Emeritus College

Emeritus College Recognizes New Members and Current Members Receive Awards, April 22, 2025

On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, the Clemson University Emeritus College welcomed new members and honored its annual award recipients during its 22nd celebration ceremony and luncheon. President Jim Clements and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Bob Jones welcomed 21 new emeritus faculty members to the college and Cecil Huey, professor emeritus and chair of the Emeritus College Advisory Board, welcomed nine affiliate, associate, and honorary members.

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Two Emeriti Faculty Receive Emeritus Award for Research and Scholarship!

The Clemson University Emeritus College gathered on Tuesday, October 29 for the annual Fall Picnic and Business Meeting. Around 150 emeritus faculty enjoyed great food and conversation; welcomed new members; approved changes to the college’s by-laws; and awarded the prestigious Emeritus Award for Research and Scholarship to two very deserving Emeritus Faculty for their outstanding contributions to scholarly research: Dr. Frankie O. Felder and Dr. Jack C. Peck!

Dr. Frankie O. Felder

Dr. Felder, 2024 Fall Picnic and Business Meeting, Emeritus Collegge

Since retiring in 2017, Dr. Felder has devoted a significant amount of time to researching and writing two important historical documents. These include a history of her family, whose roots are from deep southern states, and the history of graduate education at Clemson University.
Both publications invite critical thought about subjects that impact those living in the South. Her publication OURstory, Unchained and Liberated from HIStory (pronounced HIS-story), was published in 2021, and describes the lesser-known aspects of an African American family experience prior to and through the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow.

Dr. Frank Smith, director of the African American Civil War Memorial Museum, called this book “a must read for any serious scholar wishing to understand this period of American history.” Dr. Vernon Burton, who wrote her foreword, said she “opens the doors to the history of education of blacks in the South to the general reader through the rise of her ancestors’ descendants as they passed through the doors of Rosenwald School and Historically Black Colleges and Universities.” Her book … “addresses how the South’s very dark period of American history has changed in her lifetime” offering “hope for the future in the victories of the past.”

Dr. Felder has also researched the history of graduate education at Clemson. Her book Graduate Education at Clemson and the Evolution to a University is due out in the spring. She was the opening plenary speaker at the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools this year where she shared her premise that graduate education transformed a rural college into a world-class university. Her nominator notes that she received a resounding standing ovation for her presentation on the relevance of graduate education not only to Clemson University, but to all southern colleges and universities. Her book recognizes more than one hundred graduate “trailblazers” and reflects on one hundred years of graduate education at Clemson from1924 to 2024.

Dr. Jack C. Peck

Upon his retirement from Clemson in 2000, Dr. Peck was among the top Computer Science faculty in publications and funded research. He continues to be a successful serial entrepreneur. In 1987, he co-founded Foxfire Technologies Corporation to create software for both the manufacturing and distribution industries. Beginning operations in a Clemson University incubator, Foxfire grew to more than twenty employees. Foxfire’s products were employed by such well-known companies as Levi, Wrangler, Playtex, Sara Lee, Jantzen, Intertape Polymer, and Carters.
In 2006, after a successful exit from Foxfire Technologies, Dr. Peck co-founded FastFetch Corporation to supply innovative hardware and software solutions for eCommerce order fulfillment.

He provided the creative impetus that formed the basis for FastFetch’s products. One such product employs artificial intelligence to determine a right-sized container for shipping multiple items of different sizes and shapes with minimal wasted space. This problem has long been recognized as a difficult problem in the computer science field. In 2019, this development was judged as the most innovative supply chain management product in the US by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), edging out Intel Corporation.

While there are numerous artificial intelligence applications currently being developed for the supply chain industry, the FastFetch solution is one of only a few that are in production daily by well-known companies such as Snap-on, Staples, FedEx, and UPS. In addition to receiving the CSCMP innovation award in 2019, FastFetch was a finalist for the innovation award in 2018 and the runner-up in 2023. Dr. Peck has been granted 5 US patents and several international patents on the innovations employed in FastFetch products. Jack is recognized as a thought leader in the supply chain industry. He has frequently presented technical talks at industry conferences, served on industry panels, been interviewed on several occasions by supply chain media outlets, and been quoted in trade publications. Additionally, Dr. Peck continues to publish scholarly papers in a refereed, international supply chain journal with publications in 2019, 2023, and a publication scheduled for 2025.

