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Fall 2007 -- Vol. 60, No. 4
When Ken Vickery set foot on the Clemson campus in 1934, he had no idea where his path would take him. The Great Depression was devastating the South, and college was a privilege that many could not afford. Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina was founded for young men just like him, even though he was from Georgia. He became involved in the Y.M.C.A. and was later his company’s chaplain. From the moment he arrived on campus to the day he passed away, Ken Vickery was the epitome of a Southern gentleman — a “Clemson Man.”
 Vickery graduated from Clemson in the spring of 1938 and went to work as the assistant to the school registrar.
He left Clemson to serve his country in the U.S. Army for four and a half years in World War II. During this period, he ran into many Clemson men in the service. “They were everywhere,” he once said. When he landed in London, he soon ran into Col. J. Strom Thurmond ’23.
The very next day he received orders to an encampment in and around ancient Stonehenge. Vickery was headed to the Battle of the Bulge but didn’t get there before the siege ended. He was then assigned to retrain troops and was attached to a battalion where all four company commanders were Clemson men!
After World War II, he returned to Clemson and worked as an administrator for the rest of his career.
He served as director of admissions, registrar, director of admissions and registration, dean of admissions and registration, and assistant vice president for student affairs. He played a vital role in many of the most important changes in the school’s history, including the return of World War II veterans, the ending of mandatory military training, the registration of the first full-time degree-seeking females and the registration of the first African American student, Harvey Gantt.
Most often called “Dean Vickery” by students, he worked hard to help students succeed, whether it be spiritually, financially or academically. When he retired from Clemson in May 1982, he had had a role in awarding almost 90 percent of all the diplomas ever bestowed on Clemson students!
He served as a life deacon at the First Baptist Church of Clemson, a member of the Anderson College Board of Trustees, president of the state and national Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, a member of the NCAA Committee on Tests and Requirements, chairman of the Clemson Athletic Council and president of the Atlantic Coast Conference. A frequent consultant to the NCAA, he was instrumental in the establishment of national eligibility standards for student athletes.
 Clemson’s student-athlete enrichment center, Vickery Hall, is named for him. He was also a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Tiger Brotherhood and the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame. He received the prestigious Algernon Sidney Sullivan Award for his leadership and devotion to the community and Clemson’s Alumni Distinguished Service Award.
Ken Vickery passed away in October 2006. He left behind a family of dedicated Clemson folks, including his wife, Evelyn; daughter, Carolyn Cloaninger M ’74; son, Bob ’75; and grandchildren Amy C. Bonnette ’99, M ’00 and Matt Cloaninger ’06. He also left a legacy of accomplishments that rank him among the most important figures in Clemson history.
Trent Allen is co-owner of Allens’ Creations Inc. — Frame and Art Gallery and co-author of Clemson — There’s Something in These Hills. Ginger Allen is a biology teacher.
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