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The Office of the Dean of Students is accepting nominations for outstanding and deserving students, faculty, staff and community members for annual Clemson University. Click here to submit nominations.

The award descriptions and eligibility requirements are listed below.

Student awards

Norris Medal: Presented to the best all-around graduating senior at Clemson University (May 2018, or August/December 2017). The Norris Medal is considered the most prestigious award given to an undergraduate student. Students with a minimum 3.000 cumulative GPA may self-nominate or be nominated by a fellow Clemson student, faculty or staff member.

Matt Locke Award: Presented to one student for outstanding leadership with regard to service and devotion to humankind and Clemson University. Students with a minimum 2.500 cumulative GPA may self-nominate or be nominated by a fellow Clemson student, faculty or staff member.

Frank A. Burtner Scholarship: Presented to rising juniors and seniors at Clemson University who display exemplary leadership qualities and an outstanding academic record. Scholarship awards vary and are contingent upon available funding and individual financial aid eligibility of awardees. Students may self-nominate or be nominated by a fellow Clemson student, faculty or staff member.

Algernon Sydney Sullivan Student Award: Presented to two seniors for outstanding service to Clemson University and the extended Clemson community. Students with a minimum 2.500 cumulative GPA may self-nominate or be nominated by a fellow Clemson student, faculty or staff member.

Non-student awards

Frank A. Burtner Award for Excellence in Advising: This award includes an annual cash prize for the advisor of students (academic or non-academic) or student organizations who excels in developing students in the area of leadership, devotion to duty and service. Advisors must be employed by Clemson University on a part-time or full-time basis.

Algernon Sydney Sullivan Non-Student Award: Given in recognition of the recipient’s influence for good, excellence in maintaining high ideals of living, and service before self. Recipient should have an interest in or be associated with Clemson University and live within the State of South Carolina. Nominations are open to local and state community members as well as current Clemson faculty and staff.

Roger Best Rollin, 87, died Dec. 10, 2017. He was a Named Lemon Professor of Literature and Professor Emeritus of English, who retired in 1995 with 20 years of service.

College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities Dean Rick Goodstein described Rollin as a celebrated member of the Department of English, a passionate spokesman for social justice, decorated scholar and charismatic actor.

Rollin is survived by his wife, son, daughter family and friends.

A celebration of Rollin’s life will be held at a later date at a time and place to be announced by Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home.

Condolences may be expressed online at www.robinsonfuneralhomes.com or at Duckett-Robinson Funeral Home, Central, SC.

Clemson Main Campus will experience a steam outage beginning 11:59 p.m. Friday, May 12 and ending 11:59 pm. Sunday, May 14.

This steam outage will address system maintenance issues as well as the calibration of specific critical instrumentation, valves, actuators and gages. The entire campus will be affected.

All systems using steam will experience a loss of steam. These systems include building heating systems; hot water; autoclaves/sterilizers; dishwashers; and any equipment, process or research activities that use central campus steam.

Contact Brian Kauer at 864-643-6423 with any questions.

By Christopher Poole,
CCIT Training Team

CCIT can develop custom training sessions to teach software and techniques to improve workflows, add creativity, and increase collaboration between team members, groups, and departments. The Software Training Team can even bring this training to you, in your conference room, in your meeting space, or in our training lab.

If you would like for us to create custom training for your team, department, or any group, just let us know by sending an email to ITHelp@clemson.edu and put “custom training request” in the subject line. We know summer can be a time that many can slow down and breathe a little deeper. Why not use that time to lay the ground work for better systems and collaboration for the coming fall? We’re here to help you do that! And of course there is no cost for anyone at Clemson.

If you have any questions feel free to email us at ITHelp@clemson.edu.

By Jackie Todd, Office of University Relations

Kimberly Poole is an educator who loves to learn. The associate dean of students loves to challenge herself to do more and to be more in her career.

That’s why Poole and 24 other university staff members are participating in the President’s Leadership Institute. Introduced last year, the 10-month program exposes Clemson’s faculty and staff to all aspects of the university’s operations, presents opportunities to interact with senior leaders and allows them to participate in activities designed to build leadership skills, broaden their perspectives, create invaluable networks and prepare them to pursue additional roles at Clemson.

Poole enjoys the fact that the Institute challenges participants to stretch beyond their comfort zones.

“The program allowed me to really challenge myself,” she explained. “I don’t know that I anticipated that. I was ready to grow and learn, but with that comes an opportunity to realize that some things might have to change. I’m learning more about my leadership style, learning more about working with different personalities and different groups of people, so that’s actually been really good. But I’m also learning about the institution because I’ve been around here almost 20 years as a student and employee, so to understand areas outside of my day-to-day interactions, outside of my area has been great.”

Marieke VanPuymbroeck thinks the program has been the most enlightening thing in her academic career. A professor and recreational therapy coordinator in the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, VanPuymbroeck found value in learning about decision-making and leadership styles from leaders across the university – even from Jim Clements himself.

