Dear Extension Family,
As we move into the summer season, I want to take a moment to recognize the many accomplishments and milestones highlighted throughout this month’s newsletter. Across Clemson Cooperative Extension, your dedication to serving South Carolina continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals, families, businesses, and communities.
This month, we celebrate leadership development, professional excellence, and the lasting impact of Extension service. We congratulate the graduates of the Extension Emerging Leadership Initiative (EELI) for their commitment to professional growth and leadership, and we recognize the continued partnership between Clemson University and South Carolina State University in developing the next generation of Extension leaders.
We also proudly honor Raymond Sligh, Rusty Thomson, and Dr. John Irwin on their induction into the A. Frank Lever Hall of Fame. Their combined decades of service exemplify the very best of Extension—building relationships, strengthening agriculture, supporting youth development, and connecting research-based knowledge to the needs of South Carolinians.
In addition, I want to congratulate all recipients recognized during the 2026 Communication & Specialty Awards program. These awards highlight the innovation, dedication, and excellence that exist across every area of our organization and reflect the tremendous impact our employees have throughout the state.
As we prepare for the July 1 implementation of Workday, I encourage everyone to take advantage of the upcoming training opportunities and resources available to support a smooth transition. Thank you for your patience, flexibility, and commitment as we navigate this important change together.
Thank you for everything you do to advance Clemson Extension’s mission. Your work strengthens our communities, enhances lives, and ensures that Extension remains a trusted resource across South Carolina.
I also encourage you to join my monthly Coffee Chat on the first Wednesday of each month at 8:30 a.m. for updates, announcements, and opportunities for discussion.
EELI All Stars: A Legacy of Excellence
Congratulations to the cohort on their graduation after nine months of engaging leadership development training. Administrators, EELI alumni, staff, community partners, and guests from Clemson Extension and SC State 1890 Research and Extension gathered on May 5 at the Hilton Columbia Center to celebrate the “EELI All Stars: A Legacy of Excellence”. Inspirational thoughts were given by Dr. Tom Dobbins, Dr. Edoe Agbodjan, and Mrs. Deon Legette, along with congratulatory messages from Dean Matthew Holt, Interim President Bob Jones, and President Alexander Conyers.
Clemson Extension & CAFLS graduates:
• DeAndra Cooper, Rural Health Agent
• Sharneece Gary, EFNEP Regional Coordinator
• Geri Jenkins, Administrative Assistant
• Alyssa Jones, 4-H Youth Development Agent
• Rushawnda Olden, 4-H Pinckney Leadership Program Director
SC State 1890 Research & Extension graduates:
• Dr. Nana Kusi, Extension Agronomist
• Boyd Owens, Upstate Regional Director
• Tyrone Williams, Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent
• Joyce Wilson, Administrative Coordinator
We are very proud of all our graduates, and with commitment to excellence, dedication to service, and vision for greatness, these aspiring leaders will continue to move Cooperative Extension at Clemson University and SC State University to greater heights. The collaboration, networking, partnership, and community engagement between our two land-grant universities continue to be impactful!
Link for graduation video here.
Click here to follow our EELI progress, impact and community engagement during the five cohorts.
www.clemson.edu/extension/leadership
Lever Hall of Fame Ceremony
Three longtime Clemson Cooperative Extension professionals—Raymond Sligh, William R. “Rusty” Thomson, and John Irwin—were inducted into the A. Frank Lever Hall of Fame, one of the highest honors in Clemson Extension. The ceremony was held on May 29th at the T. Ed Garrison Arena. Collectively, their careers represent nearly a century of service dedicated to strengthening South Carolina agriculture, advancing youth development, and extending Clemson University research into practical, real-world solutions that improved lives across the state.
Raymond Sligh
Throughout more than 30 years with Clemson Extension, Raymond Sligh served in multiple counties and leadership roles, where he became widely recognized for his dedication to both agriculture and youth development. He played a key role in expanding 4-H opportunities and helped countless young people gain hands-on experience and confidence through livestock and agricultural programs. His development of programs such as the Loan-A-Calf initiative provided youth with meaningful livestock ownership experiences while fostering responsibility and leadership. Sligh’s career was defined by his commitment to relationships and his belief in helping both youth and adults improve their lives through education and opportunity.
William R. “Rusty” Thomson
Rusty Thomson is remembered as a trusted advisor to livestock producers across South Carolina during his Clemson Extension career from 1977 to 2003. Serving in both county and regional roles, he helped develop innovative cattle marketing and management programs, including Clemson University Management Assistance Program (CUMAP), S.C. Pride, and Carolina Quest. His work helped producers strengthen herd health, genetics, forage management, and overall profitability. Thomson’s approach centered on building strong relationships with farmers, ensuring that Extension programs were practical, relevant, and responsive to producer needs.
