Clemson alumni Jim Warner ’95 and Shannon Conner Warner ’95 have made an exciting pledge leading up to Give Day on April 10.
They plan to match up to $50,000 in new donations directed towards scholarships for Honors College students. Dollars raised could help provide every one of next year’s incoming Clemson Honors students with some merit aid from Clemson.
“Shannon and Jim are enthusiastic about the community that the Honors College creates for its students, and their gift is only one of many things they are doing to make Honors students feel welcomed and supported,” said Sarah Winslow, Dean of the Clemson University Honors College. “Scholarships go a long way toward helping students see that Clemson is the place for them. We are so grateful for the Warners’ steadfast support and the transformational impact this challenge gift will have on the Honors College and Clemson University.”
Warner graduated with a degree in marketing in 1995. Conner Warner earned an elementary education degree the same year. They have been enthusiastic Clemson supporters and ambassadors ever since.
Warner and Conner Warner have an open home and tailgate for friends and family from across the country who want to learn more about Clemson and what makes it so unique.
“It all comes down to our Clemson Experience as kids, students, alumni, parents and then parents of Tigers,” said Warner. “I mean, we’ve gotten personal joy out of Clemson. But we also get a lot of joy out of hosting and sharing it with our friends.”
Seeing the University through the eyes of one of their daughters, a Clemson Honors student, sparked their interest in helping other Honors students access professional and personal support to help them succeed.
“Once we got to know the other students and faculty in the Honors College, it became apparent that it is pretty special,” said Warner. “We saw so much opportunity to help other students see Clemson — and the Honors College — as a place where they could fit in academically and find their community.”
Warner and Conner Warner wanted other students and their families to have a similar experience. Last fall, they spearheaded and hosted a series of welcome drop-in events during move-in.
“We did it so parents could meet other parents who have been through the sometimes stressful experience of leaving your child at college, but more importantly to ensure they had a connection at Clemson if they didn’t already,” said Conner Warner. “And we benefited as well, by making new connections and friends.”
Their scholarship gift is about helping students feel welcomed before they even arrive on campus while also spreading the word about how Clemson and its Honors College elevate their undergraduate experience.
Every dollar directed toward the matching gift makes an impact.
“Donations of any size add up quickly and help us get closer to our matching goal,” said Warner. “And every college benefits, as Honors students are athletes, education majors, business majors, humanities, they are student leaders and they come from every college. Honors really touches more of Clemson than anybody could imagine. Every college benefits from the Honors College.”
Warner and Conner Warner’s gift is part of the University’s Fiercely Forward capital campaign. To make a donation to be matched as a part of this challenge, visit the College’s online giving page and direct your gift to the “Clemson Honors College Annual Scholarship” option.
About the Fiercely Forward Capital Campaign
Clemson University is embarking on its most ambitious campaign to date, Fiercely Forward. It’s a call to action. A spark to ignite the potential within each of us. A testament to a legacy that began in 1889 and has led to Clemson becoming one of the most innovative research institutions in the nation. Fiercely Forward will create a future where brilliant minds launch into lives of purpose and significance, where cutting-edge research unlocks the mysteries of human potential, and where ingenuity and innovation forge a better tomorrow for all. With a dedication to academic excellence, state-of-the-art facilities, and an unmatched student experience, we charge Fiercely Forward toward tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
For more information, visit FiercelyForward.clemson.edu.
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