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When he died on April 6, 1888, a series of events began that marked the start of a new era in higher education in the state of South Carolina, especially in the study of science, agriculture, and engineering. Mr. Clemson's passing set the stage for the founding of the university that bears his namethe beginning of a true "people's university," which opened the doors of higher education to all South Carolinians, rich and poor alike. In his will, which was signed November 6, 1886, Mr. Clemson bequeathed the Fort Hill plantation and a considerable sum from his personal assets for the establishment of an educational institution of the kind he envisioned. He left a cash endowment of approximately $80,000 as well as the 814-acre Fort Hill estate to South Carolina for such a college. The biggest obstacle in the creation of an agricultural collegethe initial expensewas removed by Mr. Clemson's bequest.
On November 27, 1889, Governor Richardson signed the bill accepting Thomas Clemson's gift. Soon after a measure was introduced to establish the Clemson Agricultural College, with its trustees becoming custodians of Morrill Act and Hatch Act funds made available for agricultural education and research by federal legislative acts. The founding of Clemson Agricultural College supplanted the South Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanics, which had been designated in Columbia in 1880.
Thomas Green Clemson came to the foothills of South Carolina when he married Anna Maria Calhoun, daughter of South Carolina's famous statesman John C. Calhoun.
Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Clemson was educated at schools both in the United States and France, where he attended lectures at the Royal School of Mines, studied with prominent scientists in the private laboratories of the Sorbonne Royal College of France, and received his diploma as an assayer from the Royal Mint in Paris. Mr. Clemson, then in his mid-20s, returned to America greatly influenced by his European studies. He became a great advocate of the natural sciences, achieving a considerable reputation as a mining engineer and a theorist in agricultural chemistry. He also was a gifted writer whose articles were published in the leading scientific journals of his day, an artist and a diplomat who represented the U.S. government as chargé d'affaires to Belgium for almost seven years.
Mr. Clemson had a lifelong interest in farming and agricultural affairs. He served as the nation's first superintendent of agricultural affairs (predecessor to the present secretary of agriculture position) and actively promoted the establishment and endowment of the Maryland Agricultural College in the 1850s. Though remembered today for these accomplishments, Thomas Clemson made his greatest historical contribution when, as a champion of formal scientific education, his life became intertwined with the destiny of educational and economic development in South Carolina. Although he never lived to see it, his dedicated efforts culminated in the founding of Clemson Agricultural College.
At the time of his death, Mr. Clemson was living at the Fort Hill homeplace, which today is a national historic landmark and provides a historic centerpiece for the Clemson University campus. He had inherited the house and plantation lands of his famous father-in-law, Senator Calhoun, upon the death of Mrs. Clemson in 1875.
Clemson College formally opened in July 1893, with an enrollment of 446. From the beginning, the college was an all-male military school. It remained this way until 1955, when the change was made to "civilian" status for students, and Clemson became a coeducational institution. In 1964, the college was renamed Clemson University as the state legislature formally recognized the school's expanded academic offerings and research pursuits.
On November 27, 1989, the University observed the 100th anniversary of the State's acceptance of the terms and conditions of Mr. Clemson's bequest.
The enrollment of Clemson has grown from 446 students at the opening of the University to 17,110 for the first semester 2004-2005. Of this number, 3,174 were graduate students. Approximately 2,128 were classified as full-time graduate students and 1,046 as part-time students. Since the opening of the University, 93,656 students have been awarded Bachelor's degrees. During this same period, 426 Associate degrees, 25,660 Master's, 326 Education Specialist, 2,511 Doctor of Philosophy, and 103 Doctor of Education degrees have been awarded, a total of 122,682 degrees.
Today, more than a century later, the University is much more than its
founder ever could have imagined. With its diverse learning and research
facilities, the University provides an educational opportunity not only
for the people of the State, as Mr. Clemson dreamed, but for thousands
of young men and women throughout the country and the world.
The Norfolk and Southern Railway and U.S. Highways 76 and 123 provide easy access to the City of Clemson and to the University. Oconee County Airport is four miles from the library. Both Atlanta and Charlotte are two hours driving time away.
Campus architecture is a pleasing blend of traditional and modern facilities enhanced by a beautiful landscape of towering trees, grassy expanses, and flowering plants. Academic, administrative, and student service buildings on campus represent an insured value of $627 million. Clemson University's real estate holdings include over 32,000 acres of forestry and agricultural lands throughout the state, the majority of which are dedicated to Clemson's research and public-service missions.
Fort Hill, the former home of John C. Calhoun inherited by Thomas Clemson, and the Hanover House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and are open to the public. The campus also has two recognized Historic Districts.
The Strom Thurmond Institute houses the institute offices, Senator Thurmond's
papers and memorabilia, and the special collections of the Cooper Library.
The
Institute is a part of an instructional and public-service district that
includes the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts and the Madren Center
for Continuing Education.
