When the Advisory Committee of the Faculty Senate selected this year’s Senator of the Year, they recognized a faculty leader helping shape both Clemson University’s future and the future of veterinary medicine in South Carolina.
Paul Gordon-Ross, DVM, MS, PhD, is the Year Four Clinical Training Lead and Director of Fourth Year Curriculum at the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine. Gordon-Ross received the Advisory Committee Senator of the Year award for his outstanding leadership and service within the college and across the University community.
The Faculty Senate Advisory Committee is composed of two faculty representatives from each college. In addition to serving as the Senate’s primary appointing committee, the group provides guidance and feedback to University leadership, including the Faculty Senate President, the Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs, the Provost and the President.
For Gordon-Ross, the recognition reflects his commitment to representing the PCVM and strengthening its connection to the broader Clemson community.
“I am so honored to serve the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine in the Faculty Senate,” Gordon-Ross said. “I endeavor to represent the college and the faculty at the Faculty Senate and to keep the CVM faculty informed of University activities.”
He added that being selected for the award was both meaningful and humbling.
“I am so honored and humbled to have been nominated and selected as the Senator of the Year,” Gordon-Ross said. “At every corner, I see the administration, faculty, staff and students at Clemson University living the Clemson values of integrity, respect, diversity, patriotism, excellence and self-reliance, and I am so grateful to be a part of this wonderful institution and to build a new legacy in the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine. I am ALL IN!”
As Clemson’s newest college, the PCVM is helping establish new opportunities for education, research and outreach across the state. Gordon-Ross said participation in the Faculty Senate ensures the college remains engaged in the University’s culture and mission while advancing South Carolina’s agricultural and veterinary priorities.
“As the newest college at Clemson University, the Harvey S. Peeler Jr. College of Veterinary Medicine is in a unique position of creating a new path full of opportunity for the university,” Gordon-Ross said. “The agricultural heritage of the state and the veterinary needs of South Carolina are first and foremost on the minds of those in the college.”
Gordon-Ross said he sees the Faculty Senate as an important avenue for expanding Clemson’s impact both statewide and beyond.
“As part of the Faculty Senate, I feel I can help the college broaden and elevate Clemson University’s impact in South Carolina, the nation and worldwide,” he said.
He also praised the leadership of Dean Steven Marks and the college’s long-term vision for veterinary education and service.
“I have no doubt that Dean Marks is leading the college on a path to become a leader in veterinary education and in the broader veterinary community, elevating South Carolina and supporting its citizens and the state’s agricultural industry,” Gordon-Ross said. “Tigers will propel South Carolina into the future! Go Tigers!”
