gifts like this that change this institution and literally make us the best of the best,” President Clements said.

With the family’s endowment, The Nieri Family Department of Construction Science and Management will be able to provide even more opportunities for students. Department chair Mike Jackson said the gift will make it possible to hire a professor who specializes in residential construction, and to increase hands-on homebuilding experiences.

Acting Associate Dean is named

James Burns has been appointed Acting Associate Dean of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. James has taught at Clemson since 1999 and served as the chair of the Department of History since 2015. A past Fulbright scholar, James specializes in African history and the social history of film.

James assumed his new role on Oct. 1, when Lee Morrissey returned to the English faculty, his work as director of the Humanities Hub and his own research. We thank Lee for his service to the College as Interim Associate Dean. The search for a new Interim Associate Dean will begin shortly.

Daniel Hall update

Most students who have attended Clemson have spent a fair amount of time in the classrooms of Daniel Hall.

When the building opened in 1969, Clemson had an enrollment of just 6,666 students, Lyndon B. Johnson was president, Woodstock was only a spot on the map and humans were leaving fresh footsteps on the moon.

It’s been a while.

I have recently seen some exciting plans for the expansion and renovation of Daniel Hall, and I want to share a few highlights with you. The addition will include new classrooms; a 250-seat auditorium; a physical space for our humanities center, the Humanities Hub; and a variety of collaborative and lounge spaces that can be used by students, faculty and staff.

This new space, projected to open in 2021, will be a new home for general education classes and a great new resource for the College and University.

Conferences and community

A recent workshop and two upcoming events offer evidence on how design and build programs in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities at Clemson University have a significant impact in South Carolina and beyond.

• About 100 designers, clinicians, administrators and other healthcare professionals took part in the “Innovations in Surgical Environments” workshop last month in Charleston. Attendees had the opportunity to benefit from knowledge gained over a four-year collaboration between Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina, focused on designing safer operating rooms. Anjali Joseph, David Allison and their entire team in Architecture + Health have done great work that will continue to be shared through initiatives such as the newly launched Safe OR Design tool.
• For professionals in the construction industry, our Nieri Family Department of Construction Science and Management will host a one-day event, “Today’s Challenges, Tomorrow’s Opportunities” on Oct. 10. The program in Greenville will include speakers and expert panels, along with opportunities to network and strengthen ties between industry and education in South Carolina.
• The Department of City Planning and Real Estate Development will host the national conference for the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) from Oct. 24-27 in Greenville. Planning professionals and educators from around the country will be able to share insights and expertise, while discovering what is special about Greenville, the Upstate and the University.

A loss for the College

In closing, I am saddened to report the death of Robert A. Bruhns, a respected member of the faculty. Bruhns died Sept. 15. Five days later, students and colleagues – many of them wearing the Hawaiian shirts he loved – gathered at Lee Hall to honor his memory. As his obituary said, “Robert was an architect by training and a teacher at heart.”

Sincerely,

Tim Boosinger

The College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities at Clemson University is beginning the academic year with new faculty members, including several new program leaders.

Ryan Dietz is the new director of the Master of Real Estate Development program and a professor of practice in the Department of City Planning and Real Estate Development, which is based in downtown Greenville. Dietz comes to Clemson University from Florida State University, where he led a similar program. In this role he succeeds Robert Benedict, who recently retired.

Jon Bernard Marcoux is the new director of Historic Preservation, a joint graduate program shared between Clemson University and the College of Charleston. The program is based at the Clemson Design Center in Charleston, located at the historic Cigar Factory. Marcoux had been the director of the Noreen Stonor Drexel Cultural and Historic Preservation program at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island. He succeeds Carter L. Hudgins, who retired as director.

Other new arrivals to the College’s faculty are listed by department.

Art: Rachel de Cuba comes to Clemson as a Provost’s Pathway Fellow, while Mandy Ferguson, Haley Floyd, David Gerhard and Dustin Massey are lecturers.

School of Architecture: Lara Browning and Susannah Horton are lecturers in the landscape architecture program, while Virginia Melnyk and Brandon Pass are lecturers in architecture.

