Jeremiah Farmer recognized for outstanding support of graduate students

Jeremiah Farmer goes out of his way to help Clemson University’s automotive engineering students navigate graduate school, whether that means helping them find the library or get through the death of a loved one.

Those were just a few of the reasons that Farmer’s nominators recommended him for the Distinguished Graduate Student Support Award, an honor he won.

Farmer, a student services manager in the automotive engineering department, will receive the award during the May 12 hooding ceremony for Ph.D. graduates.

The award recognizes and celebrates excellence in supporting graduate students. Farmer will receive $1,000, and the department gets $500 for graduate student initiatives.

As part of his duties, Farmer helps students who are based at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Engineering learn about the resources that are available to them on the main campus, such as the Redfern Health Center and Student Financial Services.

“Jeremiah is just phenomenal as a front-line contact with the students,” said Laine Mears, acting chair of the Department of Automotive Engineering. “Jeremiah spends a large majority of his time one-on-one with them, not only guiding them through programmatic procedures and finding main campus contacts, but also listening to their issues and advising them as a friend.”

Farmer is continually improving processes, procedures and resources to make students’ lives better. He has created narrated videos to guide students through the GS2 form, he updated the student resources website and he developed a handbook of more than 40 pages for front-desk assistants, all without being asked.

Farmer has served on the department’s Certificate Program Committee, Inclusive Excellence Committee and Program Development Committee. He was also selected to serve on the Graduate School Dean’s Strategic Committee on Inclusive Excellence and the Graduate School Dean’s Student Services Committee.

Farmer runs the department’s Instagram account, and he tries to brighten students’ days with upbeat, custom-made graphics, such as one wishing them a great winter break.

“Jeremiah is a one of a kind employee who consistently looks for the positive in situations, offers to help others, looks for ways to improve and has the interest of our students at heart,” said Cristina Shorts, the department’s operations manager.