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.
Clemson English was well-represented, including, from left, Kathleen Nalley, Katalin Beck, Department Chair Susanna Ashton and Lucian Ghita. Image Credits: Patrick Wright
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!
President James P. Clements addresses the crowd Sept. 3 at a reception honoring faculty who recently received promotions and tenure.
The start of every school year is undoubtedly the most exciting time to be on campus. Anticipation for the new year, football and cooler weather permeates campus. Faculty return from their summer activities with renewed enthusiasm and every student starts the year as a straight-A student.
One of my favorite events at the beginning of each academic year is our College’s new faculty orientation. In mid-August, 25 of our new faculty met in Lee Hall, where the program was followed by a buffet lunch. The highlight of the morning was getting to know the credentials, background and multidisciplinary interests of our incoming faculty members. You will be reading about many of them in the coming months – in the meantime, I can tell you that we continue to attract world-class scholars, artists, designers and teachers to the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities.
Tiger Band reunion comes with a surprise
The Tiger Band reunion was a time to share memories and thank Jim and Barbara McCabe for their generous support. Image credit: Jacob Dean
Last week I had the honor of a lifetime when I was surprised by Jim and Barbara McCabe’s $100,000 gift to Tiger Band in my honor. The announcement came at the first Tiger Band alumni reunion, and was I humbled by the generosity of the McCabes and the opportunities their philanthropy will give to band students. I had no advance warning of the announcement and was completely fooled by my wife and others, including my office coordinator Susan McCall. There had been an elaborate scheme to surprise me, and I finally figured out the real reason my oldest daughter and her family were in town. I am grateful to Jim and Barbara for their gift and a night I will never forget – thank you!
Another highlight for me every school year is the first day of band camp. More than 350 members of the 2018 Tiger Band gathered in the Brooks Theatre and had the opportunity to meet the band staff and their fellow bandmates. The evening began with an appearance by Coach Dabo Swinney, who shared almost 45 minutes of inspirational messages and gratitude with the band. The meeting was followed by the traditional “running down the hill” by band freshmen and words of welcome from President James P. Clements, Athletic Director Dan Radakovich and me. Congratulations to Director of Bands Mark Spede and his outstanding staff on the start to another great year!
Milestones
Other high points over the past month include the 50th anniversary celebration of the Architecture + Health program at Clemson University.
We were honored to host the family of George C. Means Jr. at the Architecture + Health 50th anniversary celebration. Here they are joined by Becca and Ben Rook, whose recent gift ensured that the program studio will carry the Means name. Image credit: Jacob Dean
About 70 alumni of the program came to campus for some or all of the events, where they were joined by more than 80 honorary alumni, special guests, faculty and staff, family members and current students. Together they celebrated a generous $100,000 gift to the program from Ben and Becca Rook of Greenville, and the legacy of program founder George C. Means Jr. The Rook gift named the Architecture + Health studio in honor of Means. We are grateful that Means’ sons, Kenneth and Calvin, were able to attend, in addition to their wives and two of George Means’ grandsons. Thanks again to the Rooks and to the director of the Architecture + Health program, David Allison, for making it a memorable anniversary.
I also hosted a dinner last month to celebrate the newly tenured and promoted faculty members in the College. Congratulations to the following faculty for reaching this career milestone:
Amit Bein, History
Nic Brown, English
Ufuk Ersoy, Architecture
Anjali Joseph, Architecture
Johannes Schmidt, Languages (German)
Will Stockton, English
Eric Touya, Languages (French)
Finally, I had the privilege to end my summer as music director of the 2018 Disneyland All-American College Band. The band members completed their final performances in the park and attended a farewell banquet. I am grateful to the Disneyland Creative Entertainment team for supporting the All-American College Band for 48 years and the opportunities the program has created for student musicians. During that time, more than 1,000 students have participated in the program, including two former Clemson students, Maureen Maney and David Agee. It was a great end of the summer for me.
In closing, I want to express my best wishes to all for the start of a new school year and I hope to see you sometime this fall in Tigertown.
Go Tigers!
Rick
The 2018 Disneyland All-American College Band wraps up the summer season.
There is no doubt summer is almost over – more students are arriving daily, faculty are stopping by the office to say hello, and there is a decided increase in pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Although the number of days remain the same between spring commencement and the arrival of students for the fall semester, I have no doubt that time somehow seems to shrink every year.
I have to admit, however, that through summer, the weekly freshman orientation sessions remain exciting for me to see. Matriculating freshman and transfer students bring wide-eyed enthusiasm to campus for a two-day immersion in academic and social life. I love seeing the students beginning to make friends for a lifetime, meet their academic advisors and navigate campus with a map or iPhone in hand. As faculty also start to appear in greater numbers, there is an unmistakable sense of anticipation from all for the new academic year.
