Faculty and Staff Profile

Timothy Whims

Educational Background

Master of Arts, Communication
Clemson University, 2024

Bachelor of Arts, Photography and Cinema
The Ohio State University, 1992

Profile

Timothy Whims is an Emmy and National Headliner Award-winning communicator who’s redefining how Clemson tells its story through technology. As a leader in AI development within the Division of Marketing and Communications, he’s shaping the future of strategic communication — blending human creativity with the power of emerging technology to move ideas, messages, and people forward.

For Whims, innovation and integrity go hand in hand. With more than 30 years of experience across journalism, healthcare, and higher education, he brings a storyteller’s instinct to every system he builds. His work focuses on advancing the ethical and effective integration of AI.

A two-time Emmy Award winner, Whims’s path began behind a camera, capturing moments that mattered. That foundation — a Bachelor of Arts in Photography and Cinema from The Ohio State University — evolved into a lifelong passion for visual and written storytelling. His Master of Arts in Communication from Clemson University built on that vision, exploring how artificial intelligence can transform crisis communication and strengthen connections when clarity matters most.

Before leading AI initiatives at Clemson, Whims served as a Web Developer and Communications and Public Relations Coordinator for the University. He has also held roles as Editor-in-Chief and Director of Public Relations at Upfront Publishing, Media Relations Coordinator at Prisma Health in Greenville, Web Developer at WYFF4.com, and as a Journalist and Photojournalist at WYFF-TV. Across every role, one constant has guided his work — a belief that communication, at its best, connects people to purpose.

Research Interests

• Technology Acceptance


• AI in the workplace


• AI-mediated crisis communication


• AI-mediated strategic communication

Research Publications

Gilmore, J. N., Whims, T., Blair, B. W., Katarzynski, B., & Steffen, L. (2025). Technology acceptance, moral panic, and perceived ease of use: Negotiating ChatGPT at research one universities. Convergence. https://doi.org/10.1177/13548565251337576

Honors and Awards

• Clemson University Department of Communication Outstanding Graduate Researcher


• Clemson University Professional Staff Award For Exceptional Performance and Outstanding Service


• Emmy Award - Television News Photojournalist of the Year


• Emmy Award - Collaborative Effort Photojournalism


• Emmy Award Nominations x3


• National Headliner Award for Journalism (2nd place)


• Associated Press First & Second Place Awards For Journalism x9


• Radio Television Digital News Association Gold & Silver Awards For Journalism x10

Links