Kick-Off Party on 7/10/24: Moments and Memories II Book Project

Moments and Memories: Reflections of Emeritus College Faculty, released April 2023, was the 20th Anniversary celebration project for Clemson University’s Emeritus College (Cost $40 -contact emerituscollege@clemson.edu to purchase your copy)

July 10, 2024, (Wednesday), 10:30-1:00 pm, In-Person, Moments and Memories Volume II Kick Off Party, Boxed Lunch included ($15 fee for lunch paid at the Emeritus College on July 10):  The Emeritus College celebrated our 20th anniversary in 2023 and as part of that celebration members of the college wrote short, focused memoirs centered on their experiences as students and as faculty at Clemson University. The resulting volume, Moments and Memories, was well-received. President Clements featured the publication in his comments about the Emeritus College at the recent Emeritus Day luncheon. There are many more stories that can and should be told, so we are planning a second volume of Moments and Memories to celebrate our 25th Emeritus College anniversary in 2028. Join us for a kick-off for this endeavor on Wednesday, July 10th. We will gather at 10:30 at the Emeritus College to meet, greet and talk about ideas for the new volume. A no-host box luncheon will be served at 11:30.

LUNCH REGISTRATION required

See you there!

2024 Emeritus Day & New Faculty Recognition

New Emeritus Faculty Members Recognition, April 17, 2024

On Wednesday, April 17, 2023, the Emeritus College celebrated its 21st celebration with a special ceremony and luncheon.  President James Clements and Senior Vice President and Provost Bob Jones welcomed 18 new emeritus/a faculty members to the college, five retiring faculty, and four affiliate members. We honored three professor emeritus faculty posthumously, H. Roger Grant, Kevin Lee James, and Joseph Earl Stewart with their families and colleagues.

Sterling K. (Skip) Eisiminger, Professor Emeritus of English and an I. Dwaine Eubanks Fellow was the honored speaker for the day, Reflections on Aging and Clemson Trivia.  Skip arrived in Clemson in 1968, and  his only move during his time at Clemson was across town. His publications include a book of verse, a book of word games, a children’s book, and two collections of essays. In his forty-two years as a teacher at Clemson, he taught over nine thousand students in twenty-nine different courses. In retirement, he participates in the Conversations with International Student program and its testing of English language competency. Has served in the CU Veterans’ Writing Project and has offered classes at OLLI since 2012.  At the Emeritus College he hosts a monthly EC Trivia morning with all proceeds directed toward the Emeritus College Undergraduate Student Scholarship, and provides weekly puzzles for EC Happenings, a weekly college newsletter.

New Emeritus Faculty

Jean A. Bertrand

Professor Emerita of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and Interim Dean for Undergraduate Studies

Thomas Edford Cousins

Professor Emeritus of Glenn Department of Civil Engineering

Julia Alice Frugoli

Alumni Distinguished Professor Emerita of Genetics  

H. Roger Grant

Kathryn and Calhoun Lemon Professor Emeritus of History   (Posthumously)

David James Hartmann

Professor Emeritus of Performing Arts

Kevin Lee James

Professor Emeritus of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences and Founding Director of School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Posthumously)

Karen A. Kemper

Associate Professor Emerita of Public Health Sciences

Harry Delos Kurtz, Jr.