Although the pace of academic life is markedly slower in the summer months, we have news to report, new faculty to welcome and a new year to plan.
Law, Liberty and Justice
Philosophy major Felicia Finney stands next to a portrait of her grandfather, Ernest A. Finney, a former chief justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court. Image Credit: Richard Amesbury
I am extraordinarily proud of Felicia Finney, a philosophy major with an emphasis in our Law, Liberty and Justice program who interned at the South Carolina Supreme Court this summer.
This prestigious internship is even more meaningful for Felicia because her grandfather, Ernest A. Finney Jr., was the first African American appointed to the South Carolina Supreme Court since the Reconstruction Era. Finney, who was later elected its chief justice, sadly passed away in December.
In Felicia’s application essay for her internship, she wrote of her dream to become a defense attorney, a dream that “stems from the fact that I believe the law will allow me to create a voice for those who don’t often feel that they are heard.”
The internship is one of several offered through the Department of Philosophy and Religion for students interested in law and government.
A new face in performing arts
We recently welcomed Becky Becker to campus as the new chair of the Department of Performing Arts. Becker, who earned her Ph.D. at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, succeeds David Hartmann.
Hartmann, who successfully completed eight years as chair, is looking forward to returning to his full-time faculty status and professional theatrical design work. I am looking forward to seeing Becker’s thoughtful and strong arts leadership throughout the country begin to impact our students, faculty and programs in the Brooks Center.
Awards of note
Several notable awards and recognitions were announced at the end of the school year and over the summer. I hope you didn’t miss them (and stay tuned for more announcements soon):
Rhondda Robinson Thomas was announced as the new Calhoun Lemon Professor of Literature;
Joe Burgett was presented with the 2018 Alumni Master Teacher award at Clemson;
Michael LeMahieu was awarded an American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship;
Jae Takeuchi received the Hamako Ito Chaplin Memorial Award for excellence in Japanese language teaching at the college level;
Benjamin White was granted a summer stipend from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Susanna Ashton was awarded the Charles W. Chesnutt Society’s Sylvia Lyons Render Award, along with Bill Hardwig, the co-editor on their recent teaching guide on Chesnutt.
Anjali Joseph was named the 2018 Researcher of the Year by Healthcare Design Magazine.
Congratulations to all!
Mentoring opportunity
I am happy to share the news that the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities is participating in an online mentoring program here at Clemson. CAAH On Deck is our new program that connects CAAH students with professionals in similar fields. Current students will hear more about this exciting new program in the fall. We are continuing to add alumni to our pool of mentors. If you would like to join the program, please fill out a professional online profile on CAAH On Deck.
Architecture + Health milestone
It is heartening to see the latest national recognition Joseph and her research team have received for their efforts in designing a safer operating room through the RIPCHD.OR (Realizing Improved Patient Care through Human-Centered Design in the Operating Room) project. This honor is a reminder of the important work going on at Clemson in the field of health-related design. It also reflects on the leadership of Architecture + Health director David Allison and the director of the School of Architecture, Kate Schwennsen.
This month, the graduate program in Architecture + Health marks its 50th year. The Architecture + Health studio will now carry the name of program founder George C. Means Jr., thanks to the latest gift from Ben and Becca Rook of Greenville. The Rooks’ generous long-term support of this program and its faculty will have a lasting impact on Clemson students. In addition, their gift will ensure that for years to come our students will know the Means name and his reputation as an extraordinary teacher and mentor. We are most grateful to the Rooks.
I close with the sad news of the June passing of Sybil Miller. Sybil was the departmental staff member who served as the “front door” for students and faculty in the Department of Performing Arts. Sybil was a tremendous asset for the department and will be missed by all.
Best wishes to all as we build up to the beginning of the 2018-2019 academic year. I wish all of you a refreshing and restful end to the summer.
Greetings from just outside Disneyland in Anaheim, California. As you may have seen above, I am honored to have the opportunity to spend a few weeks rehearsing some of the finest college musicians in the United States as music director of the 2018 Disney All-American Band. The quality of the student musicians in the All-American College Band is world-class, as is the Walt Disney Company.
