2014-2015 ANNUAL REPORT

SCHOLARS TODAY. GLOBAL LEADERS TOMORROW.

Our Mission Statement

In collaboration with other University offices and programs, the mission of
Clemsons National Scholars Program (NSP) is as follows:
Recruit and select the top high school students from throughout the United

States.
Provide a competitive scholarship that covers all tuition, fees and other

required expenses.
Coordinate a rewarding summer of study and travel after freshman year.
Create and program intellectually challenging and rewarding enrichment

opportunities.
Provide individual and group advising that addresses and enhances the

National Scholars interests and skills.

Prepare the National Scholars to excel in graduate school and on fellowship

applications.

Our Supporters
The NSP is thankful to the Clemson Office of Development for its support
and deeply grateful for the considerable generosity of several Clemson alumni,
including the following:
Clemson President James Clements and his wife,
Beth Clements, hosted a welcome luncheon for firstyear scholars at the presidents home in fall 2014.

The estate of Mr. and Mrs. William M. Ballenger, Class of 1923

J. Anderson Berly III, Class of 1978
Mr. and Mrs. Frank M. Bishop Jr., Class of 1965
Dr. and Mrs. Paul W. McAlister, Class of 1941*
The E. Smyth McKissick III Class of 1979 Clemson National Scholars

Endowment
Dr. and Mrs. Richard A. McMahan, Class of 1954**
Dr. and Mrs. R. Roy Pearce, Class of 1941***
The Smith-Westmoreland Scholars Endowment for Clemson National

Scholars
The von Rosenberg Family Endowment for Clemson National Scholars

Additionally, the NSP family has donated more than $260,000 to the NSP
Excellence Fund since 2009. These current scholars, alumni and parents have
made gifts to support the intellectual and professional enrichment programs
that are the hallmark of the NSP.
On the cover: Senior scholars took a hike to Tigers
Den monastery in Paro, Bhutan, during the 2014
Maymester study-travel experience.

*Dr. McAlister passed away in January 2007; Mrs. McAlister passed away in April 2013.
**Dr. McMahan passed away in January 2011.
***Dr. Pearce passed away in November 2004.

FIFTEEN YEARS
To be a national university, we must have
a national-caliber scholarship program,
and this is it. President Emeritus James
F. Barker said these words shortly after
his 2000 inauguration. This was the
National Scholars Program, and though he
spoke before the first National Scholar set
foot on campus, he had a clear vision of
what the NSP could mean to the Clemson
community.
That vision, it is safe to say, has been exceeded with
the investment in 161 top high school students from
throughout the United States, paying off with leaders in
every area of campus. National Scholars have excelled
in the classroom and in research labs, in the Calhoun
Honors College and in student government, student
media, service organizations, fraternities and sororities,
intramurals and more.
NSP alumni have accepted positions at Fortune 500
companies and enrolled at top medical, law, professional
and graduate schools around the world.
As Clemson celebrates being named a top 20 public
university this year, the NSP likewise celebrates 15 years
of being a driver in achieving that goal, shaping the
Clemson academic experience into one that attracts
remarkable students and engages them with top
professors and community leaders.

Fifteen Years by the Numbers

588

10

NSP finalists

Goldwater Scholars

161

National Scholars

National Science Foundation

Graduate Research Fellows

1507
Average SAT of National Scholars

31

Fulbright Scholars

Retreat Team members

22
Countries visited on NSP study trips

NSP Alumni
34 Engineers and science
researchers

Belgium, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Canada, England, France,
the Galapagos Islands, Germany, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Montenegro, the Netherlands,
Russia, Scotland, Serbia, South Africa,
Wales, Sweden, Turkey, plus U.S. locations
including Denali, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone
and Zion National Parks

26 Economists, business leaders

and entrepreneurs

74

16 Professors, advisers,
educators and teachers

Awards of Distinction presented to

mentors

15
National Scholars inducted into
Phi Beta Kappa

5
Norris Medalists,
the Universitys annual award
for the top graduating senior

22 Doctors

6 Lawyers
5 Public policy, health and
environmental leaders
3 Architects and urban planners
2 Ministers
1 Actor
1 Veterinarian

National Scholars and NSP finalists have come from throughout the U.S.,
as well as Indonesia, Spain and Germany.

National Scholars
National Scholar
Finalists

To commemorate our 15th

anniversary, we asked
alumni to reflect on their
NSP experience and how it
supported their successes
after they left Clemson. Their
recollections can be found
throughout this annual report.
The NSP encouraged me to pursue my interests and
to seek opportunities, even when they fell outside
of the traditional bounds of my course of study.
Between the mentorship I received from the NSP
and the inspiration of incredible alumni before me,
I set greater aspirations for myself than I ever had
before and constantly expanded my comfort zone.
Not only did the NSP provide me with the skills and
experiences needed to write a successful Fulbright
application, but my combined travel and personal
development experiences through the NSP also gave
me the confidence I needed to move to a developing
country on my own, live there for nine months and
perform independent research.
I think the greatest thing I learned from the
NSP was the extent to which I could make things
happen for myself. When I came to Clemson, I was
in awe of all of the things my NSP predecessors
had accomplished and all the experiences theyd
had, but now Im doing them myself. Instead of just
wishing I could work with my dream collaborators
in Kenya, I contacted them and explained why they
should want to work with me, and they agreed!
Lauren Harroff 12
Fulbright Scholar in Uganda
Ph.D. candidate in environmental engineering,
Cornell University

Highlights
Sociology professor Sarah Winslow, Ph.D., began her tenure as

the second NSP Faculty Fellow, mentoring the freshman cohort of

scholars and teaching a seminar focusing on inequality called Who
Gets What and Why?
Our other NSP Faculty Fellow, Michael LeMahieu, Ph.D., was named

a Faculty Fellow at Yale University in the Gilder Lehrman Center

for the Study of Slavery, Resistance and Abolition. LeMahieu spent
spring 2015 conducting research for his next book project on Civil
War memory in contemporary literature. This project emerged from
LeMahieus 2011 to 2013 NSP freshman seminars on the Civil War
and the civil rights movement.
Megan Morgan joined the NSP in August as our newest graduate

assistant. Megan graduated from Clemson in 2014 with degrees

in psychology and sociology. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in industrialorganizational psychology.
The NSP hosted a campus visit in the fall by renowned sociologist

Shamus Khan, Ph.D., author of Privilege: The Making of an Adolescent

Elite at St. Pauls School. Khan led the freshman seminar prior to
a Nov. 18 campuswide lecture titled Privilege: The Making of an
American Elite.
A record number of National Scholars, NSP alumni and parents

donated to the NSP Excellence Fund this year. This small group has
made more than $260,000 in gifts to support our intellectual and
professional development programs.
Three National Scholars participated in the Undergraduate Scholars

Program Administrators Associations Scholar Summit, a leadership

institute bringing together dozens of students from scholar programs
around the country to develop ideas for program growth and
collaboration.
The NSP finalists chosen for 2015 were the strongest group in the

programs history, with an average SAT score of 1504, an average high

school class rank in the top .7 percent and more than 110 scores of 5
on Advanced Placement exams.
Veteran NSP faculty partner and history professor Michael Silvestri,

Ph.D., taught a spring course on the conflict between Ireland and

Northern Ireland, to be followed by a Maymester study abroad in
both countries to explore the 1916 Easter Uprising.
History professor James Burns, Ph.D., continues to teach a course

on African history to prepare the first-year scholars for their travels

to Johannesburg, Durban and Kruger National Park in South Africa
before their summer study abroad at Stellenbosch University.

