Make a Financial Gift
The Department of Biological Sciences at Clemson University advances knowledge in biology and microbiology through discovery, learning and engagement with the community. Our remarkable faculty and students address all levels of biological study from molecules to ecosystems. We study how organisms reproduce, develop, and combat disease – from the smallest of microbes to the largest of mammals. Our work provides the foundation for discoveries that extend life and maintain the health of our planet.
Through philanthropic gifts to our department, you allow us to keep our research and teaching facilities up to date, recruit and retain excellent and diverse faculty and students, develop biological literacy in the community and broader society, support new discovery and learning initiatives, and create a welcoming and accepting environment for all. Your support also helps provide inquiry-based experiences for our students, send students to research field sites and conferences where they conduct and communicate their research, bring hands-on learning activities to the community, and so much more.
Support Our Commitment
We hope you will support our commitment to all Tigers who pass through our doors. Please use the button below to make a financial gift to the department. Gifts may be designated for specific funds by choosing the desired designation on the giving page.
Opportunities for Giving
Giving funds may be designated for any of the below options by selecting the appropriate designation on the giving page.
Biological Sciences Excellence Fund
Our highest priority is to build this foundation account to support excellence in the research, teaching and community engagement missions of the Department of Biological Sciences. Recently, we have supported student and faculty travel to research field sites and conferences to conduct and communicate their research; top scientists from around the world who come to Clemson to present and discuss their research findings; undergraduate and graduate student awards for excellence; and events to celebrate accomplishments.
Microbiology Excellence Fund
This account allows us to support excellence in the research, teaching and community engagement of our faculty and students engaged in studying microbiology.
Friends of the Museum of Natural History
This account supports the operation and enhancements to the Department of Biological Sciences’ Bob and Betsy Campbell Museum of Natural History. The museum contains more than 25,000 mammal, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish specimens, as well as a plethora of taxidermy mounts and articulated skeletons from around the world. Driven by a passion to engage and educate the community, our smalllogo of museum but extraordinary museum offers personalized behind-the-scenes guided tours in addition to off-campus outreach activities designed to instill a sense of respect and understanding of the natural world.
The Bob & Betsy Campbell Museum of Natural History also houses the Clemson University Herbarium and this fund supports enhancements and preservation of one of the largest plant collections in South Carolina and the extensive collection of local, regional and worldwide floras. The herbarium is maintained for research and education and is available to all Clemson University users as well as researchers from around the world.
Alfred P. Wheeler, Ph.D.,
Scholarship Endowment
This scholarship, named for Alfred P. “Hap” Wheeler, provides scholarships for undergraduate students majoring in biological sciences within the College of Science. Wheeler served as chair of the Department of Biological Sciences from 2002 to 2013 and was a member of the faculty for 38 years.
Stephen Klaine, Ph.D.,
Annual Memorial Fellowship
Stephen Klaine was a professor of biological sciences with a Ph.D. in environmental toxicology. He was an internationally acclaimed scientist with many friends and colleagues around the globe. Klaine’s No. 1, most-valued legacy is teaching, which was embodied in the development of 40 doctoral students and 45 master’s students. His legacy will carry on and he will be missed by all. This fund honors the memory of Klaine by awarding fellowships to graduate students enrolled or enrolling in the environmental toxicology graduate program.
Clemson Physicians Scholarship Endowment
This fund supports rising junior students who have identified medical school for their future educational plans. Thanks to many alumni physicians, select students will be supported through their undergraduate education on their way to becoming professional health providers.
Dr. David W. Tonkyn Memorial Annual Fellowship
David Tonkyn, Ph.D., was a professor in biological sciences from 1986 until his retirement in 2017. He was an animal ecologist who was passionate about conservation and preserving endangered species. David had a positive impact on numerous undergraduate and graduate students, and was a great colleague. This fund remembers him for his incredible work with students at Clemson.
Gift in Kind
A gift in kind gift is a non-monetary gift. These may include a company’s product or other business asset. Individuals may make in-kind gifts such as equipment, land, buildings and supplies that can be used by the University. All gifts received by the University that are not cash or cash equivalents are considered gifts in kind. Gifts in kind do not include cash gifts, gifts made by check or credit card, or items such as stocks and bonds that can readily be converted to cash. Clemson employees may also donate a gift in kind to the University and receive a gift acknowledgment. Find out more about gifts in kind. For more information about the gift in kind process and requirements, contact Margaret Owens, executive director of development, at 864-276-7245.
Other Gift Options
If you do not see your choice of fund listed here, contact Margaret Owens, executive director of development, at 864-276-7245 for more information, or visit the Find It, Fund It webpage for searchable options.