In conjunction with Fall Family Weekend, Clemson University’s video services team set up a microphone and camera adjacent to a set of tents so families attending the Tiger Family Tailgate could say a few words of inspiration for their student. One by one, parents finished their breakfast, stepped up to the mic and shared messages of love and support.
“My daughter is a freshman, and we’re so happy to be here as part of the Clemson Family for the first time,” shared one father, while proudly displaying an Alpha Delta Pi parent button over his collared shirt. “Go Tigers!”
The messages were shared by the University’s social media team on Facebook, but the seeds of family and connection were planted through the volunteer efforts of the Clemson Family Ambassador Board, affectionately known as CFAB. At the helm of those efforts the past two years at Fall Family Weekend are co-chairs Todd and Tanya Tucker.
CFAB is a group of dedicated parents and family members who assist the University in holistically supporting students while also addressing parents’ needs for involvement, information and support.
Tanya joined CFAB in 2020 when two of their three sons were enrolled at Clemson. Pierce ’22 and Chapman ’23 had very different, but positive experiences during their time at Clemson. Pierce used it as an opportunity for growth and now speaks to middle and high school students about the benefits of applying to his alma mater. Chapman was active in a mentorship program and worked on campus at ’55 Exchange.
The Tuckers’ youngest, Dawson, is a current junior. He is a student assistant in the newly-built Nieri Family Alumni and Visitors Center. As Dawson progressed at Clemson, his father Todd felt compelled to join Tanya as a member of CFAB — so he took the plunge in 2024.
“Through collaborations with Clemson leadership, faculty, staff and a vast network of families from across the world, we have experienced fulfillment in forming our own connections within the larger Clemson Family,” they said. “We have volunteered our time, efforts and energies toward prioritizing the student and family experience and promoting a sense of belonging across a large university that somehow excels at making each student and family feel seen and heard.”
A tall task, to be sure. But CFAB is intentional in making sure families feel a strong sense of place at Clemson — affirmed by the warm and inviting presence of parent volunteers at milestone events such as New Student Orientation, Move-In and Family Weekend.
For the Tuckers, involvement has been a staple of their children’s endeavors from early ages. Todd coached little league and Tanya served in school parent organizations. They were active supporters as the boys took to football and band. They wondered how they might continue that connectivity as they went off to college.
“We were amazed to find that the folks at Clemson prided themselves on making a large university feel distinctly small, like home,” said the Tuckers, natives of Rock Hill, South Carolina. “The welcome we received as new parents resonated with us each time we were on Clemson’s campus, and we wanted to be part of that for other families.”
As members of CFAB, Todd and Tanya have been exposed to information and resources to help their sons thrive. It’s also provided them a chance to form enduring friendships and social networks that help them stay connected to events and initiatives directly impacting their children while at Clemson.
“Even though we are not Clemson alums, we feel very much a part of a long-standing tradition of family and excellence across the many levels of the Clemson atmosphere,” they said. “For us, family means everything, and having a large Clemson Family has cast a wide net of belonging for our family.”