FIFTEEN YEARS

Brittany Avin
Greenville, North Carolina
Major:Genetics and Biochemistry

My favorite moments as an undergraduate occurred

during my cancer biology internship in summer
2014. Ill never forget sitting down on the first day
with my principal investigator and going over the
basics of the project. She was so impressed with the
strong knowledge base I had in cancer biology, and
I was so proud of my Clemson background. I was
weeks ahead in my research based upon the skills
I had mastered at Clemson and my understanding
gained through Clemson classes. Knowing that
I was prepared by
my undergraduate
institution for my
future career was so
encouraging.

Becoming a member of the NSP was a

crucial part of my experience at Clemson
and continues to impact my life as an
alumnus. The National Scholars Program gave me
confidence. As simple as that sounds, participating
in the NSP taught me to speak up and to believe
that I could do what it took to achieve my goals.
It gave me so many skills that I needed to apply
successfully to medical school. In addition, the
NSP seminars and study-abroad experiences really
challenged me and taught me how to discuss and
debate ideas within a group, which is a crucial part
of the medical education system.
Taylor Hughes 12
Medical student, Medical University of South Carolina

Key Leadership and Recognition:

Select Learning Experiences:

2014 Goldwater Scholar

Research with Cheryl Ingram-Smith, Ph.D., and

Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC) Scholar

Biochemistry and Genetics Club
American Association for Cancer Research
NSP Retreat Team
Relay for Life at Clemson University (executive chair)
Intramural sports (basketball, volleyball and softball)
Calhoun Honors College (peer mentor)
Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

Kerry Smith, Ph.D., Department of Genetics and

Biochemistry, focusing on the biochemistry and
physiological roles of ACS in the infection process of
eukaryotic microbial pathogens
Summer Undergraduate Research Experience

Program at Emory University in biochemistry

CancerQuest, a cancer education resource (writer)
Summer research fellowship at Vanderbilt University

through the National Cancer Institutes Integrative

Cancer Biology Program

Tigra Scientica (scientific writer)

Clemson Elementary School (volunteer)
College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences Student

Advisory Board (genetics representative)

College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences (peer mentor)

SENIOR NATIONAL SCHOLARS

The National Scholars are individuals who dont

want to play it safe or easy. They want to cure
diseases, build architecturally stunning buildings,

Jessica Feltracco
Cumming, Georgia
Major:Biological Sciences

preserve some of the famous pieces of art in

Looking back, Im glad I chose a program
and university that focused on helping
students grow and achieve while allowing
them freedom to figure out the areas in which
they wanted to focus. The program helped me
find contacts on campus that put me in a major
I truly loved; encouraged me to build leadership,
communication and critical thinking skills that
I still use today; offered me opportunities that
changed how I think about the world and the paths
I would take in it; andset me up to pursue a career
better than any other set of experiences could have.
The NSP exemplifies the ideals of the Clemson
Family. The time that NSP advisers spent with each
of us, their open doors for questions about anything
and the effort the program put into planning
opportunities and experiences for us were crucial.
These experiences helped me to be successful
at Clemson and prepared and encouraged me to
pursue a graduate degree in ecology and career as
a professor.
Stephen Gosnell, Ph.D. 07
Clemson student body president, 20062007
Assistant professor of environmental science,
Baruch College, New York, N.Y.

the world or spend

sleepless nights with
children in oncology
wards. Their constant
passion, intellectual
curiosity and lofty
ambitions have taught
me the merit of truly
exhausting my talent,
energy and time to take
a risk on a dream.

Key Leadership and Recognition:

Calhoun Honors College (ambassador)

Freshman Council for Student Government

Fraternity and Sorority Life Personal Academic Achievement

POSC 1020, Introduction to International

Relations (teaching assistant)

Alpha Delta Pi Sorority (philanthropy committee,

academic chair, small-group leader, positive standards

co-chair)
Dixon Fellows Program
Foundation for International Medical Relief of

Children (FIMRC, director of finance)

Alpha Epsilon Delta Honor Society
Student Government (funding board committee

organizations director, academic affairs committee for

Student Senate, finance and procedures committee
for Student Senate)
Order of Omega Greek Honor Society
Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society
Intramural volleyball
4

SENIOR NATIONAL SCHOLARS

Award

Select Learning Experiences:

Research with Brian Booth, Ph.D., Institute for Biological

Interfaces of Engineering (IBIOE), focusing on differential gene

expression in nuclear label-retaining cells in the developing
mouse mammary gland; characterization in vitro and in vivo
of clonogenic cells from heterogeneous cell populations; and
validation of in vitro model of erbB2+ cancer cell redirection
FIMRC Summer International Health Fellowship in

Kodaikanal, India
FIMRC global health volunteer and trip leader in Limon,

Nicaragua
FIMRC global health volunteer in Huancayo, Peru
FIMRC global health volunteer in Las Delicias, El Salvador

Olivia Keane
Richmond, Virginia
Major:Microbiology

My time at Clemson has really solidified who I am

and helped shape my vision for the person and
future physician I want to become. Although the
travel bug got me the summer before freshman
year, I have had so many opportunities to travel the
world since then. My experiences while attending
Clemson, both internationally and locally, have
expanded my interest in public healthimmensely. I
hope todo a lot more
global engagement
and service as a future
physician, which is
something I had never
really thought about
before Clemson.

Through the opportunities and mentorship

offered by the National Scholars Program,
I recognized how my seemingly disparate
interests in mathematics, infectious disease and
social justice intersect in the field of epidemiology.
The NSP then prepared me for success in this field
by building my confidence, leadership and critical
thinking skills. My subsequent career has been both
intellectually stimulating and personally rewarding,
and I look forward to continuing to conduct research
on priority diseases in the developing world.
Katherine Chisholm 04
Masters degree in global public health,
Emory University
Ph.D. candidate in infectious and tropical diseases at
the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Former epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention Global Disease Detection
Regional Center in Egypt

Key Leadership and Recognition:

Select Learning Experiences:

Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society (vice president)

Research with Tamara McNealy, Ph.D., Department of

Alpha Chi Omega (vice president of intellectual development,

Relay for Life chair, risk management committee, philanthropy

committee, dance team member)
Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children

(FIMRC, director of public relations)

Clemson Free Clinic (volunteer)
Seniors Advising Sophomores in Honors Program (senior adviser)
Dixon Fellows Program
Calhoun Honors College (ambassador)
Order of Omega Greek Honor Society
Alpha Epsilon Delta Honor Society
Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society
Golden Key National Honor Society
Clemson University Dance Company

Microbiology, focusing on Legionella pneumophila biofilm

interactions and antibiotic resistance
Attendance and presentation of individual research

projects at the South Carolina branch of the American

Society for Microbiology conferences
Internship with CEO Michael Bolick of Selah

Genomics in Greenville, South Carolina

FIMRC ambassador internship to run a medical clinic

serving impoverished and underserved populations in

areas surrounding San Jose, Costa Rica
Clemson anatomy lab assistantship under John Cummings
FIMRC medical mission trip to El Salvador
FIMRC medical mission trip to Nicaragua
FIMRC medical mission trip to Peru

