Summer 2008 — Vol. 61, No. 3

Prompted by his love for Clemson and his devotion to the advancement of biodiversity in solving world issues, Clemson alumnus and entomology professor John C. Morse MS ’70, and wife, Suzanne, will soon see their efforts to fund an endowed chair in arthropod biodiversity come to fruition.

More than eight years ago, the Morses began contributing to an endowment to fund an endowed chair in arthropod biodiversity within the Department of Entomology, Soils and Plant Sciences.

Over the years, the Morses’ personal $25,000-per-year contributions have been matched 4-to-1 by the W.C. English Foundation, created by Suzanne’s father in 1966. In three more years, the endowment will reach more than $1.25 million, fully funding the chair. The chair will recruit a leading scholar to teach, conduct research, inform land managers and decision-makers, and discover and manage economically detrimental effects and beneficial products and services of arthropod species.

“An understanding of biodiversity is critical to our earth,” says Morse, who has 14 species of bugs named in his honor.

Sixty-five percent of all species of plants and animals are insects, and the cost to agriculture, homes, stored foods, fabrics and animals is roughly $5 billion per year. On the other hand, the benefits of arthropod diversity for society are immeasurable, but many times the cost. Their value ranges from essential ecological services like pollination and debris decomposition to natural and manufactured products for human use, like honey, silk, dyes and medicine.

“An aggressive teaching and research initiative in biodiversity, led by a world-class arthropod scholar,” he says, “will not only elevate the stature of the University, but significantly impact our society.”

Suzanne English Morse agrees with her husband and has given the support of her family’s foundation.

Her father, the late W.C. English — an astute Virginia businessman who started English Construction Co. (one of the largest construction firms in Virginia) and W.C. English Inc., a general contracting firm — established the W.C. English Foundation prior to his death.

“When my father was alive, he supported the same organizations every year — those that were close to his heart,” says Suzanne. “As time went on, we decided to continue to give to those organizations, but so that we could feel ownership, we expanded the list to include those that were near and dear to us as well.”

Today, the W.C. English Foundation supports many religious and research-oriented activities, and English’s four daughters act as the English Foundation’s trustees — Joan Allen of Fayetteville, N.C., Beverley Dalton of Altavista, Va., Margaret Lester of Martinsville, Va., and Suzanne, who resides in Pendleton. “The [English] Foundation brings us together — we must physically be in the same room to review proposals, make decisions and determine investments.”

No stranger to philanthropy, Suzanne accepted the 2006 Philanthropist of the Year award given by the Tri-County Technical College Foundation Board of Trustees for work through the English Foundation (she is a Tri-County Tech Foundation Board member). She’s also on the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics Foundation Board.

Together, the Morses are a formidable team leading change at Clemson and, quite possibly, throughout the world.

For information on making a difference at Clemson University and far beyond, call (864) 656-2121 or go online to www.clemson.edu/isupportcu.