Inside Clemson

Employee Shout-Outs – May 19, 2026

Madison Ballard, Assistant Business Officer, College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences

“Maddy recently served as the interim Financial Business Manager for the Department of Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences. She has been a tremendous support to the department, responded to emails in a timely manner, provided insight, efficient and a great person to work with!” – Kim Bartholomew-Neptune, Office Manager

Janet Bean, Lo Ross, Hannah Callison, Dan McGee (Department of Finance Advisors)

“Our advisors handle a ton of students, 300-400+ each, and they do so with kindness and detail to make sure the students succeed. Their work loads don’t diminish their spirit towards their colleagues at large and they’re always willing to help out.” – Lisa Kieffer, Factuly and Program Support Specialist, Department of Finance

Kathryn Koning, Assistant Athletic Director of Football Academic Services

“Kathryn is a dependable and proactive presence in our office, consistently ensuring that both staff and student-athletes have the support they need to succeed. She is always willing to step in wherever needed. Kathryn always goes above and beyond to support our football student-athletes, and while it is often a thankless job, her impact is felt daily in the success and stability of our program.” – Erin DeChellis, Senior Associate Director for Athletic Academic Services











Employee Shout-Outs – April 28, 2026

Becky Garrigan, Benefits Navigator, Office of Human Resources

“Becky has truly gone above-and-beyond in helping me navigate between the various Clemson HR Departments, SC PEBA, and other organizations to understand all of the various forms and processes involved in a retirement from Clemson. Becky always made herself available by email and meetings to review these procedures. She also patiently answered all of my questions and found answers when she had to reach out to others.” – Ann Marie Alexander, Associate VP, Office of Corporate Partnerships

Richard Cannady, Security Specialist, Physical Security Operations Center, CU Public Safety

“Consistently puts in the effort to be great at his work. He is regularly trusted by our police to use our technology tools to help them be more effective.” – James Gowan, Physical Security Program Coordinator

Serita Acker, Executive Director, PEER & Wise

“Through Serita’s 35 years of dedication as a staff member with CECAS, Serita’s passion for student success and retention has enabled her to secure more than $7M+ in funding for retention and Engineering awareness programs. She has recently secured $1.6M from GE. Part of this money will be used to give out scholarships to high school students who complete the program. I am honored to work alongside someone with such a passion for helping students. CECAS is very lucky!” – Regina Taylor, Assistant Director, Assessment & Continuous Improvement

Carson Watts, Academic Advisor

“Carson exemplifies what it means to truly support students. As my academic advisor, she has gone above and beyond to help me balance a full-time career, graduate school, and being a present father. She has thoughtfully built my course schedule, supported my certificate goals, and consistently makes the MBA experience both manageable and rewarding. What stands out most is her genuine care and responsiveness. Whether it is a quick question or something more complex, Carson is always willing to help, even outside of normal hours. I am incredibly grateful for her support and the impact she has had on my Clemson MBA experience.” – Stone Tracy, Financial Business Manager, CECAS

Madison Carter, Assistant Director of Academic Advising, Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business

“The General Engineering Advising Center would like to congratulate Madison Carter on her well-deserved promotion! She has consistently demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and leadership, often going above and beyond in her role. This promotion reflects the incredible work she has already been doing, and we are excited to see her continue to thrive and make an impact in her new position. Congratulations, Madison!” – Anonymous

Laura Kinard, Student Services Manager, Department of Materials Science and Engineering

“Laura is the gold standard of Student Services staff in the entire university with her unbelievable response time, institutional knowledge, and old-school, proactive work ethic! There’s no job she won’t tackle, as exhibited recently when she was running reports for her department and alleviating student issues, all while organizing a poster competition, a guest speaker event, and coordinating an external advisory board visit – which she set up tables, easels and posterboard for herself. We are lucky to have her at Clemson!” – Anonymous























Employee Shout-Outs – April 14, 2026

Cheryl Ingram-Smith, Associate Professor, Genetics and Biochemistry

“Cheryl Ingram-Smith genuinely cares about people, and she is wonderful to work with. She has a gift for bringing light into moments that can sometimes feel stressful or dim. Her thoughtfulness, support, and optimistic spirit have an impact on those she interacts with. I personally feel blessed to work in her department and I hope this reciprocates some of that back to her. Cheryl, if you are reading this, please know how special you are to our community! Thank you for being you.” – Anonymous

Anna Grace Araiza, Language and International Business (LAIB) Advisor, Student Services

“Anna Grace consistently demonstrates exceptional diligence as the LAIB advisor, going above and beyond to support her students with thoughtful guidance and a genuine commitment to their success. Her proactive approach, attention to detail, and unwavering dedication make a lasting impact on both her advisees and the broader College of Arts and Humanities community.” – Daja Daniels, Recruitment and Career Specialist, Student Services

Derek Antos, The Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business, CCIT