Here was a moment directing the band at the 2015 All-American College Band reunion. This summer, it’s an honor to serve as music director of the Disneyland All-American College Band. Image courtesy of Disney
During my 30-year relationship with Disney, I’ve noticed two striking similarities between Clemson and Disney. First is a laser focus on customer service. At Clemson University, we are determined to provide our students with a world-class educational and living/learning experience, one which gives our graduates a full set of tools to succeed in life and make the world a better place. The Disney Company offers guests a one-of-a-kind experience they will never forget, and one that cannot be replicated outside the park. Disney’s focus on customer service is unparalleled and its attention to detail is truly remarkable. A culture of customer service pervades everything – the custodial staff, management, meticulous landscaping and stunning entertainment and attractions.
The second similarity I have noted this week is branding, and a neverending quest to protect the brand and everything that it stands for. When you see Walt Disney’s famous signature or Mickey Mouse’s ears, you know it represents a company that provides world-class entertainment and family experiences you can trust. When you see the iconic Clemson tiger paw, you know it represents a high-quality, Top-25 public university and athletic teams that are always competitive. Building a brand takes decades. Protecting the brand is a 24/7, 365-days-a-year job that, as we all have seen recently, can be jeopardized in a blink of an eye.
I am thrilled to spend a few weeks in California, and appreciate the opportunity to help spread the Clemson brand west and to support the best live entertainment company in the world.
STEAM rises at Artisphere
In May, a large contingent of Clemson students and faculty showcased our collaborative work in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) at Greenville’s Artisphere festival. An annual highlight of Artisphere is the Clemson STEAM tent, where interactive, educational demonstrations are on full display. Approximately 75 student and faculty volunteers worked together the weekend after graduation to highlight our student and faculty projects.
The “R2D2 Meets Rembrandt” drawing robots delighted visitors at the Clemson STEAM tent at Artisphere.
Thousands of visitors explored and participated in activities that featured several projects that grew out of research in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities. Visitors programmed drawing robots in “R2D2 Meets Rembrandt,” developed by Barbara Ramirez. They learned how to draw in one- and two-point perspective, and how to transform ideas from paper to reality in “2D Drawing to 3D Models,” developed by Shannon Robert, Will Avery and Matthew Leckenbusch. Guests played the Clemson carillon bells remotely in “Coding for the Carillon: Automating Clemson’s Bell Tower,” developed by Linda Dzuris and a team of Creative Inquiry students. Visitors experienced how theater lighting affects color perception in Tony Penna’s “Color Booth,” and they explored how to create shape-shifting structures and materials through origami. In addition to all of these activities focused on STEAM education, Valerie Zimany led student and faculty volunteers from the Clemson Department of Art as they spent Artisphere weekend presenting live demonstrations.
Congratulations to all of our participating students and faculty for representing Clemson with such distinction.
College awards
The 2018 class of Creativity Professors was announced at last month’s end-of-year faculty/staff meeting. In the School of the Arts, Anthony Bernarducci (Performing Arts) was announced, as was David Lee (Architecture) from the School of Design + Building and Ben White (Philosophy and Religion), who will represent the School of the Humanities. Congratulations to these deserving faculty members.
I also announced the peer-reviewed Dean’s Excellence faculty and staff award winners:
Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching: Rachel Moore (History)
Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research: Angela Naimou (English)
Dean’s Award for Excellence in Service: Jan Holmevik (English)
Dean’s Team Player Award: Shannon Baldwin (Dean’s Office)
Dean’s Customer Service Award: Nancy Martin (Brooks Center)
Congratulations to each of these faculty and staff members for being recognized by their peers for their outstanding contributions to the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities!
Promotions and tenure
Finally, I want to recognize and congratulate these faculty members whose well-deserved promotions were recently announced:
Amit Bein (History), promotion to full professor
Nic Brown (English), tenure and promotion to associate professor
Ufuk Ersoy (Architecture), tenure and promotion to associate professor
Anjali Joseph (Architecture), tenure and promotion to full professor
Johannes Schmidt (Languages), promotion to full professor
Will Stockton (English), promotion to full professor
Eric Touya (Languages), promotion to full professor
Kim Misener Dunn (Languages), promotion to senior lecturer
Michael Hannen (Philosophy and Religion), promotion to senior lecturer
Allison Hinds (Languages), promotion to senior lecturer
Eric Lapin (Performing Arts), promotion to senior lecturer
Ellory Schmucker (Languages), promotion to senior lecturer
Robert Stephens (Philosophy and Religion), promotion to senior lecturer
Kenneth Widgren (Languages), promotion to senior lecturer
In closing, best wishes to all from the “Happiest Place on Earth,”
Warm congratulations to all winners of this year’s faculty and staff awards!
Tiffany Miller
Lightsey Fellows Program: Tiffany Dawn Creegan Miller,assistant professor of Spanish, for her work on (Re)negotiating the Politics of Orality and Ethnography in Performances of Kaqchikel Children’s Songs and Poetry
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, and a summer stipend is attached to the award.
