Global opportunities for students in the College of Architecture, Art and Construction (CAAC) are set to expand thanks to the generosity of Clemson alumni Thom (’72, M ’74) and Gretchen McKellar Penney (’83). With a gift of $1 million, the Penneys have established the Penney Global Engagement Fund.
The gift will support grants-in-aid for any CAAC student participating in the college’s expanding global engagement opportunities. In addition, a component of the fund will support the hiring of a CAAC Director of Global and Regional Engagement to coordinate and promote the college’s worldwide initiatives.
“Thom and Gretchen have become two of my favorite people in the world, my friends and role models,” said CAAC Dean Ece Erdogmus. “Their collective impact on the field of Architecture is undeniable and well known, but their support for our college as alumni and donors is above and beyond.”
In 2023, the Penneys also endowed a professorship in evidence-based design, which resulted in the hire of Jason Yeom, the Thompson E. Penney and Gretchen M. Penney Endowed Distinguished Associate Professor in the Richard A. McMahan School of Architecture.
“The Penney Global Engagement fund is an exemplary gift that is well aligned with our new college’s vision based on interdisciplinary collaboration and training global leaders. By sending our students from main campus to Charleston, Barcelona, Genoa, and other parts of the world, we will not only graduate future leaders of the United States, but global leaders,” Erdogmus added.
The Penneys’ relationship to Clemson’s global opportunities stretches back more than 50 years to when Thom was part of the first group of students to attend Charles E. Daniel Center for Building Research and Urban Studies in Genoa. However, the gift was sparked by a much more recent event when the global CAAC community rallied around Thom to save his life.
“It was a beautiful experience. It was a tragic experience. It was a hard experience. But having the support — the incredible support — of the Clemson community has been remarkable.”
Gretchen Penney ’83
Crisis in Barcelona
In March 2025, the Penneys joined a group of Clemson Architectural Foundation (CAF) members along with faculty and staff to visit Clemson’s Fluid Campus® sites in Barcelona and Genoa. It was the morning of their third day in Barcelona when crisis struck.
“He got out of the shower, and half of his face was…gone,” Gretchen recalled. Thom had suffered a massive stroke, disabling the left side of his body. The Penneys were thousands of miles from home in a country where they didn’t speak the language.
That’s when the Clemson Family stepped up.
Within minutes, Professor and former Director of the Richard A. McMahan School of Architecture Jim Stevens was in the room to provide aid in partnership with his wife, Brooks, a member of Clemson’s art faculty. As first responders arrived, Rick del Monte—current chair of the CAF and a fluent Spanish speaker— joined them to provide invaluable translations and followed them to the hospital along with the Stevens.
At Hospital de Sant Pau, more members of the Clemson community arrived to provide support: Dean Ece Erdogmus; Senior Director of Development Amy Vogelgesang; Barcelona Architecture Center Director Miguel Roldan and his wife, Mercedes. That evening, then-President Jim Clements called to check on Thom’s condition, which he did repeatedly during the weeks to come.
“I was very alone, but I didn’t feel alone in that moment,” Gretchen said.
For four weeks, the Penneys remained in Barcelona while Thom fought to become well enough to survive the trip home, and Gretchen fought to ensure that he received adequate care.
Throughout their stay, members of the Clemson community offered support through food, calls, cards, flowers, translations with health care providers and advocacy for a medically safe flight home.
“Those little things become huge when you’re in a crisis,” Gretchen said.
The Clemson Village
The Penneys ordeal didn’t end when they returned to the U.S, and neither did their support from the Clemson Family. On arrival, Thom spent three weeks in acute rehabilitation in Roper Hospital, followed by five weeks at the Gadsden Glen Center for Health & Rehab.
Thom’s left side was permanently debilitated, leaving him struggling to speak or walk. However, when the Penneys returned to their Charleston home, they found a wheelchair ramp constructed by students from the Clemson Design Center in Charleston, led by their director, David Pastre.
“I couldn’t do it without this Clemson village,” Gretchen remarked.
“We are grateful for Thom and Gretchen’s continued investment in our students and in the power of global learning. This gift is a testament to their steadfast support and commitment to moving our campaign Fiercely Forward. The Clemson Family continues to surround the Penneys with our love and support through this time of recovery,” said Brian O’Rourke, Senior Vice President for Advancement
Thom’s care remains a daily challenge as they adjust to a new routine that contrasts with the decades of their vibrant lifestyle together. The Penneys both enjoyed careers as architects. As Thom’s career took off as the long-time CEO of LS3P Associates, which included a term as President of the AIA (American Institute of Architects), Gretchen built a legacy of philanthropy and civic service that includes the Clemson Board of Visitors, Trident United Way, the American Lung Association and Circular Congregational Church.
In their retirement, Clemson has continued to be an outlet for Thom’s passion for architecture, Gretchen’s passion for philanthropy and their shared passion for mentorship.
All three loves are brought to life with their latest donation, and they are able to honor the impact that the global Clemson community has had on their lives.
“It was a beautiful experience. It was a tragic experience. It was a hard experience,” Gretchen reflected. “But having the support — the incredible support — of the Clemson community has been remarkable.”