Foothills Dance Conservatory (company member and guest

artist in The Nutcracker)

SENIOR NATIONAL SCHOLARS

The greatest lesson that I have learned at Clemson is

the value of personal interactions in combination with
technical skill. I worked for one semester as a student

Matthew Miller
Elon, North Carolina
Major:Mechanical Engineering

machine shop supervisor, after which I was asked

to be manager of the machine shop. I was definitely
not the best machinist, but my positive interactions
with students while still enforcing safety rules were
what prompted the machine shop adviser to ask me
to serve as manager. I also saw this concept play out
The NSP provided direct input to my career
path that began with a GE recruiter who
sought out the NSP early in my time at
Clemson. As a freshman, I learned about the GE
leadership programs and saw that the skill sets
the company desired were aligned with the NSP
goals for scholars hard work, an emphasis on
results, curiosity about the world and a passion
for global experiences. From there, I tailored my
internships and networking toward GE, and Im still
here seven years later. I get to join meetings with
people far above my pay grade because of the skills
I developed in the NSP how to listen to what is
really being asked, how to define the problem, how
to weigh the pros and cons, and how to express your
priorities.
Lauren (Smith) Schoeld 07
National reporting manager,
General Electric Capital

during my cooperative
education experience
at General Electric. The
engineers that were
promoted were often
the ones who formed
the most cohesive
teams and interacted
most effectively with
their colleagues.

Key Leadership and Recognition:

Select Learning Experiences:

College of Engineering and Science Student Advisory

Cooperative education experience in GE Gas Turbines

Board
Mechanical engineering student machine shop

(manager)
Dixon Fellows Program
Clemson Outdoors Club
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Intramural sports
Slackline Club (president)
Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society

SENIOR NATIONAL SCHOLARS

Accessories NPI, Greenville, South Carolina

Cooperative education experience in GE Gas Turbines Sourcing

Quality, Greenville, South Carolina

Cooperative education experience in GE Gas Engine

Manufacturing, Waukesha, Wisconsin

Research with Leidy Klotz, Ph.D., Department of Civil

Engineering, focusing on energy retrofit financing

Research with Michael Porter, Ph.D., Department of

Mechanical Engineering, focusing on ceramic robocasting

Assistant scoutmaster with Clemson Sea Scouts Ship 11

Kelly Moran
Wasilla, Alaska
Major:Mathematical Sciences

I have been pleasantly surprised at how close

my NSP cohort has become. I was expecting a
scholarship. I wasnt expecting a group of new best
friends. My fellow NSP students are like family.
Weve seen each other in rough times, in stress, in
amazing places, in class and at too many meals to
count. All of this adds up to us being there for each
other and supporting
each others
endeavors. The other
scholars push me to be
my best, and I think we
make each other better
than any one of us
would be individually.

I like to argue. That is, I like to argue with

passionate people about unconventional
and often complex problems. Through
the NSP, I met advisers, professors and fellow
students eager to engage in these conversations. I
realized I needed to have a career where I would
be surrounded by engaged people and encouraged
to have open dialogue. This realization led me to a
post-baccalaureate assistantship in politics.
Without the NSP, I would not have gained an
international perspective on issues, which led
me to postgraduate studies in Slovenia. NSP-led
international travel showed the importance of
engaging with people who come not only from
a different country, but also from a different
ideological background, educational system
and culture.
Jenny Tumas 14
Masters degree in international relations,
University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)

Key Leadership and Recognition:

Select Learning Experiences:

Dixon Global Policy Scholars Program

Research with Patrick Warren, Ph.D., Department

CU Symphony Orchestra (president)

Students for Environmental Action
CU Symphonic Band
CU String Quartet
Calhoun Honors College (ambassador)
Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society (campus outreach chair)
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
Pi Mu Epsilon Mathematical Honor Society
Clemson Outdoors Club
Intramural sports (ultimate Frisbee)
Eden Farms Therapeutic Riding Center (volunteer)
Code Academy (GED mathematics tutor)

of Economics, focusing on the causal effect of gun

ownership on tyranny through the EUREKA! summer
research program
Oboe master class with Carlos E. Coelho
Internship at the Tsinghua English Language Summer

Camp, Beijing, China

Internship with the Alaska Policy Forum analyzing the

Alaska state education policy

National Science Foundation Research Experience

for Undergraduates at the National Institute for

Mathematical and Biological Synthesis working on the
mathematical analysis of psychology data to discern
typical patterns of response for subjects shown mixed
emotional stimuli

SENIOR NATIONAL SCHOLARS

Four years ago, I never would have believed that

I would see more of the world during college than
many people see in a lifetime. Whether studying at

Paige Pribonic
Hudson, Wisconsin
Major:Language and International Health

Cambridge, meeting with government officials in

the Balkans or hiking the Himalayas in Bhutan, the
travel opportunities have broadened my cultural
horizons and exposed me to topics of study I
never would have explored otherwise. Its been an
Without my NSP experience, my life and
interests would be so one-dimensional.
Through the program, I gained firsthand
appreciation for diversity not just in terms of
culture, but also in terms of intellectual diversity.
I learned how to argue fairly and how to be open
enough to change my opinion when needed. My
reading list is richer; my political views more
researched; and my compassion is more hands-on
because of the unique people I met with during my
tenure at Clemson.
Rachel Rhyne 07
Masters degree in teaching, Clemson University
2011 Teacher of the Year, Shelby County, Tennessee

incredible ride, and

Im so thankful to
have experienced it all
alongside my fellow
scholars.

Key Leadership and Recognition:

Select Learning Experiences:

Womens Novice Rowing Team

Departmental Honors thesis: Teaching Patient

Language and International Health Society

(international relations chair)

Dixon Fellows Program
Dixon Global Policy Scholars Program

Consular Section internship, U.S. Embassy, Madrid, Spain

Centro Corea Clinic and Hogar Santa Mara Childrens Home,

Santiago, Dominican Republic (volunteer)

Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society (secretary)

Greenville Health System MedEx Tier IV internship

Creative Inquiry: Healing Words: Using Literature to

UPIC research assistantship with Rachel Mayo, Ph.D., and

Improve Patient Communication and Impact Health

Outcomes (teaching assistant)
Holmes Hall honors residence hall (resident assistant)
NSP Retreat Team

Communication Through Bibliotherapy

SENIOR NATIONAL SCHOLARS

Windsor Sherrill, Ph.D., Department of Public Health Sciences

Michaela Reinhart
Charlotte, North Carolina
Major:Biochemistry and Genetics

Realizing the responsibility I have to master material

from classes to become a productive member within
my field greatly changed my view toward education.
As a freshman, I would sometimes view classes as
hoops to get through (even if they were interesting)
to earn my degree. Assuming responsibility for my
degree as I began
to take higher-level
classes provided me
with a purpose for
my education and a
lens through which
I could see how my
development would
affect my future career.
It provided my previous
desire to learn with a
purpose to learn.

