When Steven Marks, Founding Dean of the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine and his wife, Dr. Dianne Dunning, Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, talk about Steve’s father, they focus on his giving spirit, his love for others and his love for animals.
As a way to honor this special man, Steve and Dianne have recently established a founding scholarship for the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine in memory of Steve’s father, Jerome “Jerry” Marks.
“My father instilled in me a love for animals and a heart for service. He always told me I was born to be a vet,” Steve said with a smile, “and he supported my career in every way. He was the kind of person who made things better for all people and animals and that mindset – that he inherited from his own father – is truly our family’s creed.”
That generational service mentality lives on in the Marks-Dunning family. When their oldest child, George Henry Marks ’21, became a member of the Clemson men’s soccer team, Steve and Dianne were pleased to see reinforcement of their community outreach focus. “We were thrilled at the transformation of our son during his time at Clemson,” Dianne said. “He entered college focused on his soccer game but left with a greater sense of self and his role in the community.”
Because of their great love and admiration for Steve’s father and their gratitude for George Henry’s Clemson Experience, establishing this scholarship felt like a natural next step for the couple, who strive to lead by example. “As my wife likes to say, ‘If you’re out there asking, you’d better be giving, too’,” Steve said. “The College has set a goal of offering a scholarship for each student in the inaugural class and this is our way of showing our commitment to that cause,” he added.
“Clemson University was such a gift to our family and the depth of our gratitude for our son’s experience is difficult to explain. Having seen Clemson through the eyes of parents, when the opportunity arose, we knew this is a place we wanted to be. The ability to make history by helping start a new college and set the culture for the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine is simply amazing,” Steve said.
Establishing the new College has been a great opportunity for Steve and Dianne to infuse their community service focus into all aspects of the College. “We want our faculty and staff to demonstrate servant leadership and live Clemson University’s core values,” Steve said. “We want graduates of our College to go into the community as more than simply veterinarians; we want them to be health care leaders.”
“Dean Marks and Dr. Dunning continue to lead by example. Their establishment of the Jerome “Jerry” Marks Founding Scholarship Endowment for the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine in memory of Steve’s father is yet another way of carrying forward their family’s ideals of making things better for all people and animals,” said Senior Vice President of Advancement Brian O’Rourke.
The Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine has a goal of funding scholarships for each of the 80 students in the inaugural class and beyond. If you would like to join Dean Marks and Dr. Dunning in their efforts to support future veterinarians, you may contribute to scholarships HERE.