IPS advisors issue visa documents and provide advice to foreign students
and exchange visitors on matters pertaining to immigration issues. The
Gantt Intercultural Center works closely with members of the community
organization, Clemson Area International Friendship (CAIF), to help students
and exchange visitors become familiar with American customs and traditions.
Students and exchange visitors needing support in how to negotiate the
local environment or who simply want to make friends with American families
may seek assistance from staff in the Gantt Intercultural Center.
Among the services the Libraries provide are circulation, reference, interlibrary loan, class instruction, and tours. Cooper Library houses a computer lab, maintained by DCIT, Java City Cyber Café, Snax & Stax convenience store, and a Popular Reading and Audiobooks Collection. Equipment available includes photocopiers, scanners, fax machines, and wireless laptops in Cooper Library and a color laser printer, engineering plotter, and large-format photocopier in the Gunnin Architecture Library.
The Clemson University Libraries consist of a main library and three branches. R. M. Cooper Library, Clemson's main library, is a six-level building located at the center of campus. Most of the books and journals are located there, as well as government publications, microforms, and electronic materials. The Gunnin Architecture Library, located in Lee Hall, contains collections that focus on architecture, city and regional planning, construction science, landscape architecture, and visual arts. Special Collections, on the lower level of the Strom Thurmond Institute, houses the rare book collection, University Archives, and many manuscript collections, including the papers of John C. Calhoun and Thomas Green Clemson. The Chemistry Reading Room, located in Hunter Chemistry Lab, contains periodical literature related to chemistry.
Total holdings for the library system include more than 1.6 million
items in the form of books, periodicals, electronic resources, government
publications and patents, musical recordings, DVDs and videos, audiobooks,
maps, and microforms.
DCIT's Educational Technology Services (ETS) provides computer training and support to faculty, staff, and students in the use of the MyCLE portal and Web-based course management systems (Blackboard), the Clemson computer network, E-portfolios, and many desktop applications. This training is offered as part of regular University courses, through short courses, through special training programs, and through E-learning courses. delivery of an increasing selection of University distance-education courses.
An extensive array of computer hardware is housed at the Information
Technology Center (ITC) in the Clemson Research Park. DCIT operates a statewide
computing network incorporating processors from a variety of vendors. The
major general purpose computers are an IBM z800 running the OS/390 operating
system and a SUN E3000 UNIX system. Novell and Solaris servers provide
computing resources for client-server computing. Approximately 5,000 computers
are connected to the campus FDDI/Ethernet network.
Chartered in 1933, the Foundation is a primary component of the Advancement Program at the University. There are 36 elected members of the Board of Directors. Currently, 34 of the 36 are Clemson alumni. The Board also includes seven automatic directors, including an undergraduate student representative; 15 ex officio directors, including a graduate student representative; and 16 honorary directors.
The Foundation operates through committees that report via an Executive
Committee to the full Board. These include the Budget Review, Development,
Investment, Nominations, and Policy and Bylaws committees. The Audit Committee
is responsible directly to the Board. Fund raising is managed by the Development
Committee and, if applicable, a Campaign Executive Committee. This includes
solicitation of annual, major, planned, corporate, and foundation gifts
in support of University priorities and coordination of college-based fund-raising
initiatives. Organizations affiliated with the Clemson University Foundation
include the Clemson University Continuing Education/Conference Complex
Corporation, the Clemson University Real Estate Foundation, and the Wallace
F. Pate Foundation for Environmental Research and Education. As of June
30, 2003, the Clemson University Foundation managed more than 1,000 endowments.
Its managed investment portfolio totaled $231.8 million.
In conjunction with volunteers and traveling University staff, Clemson Clubs and Clemson activities are conducted around the world. Alumni are kept informed through the award-winning Clemson World magazine. Students, alumni, and constituency programs, as well as publications and electronic resources, form the basis for an array of services offered to alumni, students, parents, and friends of the University.
All services of the National Alumni Association are coordinated out of the Alumni Center, a campus focal point built, furnished, and equipped entirely by gifts from alumni specifically for that purpose. The University Visitors Center, a gift of the Class of 1944, is adjacent to the Alumni Center and is an excellent stop for anyone visiting or returning to campus.
Alumni-sponsored awards programs such as Alumni Distinguished Service, Alumni Fellows, professorships, scholarships, and awards for outstanding teaching, research, and public service are among the prestigious awards given by the University.
Alumni employees coordinate the Alumni Career Services program and the
activities of the open-membership student organization, Student Alumni
Association. From the Welcome Back Festival held each August to the Senior
Picnic held each May, the Alumni Association provides a lifelong connection
to Clemson.
Guided walking tours of the campus are led by students who are members of the all-volunteer University Guide Association. Tour times are Monday?Saturday at 9:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. and Sunday at 1:45 p.m. Tours begin and end at the Visitors Center. Visitors should try to arrive 10-15 minutes early. Reservations are required. Additional information, including a current schedule, is available on the Web or by phone at 864-656-4789.