Clemson Family Press

Clemson Families,

It has been an incredible year. From another football national championship to the opening of first-class facilities and countless examples of student success, we are extremely proud of the work that has been done at Clemson University. This is our final newsletter for the academic year, so I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on some of the highlights:

The year began with The Princeton Review ranking Clemson No. 1 among all universities in the nation whose students “love their colleges.” It’s hard to argue with that!

We have more than 500 student organizations; some have partnered with local elementary schools to deliver more than 1,100 gifts, while others have established a leadership engagement scholarship program and professional clothes closet to aid in career preparation. One was even a finalist for Student Section of the Year. On top of all that, students affiliated with fraternities and sororities are coming off record-breaking performances in the classroom and in the community.

Within Student Affairs, we partnered with the American Heart Association to provide CPR in Schools training to student groups. One of our departments — Student Health Services — was recently reaccredited, earning a Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission.

We are committed to providing the very best venues to support student success. Last fall, we added 1,600 beds, multiple retail dining locations, a new bookstore and a fitness center in Douthit Hills. In November, we welcomed an expanded space in Vickery Hall to serve as the new Student Veteran Center. The Champions Field opened for intramural sports this semester at the Snow Family Outdoor Fitness and Wellness Center, and soon we will be adding a beautiful Outdoor Education Center adjacent to this new turf area. We recently celebrated the naming of Core Campus and Stadium Suites by honoring the families of five deceased trustees. And finally, we look forward to capping a great year supporting facilities for our students by breaking ground May 23 on Samuel J. Cadden Chapel.

The Night of the Stars Gala raised about $60,000 for the Student Emergency Fund and unrestricted needs in Student Affairs. We proudly honored several generous donors in our annual event on Feb. 16 as we celebrated a great year together.

We have seen some staff leadership change this year and are in great shape moving forward. Greg Mullen was permanently announced as our associate vice president for public safety and chief of police last August. In a short amount of time, his impact has been seen through the formation of a unified command center for major events and expansion in technology and professional development, as well as the coordination of an active shooter exercise to ensure the continuous collaboration of our first responders. Doug Hallenbeck was named vice president for Student Affairs at Oklahoma State University, but we are excited to welcome Kurt Keppler as his interim replacement on May 1. Dr. Keppler has been a vice president for Student Affairs at LSU and Valdosta State University and brings more than 35 years of experience to our staff.

As we close out 2018-19, I want to thank you and your students for an amazing year and extend best wishes to those who will soon be graduating. We look forward to welcoming returning students back to campus for move-in the week of Aug. 13-18.

Go Tigers!

Sincerely,

Almeda R. Jacks

Vice President | Division of Student Affairs

Celebrate Completion

Graduation is quickly approaching for our spring 2019 graduates. We know this time of the year is bittersweet for our students as they begin to close the chapter on their Clemson experience and start thinking about the new transitions that face them either in the workforce or graduate school. In preparation for graduation, please make sure you review pertinent information related to the ceremonies. Clemson has four spring ceremonies in addition to a doctoral hooding. If your student will be a summer 2019 graduate, there is one ceremony and a doctoral hooding. Additionally, we ask your support in encouraging your graduate to remain connected through the Clemson Alumni Association. Our alumni association provides great resources, including career services and clubs in cities across the country.

Preparing for Off-Campus Living

After finishing up the semester, many students are thinking about moving, or planning to move, off campus and into their own house or apartment. While this may be a new and exciting experience for your student, it may also bring on its own unique challenges. Be sure to read our "Preparing for Off-Campus Living" blog for great tips on helping your student prepare for off-campus living, as well as some things to consider before making the move.

Family Events

Thank you to all of the families who were able to participate in Spring Family Reunion! For many, it was an opportunity to reconnect with your student and enjoy activities over the course of a couple of days, including our Clemson Baseball games and Clemson Football’s spring game. We look forward to welcoming families to campus this fall for Family Weekend on Sept. 20-22. To stay connected with us during the summer to learn more about our Fall Family Weekend and other events, we encourage you to follow us on social media: @ClemsonParents on Twitter and Instagram and @ClemsonSA on Twitter and Facebook.

Summer School at Clemson

Is your student still thinking through their plans for summer? Summer session at Clemson may be an opportunity worth discussing. Summer courses at Clemson meet a variety of needs for our Clemson students. Many use summer session as an opportunity to take classes to get ahead in their major or to catch up in their coursework. The summer session also includes courses that allow students to explore unique concepts complementary to their major or to participate in creative inquiries to prepare them to be competitive in their career after Clemson. Clemson also invites students from other institutions to study with us during the summer. Feel free to email questions to summersession@clemson.edu.

Clemson Students Make a Difference

Clemson students are among some of the nation’s most engaged college students in the country, all while balancing their academic requirements. One way in which our students have chosen to invest their time is through philanthropy and fundraising. In March, our campus witnessed the culmination of a year-long fundraising effort conclude for our Clemson Miracle student group. Clemson Miracle provides support to the Prisma Health-Upstate and Children’s Miracle Network to assist families navigating difficult health challenges. In its 10th year as a recognized student organization, Clemson Miracle set its sights on raising a combined $200,000 to support the Canine F.E.T.C.H. Endowment and Clemson Miracle Camp Endowment. More than 400 students combined to surpass the goal with a record-breaking total of $230,759.48. Clemson Miracle is a great example of what it means for students to feel prepared and empowered to make a difference.

Preparing for Move Out — Tips from a Resident Assistant

The end of the spring semester has many students excited and counting down the days until they are able to spend time with family and friends or simply have a break from coursework. However, before students living on campus can take that deep breath and enjoy summertime, they must go through the move-out process. Some students can get overwhelmed at the thought of move out as they navigate the hectic final weeks of the semester. Take a moment to listen to some great tips for your students on how to survive finals week and best practices for moving out from residence halls.