Associate Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences

Walter Batchelor Ligon, III

Associate Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Pamela E. Mack

Associate Professor Emerita of History and Geography Coordinator of Science and Technology in Society

Anthony Louis Pometto, III

Professor Emeritus of Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences

Gwynn M. Powell

Associate Professor Emerita of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management

Margaret Barlow Ptacek

Professor Emerita of Biological Sciences

E. Jeffery Rhodehamel

Professor Emeritus of  Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences

Edward Joseph Rock

Associate Librarian Emeritus of University Libraries

Raymond D. Sauer

Professor and Chair Emeritus of Economics

Benjamin R. Stephens

Professor Emeritus of Psychology

Joseph Earl Stewart

Professor Emeritus of Political Science (Posthumously)

Lonnie Lee Thompson

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Bruce Allen Whisler

Professor Emeritus of Performing Arts

Brett A. Wright

Dean Emeritus College of Behavioral, Social, and Health Sciences and Professor Emeritus of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management

Retired Clemson Faculty

James H. Blake

State Director of the SC Master Naturalist and Senior Extension Associate, Retired

Rita Mae Haliena

Senior Lecturer of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences, Retired

Rebecca Ferraccio Kaminski

Senior Lecturer of Literacy, Retired

Vladimir Matic

Senior Lecturer of Political Science, Retired

David Schmueser

Senior Lecturer of Automotive Engineering, Retired

Clemson University Affiliate Members

William Hiott

Executive Director and Chief Curator, Historic Properties, Retired

James Pepin

Chief Technology Officer, Retired

Flora Riley

Executive Director Michelin Career Center, Retired

Curt Russell

Information Resources Consultant I, Retired

Debra Sparacino

University Registrar, Retired

Associate Members, Emeritus/a

William Bruehl

Professor Emeritus of Theatre, Stony Brook University

Jere Lee Hodgin

Associate Professor Emeritus of English and Theatre, University of Montana

Kathleen Tiemann

Dean and Professor Emerita, Merrimack College

Honorary Members

Vince Jackson

Honorary Member of the Emeritus College

Robert Hogan, Professor Emeritus of Architecture and served as Associate Chair of the School of Architecture announced the Emeritus College’s annual awards recipients.

The Kenelly-Voss Distinguished Emeritus Award was established by the late John Kenelly to recognize emeritus faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to Emeritus College, Clemson University, the greater Clemson community, and to society. The 2024 Kenelly-Voss Distinguished Emeritus Award was presented to Dr. Dolores A. Stegelin.   

Dee retired in 2017 and currently resides in Columbia, South Carolina.  You would not know she was not in Clemson. She never misses an important Emeritus College event. She and her husband, Forrest, participate in person and by Zoom. Dee’s contributions to the Emeritus College include Serving as the Chair of the Advisory Board from 2022-2023, as a member of the Emeritus College Staff Search Committee (twice) and as the chair of the Fundraising Committee, which she proposed and implemented during her year as chair of the Advisory Committee. Her strategies for fundraising to support emeritus faculty have made a significant difference in our programming and services. Dee is also an active member of several key interest groups in the college including the memoir, prison education, and speaker bureau. She continues to contribute to the college with her seminars. This year she initiated a Task Force to improve the relationships between academic colleges and their emeritus faculty using her own College of Education as a pilot program. Dee’s contributions to the University include continuing her graduate teaching and service on an advisory board for the University of South Carolina. She continues to stay involved in research projects, the play coalition conferences, and the Partners of the Americans, SC Chapter Executive Committee. She currently advises Clemson Education faculty advisors for the Reggio Emilia study abroad program. Dee represents the College of Education on the US Play Coalition Steering Committee; and serves as a liaison between the college and the Institute for Child Success Conference.  Dee is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the South Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children.  She provides leadership for the Global Healing Curriculum Project Co-Leader with Dr. Edgar Klugman, Professor Emeritus- Wheelock College.   Dee also provides leadership for a study group of 20 professionals across the US. and Brazil to develop curriculum learning activities for use in community settings that strengthen intergenerational relationships. In addition, Dee had three major publications in 2023.

The 2024 Class of I.D.E. Emeritus College Fellows was created to honor emeritus faculty members each year who steadily render valuable service to the Emeritus College and to Clemson University without compensation.  It is named in honor of I. Dwaine Eubanks, a former Executive Director of the Emeritus College.

Dr. Pamela A. Havice

Pam retired in 2019 after serving Clemson for 19 years as a Professor of Educational and Organizational Leadership.  In service to the Emeritus College,  Pam currently serves on the Emeritus College Advisory Board, the Undergraduate Support Committee, the Membership Task Force and the Task Force charged with the development of the college’s Purpose Statement.  She has also participated in several panel discussions.  This semester Pam is serving on a Task Force to develop strategies for connecting emeritus faculty with her home College of Education.