The National Scholars Program introduced

me to the type of interdisciplinary thinking
that has come to define my academic
path and career ambitions. My major was electrical
engineering, but through the NSP I was exposed to
classes, trips, discussions, mentors and peers with
diverse expertise and interests. These formal and
informal mechanisms provided by the NSP taught
me to appreciate the power of multiple perspectives,
think critically, challenge my own assumptions
and be open to feedback. I have found these skills
crucial during my graduate education. As I work
on a Ph.D. in public policy, I attribute my NSP
experiences as integral to my success in shifting
from a technical to a social focus. I still draw upon
the education I received at Clemson, but more
important than the knowledge gained was the way
I learned to think. My desire to take on the complex
field of energy policy and my approach to problemsolving in general are undoubtedly products of my
time as a National Scholar.
Ross Beppler 14
Ph.D. candidate in energy and environmental
public policy, Georgia Institute of Technology

Key Leadership and Recognition:

Select Learning Experiences:

Clemson Collegiate Sertoma Club (president, vice president

Research with Cheryl Ingram-Smith, Ph.D.,

of programs)
Biochemistry and Genetics Club
Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center Scholar
Writing Fellows Program
Dixon Fellows Program
College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences Student

Advisory Board
NSP Retreat Team
Decipher magazine (assistant editor)
Pearce Center for Professional Communication Development

Committee
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, focusing

on enzyme kinetics
Carolinas Laparoscopic Advanced Surgery Program

summer research internship on surgical technology

Pearce Center for Professional Communication

internship
Creative Inquiry with Michael LeMahieu, Ph.D.,

Department of English: Civil War, Civil Rights

Cannon Summer Scholars Program research with Ram

Ganapathi, Ph.D., FAAAS, focusing on oncology drug

interactions and effectiveness, Levine Cancer Institute,
Carolinas Health Care System

Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society

SENIOR NATIONAL SCHOLARS

The NSP has consistently given me the support

and the validation that it was not only okay but
encouraged to explore new interests, to reach farther

Medha Vyavahare
Greenville, South Carolina
Major:Bioengineering

and do more than I thought I could. I studied and

worked abroad; I assisted in starting a new minor;
I learned a new language; and I met people who
As an engineer who was law-school bound,
the small classes with graduate schoolstyle discussions provided valuableinsight
into a different approach to learning andthe
Socratic method, as well as various approaches
to logical reasoning. In law school and as a
lawyer now, I know that NSP helped to lay a solid
foundation for graduate school and for my career.
As achievements and successesbuild
upon others, the opportunities that NSP
provided to me such asleadership roles
andprofessionalnetworking events allowed me
to excel as a student at Clemson and to succeed
at the next level. The NSP family invests in each
student and serves as a sounding board for
graduate school, professional opportunities and all
things life-after-college. The combination of advice
and support from the NSP staff proved invaluable
as I approached important life decisions, both
during my senior year of college and thereafter.
Damon Andrews 08
J.D., University of Iowa
Associate, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton
& Garrison LLP, Washington, D.C.

changed the way I

view the world. These
experiences were
absolutely invaluable
in shaping the person
I am today, and I
am so thankful for
the opportunities I
have had for such
constructive growth.

Key Leadership and Recognition:

Select Learning Experiences:

Clemson Undergraduate Bioengineering Society (vice

Universities Allied for Essential Medicines summer

president, newsletter chair)

Students for Environmental Action (Fall for the Forest

organizing member, divestment campaign)

Dixon Fellows Program
International Programs Coordination Committee

(student liaison)
WSBF 88.1 Clemson Alternative Radio Station (radio

jockey)
Women in Science and Engineering
Indian Cultural Exchange
Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society

10

SENIOR NATIONAL SCHOLARS

internship focusing on public health policy, New

York, N.Y.
Study abroad at the Institut dEconomie Scientifique

et de Gestion School of Management, Paris, France

Undergraduate research with Jeoung Soo Lee, Ph.D.,

Department of Bioengineering: Use of Polymeric

Micelles for siRNA Drug Delivery Targeting DrugResistant Breast Cancer
Clinical rotation in orthopedics at Greenville Health

System with Thomas Pace, M.D.

Ashraya Initiative for Children teaching spoken

English and focusing on community outreach

projects, Pune, India (volunteer)

Lisa Watkins
Atlanta, Georgia
Major:Environmental Engineering

I am proud of the strides Clemson has made in

sustainability. I helped unite the sustainability
student leaders; provided assistance in creating
Clemsons new minor in sustainability; founded the
Clemson ReCyclery, which promises to be a hub of
a bicycling community; reinvigorated Clemsons
Students for Environmental Action by serving as
president; and helped bolster the student voice
in staff and faculty committees that focused
on sustainability initiatives. The sustainability
movement at Clemson
has in no way reached
its peak, but I feel
proud knowing that
the work of our team
succeeded in moving
our University in the
right direction.

There isnt one specific part of the NSP

that I tout. Its not just a scholarship
or just a program. Its not just the
advisers or a few studies abroad. Its anallencompassingexperience that cultivated my
intellectual and personal growth. Clemsonand
the NSP have shown me the merits of seemingly
unreachable goals and the challenge and growth
in their pursuit. I learned from my professors, my
mentors and other scholars.I found an inner drive
and balance that I never knew before. The skills I
learned while at Clemson have been invaluable in
my pursuit of medicine, as well as the beginning of
myacademic career.
Ahmed Mohiuddin 06
M.D., Medical University of South Carolina
Assistant professor, Internal Medicine,
Tulane University

Key Leadership and Recognition:

Select Learning Experiences:

Clemson ReCyclery Abandoned Bike Project and Cooperative

Clemson University Extension Service water quality

Bike Shop (co-founder)

Students for Environmental Action (co-president, vice president

and public relations officer)

Student Government Sustainability Committee (assistant

director)
Solid Green Committee

research internship
Clemson Healthy Campus Sustainability internship
United States Environmental Protection Agency,

Region 8, field operations internship

Creative Inquiry: Green Crescent Trail Connectivity

and Usage

Clemson Presidents Commission on Sustainability

Dixon Fellows Program
Clemson Running Club (racing team)
Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society
Intramural sports (basketball, soccer, volleyball and softball)
Clemson Slackline Club (co-founder)
Clemson Organic Farm (volunteer)
Clemson Ethics Bowl Team

SENIOR NATIONAL SCHOLARS

11

OTHER SCHOLARS
My experiences as a Clemson National Scholar
helped me to define success. I have always wanted
to work in an intellectually challenging and
engaging environment, but my time at Clemson
challenged me to expand my measures of success
to consider how I can translate great thinking
into meaningful impact in a community. NSP staff,
alumni and peers accelerated my development as a
leader and inspired me to explore the intersections
between disciplines, specifically finance and
psychology. Ultimately these values led me to
a mission-driven company with a collaborative
culture, global impact and the opportunity for an
extremely fulfilling career.
Liz Johnson 11
Chief of staff, Business Development Group,
Vanguard

Third-year Scholars
Kristin Buhrow
Lexington, South Carolina
Mandarin and Anthropology
Andrew Carlin
Mason, Ohio
Chemical Engineering
Kaitlin Carter
Springfield, Tennessee
Mathematical Sciences
Matthew DeAngelis
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Computer Engineering
Aryana Derakhshan
Florence, South Carolina
Political Science
Austin Herbst
Easley, South Carolina
Bioengineering
Laura Jameson
Great Falls, Virginia
Industrial Engineering