Construction Science and Management: Vivek Sharma joins the department as an assistant professor, while his wife, Harnish Sharma is a lecturer.

English: Jordan Frith is the Pearce Professor of Professional Communication. Chelsea Murdock has been named the new director of the Writing Center and is a lecturer. Other new lecturers are Stevie Edwards, Rene Fleischbein, J. Benjamin Fuqua, April Ayers Lawson and Lee Matalone.

History: Joshua Catalano and Rebecca Shimoni Stoil join the department as assistant professors.

Languages: Yezid Flores and José Ortiz are lecturers in Spanish.

Performing Arts: Lisa Sain Odom is an assistant professor of music.

Philosophy and Religion: John Thames is an assistant professor of religious studies.

The Office of the Provost maintains a photo gallery of CAAH faculty who have joined the university in the past year, along with information on faculty members who have joined other Colleges.

Dear students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of CAAH:

With another academic year beginning and the campus bustling with life, it is my privilege to greet you as the interim dean of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities.

As I get to know the College and its people, I’m struck by the warmth, camaraderie and sense of purpose that surrounds me.

I’ve met students who are ambitious, poised and intellectually curious.

I’ve witnessed the dedication and commitment of our staff.

And I’ve been impressed by the level of scholarship I see among the faculty in our College’s diverse departments – and all across Clemson University.

I look forward to meeting many more of you in the coming months.

This is a special College at a great University and I am proud to serve as its steward as we continue our growth, build upon our successes and keep moving forward.

My close acquaintance with Clemson began in 2018 when I served for several months in a similar capacity at the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences.

I’ve also gotten to know Clemson leaders through my involvement with the Tigers United Consortium, which began during my time as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Auburn University. Together with our peers at Louisiana State University and the University of Missouri we share a mascot and a mission ­– to save the world’s remaining wild tigers.

This week on campus, I had the chance to meet with the Tigers United group and to convene with my new team.

I, too, had the unexpected pleasure of speaking with several families from Charleston who chose to spend their time as evacuees visiting Clemson and learning about all we have to offer in CAAH.

We are relieved that for many along the East Coast, the damage from Dorian has been much lighter than anticipated. Our Clemson Design Center in Charleston fared well and our students, most of whom evacuated the area, are safe and back in class. Please keep in your thoughts the members of the extended Clemson Family who have been directly affected by the hurricane and also the people of the Bahamas who have faced unfathomable devastation. They will need our support during a long recovery.

With gratitude,

Tim Boosinger

. . .

Tim Boosinger has been named interim dean for the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities while the University continues its search for a permanent dean.

His six-month appointment began Sept. 1, 2019. To lead the College, Boosinger will draw from his previous experiences as an interim dean of the Clemson College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences and as vice president and provost of Auburn University. His area of expertise is veterinary pathology and he served previously as dean of Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Boosinger is tasked with continuing the positive momentum of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities.

Clemson University President James P. Clements and Provost Robert H. Jones hosted a reception Sept. 3 to recognize the University’s newest tenured and promoted faculty. The celebration at the Madren Center featured appetizers, music from a live jazz ensemble and the opportunity to meet peers from other disciplines.

Faculty promotions and tenure announcements in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities were first released before the summer break:

Robert Hewitt, a specialist in landscape architecture, achieved the rank of professor in the School of Architecture. Also in architecture, Joseph Choma, Sallie Hambright-Belue and Amalia Leifeste were named associate professors.

Other new associate professors were Todd Anderson (art); Joe Burgett and Jason Lucas (construction science and management); Walt Hunter (English) and Raquel Anido (languages/Spanish).

The following CAAH faculty members were promoted to senior lecturers: Clarissa Mendez and George Schafer (architecture); Katalin Beck, Lucian Ghita, Andrew Mathas and Kathleen Nalley (English); and Harris King (languages/German).

Again, congratulations to all!

Dear Friends,

As many of you are aware, I have come to the end of my time as dean of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities.

I write this month’s column with many memories and an overwhelming sense of gratitude and sincere appreciation for all the staff, faculty, alumni, friends and students who have made my service to the College an opportunity of a lifetime. Success in life is measured by the relationships we make and maintain, the work we do, and the accomplishments made possible through a collective spirit of collaboration and teamwork.

