Dr. John W. Kelly

Vice President, Public Service and Agriculture

Degrees Held:

B.S., Horticulture, Clemson University
M.S., Horticulture (minor, biochemistry), Ohio State University
Ph.D., Horticulture (minor, biochemistry), Ohio State University

Responsibilities:

Dr. John W. Kelly is the Vice President for Public Service and Agriculture at Clemson University and serves as one of the three mission vice presidents at the University.   He also serves as Director of the SC Experiment Station, Director of the Clemson University Extension Service (CUCES), Director of The South Carolina Botanical Garden (SCBG), and as Administrative Technical Representative for the McIntire-Stennis Forestry Program.  He provides leadership for the university-wide public service mission, its six off-campus Research and Education Centers and eight University Institutes and serves as Executive Director of the Clemson University Restoration Institute (CURI).  His areas of responsibility include oversight of programs, personnel and budgets for the extension service, the experiment station, two regulatory units and service learning.

Dr. Kelly earned the BS degree from Clemson University.  From Ohio State University, he earned the MS and Ph.D. degrees.  Dr. Kelly accepted a faculty position at Clemson University in 1985, and was named Head of the Horticulture Department in 1991.  In 1996, Dr. Kelly was named director of the School of Plant, Statistical and Ecological Sciences and assistant director, South Carolina Agriculture & Forestry Research System and Cooperative Extension Service.  During this same year, Dr. Kelly was named Vice President for Public Service and Agriculture, his current position.  

In addition to his academic and outreach activities, Dr. Kelly is active in community and professional organizations.  He has served as chairman of the board of directors of The American Society for Horticultural Science, and Chairman of the Board of Directors for The American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC).  He currently serves as Chair of the Administrative Heads Section of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges (NASULGC).  He recently served as President of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists and also serves on the Boards for the Pate Foundation, the South Carolina Forestry Association, The South Carolina Biotechnology Alliance, the Clemson University Research Foundation and as ex-officio member of the Clemson University Capital Campaign Executive Steering Committee.  

The American Society for Horticultural Science has recognized Dr. Kelly with a number of significant awards, notably the award for Outstanding Research, the L. M. Ware Distinguished Research Award and the Leadership and Administration Award.  And, he is a Fellow of The American Society for Horticultural Science.

Page maintained by: Walker Massey, emassey@clemson.edu