Clemson Corporate Connections
The Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) group within the Office of Development at Clemson University is dedicated to building and maintaining long-term relationships that benefit your company as well as the University and its students. The Corporate Connections newsletter is a quick update on some of these partnerships.
People
Roy Jones, Executive Director of the Call Me MISTER® (Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models) program at Clemson University, is in his eighth year with the Eugene T. Moore School of Education. The goal of the program is to place 200 teachers with diverse backgrounds into South Carolina’s elementary schools. Call Me MISTER was launched in the fall of 2000 and currently has graduated 75 certified teachers. Today, there are more than 160 students enrolled in the program, attending one of 15 partner institutions in the state.
Among his numerous professional awards, Jones received the Pacesetter Award in 2009 from the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education. And in the fall of 2011 was named by Oxford American magazine as one of the “Most Creative Teachers in the South.” He has effectively implemented and directed numerous programs in higher education throughout his career. Jones is often invited to present at workshops, seminars, forums and panel discussions on the subject of diversity in student recruitment and retention in education.
Roy Jones received his Doctorate from the University of Georgia, Master's from Atlanta University and Bachelor's from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Partnerships
In January 2012, Clemson’s Food, Nutrition and Packaging Science Department and the Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics began a partnership with Hartsville-based Hilex Poly LLC to develop Clemson’s growing sustainable packaging platform. Hilex Poly’s $50,000 leadership circle commitment will support curriculum development, student engagement and targeted research around sustainability, recycling and the significance of renewable materials.
Clemson sees Hilix’s investment as the first step in a long-term partnership with the South Carolina company. “Sustainable design represents a top priority for the Sonoco Institute,” notes director Dr. Charles Tonkin. “We are thoroughly excited about our relationship with Hilex and look forward to working together to achieve common goals. This commitment,” confirms Tonkin, “positions us to elevate sustainability as a primary concentration area for our students, faculty and industry partners.”
Hilex, a U.S.-based company with headquarters in Hartsville, S.C., is an industry-leading manufacturer of plastic bag and film products. Hilex features the world’s largest closed-loop, plastic bag recycling plant and has experienced substantial growth over the last two years. Its plans for new levels of productivity and global reach influenced the decision to partner with Clemson.
“Our mission, above all, is to develop twenty-first century packaging scientists,” observes Dr. Tonkin. “Sustainability-based education and innovation is therefore a core piece of our curriculum. We thank Hilex for strengthening our capacity to educate and innovate in this critically important area.” Plans are also in place for sponsored research between Hilex’s sustainability team and members of the packaging science faculty.
Events
Clemson University recently recognized its newest endowed chairs and the industry partners who provided sponsorship support. Zoran Filipi was installed as the Timken Endowed Chair in Automotive Design and Development, and Eric Johnson was named the PalmettoNet Endowed Chair in Optoelectronics. These chairs were created when private gifts were matched by the State of South Carolina through the SmartState program, formerly known as the Centers of Economic Excellence.
The Timken Endowed Chair in Automotive Design and Development was established in 2006 by The Timken Company, one of the world's leading producers of highly engineered antifriction bearings, alloy steel, and related products and services.
Professor Zoran Filipi is a world-renowned scholar in automotive powertrain systems, essentially the heart and soul of an automobile. His particular emphasis has been on research of alternative powertrain concepts that could transform future transportation systems. He was recently elected a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers for his leadership and groundbreaking accomplishments.
The PalmettoNet Endowed Chair in Optoelectronics was established in 2009 with the support of private gifts from telecommunication companies Comporium and PalmettoNet.
Comporium provides voice, video, data, wireless and security services at the retail level, as well as security monitoring and directory publishing for its industry customers. PalmettoNet is the largest provider of digital fiber optic network in the Carolinas, providing South Carolina with a full range of reliable communication capabilities, including access to the global information highways.
Professor Eric Johnson is an international leader in the field of optoelectronics. He is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America and of the International Society for Optics and Photonics, which he has served as a member of its Board of Directors. Johnson’s research spans the area of micro-optics and nano-photonics, with particular emphasis on active and passive photonic devices.
These chairs represent powerful public-private partnerships devoted to advancing the educational and economic well being of South Carolina and its citizens.