“Derek is always responsive and knowledgeable! He is always there when unexpected tech issues arise and goes above and beyond to support our students, faculty and staff. We are so fortunate to have Derek’s patience and talent in The Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business!” – Anonymous

Carson Watts, Academic Advisor, MBA program

“Carson leads with genuine kindness and a willingness to always go the extra mile, making a real difference for our students and our team every day. When we needed her most, Carson stepped up to take on over 200 additional students and handled it all with positivity, grace, and a smile that never faded.” – Anonymous

Victoria Davich, Grants Coordinator I, Grants and Contracts Administration

“Victoria Davich and her Grants Transactional Services team deserve recognition for their outstanding support. Victoria has played a key role in streamlining contract modification processes, and her professionalism—along with her team’s efforts—has been invaluable in advancing our research and supporting Clemson Elevate; she is a pleasure to work with, even on complex projects.” – Anonymous

Nidhi Verma, Business Communications/Technology Specialist, Office of eRA

“Nidhi’s responsiveness, technical expertise, calm demeanor, and professionalism during our website project have been outstanding. We are fortunate to work alongside Nidhi in this process. Thank you, Nidhi!” – Diana Thrasher, Associate Director, Office of Sponsored Programs




















Employee Shout-outs – November 17, 2025

Nalinee Patin, IRB Manager

Nalinee goes above and beyond to help everyone with their research compliance needs. She is such a pleasure to work with, and I’m proud to call her my friend and colleague.” – Anonymous

Emilee Mayo, HR Service Manager

A huge shout-out to our amazing HR Service Manager, Emilee, for her incredible dedication and efficiency! Her proactive approach and commitment to excellence keep our departments running smoothly and make a real difference every day.” – Anonymous

Toni Shaw, Executive Assistant to AVP for Enrollment Management

Toni’s kindness, professionalism, and dedication stand out every day. Since my first day at Clemson, she has gone above and beyond to support those around her and ensure everything runs seamlessly. She truly embodies what it means to be an outstanding colleague.” – Teodor Giusca, Data Manager, Enrollment Management

Derek Antos, IT Consultant, Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business

Derek is an incredible Clemson employee and is always ready to help. He goes above and beyond the call of duty regularly and even he helped our Real Estate Club remotely at 7 p.m.!” – Elaine Worzala, Clinical Professor

Clemson Department of Plant Industry, Nursery Inspection Team (Alayna Vasilakis, Ashley Vaughan, Gus Elmore, Jimmy Lisenby, Kerrie Roach, and Michael Franks)

The Nursery Program team took our mission of “Inspect to Protect” to a whole new level with more inspections, surveys, export certifications, and invasive species detections than ever before.” – Theodore Zee, Nursery Operations Coordinator, Department of Plant Industry


















Employee Shout-Outs – July 7, 2025

Matt Howle, Invasive Species Program Manager, Department of Plant Industry

Matt has done a great job building and guiding staff in his program as well as working with other groups with in Clemson and nationally. He has grown to become a wonderful supervisor. He is full of creative ideas, open to improvements, and adapts to the needs of his team. A true leader.” – Anonymous

Shannon Coker, Student Services Program Coordinator II, Records/Registration

A shout out to Shannon Coker! You always go above and beyond in everything you do. Thank you for putting in the extra effort—it makes all the difference.” – Jen Charette, Administrative Assistant, Graduate Dean’s Office

Danielle Nesbitt, Student Services Program Coordinator II, Records/Registration

I just wanted to thank you. Your hard work did not go unnoticed!” – Jen Charette, Administrative Assistant, Graduate Dean’s Office

Cindy Jefferson, Account Fiscal Analyst III, Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business

A thank you for being a great mentor, trainer, and advisor that has the answers or knows where to find them.” – Anonymous

Marvin Morris, Surplus Warehouse Specialist, Procurement and Business Services

“Demonstrated outstanding customer service by stepping in when a delivery driver was unable to locate the correct drop-off point for three pallets of concert equipment, preventing the shipment from being returned. His quick action—coordinating with University leadership and arranging for delivery to the event field—helped avoid delays and meet our deadlines, and we’re truly grateful for his initiative and support.” – Keith Martin, Director of Support Services, University Facilities















Employee Shout-Outs – April 28, 2025

Deborah Hammond, Administrative Coordinator, Department of Languages

Debbie is a great human being and always has been supportive of my work and the work of others in our department, always receiving us with a warm and kind smile, despite how busy she may be. She is always willing to lend a hand to contribute with our department’s programming success. Her assistance with our classes and service-learning activities are a key ingredient that helps us in becoming more efficient and impactful instructors.” – Arelis Moore, Associate Professor, Department of Languages

Maj. Ian Fields, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies, Air Force ROTC

Maj. Fields was informed of a student involved in an accident and promptly arrived at the scene to assist with transporting the student and managing the motorcycle. They went above and beyond to ensure the student’s well-being.” – Abbie Sharpe, Administrative Coordinator, Aerospace Studies (Air Force ROTC)

