Clemson Undergraduate Student Government (CUSG) has officially renamed its Leadership Grant-in-Aid program after the late Barbara Kennedy-Dixon. The scholarship program was introduced in 2019 through a collaboration between CUSG, Clemson Athletics, the Center for Student Leadership and Engagement and Financial Aid.
“Given who helped fund the scholarship, it made sense to choose a former student-athlete,” said William Reinert, who served as CUSG president during the 2021-22 academic year. “It was a good time for us to add permanence to the scholarship as well, based on the impact she made in her time at Clemson and how she treated people on a daily basis. By all accounts, she embodied what it means to be a leader. There wasn’t a person that fit better than Mrs. Kennedy-Dixon.”
The Grant-in-Aid is available to full-time undergraduate students who wish to engage in leadership opportunities but have demonstrated financial need. Each year, the program pays out a total of $22,500 to scholarship recipients — ranging anywhere from $500 to $2,500 depending on need and availability.
Kennedy-Dixon is a member of the Ring of Honor, the highest accolade bestowed by Clemson Athletics. She was a two-time All-American and was twice named the ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player as a member of the women’s basketball program from 1978-82. She went on to work in Clemson Athletics for 31 years.
“This scholarship program subsidizes work to enable students who want to be involved but can’t because of the lack of financial privilege,” Reinert said. “Last year, the money was split through about 10 students. And while it doesn’t impact the largest quantity of people, it’s so impactful overall to the quality of leadership experiences for students with demonstrated need. This scholarship allows Mrs. Kennedy-Dixon’s legacy to live on.”