Dr. Kathy N. Headley

Kathy retired in 2021 after serving Clemson for 34 years as a Professor and Senior Associate Deam in the College of Health, Education and Human Development. In service to the Emeritus College, Kathy is currently a member of the Advisory Board and since joining the Emeritus College.  As a member of the Moments and Memories task force, she served as an editor for the book and was instrumental on its successful publication. She also served on the By-Laws Revisions Taks Force, and the 20th Anniversary Celebration Task Force.  Kathy chaired the Task Force to develop guidelines and procedures for membership applications and is currently a member of the task force to develop plans for improving relationships between emeritus faculty and their home departments and college.

Dr. Thomas J. Kuehn

Tom Retired in 2020 from Clemson as a Professor and former Chair of the Department of History. In service to the Emeritus College, Tom currently serves as a member of the EC Advisory Board, the Awards Committee, and the Programming Committee.  He also presented a virtual tour, which was the highlight of last fall’s series. In service to the University: Tom was instrumental in the development of a Phi Beta Kappa Society here at Clemson and served as an officer in the society from its conception until his retirement.

Dr. Rosanne H. Pruitt

Rosanne retired in 2018 after serving Clemson for 17 years as a Professor of Nursing, former Director of the School of Nursing and Associate Dean of The College of Health, Education and Human Development. In service to the Emeritus College: Rosanne serves as a member of the Advisory Board, the Programming Committee, and the Membership Task Force.  She always volunteers to help at the Emeritus College events from setting up, selling EC sway, to cleaning up afterwards. Her willingness to volunteer and to serve the college makes a significant difference in the programs, services, and commitment to the emeritus faculty and college.  In service to the University: Rosanne was named a Clemson University Service-Learning Fellow and received the Elliott Award for Outstanding Service to Off-Campus, Distance and Continuing Education.

David V. Scherrep (Lt. Col. Retired)

Dave retired in 2002 after serving Clemson as an Associate Director of Cooperative Education.  He is also a retired Lt. Col. In the US Army.  In service to the Emeritus College: Dave co-developed the exciting Coffee House series which occurs each month for emeritus faculty to gather and share music.  The program hosts additional music events throughout the year as well and helps to promote and increase the numbers of faculty who participate. In service to the larger community, Dave is active in the Clemson, Anderson, and Oconee communities. He and his partner in the New Tricks Trio engage residents in nursing homes and assisted living communities across the area. Dave has found that music brings people together and music for older adults is joyful. 

Dr. Diane G. Smathers

In service to the Emeritus College, Diane began her association with the Emeritus College as the Emeritus College founding director in 2004. She adopted the initial creation and organization of the Emeritus College concept as initiated by Jerry Reel. Diane’s additional 10 years of hard work resulted in the formation of our highly successful Emeritus College. She worked tirelessly to solicit administrative and financial support in the early years, working with other colleges and university units to emphasize the critical role that the Emeritus College could play in the university  community.  Diane sought opportunities for promoting the Emeritus College on campus and seeking opportunities for retired faculty to continue to support academic endeavors and continue their invaluable service to students and the university community. She is currently serving as Chair of the Emeritus Faculty Creative Works Display Committee.  Diane’s contributions to Clemson University include being selected the Phi Kappa Phi Distinguished Member for the Clemson Chapter as well as serving as National President of Phi Kappa Phi, serving on the national board for 9 years and as inaugural chair of the Foundation Board of Trustees for 2 years.  As an emeritus faculty member and appreciate being able to maintain your Clemson e-mail and ability to get a FREE parking permit … thank Diane.

Jonathan D. Black , 2024 Emeritus College Undergraduate Scholarship Recipient

 Jonathan D. Black, a senior psychology major from Charleston, South Carolina was honored as the 2023—2024 scholarship recipient. During his time at Clemson, he has been a member of the Clemson University Symphony Orchestra and has participated in Dr. Kaileigh Byrne’s Creative Inquiry Lab, where the research focused on online privacy decision making. After graduating in May, Jonathan will begin preparations to apply to graduate school, with the hopes of eventually obtaining a doctorate and pursuing psychology research.   The Emeritus College faculty contribute annually to fund undergraduate students.

