Dixon Fellows Program
Engage With Leading Clemson faculty
Founded in 1996, the Joseph E. and Caroline G. Dixon Fellows Program brings together some of Clemson University's best students and faculty to form a unique community dedicated to intellectual, cultural, and personal learning and growth.
The program's purpose is to enhance students' ability to compete for international fellowships and for admission to top-level graduate and professional schools; and, ultimately, to enable them to assume a position of leadership and responsibility in their communities and in the world.
Intellectually-talented students meet regularly with professors as a small group to learn and discuss a particular topic for the semester. Topics this past year have included "American Diplomacy in a Changing World" and "Black Women in Contemporary Film and Fiction.”
About the Program
At the heart of the Dixon Fellows experience is the mentor group, a small number of students (the Junior Fellows) meeting together with a professor (Senior Fellow) who acts as role-model, mentor, and guide.
These small groups meet regularly throughout the semester to engage in a variety of formal and informal programs and events, each designed to encourage discussion and conversation, and to enable the Junior Fellows to learn from the Senior Fellows, from invited guests, and from each other.
The Dixon Fellows are also invited to a number of special events—including lectures, receptions, and performances—involving the entire group. They are also able to participate in specialized seminars and workshops on a variety of practical matters, such as how to obtain an internship or how to prepare for an interview.
Through their shared experiences, the Dixon Junior Fellows develop the skills and talents they need to compete for prestigious national and international scholarships, such as the Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright and Truman Scholarships; to apply to graduate and professional schools, and to enhance their personal and professional lives.
“I really enjoyed the Dixon Fellows Program because it helped me form interpersonal relationships with fellow students and a professor and allowed for a comfortable integration into the broader Honors College student community during my freshman year of college.”
Grayson RobinsonEconomicsClass of 2024
Program Details
Eligibility
Admission to the program is highly selective and is only open to new first year and current Clemson Honors students with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.4.
Dixon Junior Fellows are selected on the basis of academic excellence, commitment to public service, leadership potential, and personal integrity. They form a community of Clemson University’s most exceptional students.
Junior Fellows are expected to:
- Take their formal studies seriously, yet maintain a strong interest in the world of learning outside the classroom. This includes regular attendance to their Dixon Fellows group if selected.
- Complete a 500 word reflection on the program they attended and what value they derived from it.
- Expand their educational horizons to include a broader exposure to foreign cultures, the arts, and the life of the mind.
- Assume leadership roles at Clemson University, and to participate in a wide range of public service activities at Clemson and in the larger community.
- Compete for national and international fellowships such as the Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright, Goldwater, and Truman Scholarships.
Students apply for each semester they wish to participate. The program has changed to a semester-long program in order to allow students the option to participate in more than one program, and because academic and work schedules change from one semester to the other.
Application Process
Applications are submitted online in late August for the Fall Semester and in December/early January for the Spring Semester (once students know their Spring schedules). Information about the program is provided at Honors orientation sessions and in the weekly newsletter to students.
A complete application consists of:
- The "Personal Information section" completely filled out, including your preferred course options.
- A 100 to 200 word essay about why would you like to become a Dixon Fellow and how you are prepared to actively contribute to the success of the program.
- A brief certification that you are able to attend the program during the time allotted and that you will comply with program requirements, including attendance and meaningful participation.
Senior Fellows
The following Clemson University faculty members are leading Dixon Fellows groups as Senior Fellows:
| Senior Fellow | Department | Course Title | Day | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mashal Saif | Philosophy and Religion |
Islam and the West: A Journey through Representations Mashal SaifIslam and the West: A Journey through Representations Islam and the West have often been presented as binary opposites in conflict with one another. What images and representations of Islam and Muslims in the Western media help to sustain this perceived opposition? And does this Western lens of viewing Islam & Muslims stand up to academic scrutiny and/or resonate with a factual analysis of Islam and Muslims? |
Fridays | 11:15 a.m. |
| Briana Pocratsky | Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice |
Briana PocratskyThe Sociology of Art This course will explore the relationship between art and society, with a focus on art’s relationship to equity. As part of the course, students will be asked to apply sociological theories and concepts through analysis of artworks and by participating in the creation of a collective artwork. A background in art/aesthetics is not required, and this course should be useful to students interested in critical approaches to sociocultural analysis, self/community expression, and social justice through art. |
Mondays | 6 p.m. |
| Eliza Gallagher and Neil Calkin | Engineering and Science Education; Mathematical and Statistical Sciences |
Bread, Noodles, and Rice: How Cultures Take Staples and Give Them Flavor and Meaning Eliza Gallagher and Neil CalkinBread, Noodles, and Rice: How Cultures Take Staples and Give Them Flavor and Meaning Many cultures have staples around which a cuisine develops. In this program, we use bread, noodles, and rice as a focal point to investigate the interactions between trade, colonization, and cuisine. Each meeting will include a meal and a discussion of social, historical, and economic forces that influenced the region from which that meal is drawn. Food will be prepared in a home kitchen. There is no expectation that everyone partake of every dish, but some dishes may not be appropriate for those with significant dietary or cultural food restrictions. The household includes cats. |
