Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business

Andy Mendelsohn named executive director of Erwin Center

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Marketing industry veteran to lead Center for the Study of Advertising and Communication

GREENVILLE — Andy Mendelsohn, the founder and chief creative officer of the advertising creative consultancy Upper West, has been tapped to lead Clemson University’s Erwin Center for the Study of Advertising and Communication. The appointment was made by Karyn Jones, chair of communication studies.

The Erwin Center was founded in 2012 as a collaboration among Clemson academic faculty in marketing communication studies, industry practitioners from ad agencies, and leading American consumer brands.

“The depth and breadth of Andy’s more than three decades in the marketing and advertising industry, as well as his passion for great work, make him a tremendous asset to Clemson and the Erwin Center,” said Richard Goodstein, dean of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities.

Mendelsohn’s industry experience began in New York where he worked as a copywriter, then earned positions of increasing responsibility during his time at some of the most well-known advertising agencies in the country, including Saatchi & Saatchi, Warwick Baker O’Neill, SSC&B Lintas and Erwin Penland. He led several creative departments, earning national awards while working with notable client brands Heineken, Lexmark, Panasonic, Verizon, Denny’s, Tylenol and many Procter & Gamble brands.

Mendelsohn, along with several members of national marketing agency Erwin Penland’s staff, instruct Erwin Center classes in a “teaching hospital” model, offering students the opportunity to work on actual industry assignments through partnerships with such brands as Denny’s, Ritz-Carlton, John Hancock, Loggerhead Apparel, nearby minor league Red Sox affiliate The Greenville Drive, as well as the American Advertising Federation (AAF). The Erwin Center’s non-traditional approach provides Clemson students with applied learning experience previously absent from the curriculum but highly sought after by students and employers alike.

“This program is clearly a win for current students, and it’s becoming a major asset for Clemson in attracting extraordinary faculty and students to the university.” said Mendelsohn. “Moving forward, we’re actively pursuing an expanded roster of client and agency partnerships, building new courses and working to secure additional quality internships. It’s this work — at the nexus of industry and education — that we believe will be most impactful for Erwin Center alumni, their future employers, clients and the industry at large.”

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Clemson University
Ranked No. 20 among national public universities, Clemson University is a major, land-grant, science- and engineering-oriented research university that maintains a strong commitment to teaching and student success. Clemson is an inclusive, student-centered community characterized by high academic standards, a culture of collaboration, school spirit and a competitive drive to excel.

Erwin Center for the Study of Advertising and Communication
Clemson University’s Erwin Center for Advertising and Communication was founded in 2012 as a strategic partnership with the College of Architecture, Arts & Humanities and the department of communication studies through a donation by marketing entrepreneurs Joe and Gretchen Erwin. Utilizing a highly collaborative teaching model — and in partnership with leading national agencies and brands — the program prepares students for careers in the evolving and increasingly interactive disciplines of marketing, advertising and communication.

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