I look back to my first years as dean and recall leading the implementation of an 18 percent budget cut in response to the Great Recession of 2008. One of my proudest achievements was allocating the $3.1 million budget cut without letting go of any faculty or staff, and maintaining quality within each of our academic degree programs. The austerity and lean budgets during this time were difficult to manage and sustain; however, with a supportive leadership team, we were able to weather the storm and our College became stronger through the shared hardship.

The audacious announcement in 1995 to merge the College of Architecture and the College of Liberal Arts was a decision I believe formed the single most distinctive and valuable trait of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. The vision and passionate belief in how disciplines ranging from design and building to the arts and humanities could move forward as a single unit was clearly and thoughtfully articulated and implemented by Founding Dean Jim Barker. At the time, it seemed like an improbable collection of faculty and academic departments that had few commonalities. Since then, we have successfully embraced a shared vision and strategic direction that, through a collective ethos of collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and communication, has evolved into one of the most distinctive, and successful, academic colleges in the United States. I have always felt Jim Barker was our guiding spirit during this transition and I am thankful to Jim for his mentorship, during my time as chair of the Department of Performing Arts, and now as dean of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities.

I have no doubt the College gave itself a resounding vote of self-confidence when we elected to remain as one college, with the same structure, in the University’s most recent reorganization.  Our work – and our value as a lynchpin of the ClemsonForward strategic plan – reinforces the notion that the vision, which began as a curiosity in 1995, now seems like a bold statement of national significance and academic excellence.

I am proud to have had the opportunity over these past nine years to work with forward-thinking faculty to create several new undergraduate degrees, including World Cinema, Women’s Leadership, Pan African Studies and now a Bachelor of Arts in Art, in addition to a Ph.D. in Digital History. I am equally proud of the remarkable growth of our existing programs, and the exponential growth of the national and international reputation of our programs and faculty. The fact that our faculty are nationally and internationally recognized teachers, scholars, and artists is undisputed. The fact that our College’s next freshman class is projected to grow by more than 18 percent over last year reassures me that we are on the right track and provides convincing evidence of our quality and strong reputation.

I also am proud to have been part of the evolution of our efforts in the humanities, including the birth of the College’s Humanities Hub and the upcoming new home for the humanities within an expanded and renovated Daniel Hall. This provides further evidence that Clemson is embracing the value of a liberal arts education and it is a testament to the work that we have accomplished over the past several years. I am thrilled to have had a hand in creating the College’s Race and the University initiative at a critical moment in Clemson history.

During my 37 years at Clemson, I have seen the humanities evolve from a collection of departments and faculty focused on the delivery of a quality general education curriculum to four vibrant humanities departments with numerous high-quality degree programs – and continuing pride in delivering quality general education classes. As I’ve often written in this column, the quality of our world-class faculty who discover new knowledge and ways of thinking never ceases to amaze me.

Through the dedicated efforts of many, including our development team, faculty, friends and the administration, we have closed on more than $35 million in private gifts, bequests and other private giving to the College over the past nine years. These fundraising successes are capped by our first Academic Cornerstone Partnership gift of $5 million, which will be announced soon.  I share these amazing successes with gratitude to many, including the Advancement Board for Real Estate Development, CSM Corporate Partners, Clemson Architectural Foundation, Clemson University Tiger Band Association, the Friends of the Brooks Center, the Humanities Advancement Board, and the supporters of Clemson Visual Arts for their dedicated efforts on our behalf, their unselfish giving and devotion to philanthropy. Through their efforts, our students and faculty have resources for academic excellence that would never had been possible without their support. I am grateful to each of you who support the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities in so many ways.

Another accomplishment that I will always cherish is the opportunity to help acquire a U.S. trademark for our “Fluid Campus” program. I will be forever thankful for the opportunities to regularly visit our campuses and students in Charleston, Genoa and Barcelona during my tenure. Once I saw the transformational power that these off-campus programs provide for our students, I clearly understood the power of the Fluid Campus®️.

