Dear Clemson Family,
As we near the end of the academic year, I want to take a few moments to encourage our students to finish the semester strong and give it their all. I remember the nerves, excitement and extra cups of coffee that I had before heading into Lehotsky Hall to take my exams when I was a student here at Clemson. But my nerves always calmed when I remembered I had a lot of support to get me through that moment. And just like then, you have an entire community – faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members – cheering you on.
To our nearly 5,000 graduating students, we are excited to celebrate this special milestone with you. I cannot wait to see the pride and joy on the faces of your friends and family as you walk across the stage in Littlejohn Coliseum and become graduates of what I believe is the best university in the country.
Last week, our Board of Trustees held its spring quarterly meeting, where Trustees received updates from across campus and engaged with several of our students as we emphasized progress toward delivering the No. 1 Student Experience, which is Pillar One of our strategic plan, Clemson Elevate. Trustees also approved multiple new degrees and certificates, including programs in Artificial Intelligence, as well as a new Clemson University National Security Institute, which positions the University to advance national security research and leadership development on a larger scale.
Since my last update, our Clemson community answered the call with incredible generosity for our 11th annual Give Day, with more than 4,000 donors – from students, faculty, staff, and alumni across the globe – giving over $2.1 million to support our great University. We also held our Spring ring ceremonies, one of my favorite Clemson traditions, where I had the honor of presenting Clemson Rings to 2,098 of our Tigers.
In athletics, our Gymnastics and Women’s Indoor Track and Field teams brought home two ACC Championships this Spring, and Gladys Chepngetich, a middle-distance runner, won an individual national championship. We had NCAA postseason appearances by Men’s and Women’s Basketball, and an outstanding individual performance by Brie Clark at Nationals, a first in our Gymnastics team’s history. The talent and focus shown through our athletic programs and by our student-athletes are truly remarkable and continue to help set Clemson apart from other universities.
As this semester comes to an end, I hope you take a few moments to reflect on all you have accomplished this year. Enjoy the summer months, take time to recharge, and whether you are returning to Clemson in the fall or beginning the next chapter in your journey, I hope you always carry with you the spirit, values and pride of Clemson University.
Go Tigers!