Shannon Kay
Gastonia, North Carolina
Industrial Engineering
Katie Stahel
Marrero, Louisiana
Chemical Engineering
Zachary Whiteman
Franklin, Tennessee
Architecture
Jenny Wilson
Charlotte, North Carolina
Soils and Sustainable Crop Systems

Second-year Scholars
Carter Ellis
Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina
Bioengineering
Amanda Farthing
Indialantic, Florida
Industrial Engineering
Aaron Gordon
Bethesda, Maryland
Civil Engineering
Grace Greene
McDonough, Georgia
Microbiology
Zach Hawks
Cedar Park, Texas
Computer Engineering
Caroline Hensley
Waxhaw, North Carolina
Preprofessional Health and English
Katelyn Ragland
Knoxville, Tennessee
Bioengineering
Eliza Rhodes
Beaufort, South Carolina
Anthropology

12

OTHER NATIONAL SCHOLARS

Jacki Rohde
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Bioengineering

Killian McDonald
Columbia, South Carolina
Political Science and Computer Science

Claire Spellberg
Chevy Chase, Maryland
English

Tyler Rodgers
Charleston, South Carolina
Architecture

First-year Scholars

Ansley Sackett
Greensboro, North Carolina
Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Kristin Fuller
Daphne, Alabama
Chemical Engineering
Zachary Girvin
Simpsonville, South Carolina
Bioengineering
Grace Glenn
Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina
Computer Science and Economics
Patrick Gorospe
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Industrial Engineering
Neha Kumar
Simpsonville, South Carolina
Genetics and Biochemistry

Jessica Schnorr
Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina
Language and International Health
Sarah Timmins
Memphis, Tennessee
Chemical Engineering
Sarah Waldvogel
Central, South Carolina
Genetics and Biochemistry
Casey Young
St. Leonard, Maryland
Bioengineering

Being a part of the National Scholars Program

connected me to fellow students, professors and
staff who made all the difference in my Clemson
experience. The relationships with these wonderful
members of the Clemson Family were a highlight
of my time at Clemson and a significant benefit
to my future after graduation. Being a part of
a community of highly motivated, remarkably
gifted people of a variety of ages prepared me to
lead leaders and stretched me intellectually and
emotionally.
Will Spink 05
Associate pastor, Southwood Presbyterian Church,
Huntsville, Alabama
The NSP community broadened my world perspective
and nurtured a maturity and confidence that has
been a great asset in graduate school. While I was
an undergrad, I had quite a tough time settling
on a major. During all the process of shopping
around, discussions with the NSP administration
and members of my cohort helped keep my focus
on determining and aligning myself with my
priorities. The NSP has helped me remain positive
and confident that I can succeed with my graduate
school and postgraduate career with the strengths
I have. This has enabled me to find areas in which I
can collaborate effectively with others who can best
contribute to my work.
Ray Smith 11
Ph.D. candidate in chemical engineering,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Eric Zuberi
Lincoln, Rhode Island
Microbiology and Genetics

Joseph Litts
Florence, South Carolina
History
OTHER NATIONAL SCHOLARS

13

ALUMNI
From taking a class on epidemics to supplement
my chemical engineering courses, to hearing a
firsthand account of the Nuremberg War trials from
a member of the prosecution team, to spending a
summer studying and traveling in Europe, there
was never a shortage of experiences in the NSP
to challenge my thinking. Working through these
challenges increased my confidence and prepared
me to overcome future challenges as I moved into
roles of increasing responsibility at General Electric,
ExxonMobil, Emerson and now Ecolab.
The National Scholars Program gave me access
to the top leaders of the University, and I learned
to be comfortable around those senior to me. This
comfort translates directly to my interactions
with senior executives today, from developing and
presenting yearly business plans to corporate
senior management, to business presentations to
current and prospective customers at meetings and
industry conferences around the globe. The National
Scholars Program helped develop my strengths
and interests, laying the groundwork for continued
future success.
Michelle Malecha 04
M.B.A., Duke University
Senior global marketing manager, Ecolab Energy
The NSP helped me realize my potential in pursuits
that previously seemed inaccessible. As I progress
through my medical education, I frequently turn
to the interpersonal and time management skills I
gained during my time with the NSP in exploration
of career options both inside and outside the
traditional sphere of medicine. My time in the
NSP helped me let go of the idea that I need to
constantly work on improving those areas where Im
weakest. Instead, I now understand the importance
of recognizing and embracing my strengths. The
NSP is remarkable in its ability to help students
fully realize their strengths. The NSP gave me a
degree of personal attention and advising that
seems unmatched by the experiences of my med
school friends with Ivy League undergraduate
degrees. The true power of the program is the way it
established a foundation that led me to branch out,
taking in all that Clemson has to offer.
Matt Kofoed 13
Medical student, Medical University of South Carolina

14

ALUMNI NATIONAL SCHOLARS

More than 110 National Scholars have graduated, and each

has moved on to pursue further studies at leading universities
around the world and employment with Fortune 500 companies,
including the following:
Achieng Adongo 11: Clemson

University, masters in industrial

engineering
Jill Allen Dixon 08: Harvard

University, masters in urban

planning
Katharine Amalfitano 12: University

of Cincinnati, medical school

Damon Andrews 08: University of

Iowa, J.D.
Darcy Austin 04: Georgia State

University, masters in teaching

Alexandra Battey 10: Quad Graphics,

placement into highly selective

advanced leadership training
program
Ross Beppler 14: Georgia Tech,

Ph.D. in energy policy

Brent Berkompas 10: Courier

Printing, Nashville, placement into

highly selective advanced leadership
training program

Paul Blichmann 10: Clemson

University, masters in
bioengineering
Bethany Boerckel 09: University of

South Carolina, masters in library

science
Mark Boerckel 09: ATD Charleston,

trading analyst
Ben Boone 11: BB&T bank,

placement into highly selective

advanced leadership training
program
Caitlin Boone 11: Wake Forest

University, masters in education

Colby Brooks 08: Capgemini Inc.,

telecommunications development
manager, Atlanta, Georgia
Juston Brown 08: Clemson

University, masters in civil

engineering
Maeve Budi 12: University of

Florida, Ph.D. in materials

engineering

 Kristina Catani 09: Clemson

University, masters in economics

Amanda Cheung 06: University of

South Carolina, M.D.

Clarice Clemmens 05: University of

South Carolina, M.D.

Matt Clemmens 07: Consultant for

Blackbaud Inc.
Jeff Clinkscales 07: University of

South Carolina, M.D.

