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41 new members added to Clemson University’s Emeritus College as it celebrates its 20th anniversary

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On Tuesday, April 25, 2023, President Jim Clements and Senior Associate Provost Amy Lawton-Rauh welcomed 41 new members to the ranks of the esteemed Emeritus College on the day of its 20th anniversary. 

A standing-room-only audience assembled at the Madren Center as 29 new emeritus/a faculty members were added to the college, along with six special rank faculty who were retiring and four affiliate members. The College also honored two professor emeriti posthumously—Dennis Bausman and Richard Miller.

A Historical Publication: Memories and Moments: Reflections of Emeritus College Faculty

Memories and Moments: Reflections of Emeritus College Faculty cover

To fully recognize the moment, the Emeritus College marked the 20th anniversary by releasing Memories and Moments: Reflections of Emeritus College Faculty. Thebook, with essays written by 80 emeritus faculty about their experiences at Clemson University, was placed as a gift at every luncheon guest’s seat as a cherished memento. The front cover was designed by Donna Reiss, Professor Emerita of English, while the back photograph was contributed by Sam Wang, Alumni Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Visual Arts. Vicki Gillis, Debbie Jackson, Kathy Headley and Marty Duckenfield served as the editors for the project.

Copies are available for $40 through the Emeritus College. To purchase, contact Debbie Jackson (dbj@clemson.edu).

Display

The University Libraries provided a display of the twenty years of the emeritus college created by Tara Seefeld from Library Archives and Ariel Turner, Associate Dean, Collection and Discovery.

Luncheon Orator—Chip Egan; ‘Taking Stock’ and ‘New Horizons’

Chip Egan speaking

Clifton “Chip” Egan, dean emeritus of the College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities at Clemson University, an Alumni Distinguished Professor of Theatre and a recipient of the Class of ’39 Faculty Award for Excellence, was the honored speaker for event. Egan’s address covered the history of the Emeritus College creation by President Emeritus James F. Barker, Provost Emerita Dori Helms, and the first director, Professor Emerita Diane Smathers.

“This is a day for looking back on two decades of accomplishment and growth, for taking stock of where we are as a college and, perhaps most significantly, looking forward to the coming decade of new horizons and challenges for the Emeritus College,” said Egan.

“The Emeritus College advances the interests of the University and emeritus faculty by intentionally infusing core values of Belonging, Collaboration, Engagement and Well-Being throughout its programs and services. We foster a healthy environment of genuine concern for the well-being and continuing success of all involved.”

Awards

Robert Hogan, Professor Emeritus of Architecture who also served as Associate Chair of the School of Architecture announced the following Emeritus College’s annual awards recipients:

Winner of the Kenelly-Voss Distinguished Emeritus Award—Debra Jackson

This 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.

Debra Jackson’s contributions include serving as the Emeritus College Director since January of 2019. During her tenure, programming has increased by more than 60 percent. During COVID, Jackson switched programming to virtual sessions. Today, programs continue in a hybrid format, allowing Emeritus College members to participate remotely. Under her leadership, donations continue to increase, and new programs continue to be added to the long list of Emeritus College offerings. Jackson and her husband Vince have established “The Debbie and Vince Jackson Endowment for Music,” allowing the Emeritus College to expand and support musical events. Jackson’s contributions to the Clemson Community include serving as a board member of the Community Foundation of Greater Clemson and as the chair for the Grants and Awards committee. For 25 years, Jackson authored a health column in a local newspaper and she continues to serve as a strong advocate for mental health care. At the national level, Jackson served on advisory committees for the American Cancer Society and NIH Digestive Disease Coalitions.

Named I.D.E. Emeritus College Fellows

These named fellows were created to honor emeritus faculty members each year who steadily render valuable service to the Emeritus College and to Clemson University without compensation. They are named fellows in honor of I. Dwaine Eubanks, a former Executive Director of the Emeritus College.

Joel Greenstein

In service to the Emeritus College, Greenstein has served as a member of the Emeritus College Advisory Committee as well as its chair from 2020 to 2021. During his time in this position, he made it his mission to fully fund the Kenelly/Voss Endowment at the $25,000 mark. The endowment was initiated in 2008 and for many years other funds were used to make the contributions awarded in the recipient’s name. Greenstein currently serves as the liaison from the Emeritus College to the Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education (AROHE). He took over from Lucy Eubanks, who recommended Joel for this important position. Greenstein won the Paul M. Fitts Education Award in 2020 from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. In his nomination letter, one student wrote: “Dr. Joel Greenstein has received Clemson University’s Industrial Engineering Professor of the Year so many times that the honor has picked up a colloquial nickname of the ‘Joel Greenstein Award. ’”

Imtiaz Haque

Imtiaz Haque accepts an award

In service to the Emeritus College, Haque has led numerous bird walk programs for the Emeritus faculty. He has co-developed a non-credit course on birding and wildlife photography. Haque also encouraged and planned the Emeritus College’s first, of what the College hopes to be many, overnight adventures in Charleston, S.C. He has provided numerous photographs to the Emeritus College to publish as notecards for Emeritus College faculty. Haque was the founding chair of the Automotive Engineering Department and instrumental in the development of CU-ICAR.

