Honorary Membership

Unique among Clemson classes is the Class of '39 program of Honorary Memberships. By means of this program, the class recognizes special contributions to the University, it expresses appreciation for special contributions to the class or to class projects, and it endeavors to maintain contact with families of departed classmates. The program has been in effect since 1966 when Pappy Hayden became the first honorary member, and it continues to be one of the class’s cherished class activities.

There are three ways of becoming an Honorary Member of the Class of '39, two of which are entirely automatic:
First, one can get him or herself was chosen as the Faculty Award for Excellence winner. Each year the faculty selects from within its own ranks that faculty member whose extracurricular activities over the past five years exemplify an ideal of service to the University and the outside community that is unsurpassed among faculty members. That person receives the faculty's highest honor - and in addition, is entitled to honorary membership in the Great class of '39.
Second, when a classmate passes away, his widow automatically becomes entitled to Honorary Membership. The third way is far from automatic. Through the years the class has maintained a high profile through its reunions and its extended activities on behalf of the University. In all these things it has enjoyed the help and support of friends, faculty members, and other alumni. In more than a few cases that help has been exceptional, to the degree that the class has extended to those persons its own highest honor - that of honorary membership.

When we extend Honorary Membership to someone, they are encouraged to participate fully in all class activities and to share the ideals of excellence for Clemson University.


List of Supporting Members:

  • Claud J. Hayden - 1966 (1981)
    John C. Mann - 1975 (1988)
    Mark R. Eisengrein - 1989
    Ulysses S. Jones - 1989 (2002)
    Elton W. Shepherd - 1989
    Beth C. Farmer - 1994
    Lolly Tai - 1995
    William (Whirl) N. Miller - 1996
    David L. Senn - 1996
    Virginia G. Senn - 1996
    Jeannie Kelly - 1997
    Cathy T. Sturkie - 1998
    Carolyn Robinson - 2000
    Adrienne L. Tucker - 2000
    Mark S. Avent - 2001
    Frank J. Cox - 2001
    Byron K. Webb - 2001 (2017)
    Anne M. Grant - 2003

  • James R. Adkins - 2005
    A. Niell Cameron Jr. - 2007
    Carol Talbert - 2007
    Jerome V. Reel Jr. - 2008
    Sandy Edge - 2009
    Todd A. Steadman - 2009
    James O. Sweeny Jr. - 2010
    Robert M. Sweeny - 2010
    R. Trent Allen - 2012
    Betty (Bett) W. Long - 2012
    Liz P. Newall - 2012
    Charles Bradley Russell - 2013
    A. Vincent Brawley - 2014
    Richie Senn - 2014
    Dana Anderson - 2016
    John Bodiford - 2016
    Anna Brawley - 2016
    Patrick McMillan - 2017