Clemson held its annual Service Member and Veteran Graduate Celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 16 in the Almeda Jacks Ballrooms of Hendrix Student Center. Undergraduate and graduate students were recognized for their service to the United States military and for preparing to graduate from Clemson in this week’s Commencement ceremonies. Honorees listed below were presented red, white and blue cords to wear atop their graduation regalia.
“Congratulations to these graduates for reaching an incredible milestone,” Vice President for Student Affairs Doug Hallenbeck said during his welcome remarks. “You have been an important part of the Clemson Family and now will always be part of the Clemson Family. You’ve made Clemson better by your presence, work and service.”
The Office of Military & Veteran Engagement (M&VE) led a program that included keynote remarks from United States Air Force (retired) Col. Sandy Edge ’72, former Air Force ROTC commander and chair of the aerospace studies department. His lengthy post-military accomplishments include receiving the Distinguished Service Award in 2024 from the Clemson Alumni Association.
Outstanding Student Veteran Award
Siris Liptak was presented with the Fall 2025 Outstanding Student Veteran Award due to his remarkable impact on Clemson’s campus, admirable leadership to veterans and military-connected peers, and for advancing the mission of M&VE by helping build a veteran-inclusive campus. Liptak is an economics major who volunteered weekly during the M&VE Resource Center to provide tutoring and peer mentorship to fellow students.
Military Student Leadership Awards
M&VE awarded three students with Fall 2025 Military Leadership Awards, which provides $500 to each recipient for building community to overcome challenges that veterans and military-connected students face: Sam Blankenship, Andrea Cerda and Reese Chapman.
Veteran Impact Award
Each semester, M&VE honors a member of the Clemson University community who has made a positive impact on the military student experience. The recipient of the Fall 2025 Veteran Impact Award was David Knox, director of the University Testing and Education Center. In his role, he provides support to military-connected students by creating a welcome testing environment and sharing academic space to allow M&VE to host Green Zone Training — helping faculty and staff better understand the uniqueness of service members, veterans and military families.
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MASTER’S GRADUATES
Benjamin Lau II
• Master of business administration
• Native of Mission, Texas served three years in the United States Navy as a deck seaman
• Member of SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society
Isaiah Singleton
• Biochemistry
• Native of Charleston, South Carolina has served more than four years in the United States Air Force as a captain and nuclear chemist/physicist
BACHELOR’S GRADUATES
Luke Hargrove
• Mechanical engineering
• Native of Charleston, South Carolina served six years in the United States Marine Corps achieving the rank of lance corporal as a distribution management specialist
• Served as vice president of Clemson’s Student Veterans Association chapter
Griffin Johnson
• Accounting
• Native of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania has served more than two years in the South Carolina Army National Guard and formerly led the U.S. Army drill team at Arlington National Cemetery
Jamie Polak
• Parks, recreation and tourism management
• Native of Lilburn, Georgia served four years in the United States Marine Corps as a corporal in the infantry
Hanna Pooley
• Recreational therapy
• Native of Greenville, South Carolina served five years in the United States Air Force as a senior airman in security forces
• Member of SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society
Ruben Rosario
• Mechanical engineering
• Native of Greer, South Carolina served five years in the United States Marine Corps as a sergeant and helicopter crew chief
• Member of SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society
Rhian Stewart
• Psychology
• Native of Columbia, South Carolina currently serves in the South Carolina Army National Guard as a private first class and cannon crew member