First Tuesday of every month | 6-9 p.m. |
| Olga Volkova | Languages/World Cinema |
Cultural Representations of Tyrants and Dictators Olga VolkovaCultural Representations of Tyrants and Dictators We will explore non-democratic regimes through representations of their leaders in fiction and film. |
Fridays | 11:30 a.m. |
| Lisa Ruggiero Wagner | Biological Sciences |
Lisa Ruggiero WagnerThe Nexus of Art and Anatomy: A Rendezvous with Barber Surgeons, Artists, Anatomists and Physicians Engaging introduction to the culture, contributions, connections, and conflicts that established the foundation for medical and health sciences education throughout the world. Explores the intersections in the world of art, anatomy and physiology, and the origins and development of the modern science of anatomy and physiology. |
Tuesdays | 4:30-6:30 p.m. |
| John DesJardins | Engineering |
Hands-On Design and Entrepreneurship John DesJardinsHands-On Design and Entrepreneurship Do you have an idea, invention, or product that you have always wanted to make, develop, or market? In this two semester program, we will explore and experience the invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship process. We will meet weekly or bi-weekly to learn, experience, and enjoy each other’s ideas and progress. We will develop and refine your idea, we will make it, and we will pitch it at local competitions for real cash. Not ready for the stage, no worries, we will also help others in the program do the same, and contribute to the innovation and entrepreneurial network on campus and in the community. |
Tuesdays | 5:30-6:30 p.m. |
| Alexander Billinis | Honors College and Political Science |
Alexander BillinisAmerica at 250 A critical thinking seminar about the United States at the cusp of our 250th anniversary. |
Mondays | 4:30 p.m. |
| Andrew Pyle | Communications |
Exploring Cultures of the World Through their Food Andrew PyleExploring Cultures of the World Through Their Food From rice and beans to dumplings, every culture has foods that are foundational to understanding life within that culture. Our Dixon Fellows study cultures of the world through shared culinary experiences – Fellows will gather in our home and learn about cultures together while eating a meal traditional to that culture. We meet once per month. Ahead of each meeting, I will provide a prompt and students will use that to find out something about the culture we are studying. Fellows will come to the meeting with something to share with the group, and we will learn together while we eat. |
Thursdays | 5:30-7 p.m. |
| David Foltz | English |
David FoltzDixon Book Club We meet every other week or so to discuss assigned readings (I'll choose some but you can, too). Don't worry, "book" club doesn't necessarily mean reading whole books; most readings will be relatively short, though not in significance. Discussions are informal – we’ll meet and converse over coffee or supper. However, our aim is purposeful, attentive engagement with the texts and each other. Consequently, commitment – i.e., regular reading and participation – are expected. Texts and topics are literary, philosophical, theological, historical, etc. If you’re looking for a reading home and/or practice cultivating sustained, intellectual conversation, join us. |
Thursdays | 6 p.m. |
Joseph E. and Caroline G. Dixon
Joseph E. Dixon
Joseph E. Dixon was born in 1917 in Dillon, South Carolina, son of Harry Edmiston Dixon and Nina David Dixon. He grew up in South Carolina and attended elementary through high school in Columbia. He died in 2010.
At Clemson University, from which he graduated in 1939, Mr. Dixon lettered in varsity boxing and earned a Bachelor of Sciences degree. In October 1940, he was called into the service and during his six and one half years in the Army, served in the Pacific and European theaters and was promoted from Second Lieutenant to Infantry Major.
After returning home from World War II in 1946, he began working in Philadelphia as a sales representative for World Book Encyclopedia, part of Field Enterprises, Inc. During his over thirty-five years with World Book, he was sales manager for South Carolina and part of Georgia. For eleven out of twelve years, 1968-1979, the branch under his management led the eighty-four branches in the United States and Canada in total sales. He concluded his World Book career as Senior Vice President in charge of sales for the Eastern United States and Canada.
Mr. Dixon was a member of Eastminster Presbyterian Church, where he served as a deacon and Boy Scout leader. Mr. Dixon passed away in 2010.
Caroline Goggans Dixon
Caroline Goggans Dixon was born in Columbia, daughter of the late James Furman Goggans and Isoline Wyche Goggans. After graduating from old Columbia High School, she attended Hollins College and graduated from the University of South Carolina. Not only did she do substantial work as a community volunteer, but she was also a major source of support in the course of Mr. Dixon's career with World Book Encyclopedia. Her work as a community volunteer included serving as president of The Junior League of Columbia and as treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Historic Columbia Foundation.
Mrs. Dixon was one of a six-member committee that directed and carried out the campaign to raise funds necessary to save the endangered Robert Mills House in 1962 and later received the Historic Columbia Foundation Award for Distinguished Achievement in Historic Preservation. A longtime supporter of the Columbia and Metropolitan Opera guilds, she was also a member of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America and of The Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a member of Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Columbia. Mrs. Dixon passed away in 2000. She and Mr. Dixon are survived by two children and two grandchildren.
Find Out More
If you are interested in hearing more about the Dixon Fellows program, would like to make a suggestion or comment, you may contact us using the information below.
Dixon Fellows Program
Alexander Billinis, Program Coordinator
180 Cribb Hall
Clemson, SC 29634-5106
Program email: dixonfellows@clemson.edu