Gregory Hunter, Sr. BI Analyst, Business Intelligence 
Keep up the great work! You are doing amazing!” – Teodor Giusca, Strategic Data Manager, Enrollment Management




Employee Shout-outs – October 31, 2024

Anna Craft-Hart, Communication Outreach, Fiscal Analyst II – Bioengineering

“I have only been in my position for 3 months but I could not do my job adequately without Anna. Anna has gone above and beyond to make sure I am acclimated to my work environment. Anna is a hardworking, angel of a human and I am thankful for all of her guidance and support with learning my job. She is truly a vital piece of the Bioengineering Department.” – Skylar Powell, Fiscal Analyst II – Bioengineering


Michael Mavis, Account Fiscal Analyst III, Accounting Services

“I don’t think people realize how much Michael does for this institution and goes out of his way to take care of things and do them properly. He is such a joy to work with, responds quickly, and remains dependable – I would be lost without him!” – Anonymous


The Campus Recreation Operations Team

“This team pulled together to open our facilities and preserve recreational opportunities for Clemson students and staff in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. This allowed students and staff without power/water not just to come in and work out, but to also take a hot shower and charge their devices, maintaining a small sense of normalcy in their day. This is truly and amazing team. Thank you Ben, Megan, Darius, Lauren, Liz, Tayllor, and Jasmine for all you do!” – Anonymous


Shea Mazique, Student Services Coordinator

“Shea is incredibly professional, competent, organized and helpful! She continually goes above and beyond to create a welcoming environment and help the students! She is an asset to our department and Clemson University.” – Anonymous

Want to shout-out a colleague for their great work? Fill out our short nomination form and visit previous editions!



Employee Shout-outs – July 10, 2024

Dionne Holt, Assistant Director for Personnel Administration, Clemson Home

“Dionne is a superstar! She goes above and beyond to collaborate with and support others. Her impact is far-reaching and positive!” – Mary Erin Morrissey, Director of Inclusive Excellence Initiatives and Engagement, Finance and Operations


Levi Roach, Outreach and Operations Management, PEER & WISE

“Levi is a dedicated and passionate community builder. He is a strong advocate for others, and is persistent in creating positive spaces and opportunities for community growth. He is a great asset to the university.” – Anonymous


Emilee Mayo, HR Service Manager, Office of Human Resources

“For her hard work and dedication to the College of Business. Emily goes above and beyond to ensure that administrative functions and tasks are completed with accuracy and in a timely manner. She takes the time to teach other admins the proper way to complete many of the HR tasks and is an integral part of the COB team. She is consistently sought out for her expertise and should be recognized for going above and beyond to ensure that COB employees, faculty and staff, are taken care of.” – Eric Bamberg, HR Payroll Liaison, College of Business

Want to shout-out a colleague for their great work? Fill out our short nomination form!


Employee Shout-Outs – June 19, 2024

Jacob Chambers, Director, Marketing & Communications, Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business

“Jacob came into this position (after it was vacant for some time) to a team of one. He has excelled in this position in a short amount of time. He’s been dedicated to assembling a creative and collaborative team while building relationships to support our College in meaningful and fun ways that enhance our efforts for and throughout the College. His happiness, creativity and Clemson spirit are contagious!” – Anonymous


John M. Lewis, Supervisor Zone 2, University Housing and Dining

“You are so amazing! Thank you for coming in on your off day to help HSP prepare bed spaces for Summer Camp!! You are an example of what a great supervisor is. We truly appreciate you and your crew’s hard work. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” – HSP


Robyn Williams, Office of Human Resources

“A shoutout to Robyn Williams in HR for all you do for CAFLS and Clemson! You are truly appreciated and a rock star! Thank you for all you do!” – Greg Yarrow,  Interim Dean, CAFLS

Want to shout-out a colleague for their great work? Fill out our short nomination form!

Employee Shout-outs – April 30, 2024

Jeffrey Elrod, Information Systems Business Analyst III, Application Services, CCIT

“After a system issue was recently discovered, Jeffrey went above and beyond to determine how to fix the issue, dedicating more time and effort than someone would expect. The level of commitment is unmatched and I couldn’t appreciate having him on the team more.” – Anonymous


Maggie Guerra-Ayala, Administrative Coordinator, Watt Family Innovation Center

“Maggie is so kind and conscientious. She has helped me find spaces when I’ve made a mistake, with a smile and a helpful attitude. She makes me want to pass the positivity on to the next person I encounter. Thank you Maggie!” – Jenny Presgraves, Director of Professional Development and Well-being/The Graduate School


Lisa Bundrick (Director of Career Engagement) and Elli Miles (Career Engagement Coordinator)

“A fantastic Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business Signing Day for our students. Terrific event, well-organized, planned and all-around a great experience for those students who attended, the faculty who volunteered and the staff that hosted the event!” – Holly Hawk, Clinical Assistant Professor, Accounting

Want to shout-out a colleague for their great work? Fill out our short nomination form!