At the risk of leaving many things out, I do have some special memories that stand out over the past nine years:

• Introducing Harvey Gantt at the University Convocation in honor of the 50^th anniversary of integration at Clemson.
• The dedication of Lee III, a facility Architectural Digest cited as one of the best examples of new university architecture.
• The addition of a stunning new “front door” to the Brooks Theatre that improves accessibility.
• The amazing work and successes of the faculty, staff and students involved in the Solar Decathlon competition in 2015.
• The outstanding work of our public relations team that gives the College a visual identity and promotes the efforts of our students and faculty.
• Significant improvements to the College’s business operations.
• Two National Football Championships.
• The Centennial Celebration of the School of Architecture.
• The 30^th anniversary of the Clemson Architecture program in Charleston and the 45^th Anniversary of the Daniel Center in Genoa.
• The successful fundraising, design and completion of the Tiger Band Plaza.
• Producing the opening ceremony of the “Will to Lead” capital campaign.
• Service to Clemson as the founding chair of the Stewardship Task Force.
• The friendships that have been forged with current and former department chairs and academic deans in the College.
• The relationships I have made with literally hundreds of faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the College.

In my time at Clemson, I have seen extraordinary change. The sense of community, shared purpose, and focus on the undergraduate experience will always be valued. As Clemson has successfully evolved to a Top 25 university with R1 research productivity, I am thrilled to have been part of this legacy.

Finally, but most importantly, I am extraordinarily grateful to my wife, Cissie, and my three daughters for their unending support, patience and help maintaining a sense of balance, love and family. Without their help, I would not have survived 20 years in higher education administration. Having a little extra time with my family – which now includes five grandchildren – will be part of my next chapter.

As Joe Sherman, Class of 1934 said, “There’s something in these hills.” It’s been a remarkable journey. From a 29-year-old assistant band director to an outgoing college dean, this has been the journey of a lifetime and I am grateful to everyone who has shared this amazing ride.

With best wishes and gratitude to all – Go Tigers!

Rick

Dear Friends,

The College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities honored its third class of inductees into our Hall of Fame on March 8 when 11 new members were inducted. More than 70 faculty, students, staff and friends were on hand to honor this year’s class and were treated to performances by the Clemson University Jazz Combo and String Quartet.

I was honored to help recognize this year’s inductees who were nominated by departments in the College. Each inductee was presented a remarkable print that President Emeritus Jim Barker sketched of Hardin Hall, which shows a reflection of Tillman Hall in a window. Each member of the Hall of Fame will be honored in perpetuity on a plaque in the dean’s office.

This year’s Hall of Fame inductees are:

• John Butler
• William A. Caldwell
• Elizabeth Carney
• Steven Grosby
• C. Douglass Harper
• Peter R. Lee
• Frank Lucas, FAIA
• Barry Nocks, FAICP
• Thompson E. Penney, FAIA
• Marilyn Thompson
• Robert A. Waller

Please join me in offering congratulations to each inductee who joined 25 other distinguished members of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities Hall of Fame. Each one of them has made transformational contributions to the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities during their lifetime.

…

Last month, I had the privilege of hosting 21 friends and alumni of the College in a visit to the Charles H. Daniel Center for Building Research and Urban Studies in Genoa, Italy. The Italian portion of the trip included the annual “Villa” party, visits to the marble works in Carrara and the villages of Portofino and Cinque Terre. In France, we visited Nice and the Maeght Foundation in Saint-Paul de Vence. We also stopped in the Principality of Monaco.

I am indebted to Silvia Siboldi Carroll, the administrative director of the Genoa Center  (and a recent Clemson honorary alumna!), for organizing the trip, along with our amazing development team. As I mentioned at one of our dinners, most people never get to see all the sights we saw in a lifetime – let alone in a week. It was a memorable trip for everyone.

…

Plans for the renovation and expansion of Daniel Hall are proceeding nicely. The “new” Daniel will extend to the south with a 60,000-square-foot classroom expansion, student-centered collaborative spaces and a new 250-seat auditorium. I share in the excitement that this new focal point for the humanities will be transformative for Clemson. Groundbreaking is expected in about a year.