Hybrid Retirement Panel Luncheon – 2/22/24

Hybrid Panel Lunch

Retirement

Thinking about retiring? Please join the Emeritus College for an informal session with a panel of emeritus faculty and representatives from Clemson’s Office of Human Resources and SC PEBA. 

You may have questions about the process of retirement, selecting the right time to retire, related decisions, and retirement paperwork. Or you may be wondering what happens after you retire – what do you do after breakfast that first morning?

Learn about the advantages of participation in the Emeritus College and the support available for emeritus faculty. Emeritus faculty will be available to answer questions you have about what to expect when retiring and opportunities post-retirement!

Grab a bite to eat and answers to your questions.

When:  February 22, 2024

Time:  12:00pm – 1:00pm

In-Person Attendance: Emeritus College (CAT Building) 
In Person Attendance ONLY: Follow 
EventBrite Link to Register for Lunch

Virtual Attendance: Do not register – just join in – 
Contact vmushef@clemson.edu for Zoom Link

PANEL MEMBERS

Moderator 

Dr. Debra Jackson

Director and Professor Emerita of Nursing

864-656-3990 | dbj@clemson.edu

PEBA (SC Retirement Systems and State Health Plan)

George M. Hazin

Employer Services

o) 803.737.6882 | GHazin@peba.sc.gov

202 Arbor Lake Dr., Columbia, SC 29223

www.peba.sc.gov

Clemson University, Human Resources

Shannon Wilds

Benefits Director

Office of Human Resources 

864.656.1545 | swilds@clemson.edu

Jan E. Myers, MBA, CCP

Sr. Director, Compensation & Benefits 

Office of Human Resources864.656.5609 | JAN3@clemson.edu

Emeritus Faculty

Dr. Bonnie Stevens

Senior Lecturer Emerita of PRTM

Chair, Emeritus College Advisory Board

Dr. Dolores (Dee) A. Stegelin

Professor Emerita of Teaching and Learning (Early Childhood)

Past-Chair, Emeritus College Advisory Board

Dr. Cecil Huey

Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering

Chair-Elect, Emeritus College Advisory Board

Dr. Karen Kemper

Associate Professor Emerita of Public Health Services

Liaison to Faculty Senate

Thinking About Retirement?

For Clemson faculty who qualify for emeritus/a status, initiating retirement is a two-step procedure.

If you are electing to retire by August 31, 2024, and you qualify for the official title of Emeritus/Emerita as described by the Faculty Manual (below), please note that there are two independent steps to start your retirement process.

  • Step One: make an appointment with a Human Resources Benefits Counselor.
  • Step two: contact the Emeritus College, independently from your human resources benefit appointment, to initiate your membership in the Emeritus College.
  • See the 
  • 2023-2024 Retirement Guidebook for more information about these steps.

The Emeritus College will host a Hybrid Lunch Q & A for active faculty on February 22, 2024, beginning at 12:00 pm

  • This informal program will consist of a panel of emeritus faculty, HR benefits coordinators, and a PEBA representative to answer questions about what to expect when retiring, how to prepare for retirement, and to learn about opportunities post-retirement. The Emeritus College will provide a light lunch for those who attend in person.
  • If you plan to attend the Hybrid Lunch – in person – you must RSVP by February 15, 2024, at our EventBrite link.

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Chapter IV.THE FACULTY, Section B, 4. EMERITUS FACULTY, page 35 of the 2023-2024 (Web Edition of Faculty Manual) Clemson University Faculty Manual states the following:

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The University will honor its 2023-2024 emeritus faculty with a ceremony and luncheon on April 17, 2024, at the Madren Center. This event will coincide with the Emeritus College’s annual Emeritus Day. President Clements and Provost Jones are honored to recognize the 2023-2024 emeriti for their years of service to the University.

