The Ott Family bleeds Clemson orange, but when Cynthia Ott ’86 stepped on campus in the 1980’s, she wasn’t sold on the idea.
“I was originally accepted to the University of Georgia and fully intended to go there. My older sister had graduated from Clemson, and I was determined to be ‘different,’” she recalled. But her parents made her try Clemson for a semester.
“I fell in love during the very first week — with the campus, the people, the energy, and the sense of belonging that Clemson creates so effortlessly,” she said.
Cynthia majored in English, minored in accounting, and fell in love with Michael Ott, an economics major. After graduation, she earned her Master of Human Resources from the University of South Carolina while Michael earned his law degree there.
They both pursued successful careers in human resources and law, and had two children: Katie Ott Siler and Madison Ott.
“I fell in love during the very first week — with the campus, the people, the energy, and the sense of belonging that Clemson creates so effortlessly.”
Cynthia Ott ’86
“HR requires strong writing, thoughtful analysis, and the ability to see issues from multiple perspectives — all core strengths developed through my English degree,” she said.
“The ability to craft clear messages, support senior executives, and navigate ‘crucial conversations’ traces directly back to the communication skills I honed at Clemson.”
When it was time for the next generation to attend college, the choice of college was easy. But the adjustment to college is still a big step, and Katie was nervous.
Clemson Experience
“I came to Clemson a little unsure of myself and unsure of what I wanted to do,” Katie said. She followed in her mother’s footsteps and majored in English. From there, her faculty carried the torch of guiding her to a successful future.
“I found faculty in the English and History departments who helped me see my own strengths before I fully recognized them myself,” she said. She took full advantage of writing opportunities at Clemson, working in the Writing Center and interning at the Pearce Center for Professional Communications. She recalls that what she loved most was finding her own Clemson community, “a little bubble of people who genuinely cared about literature and language the way I did.”
After graduating in 2013, she attended law school and came to a crisis point in her career, realizing she didn’t want to practice law. Again, Clemson faculty members stepped up as advisors.
“They helped me research other paths, think honestly about what made me happy, and connect the dots between my strengths and a career I had never heard of before: law librarianship,” she said. Now, she holds her dream job as head of reference services and lecturer at Stanford Law School.
Clemson Family
Having two Clemson English in the same family has its advantages. Each member of the family is an ambitious professional: Cynthia in human resources, Michael in law, Katie in academia and Madison in medicine — he earned an M.D. after majoring in biochemistry at Clemson. Cynthia said the family frequently leans on each other for input.
“Katie and I, in particular, are often called upon to fine-tune language, especially when navigating sensitive topics, crafting persuasive arguments, or striking the right balance between emotion and factual support,” Cynthia explained.
Katie and Cynthia both credit their Clemson directly with their professional success, and the Otts are avid Clemson Football fans. In 2025, they became hosts of the annual College of Arts and Humanities Alumni Tailgate, which they plan to continue this season on October 24, 2026.
“Hosting the CAH Alumni Tailgate is a natural extension of our family’s Clemson spirit,” Cynthia said. “We love creating spaces where generations of Clemson families can gather, reconnect, and celebrate the university that shaped so many of us.”
Katie noted that even while she was a student, her family’s tailgate was an informal gathering spot for arts and humanities alumni.
“My parents have been tailgating at Clemson since before I was born, so being at Clemson during football season has always been a part of my life,” Katie said. “But I didn’t realize how incredible it really was until I was a student myself.”
