Meet Our Interim Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer

Kelly Collins serves as interim vice president for finance and chief financial officer at Clemson University. A Clemson graduate and longtime University leader, Collins brings more than two decades of experience in financial management, administration and organizational operations to the role. She joined Clemson in 2003 and has held positions across academic and administrative units, most recently serving as senior associate vice president for financial operations in the Division of Finance and Operations.

Before joining the Division of Finance and Operations, Collins served as chief of staff and operations for Clemson’s College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences. Her Clemson career began after she earned a Bachelor of Science in financial management from the University in 2003. She first worked as business manager in the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities before joining the College of Engineering and Science’s business office in 2007. Her career has since spanned college-level business operations, institutional budgeting, financial planning and University-wide leadership.

In her previous role, Collins played a central role in Clemson’s evolving financial and administrative systems. She has served in leadership for implementation of the University’s new enterprise resource management system, helping connect institutional needs with the University’s modernization of finance and administrative processes. She also was a member of the 2021-22 President’s Leadership Institute cohort.

As interim vice president for finance and chief financial officer, Collins helps provide financial leadership and stewardship as Clemson continues to strengthen its planning and resource-allocation processes. Her experience across both academic and central administrative operations gives her a broad perspective on the people, systems and resources that support Clemson’s teaching, research and public-service mission.