Chris Covey 13: University of Denver,

Ph.D. in microbiology
Judith Crews 11: Clemson University,

masters in architecture and health

Ashley Denney 04: University of

Alabama-Birmingham, M.D.
Jessica Dean 11: Florida State

University, masters in higher

education, student affairs
Rebecca Deery 12: Clemson

University, masters in education/

teaching
Nadine Luedicke Dispenza 13: Yale

University, Ph.D. in bioengineering

John Dixon 08: Harvard University,

Ph.D. in the history of American

civilization
Rob Dixon 07: Carnegie Mellon

University, masters in robotics

Shannon Edd 10: Stanford University,

Ph.D. in mechanical engineering

Colleen Eils 08: University of Texas-

Austin, Ph.D. in English

Brian Eyink 06: Duke University, J.D.
Brown Farinholt 13: University of

California at San Diego, Ph.D. in

computer science
Ben Garrison 09: Clemson University,

masters in computer engineering

Randy Gelhausen 10: Accenture Inc.,

technology labs consultant

Elizabeth Glaesemann 10: Virginia

Joseph Godsey 04: International

Institute for Management

Development, MBA; Adidas Group,
senior business solution manager,
Herzogenaurach, Germany
Allison Godwin 11: Clemson

University, Ph.D. in engineering and

science education
Stephen Gosnell 07: UC-Santa

Barbara, Ph.D. in biology

Mark Gramling 05: Vanderbilt,

Postdoctoral Research Fellow;

UNC-Chapel Hill, Ph.D. in
immunopathology
Michael Griswold 09: UNC-Charlotte,

masters in public administration

Casey Hancock 06: Sonoco Products

Co., research and development

chemist, Hartsville, South Carolina
Lauren Harroff 12: Fulbright Scholar,

Uganda
Laura Hart 07: University of

Cincinnati, M.D.
Jacob Hicks 05: University of

Georgia, Ph.D. in mathematics;

UNC-Chapel Hill, Ph.D. in
computer science
Kate Hicks 07: Medical University

of South Carolina, M.D.; Clemson

University, masters in biosystems
engineering
Lauren Hock 12: Fulbright Scholar,

Ecuador

The NSP did two key things (for me). First, it

exposed me to a variety of successful academic,
political and business leaders, and it enabled to me
to establish meaningful relationships with several
inspiring individuals. Seeing how these individuals
approached their professional and personal
lives not only inspired me, it gave me concrete
role models and road maps for success. These
individuals also showed me key differences and
commonalities across various fields, helping me
to decide where my strengths lay and what fields
might give me long-term satisfaction.
Second, the NSP gave me freedom to explore
academically and intellectually, which are not
always the same thing! I had access to courses and
informal learning opportunities I would not have
had otherwise, allowing me to explore different
academic areas and test whether my intellectual
curiosity in the area was deep enough to pursue
that field as a career.
Brian Eyink 06
J.D., Duke University School of Law
Associate, Hogan Lovells, Washington, D.C.
A goodcollege experience prepares a student well
for his or her chosen career, but this can still
leave a gap when it comes to choosing the best
career in an informed way. The NSP filled that
gap for me. During my time at Clemson, the NSP
staff personallyput me in touch withexperts in
diplomacy, politics and academia, all of which
appealed to me as career fields. Clemson would
have prepared me well for any of these careers, but
the personal, thoughtful assistanceof the NSP staff,
their colleagues at Clemson and their contacts
around the worldhelped me to realize which
specificdecisions would best suit my interests
and mygoals. The insight and advice I received
were crucial in my decision-making process as a
young adult.
Ben Ward 09
Masters degree in economics, Clemson University
Ph.D. candidate in economics at
Vanderbilt University

Katherine Chisholm Horton 05:

Emory University, M.P.H. in global

epidemiology
Taylor Hughes 12: Medical University

of South Carolina, M.D.

Lucas Hurd 10: University of

Wisconsin, masters in nuclear

engineering and engineering physics;
Clemson University, Ph.D. in
physics

Tech, masters in accounting

ALUMNI NATIONAL SCHOLARS

15

Without the NSP, I would not have been financially

able to participate in the summer and semesterlong language immersion experiences in
Honduras and Spain, which led to 10 months
of teaching English as a Fulbright Scholar in
Ecuador after graduation. Because of these
cumulative experiences, I now am able to serve
as a Spanish interpreter at one of Chicagos free
health clinics as a second-year medical student.
Being able to sensitively and clearly interview
patients in their own language, as well as bridge
their communication gaps with resident and
attending physicians, has been one of the more
exciting aspects of my clinical experiences to date,
and I owe much to the travel and educational
springboard the NSP provided me at Clemson.
Lauren Hock 12
Fulbright Scholar in Ecuador
Medical student, Rush Medical College
Because of the National Scholars Program, I knew
from my very first day on campus that there were
people who truly cared about me, academically
and intellectually as well as personally and
professionally. Their concern for me as a complete
person, combined with the leadership training I
received, gave me the courage to name, articulate
and chase my dreams, especially when those
dreams shifted away from what I had studied
in class.
The National Scholars Program provided
elements of a traditional, liberal arts education
within my scientific degree. The seminars and
special discussion sessions with professors from
across the University broadened my education and
kept me from succumbing to tunnel vision within
my major. Looking back, I now realize how these
experiences allow me to relate to a wider range of
persons than many of my peers. Additionally the
access the National Scholars Program provided to
top-level University administrators has given me
the confidence to approach and be myself around
people regardless of their titles or positions.
Ryan Spurrier 08
Associate pastor, St. Mark UMC, Greenwood,
South Carolina
Campus minister for the Methodist Campus
Ministry at Lander University
Masters in divinity, Duke University

James Hyde 12: Clemson

University, masters in
bioengineering
Susie Irizarry 11: University of

Idaho, masters in conservation

social science
Zan Isgett 12: UNC-Chapel Hill,

Ph.D. in psychology
Liz Johnson 13: Vanguard,

placement into highly selective

advanced leadership training
program
Kelly Jones 07: West Virginia

University, medical school

Jamie Kearns 06: Columbia

University (N.Y.), M.D.

Matt Kerr 04: University of

Washington, Ph.D. in physics;

Cambridge (U.K.), advanced
studies in mathematics
Rachel Kimrey 06: Clemson

University, masters in education

Matthew Kofoed 13: Medical

University of South Carolina,

M.D.
Nathan Kwan 08: Johns Hopkins

University, masters in electrical

engineering
Stephen Lareau 08: UNC-Chapel

Hill, J.D.
Jessica Lau 14: Harvard University,

Ph.D. in bioengineering
Rahul Loungani 10: Medical

University of South Carolina,

M.D.
Michelle Malecha 04: General

Electric, placement into highly

selective advanced leadership
training program; Duke University,
MBA
Robert McCowen 04: Western

Michigan University Mallinson

Institute for Science Education,
Graduate Research Fellow
16

ALUMNI NATIONAL SCHOLARS

Jennifer Moffitt 11: Eastman

Chemical Company, research

chemical engineer
Ahmed Mohiuddin 06: Medical

University of South Carolina,

M.D.
Erica Morrison 10: Clemson

University, masters in graphic

communications
Zach Musgrave 11: University of

Michigan, Ph.D. in computer

science and engineering
Meredith Myers 10: Boston

Conservatory, masters in musical

theater
Ashley Neal, 04: Yale University,

M.D.
Ariel Nissan, 12: Clemson

University, masters in
bioengineering
Andrew Park 09: Vanderbilt

University, Ph.D. in chemical

engineering
Suzanne Parks 09: Clemson

University, Ph.D. in bioengineering

Lori Pindar 09: University of

Georgia, masters in journalism;

Clemson University, Ph.D. in
educational leadership
Laura Pollock 09: Cornell

University, veterinary school

Jennifer Rahn 10: Vanderbilt

University, medical school

Jenny Reeves 05: University of

Georgia, masters in marketing

research
Chelsea Reighard 08: University

of Michigan, medical school;