…

Last week, I also visited the launch of the next phase of Rhondda Thomas’ “Call My Name: African Americans in Clemson History, 1825-1973” project. Thomas, the Calhoun Lemon Professor of Literature in the Department of English, has initiated the “Call My Name” project to research and document the stories, contributions, and honor the legacy of six generations of African Americans in Clemson history. Her work has been transformational in understanding Clemson’s history and I invite you to visit a website devoted to this work:  https://spark.adobe.com/page/wQoPG.

…

Finally, as we approach the end of the hiring season for faculty who will join us next year, I have been thrilled to see the quality of applicants who are competing for jobs in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. With the applicants’ extraordinary credentials from some of the top universities in the world, it’s no doubt our students – and Clemson University’s strong academic reputation – are in good hands.  I will be excited to announce a new Pearce Professor of Communication, a new director of our Rhetorics, Communication and Information Design Ph.D. program, and new directors of the Historic Preservation and Real Estate Development programs, and several other new faculty appointments – soon.  Each of these applicants has gone through a rigorous interview process that includes a “job talk” and meetings with students, faculty, staff and administrators. Clemson’s academic brand has never been stronger and I am excited for the future.

In closing, I wish you a joyous April and Go Tigers!

Rick

Dear Friends,

I often get asked what the favorite part of my job is, and, depending on the day of the week or time of day, it changes. Although most of my days are spent in meetings, every day is different and brings about new opportunities to learn about the College, our faculty, students, staff and alumni.

One of my favorite annual events is Fusion, which spotlights outstanding work by students from the College’s nine departments. I especially enjoy meeting new faculty and candidates who are visiting campus for the first time. Being able to brag about Clemson and the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities from my longtime perspective is a joy, and something I never tire of. The opportunity to hear from faculty about their latest research or creative endeavor is another highlight of my day-to-day routine, as are the interactions I have with students who come by my office.

Considering all the aspects of my job, I most enjoy events where I have a chance to connect faculty with students and alumni. One such event occurred last week during our annual Fusion event. As I mentioned in my remarks that evening, Fusion reminds me of “show and tell” we all remember from our childhood – but on steroids. Student work, from each of the College’s nine departments, was on display and I was extraordinarily proud of the mentorship of our faculty and the quality and variety of the student projects that were presented. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank our Student Services group, led by Cari Brooks, and our CAAH Student Ambassadors for their work behind the scenes to make Fusion an annual success.

Intercontinental partnership

Global engagement is one of the highest priorities of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities and I am proud of our status as a campus leader in study abroad participation.

To expand our global education efforts across three continents, two professors in landscape architecture helped form a global partnership with universities in Egypt and China.

To formalize the relationship, a signing ceremony was held on campus to launch the World Design Studio. Faculty and other representatives from Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt, and Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan, China, formally confirmed the World Design Studio partnership at a luncheon ceremony.

The visiting students, Clemson Landscape Architecture students and other guests also had the opportunity to visit key sites in Charleston, conduct research, meet with local civic leaders and take part in a series of discussions concerning rising sea levels and localized flooding in and around Charleston. I am grateful to Hala Nassar and Robert Hewitt for their dedicated work putting this new partnership together.

A milestone in Charleston

Last week, the Clemson Architecture Center in Charleston celebrated its 30th anniversary. Numerous faculty, staff, and former CAC.C faculty joined Charleston governmental officials, members of the Charleston business community, patrons and service learning “clients” to help commemorate the event.

The celebration included a look back at the many successes of Clemson’s presence in Charleston and a look ahead to the future of off-campus architecture education and the importance of student opportunities through the Fluid Campus.

To everyone’s surprise on Friday night, I presented CAC.C Director Ray Huff with a framed copy of the new Fluid Campus trademark we received from the United States Patent Office.

In closing, I am saddened to report on the passing of Dr. Larry Lee Bauer. Larry was a friend, patron of the Brooks Center, and lover of the arts. He and his wife, Betty, established the Bauer Family Scholarship to support a performing arts student and I am grateful to the Bauers for their belief in our students and their loyal and longtime support of the arts at Clemson.

Best wishes to all for a warm and wonderful March.

Sincerely, and Go Tigers!