 “I really like the message that President Clements and others have shared that it takes courage to make the right decisions and make the hard decisions,” she said. “Prior to this, that wasn’t necessarily at the forefront of what I was thinking. I thought that people just made decisions and they move forward, but the whole authentic leadership and leading from the heart in doing the right thing takes courage. That’s been a really valuable lesson.”

While participants are excited about the program, so are the university’s leaders. Especially Jim Clements.

“You’ve got a great group here of 25 faculty and staff members who are really incredible and really impressive with so much talent and so much potential,” he said. “When we launched this, it was to expose a greater group to leadership, to the issues within higher education, to national higher education issues, to talk about different leadership styles and to be more exposed beyond our domain. So to go down to Charleston and see our campus, to go to Columbia and learn about the political system, to meet with donors and learn about what motivates them, it’s been a broad experience and I’m really happy with what I am seeing.”

How to apply

The deadline for nominations for the president’s leadership program is Friday. Those who want to be considered as a participant should notify their college dean, senior administrator or Executive Leadership Team member in their respective areas.

What’s in it for you

For those who are on the fence about their participation, Kimberly Poole has a message for them.

“Do it. Apply. It’s worth every moment of time you give. It’s long days and busy days and you have to rearrange your calendar sometimes, but it’s worth doing it because it allows you to grow personally and professionally and ultimately give back to the institution, your staff and the students you work with. I say it’s worth every moment of your time.”

So does Marieke VanPuymbroeck.

“We were able to hear from leaders from across the university about their leadership style, experience and philosophies. There’s a lot of encouragement to incorporate those kinds of things into our daily life, whether we pursue an administrative position or not. I think it’s making us all better members of the Clemson community.”

For more information, contact Kyra Lobbins, director of the President’s Leadership and Strategic Initiatives. Lobbins is responsible for the President’s Leadership Institute and recently transitioned from Athletics to assume additional strategic responsibilities in the President’s office.

The 2016 Pro Benefits Expo will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Hendrix Student Center (See map).

All faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in this event hosted by the Office of Human Resources (OHR). In past years, the Annual Benefits Fair was a casual meet-and-greet event that provided employees an overview of their benefits. Replacing this one event are two events held annually each fall and spring. During the fall semester, the Pro Benefits Expo will be held to fully inform employees how they can leverage their benefits. This event will include seminar learning opportunities. During the spring semester, an annual resource fair will be held.

This event will showcase workshop lectures from 12 different state agencies, and benefits-related vendors will be present to provide one-on-one benefits consultations. Additionally, OHR’s benefits counselors will be on hand to assist faculty and staff with any questions or benefits changes.

These well-timed services are provided right in the middle of the open enrollment period. Please take this opportunity to get your free flu shot, refreshments and key information on Clemson’s benefits package.

More information can be found here.

Click here to download the event onto your calendar.

Clemson University provides an employee assistance program to University employees and their dependents/household members though Deer Oaks EAP, an outside resource for addressing work/life issues and living a happier, healthier, more balanced life. A variety of health and wellness, counseling, referral, and consultation services are available. Services are completely confidential, and there is no cost to faculty and staff for most services. Click here to access the February newsletter.

Deer Oaks EAP services and contact information can be accessed here.

By Jackie Todd, Office of Media Relations

Diversity is not about counting heads, it’s about making heads count.

That is the philosophy of Lee A. Gill, J.D, who has been named Clemson University’s chief diversity officer (CDO) and special assistant to the president for inclusive excellence.

“Lee is a successful leader who will make a positive difference for our university, said President James P. Clements. “We have made strides to create an inclusive campus culture, and that work must continue. I’m confident that Lee’s philosophy and experience will help us provide a learning and workplace environment that is welcoming and supportive for all students, faculty and staff.”

“Clemson is firmly committed to diversity and inclusive excellence, and we welcome Lee to the team to provide leadership for this effort,” said interim Chief Diversity Officer Max Allen, who also serves as chief of staff. “He has the experience, knowledge and skills to enhance the campus climate for everyone.”

Among his responsibilities, the new CDO will:

• Implement and provide strategic leadership for the university’s diversity plan, programs and policies;
• Advise the president, administration, faculty, staff and students and campus inclusive-focused groups and committees on diversity issues;
• Collaborate and serve as a resource for colleges and administrative units as they establish, coordinate, and assess contributions to diversity goal, and
• Provide policy expertise and accountability on all aspects of inclusion and diversity for the university.

“The work of supporting and sustaining equity and inclusion on a college campus has truly been a calling for me,” said Gill. “It is who I am, not just what I do. I know what it feels like to be fortunate enough to find the type of university environment, mentors and role models that challenge and support you to achieve your potential. That awareness fuels my passion to help students thrive and succeed, and to help universities to create a holistic culture that makes that possible.”

