On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, the Clemson University Emeritus College welcomed new members and honored its annual award recipients during its 22nd celebration ceremony and luncheon. President Jim Clements and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Bob Jones welcomed 21 new emeritus faculty members to the college and Cecil Huey, professor emeritus and chair of the Emeritus College Advisory Board, welcomed nine affiliate, associate, and honorary members.
Keynote Speakers: Victoria Ridgeway Gillis and Kathy Headley
Victoria Ridgeway Gillis and Kathy Headley, both professors emerita of Literacy, served as the keynote speakers, delivering “Gen R: Reflect, Remember, (W)Rite.” Gillis and Headley provided a lively discussion of the need for the retirement generation (Gen R) to take time to reflect, to remember, and to write about their memories. Gillis and Headley are in the development phase of the second edition of Moments and Memories: Reflections of Emeritus Faculty. They read six passages from essays in the first edition and encouraged the emeritus faculty to contribute their stories for the second edition. The essays range in topics from funny to serious, but all reflect faculty experiences at Clemson and tell a simple story. The due date for submissions is September 30, 2025, and final drafts can be submitted by emailing emerituscollege@clemson.edu.
Robert Hogan, professor emeritus of Architecture who served as associate chair of the School of Architecture, chair of the Emeritus College Awards Committee, announced the Emeritus College’s annual awards recipients.
Awards
Kenelly-Voss Distinguished Emeritus Award: Harold Cheatham
The Kenelly-Voss Distinguished Emeritus Award was established by the late John Kenelly to recognize emeritus faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to Emeritus College, Clemson University, the greater Clemson community, and to society. The 2025 Kenelly-Voss Distinguished Emeritus Award was presented to Harold Cheatham.
Cheatham came to Clemson in 1996 as the founding Dean of the College of Health, Education and Human development. His contributions to the Emeritus College include serving as a member of the Advisory Board. He served on the Steering Committee, which rewrote the purpose and value statements for the Emeritus College. Cheatham came to Clemson in 1996 as the founding Dean of the College of Health, Education and Human Development.
His contributions to the Emeritus College include serving as a member of the Advisory Board. He served on the Steering Committee, which rewrote the purpose and value statements for the Emeritus College. Cheatham works with the College’s English-Speaking Proficiency Testing Program and the Conversations with International Students Program. In 2020, he was named an I. Dwaine Eubanks Fellow as part of the Inaugural Class. Cheatham’s contributions to the University include continuing to serve on dissertation committees and assisting faculty members in preparing documents to appeal decisions during a grievance process.
His contributions to the larger community include serving as the Chair of the City of Clemson Planning Commission, serving as a member of the Greater Clemson Community Foundation from, and serving on the advisory board of the AnMed Foundation and Wachovia Bank. He was a gubernatorial appointee to the South Carolina Mental Health Commission. He has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Personnel Association, is a distinguished member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the Skull and Bones Society, Sigma Pi Phi, and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternities. Cheatham is also a life member of Phi Kappa Phi and the Fulbright Scholars Association. Dean Emeritus Cheatham and his wife, Arlene, established an Endowment for Excellence award at Clemson for Community Engaged Undergraduate Research.
I.D.E. Emeritus College Fellows
These named fellows were created to honor emeritus faculty members each year who steadily render valuable service to the Emeritus College and to Clemson University without compensation. They are named fellows in honor of I. Dwaine Eubanks, a former Director of the Emeritus College.
Christopher Benson, Senior Lecturer Emeritus, in the English Department.
In service to the Emeritus College, Palmer is a member of the Advisory Board and a member of the Memoir writing group. He has been a model participant, engaging himself with his fellow writers as a reader while he also shares his own stories as well. As a new edition of Moments and Memories is being assembled, he has voluntarily taken on the role of a co-editor and takes turns with the other editors in providing writing sessions for potential authors. As the writings come in, he also aids in finalizing them for publication. Palmer is also a musician, faithfully participating in the monthly Coffee House Music Sessions and his band KREW performed for the college as a gratis presentation this past year.
Roxanne Calabria, Professor Emerita of Nursing and Director of the Global Health Certificate Program
In service to the Emeritus College, Calabria is currently a member of the Advisory Board. She also serves on several committees and projects. Roxanne has presented seminars for the Emeritus College on her extensive work in Global Health. In service to the University, she developed the first non-degree course with Online Clemson for the Emeritus College. This course is for nurse educators to prepare them to develop course materials for undergraduate students addressing health issues related to climate change. Her work with study abroad programs started as early as 2001 and has continued throughout her academic career. As the Emeritus College explores ways to collaborate with new leadership in the International Program’s office, Calabria’s experiences will be invaluable.
