Clemson alumna establishes fellowship for play

Published: June 8, 2010

By Hannah Sykes

CLEMSON — Atlanta attorney Marsha Ward has established the Marsha A. Ward ’79 Fellowship Endowment for Play at Clemson University, a $75,000 endowment that will award a fellowship to a student in the parks, recreation and tourism management department's doctoral program who intends to study play and its value in modern society.  

Ward also is giving an annual gift of $3,000 until the endowment matures.

The gift will enhance the department’s initiative to support the concepts of “No Child Left Inside,” a national movement to encourage childhood play in society.

“I have always been a firm believer that play provides the opportunity for creative thinking, relieves stress, bonds relationships and provides for healthy emotional, mental and physical growth,” Ward said. “The de-emphasizing of play in our society and the lack of opportunities for children today to get outside and play are easily measured in the steady and steep rise in childhood obesity and diabetes.”

Current research suggests that children who do not experience adequate play during their developmental years are more susceptible to obesity and stress and may suffer socially, creatively and cognitively, according to Brett Wright, a professor and chairman of the parks, recreation and tourism management department.

“We believe that play is a basic human need and the foundation of strong intellectual, physical and emotional development,” said Wright. “It is essential to a person reaching their full potential.”

“With that backdrop, I felt a call to create a fellowship for play,” Ward said. “It is my hope that this fellowship will enable graduate students at Clemson to study the value of play and the impact of the deficit of play so that we can reverse the negative trend and re-establish the importance of play as an essential element of a healthy, happy and creative human being.”

Ward is an attorney with Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP in Atlanta, where she focuses on regulatory and renewable energy issues. Ward graduated from Clemson in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and received her juris doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1982. She previously was vice president of state regulatory affairs for Verizon Communications Inc. and general counsel for the Public Service Commission of South Carolina.

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