With more than 20 years experience advising, training and advocating on diversity issues, the veteran professional most recently served as associate vice president for inclusion and equity/chief diversity officer at The University of Akron (UA) since 2008. During that time, Gill led efforts to increase diverse faculty hires in the university, and one department increased its diverse hires by 30 percent in one year. He also led efforts to create an endowed “Inclusive Excellence Scholarship Program” for first-generation students, developed an African American Male Learning Community through a $425,000 grant from the Knight Foundation to increase retention and graduation rates and spearheaded a number of resource centers dedicated to unrepresented and underrepresented populations. Gill’s leadership led to the successful creation of a Men of Color initiative, called UA’s Black Male Summit which focuses on persistence, retention and graduation of African American males, drawing numerous attendees annually from across the country. Now in its ninth year, it was cited by The White House as having become a national Best Practice initiative.

Through Gill’s leadership, UA received numerous national recognitions and awards that celebrated its commitment to diversity issues. One such award includes the INSIGHT Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, the only national award that honors colleges and universities that show an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion across their campuses.

“Enhancing diversity is a major focus of the new Clemson Forward strategic plan,” said executive vice president for academic affairs and provost Robert H. Jones. “The need to enhance diversity and create a welcoming and nurturing climate has been a strong and recurring theme throughout the planning process. We look forward to working with Lee to achieve our goals.”

Gill will begin his new position April 18, 2016.

Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates will visit Clemson University Monday, Nov. 2 to host a question-and-answer session with students.

“A Conversation with Bill Gates: The Future Generation’s Role in Addressing the World’s Greatest Challenges” will be at 4:30 p.m. in Tillman Hall auditorium. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. and will close at 4 p.m.

Gates’ talk is student-centered, so priority seating is allotted to Clemson students who registered for tickets yesterday. Student tickets for the event were claimed in 10 minutes.

Limited seating available for faculty and staff

A very limited amount of tickets are available for faculty and staff to attend. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. One ticket per attendee. Faculty and staff should click here to register and download a ticket. Faculty and staff must present a ticket and Clemson ID at the door.

The event will be streamed live on ClemsonTV and overflow seating to see Gates’ presentation will be in Ballroom B at the Hendrix Student Center.

Gates and his wife, Melinda, launched the Gates Foundation to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology in the U.S. and enhance health care and reduce extreme poverty in the world.

For questions, send an email to rsvp@clemson.edu.

By Ashley Hall, Class of 2015

He’ll be a tough act to follow. Clemson University’s chief diversity officer Leon Wiles will retire June 30. Since 2008, Wiles has served in this capacity as the president’s senior executive responsible for all university equity and inclusion efforts.

As the university’s first chief diversity officer, Wiles has had a tremendous impact on the development and implementation of initiatives for equity and inclusion. Some of his favorite accomplishments include:

• Coordinating faculty diversity and development,
• Obtaining institutional membership to the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity,
• Establishing the Pathfinders Program, an initiative that brings 8-10 scholars of color to campus as prospective faculty and post-doctoral candidates to employ as professors or in a post-doctoral role),
• Funding a diversity and inclusive excellence grant, graduate diversity fellowships and many other minority scholarships and need-based grants, and
• Sponsoring the Civil Treatment Workplace Professional Development Program, the Minority Student Success Initiative and the 34^th Annual National Summer Institute for underrepresented high school students in science, technology, engineering and math at Clemson University in 2010.

In contemplating the future of Clemson’s chief diversity office, Wiles hopes to see the university continue strive toward becoming a more diverse, inclusive and welcoming institution through the implementation of its policies, practices, programs and processes.

“I am especially interested in having more of the campus community population engage in substantive discussion and collaborative action, resulting in a campus community that fully embraces and celebrates differences in thought, gender, religion, culture, race, national origin, ability, sexual orientation, identity, creed, ethnicity, age, geographic origin and socioeconomic status,” he said.

Serving as Clemson’s chief diversity officer, Wiles is most proud of the courageous people at Clemson, who appreciate the institution’s assets, but are not afraid to confront its challenges in an honest, open and resolute manner.

“The Clemson community needs to have broad participation in dialogue about its racial history and how best to move forward as a high seminary of learning and a beacon of enlightenment for the state and nation in regard to racial reconciliation,” Wiles said.

The faculty and students, who continue to work toward making Clemson a more inclusive environment, have inspired Wiles. He is anxious to see the university’s inclusion efforts continue in the future and is happy that diversity and inclusion is among the goals of Clemson’s 2020Foward addition the 2020 Road Map.

As for his own future, Wiles says he plans to remain active in the community, serving on educational and community boards as well as playing golf, traveling, serving in his church and spending more time with his family.

The university continues its search for Wiles’ replacement and will keep you updated through Inside Clemson.

Wish Wiles well on his retirement at a reception on June 25.