Dr. John Irwin
For 30 years, John Irwin served as an Extension animal scientist focused on improving the success of South Carolina livestock producers and supporting youth development programs. He contributed to major industry initiatives including S.C. Pride, S.C. Quest, and beef certification programs that enhanced production and marketing opportunities for cattle producers. In addition to his work with producers, Irwin was deeply involved in mentoring 4-H and FFA youth, helping shape future leaders in agriculture through livestock judging and educational programs. His career reflects a strong commitment to both industry advancement and youth education.
Together, these three inductees exemplify the mission of Clemson Cooperative Extension—building relationships, delivering research-based knowledge, and creating lasting impact in communities across South Carolina.
Recognizing Excellence Across Clemson Extension
Extension professionals from across South Carolina were recognized during the 2026 Communication & Specialty Awards program, held May 20–22 in Lexington. These awards celebrate outstanding achievements in programming, communications, leadership, and service while highlighting the impact Clemson Extension faculty and staff have on communities throughout the state.
Several of Extension’s highest honors were presented during the awards banquet. The South Carolina Association of County Agricultural Agents (SCACAA) recognized Dr. Michelle “Mickey” Hallmark with the Bennett Harrelson Outstanding Specialist Award, the organization’s highest honor for a specialist who provides exceptional support to Extension educational programming.
The SCACAA Achievement Awards, which recognize outstanding Extension professionals with fewer than ten years of service, were presented to Mark Cathcart, Union County 4-H Agent; Chad Carter, Food Systems and Safety Associate; and Susan Lunt, Carolina Clear Coordinator.
Distinguished Service Awards, recognizing excellence among Extension professionals with more than ten years of service, were presented to Dr. Matthew Burns, Associate Director for Clemson Extension; Justin Ballew, Fruit and Vegetable Research Associate; and Charly Greenthaler, Regional Water Resources Agent.
Additional association honors included the SCACAA Media Award presented to Christine Scarpelli, the Friend of Extension Award presented to the Orangeburg County Farm Bureau, and the SCAE4-HA Friend of 4-H Award presented to the C.H. and Anna E. Lutz Foundation of Chester, South Carolina. Savannah McKenzie was also recognized with the SCAE4-HA Secretary Award.
The awards program also recognized excellence in 4-H programming and innovative Extension initiatives. Specialty Award recipients included Rushawnda Olden for the South Carolina 4-H Pinckney Leadership Camp (Excellence in Camping), Freddricka Pressley for the Florence County 4-H Clovers in the Kitchen Culinary Arts Club (Excellence in Healthy Living Programming), and the team of Charlotte Maxwell, Bethany Funkhouser, Catherine Watts, Freddricka Pressley, Miracle Rabon, and Hilary Winburn for the Agriculture and Natural Resources Jeopardy Board (Agriculture Awareness and Appreciation Award).
Congratulations to all award recipients for their dedication, innovation, and commitment to advancing Clemson Extension’s mission of serving South Carolina through research-based education and outreach. https://blogs.clemson.edu/scacaa/
State Fair:
The 2026 South Carolina State Fair is set to run from Thursday, October 15 through Sunday, October 25. Please plan to represent Extension at our booth in the Ellison Building on one of these days. We are now taking volunteers to work shifts, please contact Becca Hedden at rthomp7@clemson.edu ASAP.
Workday Training
Be sure to sign up for workday in-person training in your area:
Attn: Cooperative Extension, Experiment Station, Regulatory Services, and Livestock-Poultry Health Employees
Registration is now live for all statewide, in-person Workday training opportunities for Cooperative Extension, Experiment Station, Regulatory Services, and Livestock-Poultry Health employees.
Before registering, please review the following information carefully.
Training Topics (8am – 4:30pm)
Training will primarily focus on the following areas:
- self-service tools
- expense reports for reimbursement
- p-card transactions
- time tracking
- requesting leave/time off
- travel requests
- purchase orders and supplier invoices
- additional faculty-specific training, when relevant
Overall, this content is most applicable to full-time employees. If you are a part-time or temporary employee, please be aware that on-demand pdf guides and self-paced training will be available on the Workday@Clemson website for activities like time tracking. Depending on your situation, referencing these resources and following general Clemson training guidance may work better for your position (versus in-person training). Work with your supervisor and unit leadership to determine the best approach for your situation. Let me know if you have questions.
Training Logistics
- You must register for the location you plan to attend to ensure space availability. Please only register for one location/training.