Rick

Dear Colleagues,

Happy Holidays! It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is in the rearview mirror and the holiday season is upon us. For most of us on campus, the holidays are a time to put the fall semester in perspective, recharge for the spring semester, spend some valuable time with family, friends and enjoy some rest and relaxation. With my family scattered among Atlanta, Denver and Connecticut, I am grateful to have time to see my children and grandchildren over the holidays.

The past month has been a whirlwind. With world-class guest speakers on campus, end-of-semester projects being completed, term papers on the horizon, and the accelerating push to December commencement, I am privileged to see the growth of our students and how our faculty impact their lives on a daily basis. Through the lens of our student workers, I never tire of hearing about the day-to-day Clemson experience. For each of them, the pride and enjoyment of being a Clemson student is extraordinary.

Congratulations are due to the participants of the Writers’ Harvest, an annual celebration of creative writing sponsored by the Pearce Center and the English Majors Organization. Writer’s Harvest is held each fall, and this year attracted a large audience to the Self Auditorium. I want to thank Senior Lecturer Mike Pulley, from the Department of English, for his leadership of this event, which celebrated its 10^th anniversary this year. The celebration of creative writing helps support the Paw Pantry and Loaves & Fishes charities, and I am thankful for the growth of this excellent project that merges creative writing with charitable giving.

Last month, I had the opportunity to visit the College’s Charleston-based programs at our beautiful Cigar Factory facility.  I attended the biannual Historic Preservation Steering Committee meeting, visited our faculty and staff at the Cigar Factory, and took a tour of the amazing work being done by the craftsmen and women at Urban Electric. I am grateful to Founder and CEO Dave Dawson for sharing his time and recounting his entrepreneurial efforts in building a world-class lighting company that started as a small downtown Charleston lamp store.

Last week the Department of History hosted a conference that focused on Abraham Lincoln’s “Unfinished Work.” Organized by the Judge Mathew J. Perry Professor of History, Vernon Burton, more than 35 internationally acclaimed scholars gathered to explore the many dimensions and legacies of Abraham Lincoln within the context of modern American society. The conference brought students, faculty, staff, visiting scholars, schoolteachers, high school students and other members of the general public to campus for critical insights into Abraham Lincoln’s legacy. Congratulations are due to Dr. Burton and the Department of History for the success of this conference, which brought significant national attention to Clemson. I also want to recognize the assistance of Peter Eisenstadt, Georganne Burton and our history students. It, too, was heartening to see sponsorships come in from so many corners of our College, the University and beyond.

For the past three years, the Georgia/Carolinas Precast Concrete Institute Foundation (PCI) has sponsored an architectural studio focusing on the utilization of pre-cast concrete. Visiting campus last month was Peter Finsen, Executive Director of the PCI, and Greg Force, President and CEO of Tindall Corporation and member of the PCI Foundation Board. At a dinner celebrating the PCI/Clemson partnership, we learned that the PCI Foundation will be renewing their partnership with the School of Architecture. We truly appreciate the PCI Foundation for their support of our students and faculty and this outstanding example of a research partnership that benefits both our faculty and our students.

Also in November, Clemson hosted the national accreditation team for our undergraduate and graduate Landscape Architecture programs. The visit allowed us to showcase our outstanding student work, receive a critical overview of our programs in Landscape Architecture, and hear recommendations to improve our instructional content and delivery. Many faculty and staff were instrumental in making this visit a success and we look forward to receiving a positive accreditation recommendation later this spring.

We also received excellent news last month that our City and Regional Planning degree earned a full five-year reaccreditation. Congratulations to the faculty and staff in the CRP program, under the direction of chair Dr. John Gaber, who helped make this full-term accreditation possible.

Finally, I am happy to report that the Daniel Hall renovation and expansion is on track. The building committee met last month and heard presentations from three finalists to become the general contractor for the project. The “new and improved” Daniel Hall will feature a significant addition to the south of the current site, a complete renovation of the existing space, new student-centered teaching and learning spaces and a student-friendly outdoor plaza. Pending final approvals, construction is scheduled to begin in March 2020 with a projected completion date of August 2022. We are all looking forward to this important addition to the College’s instructional space.

In closing and, especially during this time of reflection and celebration, I want to wish all of you a happy holiday season.