Marge Condrasky, Professor Emerita of Food, Nutrition and Packaging Science.
Condrasky is a licensed dietitian in South Carolina and a Certified Culinary Educator. In service to the Emeritus College, she is a member of the Advisory Board, a member of the Awards Committee, the Well Being Committee, and an alternate Emeritus College representative to the University Well Being Committee. In service to the University, she is an Emeritus College liaison to CAFL, teaches a course on graduate nutrition, and serves on PhD candidate committees for the Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Science Department. Condrasky has presented to multiple groups in the past year including Prisma Health preschool, Walhalla Middle School 6th grade, OLLI, and Wren High School culinary nutrition class. She is also teaching a course with graduate nutrition students.
James Palmer, Professor Emeritus of Crops, Soils, and Environmental Science
Palmer retired in 2020 after serving Clemson for 30 years as a Professor of Crops, Soils, and Environmental Science. In addition, He served a joint appointment in Extension. In service to the Emeritus College, he is a member of the Advisory Board and has provided popular presentations. He is also a member of the newly formed Promotions Committee and is solely responsible for developing a relationship between the Emeritus College and Clemson’s News Services. Palmer’s efforts have resulted in several members being featured in the 2025 Summer edition of Clemson World.
Dolores Stegelin, Professor Emerita of Teaching and Learning
In service to the Emeritus College, Stegelin has served as the Chair Elect, Chair and Past Chair of the Advisory Board and continues to serve as a member. She also serves on the South Carolina Prisons Education Interest Group, chairs the Fundraising Committee, and is a member of the Community Outreach and Speakers Bureau Committee, Program Planning Committee, and Memoir Writing Group. She has also been elected to the Board of Directors of the national Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education. Stegelin’s contributions to Clemson University include serving as a member of the Clemson Outdoor Collective, a Board of Directors member for the US Play Coalition, and a faculty mentor for the College of Education Graduate School Conference and Reggio Emilia Study Abroad program.
Benjamin Poutree and Benjamin Banister are the 2025 recipients of the Emeritus College Undergraduate Scholarship. The generous donations of the emeritus faculty support the awards each year for undergraduate students.
New Emeritus Faculty
Jeffrey R. Appling, Professor Emeritus of Engineering and Science Education, Senior Associate Dean
William (Bill) Blackston, County Extension Faculty Emeritus
John Perkins Chastain, Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Sciences
Murray Daw, Dean’s Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Physics
Zoran Filipi, Professor Emeritus of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering and Timken Endowed Chair
Bradley Keith Hobbs, Clinical Professor Emeritus of Economics
Shiou-Jyh Hwu, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry
Jeryl C. Jones, Professor Emerita of Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Gerald Andreas Lehmacher, Associate Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy
Richard Arthur Lucas, Senior Lecturer Emeritus of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
Janet Marsh, Research Associate/Associate Professor Emerita, Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life
Linda B. Nilson, Founding Director Emerita, Office of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation
Bruce Ransom, Professor Emeritus of Political Science
Charles Frederick Rosenkrans, Jr., Professor Emeritus and Chair of Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Krista Barrier Rudolph, Principal Lecturer Emerita of Biological Sciences
Thomas William Schurch, FASLA, Professor Emeritus of Landscape Architecture and Urban Design
Kelly Smith, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy
Mark Kelly Smotherman, Associate Professor Emeritus of School of Computing
Debi Switzer, Professor Emerita of Education and Human Development
Margaret Ann Wetsel, Professor Emerita of Nursing
Nona L. Woolbright, Professor Emerita of Graphic Communications
Clemson University Affiliate Members
Jeffrey S. Allen, Director of South Carolina Water Resources Center, Retired
Rowland P. Alston, County Extension Director, Retired
Charles Edward Beard, Research Specialist III, Plant and Environmental Sciences, Retired
Debra Mitchell Charles, Program Manager III, Clemson Computing and Information Technology, Retired
Laurie Anne Haughey, Executive Director, Operational Communications, Retired
Priscilla Kanet, Tutor Coordinator and Academic Coach, Retired
Gilbert Miller, Senior Extension Agent, Retired
Philip R. Perry, County Extension Agent, Retired
Thomas T. Peters, Director of STEM Education Initiatives, Retired
Associate Member, Emeritus
Aron Tannenbaum, Lecturer Emeritus of Political Science; Lander University Professor Emeritus
Honorary Member
Gregory G. Mullen, Associate Vice President for Public Safety, Retired