DATE: June 10, 2009

CONTACT: Amy Craft, 864-656-1240
acserna@clemson.edu

CONTACT: Wil Brasington, 864-656-5652
wil@clemson.edu

WRITER: Angela Nixon, 864-656-0382
anixon@clemson.edu

Clemson reunion events celebrate alumni giving

CLEMSON — Clemson University’s annual alumni reunion will include three ceremonies to highlight donations from three graduating classes: 1957, 1959 and 1960.

The Class of 1959 will mark its 50th reunion with a check presentation at the Alumni General Assembly luncheon at noon Saturday, June 13, at the Madren Center. Members of the class will present a check of more than $2.8 million, representing the total money donated to Clemson by the class members since their graduation in 1959.

The classes of 1957 and 1960 will celebrate their class projects: the Class of 1957 Rotunda and the Class of 1960 North Green.

The projects are gifts to the university from the classes in celebration of their 50th reunions.

The Class of 1957 will mark the completion of construction on the rotunda, located in the President’s Park along S.C. 93, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Friday, June 12.

The domed rotunda adds to the beauty of President’s Park and provides a new space for students, faculty, staff and others to hold meetings, receptions, classes and other events.

“This is a very versatile space in a beautiful setting,” said David Rozendale, finance committee chairman for the Class of 1957. “There is nothing else like it on campus.”

The rotunda was designed with the help of Clemson landscape architect Barry Anderson and is 30 feet in diameter. The floor inside features a large emblem of the Class of 1957 ring.

The Class of 1960 will hold a groundbreaking at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 13, for its project, which involves landscaping the green space between the Carillon Garden and the Outdoor Theater.

The Class of 1960 North Green will feature a terraced green that steps down from the Carillon Garden toward the Outdoor Theater and reflection pond. The site will include new sidewalks, lighting, benches and improved access routes to the area, which will make it easier to move equipment in and out for events.

In addition to enhancing the beauty of campus, the project also will highlight some major milestones in Clemson’s history that happened in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The top of the green will feature the Transition Wall, which tells the story of four major transitions that took place during this time period: the transition from a military school to a civilian school, the transition from an all-male school to a coeducational school, the transition from college to university and the transition from an all-white student body to an integrated one.

“This project gives us an opportunity to spotlight four important changes that continue to impact Clemson University,” said Class of 1960 reunion president Luther Bigby. “We graduated in the middle of these changes.”

One-hundred percent of the funding for both projects came from private donations by class members. The Class of 1957 raised a total of $825,000 for its project, and the Class of 1960 has raised $674,000. Both classes have worked for more than five years to raise funds for their respective projects.

“We thank these three classes for investing in Clemson University,” said Brian O’Rourke, director of development and alumni affairs. “Their contributions will help make Clemson a special place for the next generation of students, faculty, staff and visitors.”