Go Tigers!

Rick

Dear Friends,

As the calendar turns to November, the temperatures are falling, leaves are beginning to fall and our Tigers continue to shine. I am happy to report that the past month has been memorable, with many notable achievements by our faculty, students and staff.

Many of you were here for homecoming and it was great to see so many friends, former students and alumni. Standing on the ladder at the 50-yard line preparing to direct “The Star-Spangled Banner,” I was reminiscing about how transformational Clemson has been for so many students, faculty and staff and how privileged we are to share this special place.

I want to offer a special note of congratulations to Anthony Bernarducci, who was the “Professor of the Game” at homecoming. Bernarducci was honored for his extraordinary work as the director of choral activities in the Department of Performing Arts.

Major milestone

Last week the Department of City Planning and Real Estate Development celebrated its 50^th anniversary with an event in Greenville, which was attended by more than 50 alumni. It was great to see so many successful planning professionals whose successful careers were forged by their Clemson experience. I want to thank John Gaber, chair of the Department of City Planning and Real Estate Development, and his staff for their dedicated work to make this a truly special event.

Sound and vision

Last month I had the opportunity to meet with several young architecture alumni in Seattle and share some memories with them and Professor Emeritus John Jacques. The Pacific Northwest is home to many successful Clemson architecture alumni, and I was thrilled to see their Tiger Pride on full display.

Mentorship opportunities

I am pleased to announce that the new online mentoring program in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities is up and running. The CAAH On Deck program aims to help our current students cultivate important networking skills. It also provides our alumni and professional partners a meaningful way to stay connected to their Clemson Family.

Through CAAH On Deck, we hope to foster a culture of mentorship in CAAH, with even our newest students having the confidence to reach out to professionals in their fields for advice and support.

Students can now use the Quick Connect feature in CAAH On Deck to be matched with mentors the platform recommends, based on the filters selected. For example, if a student wants to connect with a lawyer who majored in history and now lives in Charleston, CAAH On Deck will find the person in the program who most closely matches that request.

Our new director of CAAH Student Services, Cari Brooks, tells me additional features will continue to roll out. In January, we will launch our first formal CAAH Professional Partners mentor pairing; students and mentors will be matched for a three-month mentorship experience, all of which will be guided by and conducted through the online platform.

We welcome both students and mentors to join CAAH On Deck. And if you have thoughts to share or any questions about this mentorship opportunity, please email Cari Brooks directly at cabrook@clemson.edu.

Growth in the College

I want to highlight the remarkable enrollment growth in the College over the past year.  Our undergraduate enrollments are up 13 percent over last year, highlighted by a 28 percent jump in History majors, 19 percent in Construction Science and Management, 10 percent in English and 7 percent in Architecture. Within graduate studies, I was thrilled to see a 17 percent increase in our Real Estate Development program. The evidence is clear that programs in the College are attractive to undergraduate and graduate majors considering today’s changing job markets and career opportunities.

New rankings

In September, we learned that DesignIntelligence ranked our Master of Architecture as one of the top 10 accredited graduate programs in Architecture at a public university. They also recognized Clemson University among “Most Admired” programs, placing the Master of Architecture at 22 and Bachelor of Landscape Architecture at 18 among private and public institutions.

In recent weeks, DesignIntelligence announced Clemson University as a standout in their new category: “Most Hired From.” In Architecture, Clemson was ranked 6^th among schools of its size (private and public institutions with 70-99 total graduates, including both undergraduates and graduate students). Landscape Architecture was ranked 5^th among the schools with 20-34 graduates.

The new DesignIntelligence rankings are a testament to the quality of our faculty and the students who complete our programs. We greatly appreciate the industry partners that return to Clemson again and again when they are hiring. Congratulations to all!

A final note

I am saddened to report on the recent passing of Margit M. Sinka, a professor emerita of German in the Department of Languages. Sinka retired in 2007, but continued to conduct study abroad programs on Holocaust Remembrance until 2016. We will miss her many contributions to Clemson University over more than four decades. A memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. on Dec. 1 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clemson.

With best wishes from campus – Go Tigers!

Rick

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.

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.

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.

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