Yanming An
John B. and Thelma A. Gentry Award for Teaching Excellence in the Humanities: Yanming An,professor of Chinese and philosophy
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. A peer-review committee of faculty has judged these proposals and a summer stipend is attached to the award.
Dean’s Awards for Faculty and Staff The annual dean’s awards are peer-reviewed by the college awards committees. Each award comes with a plaque of recognition, placement on the list of awardees in the dean’s office and a cash award.
Raquel Anido
Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching: Raquel Anido,assistant professor of Spanish
Her nominators write glowingly of her excellence in the classroom. One wrote, “[she] imparted a wealth of knowledge on her other students and me about Spanish language and culture, but she also imparted the necessity for passion in whatever one is doing. She encourages her students to pursue their passions, to never settle and to challenge beliefs.”
Another said, “Anything less than the best is not enough for [her]. I truly admire this desire in her. She challenges all of her students to be the very best they can be. In return, she brings her best, every day, to the classroom. Her standards are high but not impossible, and I truly appreciate that she cares enough about her students to educate them to the best of her ability, push them beyond their comfort zone and help them to discover their strengths and passions in the process.”
And, from her own teaching statement, Professor Anido reminds us all of this very important message – “Teaching is a passion for communicating knowledge, for sharing and giving back what you have learned from the most inspiring readings, travels, life experiences and teachers you have had.”
Mike LeMahieu
Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research: Michael LeMahieu,associate professor of English
As one nominator stated, “His considerable portfolio of published journal articles and book chapters testifies to a range of interests – particularly in the effect of the Civil War on 20th century culture – that will surely define a career of continuing productivity at the highest level. Few beginning scholars merit the recognition he has already received simply by having his first two books published by first the Oxford University Press and second, the University of Chicago Press.”
Another wrote, “[He] is an outstanding scholar whose achievements in the past three years have been stunning.”
Eric Touya
Dean’s Award for Excellence in Service: Eric Touya,associate professor of French
One nominator wrote, “He has served as the Language and International Trade advisor for French majors since 2008 and L&IT interim director for the past three years. Since he began teaching at Clemson in 2008, he directed the work of 35 B.A. final projects in the area of French and international trade, and 24 independent studies and honors projects. Over the years, [he] worked for the continued success of the L&IT program which attracted many talented students to Clemson University. Under his leadership, there has been a growing number of majors and the program achieved a high retention rate.”
Another wrote, “[He] played a large role in my decision to come to Clemson: torn between two different universities, my meeting with [him] during my senior year of high school demonstrated both his passion for the language and international trade program and his genuine desire to get to know each of his students on a personal level.”
Jeannette Carter
Dean’s Team Player Award: Jeannette Carter,administrative specialist in the Department of History
In one letter of nomination, the author wrote, “I’ve never seen [her] have a bad day or even a bad moment. Her smile and cheerfulness are relentless. Whatever you bring her, she’s on it as soon as she can, whether she tackles the matter directly or gives it to the work study student, whose supervision is also part of her duties. No one has ever been as efficient at getting travel reimbursements and other financial matters moving.”
And finally, “She is not just a team player, but the kind of person sometimes called a “glue person” – the team member who pulls everyone else together.”
Dean’s Award for Excellence in Outstanding Customer Service: Karen Parker,IT consultant for AAH support in CCIT
One nominator wrote, “In the past eleven years, I have worked at three universities in five positions and I can say, without hesitation, that [she] is the most consistent and reliable co-worker I have worked with.”
The nominator summed it up by saying, “What is most impressive about her, and what truly qualifies her for this award, is her demeanor. She is busy, as clearly seen by her swift pace when she walks across campus, but when she is in your office, working on the issue, she is focused completely on the task at hand, and with a smile.”
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.
Advisor of the Year: Christopher Grau,associate professor of philosophy
Teacher of the Year: Walt Hunter,assistant professor of English
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!
Historic preservation students at the Old Sheldon Church Ruins in Yemassee, S.C.
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 Alumni Band
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!
Faculty and staff of the game!
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!
An inside view of Coke branding from a Clemson alumna.
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!
Sir David Cannadine
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.
Warm congratulations to all winners of this year’s faculty and staff awards!
Lee WilsonElizabeth Jemison
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.
Lucian Ghita
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.
Gabriela Stoicea
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.”
Vernon Burton
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.
Sarah Edison
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.”
Emily Clarke
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.
Matt PowersGarry Bertholf
Advisor of the Year: Matt Powers of the Department of Landscape Architecture
Teacher of the Year: Garry Bertholf of the Department of English