Bank Street College of Education,
masters in education
Will Sams 05: Georgia Tech,

masters in physics; North Carolina

State, Ph.D. in physics

 Reid Sanders 11: Textbookia startup

company
Elizabeth Sloan 11: UT-

Southwestern, medical school

Christen Smith 07: Princeton,

masters in economics and public

policy; Peace Corps assignment in
Ethiopia
Lauren Smith 07: General Electric,

corporate auditor
Ray Smith 11: Massachusetts

Institute of Technology, Ph.D. in

chemical engineering
Will Spink 05: Covenant Theological

Seminary, masters in divinity

Ryan Spurrier 08: Duke University,

masters in divinity
Michael Stadnisky 05: University

of Virginia, Ph.D. in infectious

disease
Jeremy Stovall 05: University of

Vermont, masters in natural

resource management; Virginia
Tech, Ph.D. in forestry
Edward Sullivan 13: University of

California at San Diego, Ph.D. in

computer science

Jenny Tumas 14: University of

Ljubljana (Slovenia), masters in

international relations
Joshua Von Fange 11: Fluor Corp.,

account manager, Shanghai, China

Ben Ward 09: Vanderbilt University,

Ph.D. in economics
Elizabeth Ward 04: University of

Tennessee, J.D.
Suzanne Weaver 07: UNC-Chapel

Hill, medical school

Taylor Wells 13: Washington

University at St. Louis, Ph.D. in

mechanical engineering
Chris Welch 04: UNC-Chapel

Hill, medical school and Ph.D. in

pharmacology
Yousef Yasin 07: Wake Forest

University, M.D.

When I look back, I think that any description

of the impact the NSP had on my life would
require a results-may-not-be-typical disclaimer.
Without the National Scholars Program, I would
not have met my fantastic wife or attended
Harvard and earned my Ph.D. I doubt that any
incoming student would expect this outcome. (I
certainly did not.) But, I could not have hoped for
anything more.
The support that students receive in the
National Scholars Program is very similar to
the support I received as a graduate student.
From the close-knit cohorts, to the highly
accessible faculty and staff, to the expectations
that students will pursue prestigious external
fellowships and awards, the NSP is an
undergraduate program with a graduate design.
I was already comfortable with this style of
program as I entered graduate school, so I could
focus on my studies without being intimidated by
the high expectations or the frequent interactions
with distinguished faculty.
John Dixon 08
Ph.D. in history of American civilization,
Harvard University

Amanda Youell 07: Vanderbilt

University, masters in math

education
Jeff Young 05: Georgia Tech, Ph.D.

in computer engineering
Joe Ziska 05: Clemson University,

masters in economics

ALUMNI NATIONAL SCHOLARS

17

MENTOR AWARDS
I cant count the number of ways that the National
Scholars Program has shaped my life both
during and after my time at Clemson. Aside from
introducing me to my wife and many of my best
friends, the NSP experience gave me the opportunity
to learn from a group of mentors who helped me see
well beyond the mechanical engineering classroom.
As one of the few early NSP graduates who chose to
go directly into the workforce rather than pursuing
graduate or professional school, I had opportunities
to interact with professors from all areas of
campus, which had an incredible impact in shaping
my professional life.
Being forced out of my comfort zone and
failing miserably on several assignments in an
NSP entrepreneurship class showed me that I
didnt need to have all of the answers in order to
take calculated risks. From forming a business
plan before I left my employer to start my own IT
consulting business, to developing and constantly
adapting a sales and marketing strategy in the
first years of running my company, to devising the
growth strategy that has allowed me to bring on
employees and greatly expand my companys reach,
it is a rare day that I dont encounter a situation
in which I ask myself What would the instructor
of that entrepreneurship course do? Having
graduated from Clemson nine years ago, I still
reach out to that instructor and several other Natty
classmates for advice monthly, and I cant imagine
finding a more well-rounded network of friends and
colleagues with such a wide range of expertise at
any university in the world.
Matt Clemmens 07
Founder and principal consultant, Clemmens
Consulting

Since our first graduating class, each cohort of National

Scholars chooses faculty and staff to honor with the National
Scholars Program Award of Distinction. This recognition goes
to individuals for their tireless commitment to the intellectual,
professional and personal development of each graduating class
of scholars. These are our recipients.
Raquel Anido, Ph.D., languages professor
Scott Baier, Ph.D., economics professor
Stephanie Barczewski, Ph.D., history

professor
Alma Bennett, Ph.D., English professor
Richard Blob, Ph.D., biological sciences

professor
A.B. Bodine, Ph.D., animal and

veterinary sciences professor

James Bottum, vice provost and chief

information officer
Richard Brooks, Ph.D., electrical and

computer engineering professor

James Burns, Ph.D., history professor
Neil Burton, Ph.D., cooperative

education program
Neil Calkin, Ph.D., mathematical

sciences professor
Bruce Clark, 2008 Obama campaign

deputy director
Patti Connor-Greene, Ph.D., psychology

professor
Murray Daw, Ph.D., physics professor
Delphine Dean, Ph.D., bioengineering

professor
Angela Dills, Ph.D., economics professor
Roy Dodd, Ph.D., bioengineering

professor
Sherry Dorris, FIRST program

coordinator
Michael Dorsch, Ph.D., marketing

professor
William Dougan, Ph.D., economics

professor
Caye Drapcho, Ph.D., bioengineering

professor
18

NATIONAL SCHOLARS MENTOR AWARD

Jonathan Beecher Field, Ph.D., English

professor
Jeffrey Fine, Ph.D., political science

professor
David Freedman, Ph.D., environmental

engineering and earth sciences

professor
Robert Geist, Ph.D., computer science

professor
C. Lane Glaze, Wesley Foundation

campus minister
Charles Gooding, Ph.D., chemical

engineering professor
Rusty Guill, associate dean of students
Traci Harrington, former program

coordinator, CBBS Office of Student

Engagement
Harry Harritos, architecture professor
Chris Heavner, Lutheran campus

minister and Habitat for Humanity

adviser
Robert Hogan, architecture professor
Stephen Hubbard, Ph.D., electrical and

computer engineering professor

Cheryl Ingram-Smith, Ph.D., genetics

and biochemistry professor

Dana Irvin, Honors College adviser
Karyn Ogata Jones, Ph.D.,

communication studies professor

Karen Kemper, Ph.D., public health

sciences professor
Toshiko Kishimoto, languages professor
Leidy Klotz, Ph.D., civil engineering

professor
Robin Kowalski, Ph.D., psychology

professor

 Martine LaBerge, Ph.D., bioengineering

professor

Krista Rudolph, Ph.D., biological

sciences professor

Miguel Larsen, Ph.D., physics professor

Robert Schalkoff, Ph.D., electrical and

Patricia Layton, Ph.D., environmental

computer engineering professor

and natural resources professor

Michael LeMahieu, Ph.D., English

professor
Nancy Leininger, graphic

communications professor
Jeff Love, Ph.D., languages and

humanities professor
Steven Marks, Ph.D., history professor
Vladimir Matic, J.J.D., political science

professor
Todd May, Ph.D., philosophy professor
Rachel Mayo, Ph.D., public health

