Award for Excellence
Congratulations to Dr. Joseph B. Ryan
Dr. Joseph Ryan becomes our newest honorary member of The Great Class of 1939.
The founder and executive director of the ClemsonLIFE, Ryan has transformed lives across the globe through his service, research and advocacy.
Clemson University faculty have named Joseph Ryan one of the very best at the University by awarding him the Class of ’39 Award for Excellence.
The award, endowed by the Class of 1939 to commemorate its 50th anniversary in 1989, is presented annually to one distinguished faculty member whose outstanding contributions for a five-year period have been judged by peers to represent the highest service achievement to the student body, University and the larger community.
Ryan is the Sue Stanzione Distinguished Professor in Clemson University’s College of Education. He is the founder and executive director of the ClemsonLIFE™ (Learning is for Everyone) program, one of the nation’s premier post-secondary education programs for young adults with intellectual disabilities. The program’s success has led to ClemsonLIFE mentoring over 100 colleges and universities across the globe to help open or expand a similar program on their campuses.
“Dr. Ryan exemplifies Clemson University’s mission to serve students and our state. His visionary leadership in creating ClemsonLIFE has transformed opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, and his scholarship and advocacy have influenced policy at the highest levels. The Class of ’39 Award for Excellence is a fitting recognition of his extraordinary impact on our campus and beyond and we are proud to celebrate this honor.”
College of Education Dean Kristin Gehsmann
Ryan was a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Ireland in 2024 and has over 100 scholarly publications. He has served as editor of the journal Beyond Behavior for the past 12 years and his research on crisis interventions (e.g. restraint, seclusion, school resource officers) has led to the development of numerous state policies and guidelines in states such as Louisiana, South Carolina and Wisconsin, as well as proposed federal legislation. He has drafted multiple expert opinions for federal court rulings which directly impacted the safety of students from minority groups and those with disabilities and given three U.S. Congressional briefings on behavioral crisis interventions for schools.
Ryan is also the founder and director of several adaptive sports programs (baseball, soccer), the Clemson Letterbox Club (an educational program for children in foster care), and volunteers as a Guardian ad Litem for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. He is a retired Captain in the United States Navy Reserve and proudly serves as faculty advisor and instructor for the Clemson University Flying Club, which is the oldest in the nation.
The Faculty Senate administers the program. Early in the school year, the call goes out to the entire faculty, asking for nominations for the current year's award. Nominations detail the past five year accomplishments of the nominees. They flow through administrative channels to the Provost, who passes them along to a select faculty committee for assessment. That committee includes the two prior year Award for Excellence winners. The committee studies the nominations and selects a maximum of four for consideration by the entire Faculty Senate, who by secret ballot determine the winner for the year.
At the December graduation exercises, the Provost announces the name of the winner, who is invited to the rostrum to receive a certificate signed by the President of the University and to be given a medal signifying his or her award, which thereafter will be worn as part of the academic uniform. Then in January, the Faculty Senate holds a ceremony at the Class of '39 Bell Tower near Tillman Hall honoring the current winner. Each winner's name is engraved in granite on the Bell Tower. The Class of '39 has a standing invitation to attend this final recognition of the Award for Excellence winner, who at that time is invited to become an honorary member of the class.
Resolution to Honor the Clemson University Class of ‘39
“Whereas the Class of ‘39 established the Class of 1939 Award for Excellence “to inspire the greatest possible level of achievement by members of the faculty of Clemson University;” and Whereas the Award for Excellence is presented annually to one distinguished member of the faculty whose outstanding contributions have been judged by peers to represent the highest achievement of service to the University, the Student Body, and the larger community; and Whereas Faculty who have received this distinction become members of the Class of ‘39; and Whereas the members of the Class of ‘39 have bestowed the privilege of the Award facilitation to the Faculty Senate; and Whereas the Class of ‘39 respects and believes in the importance of the faculty and its impact on students and the future of Clemson University; Resolved that the Faculty Senate does hereby honor and celebrate the members of the Great Class of ‘39 for its trust and confidence in the recognition of the faculty of Clemson University. - Passed unanimously by the Faculty Senate, November 11, 1997
List of Recipients:
- Joseph B. Ryan (2025)
- Robert F. Baldwin (2024)
- William C. Bridges (2023)
- Brian A. Powell (2022)
- Rhondda R. Thomas (2021)
- Delphine Dean (2020)
- Mary Elizabeth Kurz (2019)
- Lisa Benson (2018)
- Terry Tritt (2017)
- Antonis Katsiyannis (2016)
- June J. Pilcher (2015)
- Catherine Mobley (2014)
- John Ballato (2013)
- Windsor Westbrook Sherrill (2012)
- Richard Figliola (2011)
- Melanie M. Cooper (2010)
- Webb M. Smathers (2009)
- William (Bill) Pennington (2008)
- Alma Bennet (2007)
- Donald M. McKale (2006)
- Ben Sill (2005)
- Art Young (2004)
- Kinly Sturkie (2003)
- A.P (Hap) Wheeler (2002)
- Jerry Waldvogel (2001)
- Chip Egan (2000)
- Judy Melton (1999)
- Larry Bauer (1998)
- Chalmers Butler (1997)
- Larry LaForge (1996)
- Fran McGuire (1995)
- Cecil Huey (1994)
- Budd Bodine (1993)
- Ray Turner (1992)
- John Idol (1991)
- Joel Brawley (1990)
- Dixie Goswami (1989)
