Two students earn South Carolina’s Order of the Silver Crescent for exemplary contributions to the community

During the Student Affairs Awards Banquet on April 30, Clemson students Joseph Pope Jr. and Charles Segars III were presented with the Order of the Silver Crescent — South Carolina’s most prestigious service award — for their admirable act of heroism in September 2023, during which they saved the lives of two accident victims from fire. President Jim Clements and Vice President for Student Affairs Doug Hallenbeck congratulated and took pictures with both students, whose parents were also in attendance. 

Headed home on the night of Sept. 2, 2023, Pope and Segars saw smoke rising from a black Nissan car that had just crashed on a Clemson back road. Without hesitation, the roommates leapt into action. Segars urged a nearby bus driver to call 911, while Pope rushed to the crashed car. Both driver and passenger were trapped, so Segars grabbed a hammer from his truck to break the windows. Demonstrating unbelievable courage and determination, the boys were able to pull both driver and passenger to safety. 

Their swift, courageous response elicited recognition by both the Clemson University and Clemson City Police departments. Additionally, Pope received an esteemed Boy Scout award — the Honor Medal with Crossed Palms — for risking his life to save another, while Segars was honored by his fraternity, Kappa Alpha Order.

Despite their heroic actions, Pope and Segars remain incredibly humble, insisting they “were just being good people” and are “glad God put [them] in a position to help other people out.”

The Order of the Silver Crescent is their most recent accolade, and arguably the most reputable, especially for two young men born and raised in the state of South Carolina. This award, bestowed by South Carolina’s governor, signifies a recognition of civilian honor and exemplary community contributions. Recipients accept a certificate decorated with a large crescent moon, signed by the governor, and bearing the governor’s seal of office. 

In a letter, read aloud at the awards ceremony, Governor Henry McMaster commends their heroic actions as “a powerful testament to [their] selflessness and courage” and praises them for making South Carolina “a safer place to call home.”

When asked how it feels to receive statewide recognition for his bravery, Pope repetitively claims, “It doesn’t feel real.” His father, Joe, beams with pride. “It’s just incredible,” he says. “It’s really amazing that the governor took the time out to recognize their efforts and knows exactly what was at stake that night.”

Both students are set to receive their undergraduate degrees from Clemson next week — Pope in mechanical engineering and Segars in forest resource management. As they prepare for their next respective chapters, the priceless impact they had on two students’ lives, immortalized in a legacy of valor at Clemson University, will stay with them forever.