Laura Shick

Laura Shick accepts an award

In service to the Emeritus College, Schick is a member of the Prison Interest Group. Her approach is to help by doing, not just asking. Shick reaches out to see what the next steps are. In doing so, she was part of the original task force that developed the first symposium that brought colleges and universities together from across the state to explore how we might serve incarcerated individuals. Shick was also a major contributor to the Memories and Moments: Reflections of Emeritus College Faculty.

Stephen Wainscott

Stephen Wainscott accepts an award

In service to the Emeritus College, Wainscott currently serves as a member of the Emeritus College Advisory Board. He also chairs the Program and Planning Committee. In that role, he has developed several new initiatives, including a virtual travel program. In this program, faculty, current and emeritus share their experiences and travel with recommendations for special “not to miss” sites, itineraries that work and even hotel and food ideas. Wainscott’s enthusiasm for future programs helps keep the Emeritus College current and interesting for its members. 

Sam Wang

Sam Wang accepts an award

Wang serves on the Program and Planning Committee. He was instrumental in re-conceptualizing the space used by the Emeritus College for special interest groups. Wang also leads a special interest group on photography. He was also instrumental in the publication Memories and Moments: Reflections of Emeritus College Faculty. Without Wang, half of the images would not have met the requirements for the publication. In service to Clemson University, Wang continues to mentor graduate students by serving on masters and doctoral committees.

Winner of the Emeritus Scholarship Award—Salvatore Costanzo

Student Salvatore Costanzo is an Architecture major and Civil Engineering minor, and a member of Clemson’s Honor’s College. A member of the Class of 2023, when highlighting his accomplishments, Costanzo wrote on his LinkedIn page: “Through art and mathematics in high school, I have learned that I am a creative and analytical individual. I have also realized my love for architecture and am currently pursuing a degree in architecture. Through tutoring in high school and in Clemson University, I have learned that I love helping others. Collaboration and teamwork are important to me, and something I am excited to improve upon in undergrad and in the professional world.” Costanzo has worked as a graphic design intern on campus where he consults with Clemson students and faculty on their design projects and presentations. He also designs advertisements and brand content for Visual Information Design and other projects, such as design work for the Cultivate San Antonio magazine. His painting, “Through Glass,” was published in the book “Celebrating Art,” sponsored by Blick Art.

The 41 New Emeritus Faculty of 2023

President Clements claps in front of the crowd of emeritus faculty

Sheila Jane Backman

Legacy Professor Emerita of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management

Dennis Charles Bausman

Professor Emeritus of Construction Science and Management, Posthumously

A. Wayne Bennett

Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering

James Louis Burati, Jr.

Professor Emeritus of Glenn Department of Civil Engineering

Director, SC Transportation Technology Transfer Service

Edward Randolph Collins, Jr.

Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Associate Vice President for Charleston and Executive Director for Academic Initiatives, CECAS

William Henry Conner

Professor Emeritus of Forestry and Environmental Conservation

Jane DeLuca

Associate Professor Emerita of Nursing

Philip M. Fravel

Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Sciences

Christopher Mark Grau

Associate Professor Emeritus of Philosophy

Charles Alan Grubb

Associate Professor Emeritus of History

Cynthia Haynes

Professor Emerita of English

Sandra Mitchell Hedetniemi

Professor Emerita of Computer Science

Douglas Edward Hirt

Professor Emeritus of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Jan Rune Holmevik

Associate Professor Emeritus of English

Doctoral Program Coordinator (RCID) 

Faculty Liaison to the VP for IT and CIO, CCIT

Paul Faris Joseph

Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering

Robert Michael Kimmel

Associate Professor Emeritus of Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences

Robert Adam Latour, Jr.

Professor Emeritus of Bioengineering

Gordon Jeffrey Love

Professor Emeritus of Languages German and Russian

Nancy Karen Meehan

Associate Professor Emerita of Nursing

Richard Steven Miller 

Associate Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering, Posthumously

William Clayton Norman

Professor Emeritus of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management

Jay Matthew Ochterbeck

Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering

Christiaan “Chris” Paredis

Professor Emeritus of Automotive Engineering

Steve Richard Sanders

Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering

Matthew Clay Smith

Director, Clemson Pee Dee Research and Education Center

Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Sciences

Salvatore A. Sparace

Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences

Pradip Srimani

Professor Emeritus of Computer Science

Steven Jennings Stuart

Professor Emeritus of Chemistry

Fred S. Switzer, III

Professor Emeritus of Psychology

Jennie Elizabeth Wakefield

Professor Emerita of English

Linda Dianne Ward

Professor Emerita of Nursing

Retired Clemson Special Faculty Rank

Pamela Renee Alley

Principal Lecturer, Retired

Undergraduate Advising Coordinator, Psychology

Sandy Edge

Principal Lecturer, Retired

Director, Academic Advising Center

Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business

Kathleen Mary Meyer

Senior Lecturer, Retired

Public Health

Andrew Stanley Mount

Research Associate Professor, Retired

Plant and Environmental Science

Timothy Parrott

Senior Lecturer, Retired

Mathematical and Statistical Sciences

Sheri Smith Webster

Clinical Assistant Professor, Retired

Nursing

Clemson University Affiliate Members

Nancy Cassity Dunlap

Associate Director School of Education, Retired

Don Fraser

System Architect, Retired

Kenneth Steven Marsh

Cryovac Chair of Packaging Science, Retired

Associate Members, Emeritus/a

Barbara Heifferon

Professor Emerita of English

Louisiana State University