On the eve of the 2026 Fall semester, Clemson University is proud to introduce a reimagined resource benefiting all students. Comprised of Student Affairs staff with an unwavering focus on student success, the Gantt Center for Student Experience is the product of two previous departments that have come together with a shared mission of fostering belonging, leadership and engagement.
The center is named in honor of Harvey and Lucinda Gantt, the first African-American male and female students in Clemson history.
“We are incredibly proud to continue to honor the Gantt legacy at Clemson through the formation of this new center,” says Vice President for Student Affairs Doug Hallenbeck. “It will be a great resource for students looking to get involved, impact their community and achieve success inside and outside of the classroom.”
The center has several foundational pillars, including leadership development, student organizations and clubs, retention programs, student traditions, social programs (such as U-NITES!), student transitions, family programs and community engagement.
Gantt Center staff now reside under one roof in Brackett Hall 300 Suite. An open house is planned for the first day of classes, Wednesday, Aug. 19, where students are encouraged to drop in, meet with staff and learn more about the center. Staff previously in the Center for Student Leadership and Engagement are moving to Brackett from Sirrine Hall.
The center’s executive director, Kate Radford, says it’s been the culmination of months of hard work to bring two staffs together in the same space with a clear mission. The move carries even more meaning for Radford, who began her Clemson career as a graduate assistant in what was then the Gantt Center for Student Life from 2010-12.
“It’s a full-circle moment for me, because I loved my time as a GA in the Gantt Center for Student Life,” she says. “We were able to impact the experience of every Clemson student, through a variety of resources and staff support. I’m excited about how we will work to do that very thing in our new center. I was then, and I am now, proud to do that work in a way I hope will honor the Gantt legacy. Continuing to honor them with our name reflects the impact they have left on our campus — they’re trailblazers who made Clemson better.”
To learn more about the Gantt Center for Student Experience, visit the department’s website or Instagram account. Email cugantt@clemson.edu for more information.