- Check the audience(s) for each location to ensure applicability to your role.
- Please hold 8am – 4:30pm for these trainings. There will be a break for lunch on your own.
- Bring your charged laptop with you to training or let me know if you do not have a laptop so we can make alternate arrangements.
- If these locations do not work with your schedule, you may enroll in general training opportunities that will be offered to all Clemson employees.
- The training content prioritizes what full-time employees may need to know to do their job starting on Day 1 (July 1st). Training, guides, and resources for additional tasks will be available on the Workday@Clemson website
Statewide CAFLS Workday Training Dates/Locations
June 4 – Location: Sandhill REC, Audiences: Faculty, Extension staff, REC & Regulatory staff
· Register
June 8, 11, 12 (3 days reserved due to size of group and space limitations; only 1 day required to complete training) – Location: Clemson Area (SC Water Resources Center), Audiences: Statewide Extension, Extension Administration, on/near campus Extension
· Register
June 9 – Location: Greenville (University Center of Greenville, Room 208, McAlister Square, 225 S. Pleasantburg Drive), Audience: Upstate Extension District
· Register
June 15 – Location: Edisto REC, Audiences: Faculty, Extension staff, REC & Regulatory staff
· Register
June 17 – Location: Coastal REC, Audiences: Faculty, Extension staff, REC & Regulatory staff
· Register
June 18 – Location: Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science, Audiences: Faculty, Extension staff, REC staff
· Register
June 22 – Location: Pee Dee REC, Audiences: Faculty, Extension staff, REC & Regulatory staff
· Register
June 24 – Location: Anderson (Anderson Extension Office), Audience: Piedmont Extension District
· Register
Salesforce:
Please take a moment to update your Title on your User Profile in Salesforce. To do so, hover over your photo icon along the top toolbar and click. This will open up to your User Profile. Please update your Title to reflect your County and Program team, ex) Anderson – Agronomic Crops Agent. This helps easily identify users when navigating in Salesforce.
Salesforce will now automatically send a reminder email when one of your Program Events has concluded.
What to expect:
When an event ends:
- You’ll receive a reminder email.
- A task will be created to remind you to complete required reporting fields.
- A banner will appear at the top of the record reminding you to complete required reporting fields.
The reminder is simply to ensure the following fields are completed for reporting purposes:
- Event Status
- Extension Project
- Program County
- Hours of Instruction
The banner will remain visible until you manually dismiss it.
Service Milestones:
I would like to congratulate the following on their service milestones to Clemson University:
Brian Beer, Area Livestock and Forages Agent for Chester, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, and Richland Counties, 20 years; Lee Van Vlake II, Livestock and Forages Program Team Director and covers Florence, Lee, Marion, and Sumter Counties, 20 Years; Akendra Jackson, EFNEP Nutrition Educator for Berkeley and Charleston Counties, 20 years; James Ezell, T. Ed Garrison Arena, 10 years.
Congratulations!
New Employees
Please help me welcome the newest members of our Extension family:
- Tiffany Weatherford: Administrative Assistant, Dorchester County
- Andrew Chapman: Agronomy Agent, Darlington and Marlboro Counties
- Chloe Margeson: 4-H Youth Development Agent, Fairfield County
- Sara Wates: Administrative Assistant, Clarendon County (not pictured)
Job Openings
We have new openings to fill with talent. The following positions with their job ID numbers are currently posted on the Clemson Careers website. http://www.clemson.edu/careers
- Pee Dee RHN Program Coordinator, Florence, Job ID# 110259
- HGIC, Online Programming and Marketing Associate, Clemson, Job ID# 109968
- Rural Health Agent, Oconee, Job ID# 110302
- Livestock and Forages Agent, Saluda, Job ID# 110092
IN CLOSING …
As we conclude this month’s newsletter, I want to thank each of you for the dedication, professionalism, and passion you bring to Clemson Cooperative Extension. The accomplishments highlighted throughout this issue—from leadership development and professional recognition to decades of service and community impact—reflect the strength of our organization and the people who make our mission possible.
As we move into the summer months, I encourage you to continue supporting one another, engaging in professional development opportunities, and preparing for the upcoming Workday transition. Together, we will continue building on our strong foundation while serving the evolving needs of South Carolina’s communities.
Thank you for your commitment to Extension and for the difference you make every day. I wish you a safe, productive, and rewarding summer season.
As always, please take good care of yourselves and your families, and thank you for what you do for Clemson Cooperative Extension.
Upcoming Events and Reminders
- Please share your latest accomplishments, awards, publications and other newsworthy updates with Christi Leard ccampb3@clemson.edu to get in the Director’s Newsletter!