While Special Rank faculty do not receive the emeritus title, those who have served at least five years at Clemson University and 15 years in the academic profession are eligible for membership in the Emeritus College. Research faculty, extension faculty, clinical faculty, lecturers, senior and principal lecturers, and professors of practice are considered for regular member b in the Emeritus College by-laws. Other retired faculty may request membership as an Affiliate member in the college, and their application is reviewed by the Advisory Board for approval. Membership details may be found at https://www.clemson.edu/emerituscollege/membership.html.

Regular member b and affiliate members are invited to participate in the Emeritus Day celebration.

Apart from our Clemson hybrid retirement lunch session, you might be interested in AROHE’s free 3-Part Virtual Series titled, Reimagining Retirement. Learn More.

If you have questions, please contact Victoria Musheff, Program Coordinator II/Emeritus College at vmushef@clemson.edu (864-656-3990) or contact a HR Benefits Counselor.

Emeritus Faculty Recognized For Excellence In Community Service

OCTOBER 3, 2023

The Clemson Emeritus College gathered on Tuesday, October 3 for the annual Fall Picnic and Business Meeting. Approximately 150 emeritus faculty enjoyed great food and conversation while welcoming new members. During the meeting, the group evaluated, voted upon and passed changes to the Emeritus College bylaws and strategic plan, and the college awarded the prestigious Emeritus College Community Service Award to two very deserving Emeritus faculty for their outstanding decades of community service.

Gordon Howard, Professor Emeritus of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management

Since 1984, Howard has offered his services as a licensed bird bander on the grounds of the Crown Point State Historic Site in New York. The historic site is designated as an important bird area by the National Audubon Society, a bird conservation area by the state of New York and is referred to as a banding ‘station’.

A woman gives a man an award and both are smiling at each other.

Bird banding is an effort to track different species of migratory birds that pass through the region every year in order to collect ecological data and improve conservation efforts. With climate change and deforestation, the unbroken string of the station’s banding records is becoming increasingly important. Presentations to groups and individuals who visit the station are designed to involve visitors with wildlife in a non-consumptive manner, which include the visitor releasing a banded bird. In 1988 Howard began giving a Polaroid picture to each person releasing a banded bird to show friends and family. A follow-up Educational Certificate Program was begun in 1995 whereby trifold certificates were mailed to releasers that include an image of the bird, a brief life history of the bird species, the banding information and Clemson University’s support for the program.

In 1997, releasers began to be notified when “their bird” was captured at the banding station or at another location. After the station closes each year Howard enters the data into the state and federal government databases, writes the Atlantic Flyway Report and sends a summary report to each visitor. In 2015, Howard also began an apprenticeship program of future banders. In addition to banding, two tail feathers are collected from “target species” as part of the stations third year of cooperation with the Bird Genoscape Project, a hemisphere wide avian genetics research program managed by units of the University of California – Los Angeles and Colorado State University.

Barry Nocks, Professor Emeritus of City and Regional Planning
A woman gives a man an award and both are smiling at a photographer.

Nocks has devoted himself to public service over the past two decades. In 2001, his leadership as chair of the Reedy River Master Planning Committee paved the way for a plan that profoundly change Greenville. His vision of the Swamp Rabbit Trail and the revitalization of the Reedy River as a public amenity has been the impetus for Greenville’s urban planning priorities. 

Nocks also served as a member and chairman of the City of Greenville’s Planning Commission from 2000-2009. He then chaired and served as a member of Greenville’s Design Review Board from 2009 to 2017, during the city’s unprecedented growth following the recession. Nocks also served as a volunteer on numerous Greenville planning committees focused on preservation, housing and strengthening the city’s zoning ordinances. As a certified arbitrator, his mediation skills played a valuable role in shaping major mixed-use developments. Most recently, he worked closely with the city to develop the Greenville 2040 Comprehensive Plan and the 2023 Development Code. Perhaps the greatest testimony comes from the many Master of City and Regional Planning alumni who continually ask for his advice in dealing with difficult planning issues. Nicknamed ‘Yoda’ by his peers, Nock’s wisdom and tireless efforts in public service have made Greenville one of America’s most livable communities.