sciences professor
Meredith McCarroll, Ph.D., English

professor, director of Clemson

Writing Center
Bobby McCormick, Ph.D., economics

professor
James McCubbin, Ph.D., psychology

professor
Tamara McNealy, Ph.D., biological

sciences professor
Tamara McNutt-Scott, Ph.D., biological

sciences professor
Thompson Mefford, Ph.D., materials

science and engineering professor

Jim Morris, Ph.D., biochemistry

professor
Jiro Nagatomi, Ph.D., biomedical

engineering professor
Liam OHara, Ph.D., graphic

communications professor
Gary Powell, Ph.D., biochemistry

Eric Seiber, Ph.D., public health

sciences professor
Kerrie Seymour, performing arts

professor
Windsor Sherrill, Ph.D., public health

sciences professor
Kelly Smith, Ph.D., philosophy

professor
Kerry Smith, Ph.D., genetics and

biochemistry professor
Melissa Smith, Ph.D., electrical and

computer engineering professor

Elizabeth Stephan, Ph.D., general

engineering professor
Zeynep Taydas, Ph.D., political science

professor
Lesly Temesvari, Ph.D., biological

sciences professor
Mark Thies, Ph.D., chemical

engineering professor
Charles Thomas, Ph.D., economics

professor
Terry Tritt, Ph.D., physics professor
Jerry Waldvogel, Ph.D., biological

sciences professor
Lance Young, College of Business and

Behavioral Sciences adviser

The National Scholars Program inspired a spirit

of experimentation and taking chances that was
new for me. I was the kind of person who followed
the rules, dotted all the is and crossed all the
ts. I did it very well, which pleased my teachers
and my parents, so I kept doing it. I came to the
NSP thinking I had to be brilliant and amazing
and do even better than the brilliant and amazing
people who had come through the NSP before me.
Frankly while I was looking forward to college, a
part of me was fearful that I might not measure
up. The executive director, William Lasser, Ph.D.,
disabused me of that notion.
While I have not lost my i-dotting and
t-crossing tendencies, I have done my best to
maintain that spirit of pursuing my passions since
I have left Clemson and the NSP. I am headed
into a field of medicine that is murky, messy and
uncharted. There are many adults living today with
diseases that in previous generations were almost
universally fatal in childhood. Our improved
understanding of how these diseases occur
has allowed those people to live longer, but the
medical community is at a bit of loss as to what
is the best care for adults with these pediatric
diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell
disease and Down syndrome. I have been eager to
take on the challenge for years, and I am pursuing
a fellowship in primary care research after I finish
my combined residency of internal medicine and
pediatrics to help me not simply be a good doctor
to these patients, but also to do the research that
helps other doctors do the same. I believe my
time in the NSP gave me the confidence to pursue
something relatively uncharted. I think I would
have allowed myself to be talked out of this path a
long time ago without the underlying belief in the
power of pursuing my passions, which is the best
gift that the NSP gave me.
Laura Hart 07
M.D., University of Cincinnati

Yanhua Zhang, Ph.D., languages

professor
John Ziegert, Ph.D., mechanical

engineering professor
David Zumbrunnen, Ph.D., mechanical

engineering professor

professor

NATIONAL SCHOLARS MENTOR AWARD

19

Having the opportunity to travel the world with the

National Scholars Program was an enriching, lifechanging experience that set a standard for me to
live my life as a traveler and not as a tourist. Also,
from a practical standpoint as a young achiever in
the workforce, Ive often found myself at business
dinners as the only 20-something manager within
an old boys club of executives.Having a bevy of
international travels under your belt is the ultimate
go-to conversation equalizer. Discussing your favorite
museums in Paris has no generationgap.
As a National Scholar, I met famous authors for
book readingsand roundtable discussions; I formed
connections through leadership committees and
networking opportunities; and I saw a side of Clemson
that most students miss.Laser focus is a good thing.
Being driven to and rising above challenges is a
good thing. But without proper guidance it can also
turn into tunnel vision. Without NSP advisers, I never
would have had the confidence to trust my gut and to
switch my graduate path from architecture to graphic
communications, where I was much happier and have
now made my career. The advisers reminded me to
question why I was driving toward a goal and to take
time to make sure it was a worthwhile reason. The
National Scholars Program is where I finally learned
that theres no point in climbing a mountain if its not
the peak you want.
Erica Morrison 10
Masters degree in graphic communications,
Clemson University

20

A GREAT UNIVERSITY

A GREAT
UNIVERSITY
Clemson University is ranked a top 20 national public
university by U.S.News & World Report. Clemson is a studentcentered community where students are engaged, spirited,
highly competitive and according to one guidebook the
nations happiest. The University offers a teaching and
learning environment more common to private, liberal arts
colleges, but with the increased academic, community service
and social opportunities found at a major public university,
all on a beautiful campus surrounded by lakes, forests and
mountains. Clemsons enrollment is more than 21,000.
Students can select from more than 82 undergraduate degree
programs and 119 graduate degree programs.

Clemsons Premier Scholarship Program

The Clemson University National Scholars Program provides a select number
of extraordinary freshmen with an extraordinary educational experience that
includes the following:

A competitive four-year scholarship

Summer study abroad
Academic seminars that explore critical thinking and leadership
Ongoing enrichment opportunities throughout the year

SCHOLARS TODAY. GLOBAL LEADERS TOMORROW.

The Clemson National Scholars are also members of Calhoun Honors College,
which provides advanced coursework and research opportunities as well as
support in competing for major national and international fellowships. Clemson
University is committed to providing an unmatched undergraduate experience to
each of our Clemson National Scholars.

Contact Us
Jamie Williams
Director
[email protected]

Michael LeMahieu, Ph.D.

Faculty Fellow
[email protected]

Megan Morgan
Graduate Assistant
[email protected]

Katie Maxwell
Assistant Director
[email protected]

Sarah Winslow, Ph.D.

Faculty Fellow
[email protected]

Clemson National Scholars Program

232 Brackett Hall
Clemson, SC 29634-5108
Telephone: 864-656-6160
Website: clemson.edu/national_scholars

William Lasser, Ph.D.

Executive Director,
Calhoun Honors College
[email protected]

The NSP challenged me to open my mind to experiences and ideas that I

otherwise may not have challenged myself to do. Studying abroad the first
summer after my freshman year was an undertaking that I, honestly, was
not sure I wanted to do. Being from a small town, having grown up on a
farm and never having traveled outside of the country, I was a teenager who
yearned to explore the world. However, when it was time to do so, I hesitated.
Of course, I went; I enjoyed myself; and Ive had wanderlust ever since. From
that experience, I reframed how I thought about by own goals and desires. My
hesitation to study abroad came from a fear of the unknown. Now, I look at
that fear as a new challenge to understand what motivates me and to grow
as an individual.
The NSP is not about being the smartest, most skilled or most articulate,
although your peers do keep you on your toes. I learned to appreciate the
talents I had and to encourage them in others. I learned to appreciate people
for what they could do and how I could help support/encourage them. The
life lesson I took from my undergraduate years defines how I view and treat
people, especially my students. I make it a point to foster their individual
creativity while challenging them to explore their passions without the
pressure of comparison. I feel that the programs impact on me was one
that broadened my views and helped me critique the world around me
while deepening my understanding and fostering my desire to question and
learn. Working within higher education, these skills have made me a more
empathetic and perceptive adviser, instructor and mentor.
Lori Pindar 10
Masters degree in journalism, University of Georgia
Ph.D. in higher education, Clemson University