The

Medallion Fall 2012

Spring 2014

Honors grads take top CU awards

Three May Honors Award
graduates received recipients
Honors students received dozens
Clemson’s top senior Mappus, of year-end departmental awards
awards this year. Kate Gasparro, for leadership and academic
Tumas
Gasparro received the accomplishments. The students listed
Norris Medal, presented to below received the top recognitions
the best overall graduating from their academic colleges.
senior; Gasparro is the
College of Architecture, Art and Humanities
12th consecutive Honors
Elyse Dengler | Phi Kappa Phi Certificate of Merit
student to be named
Norris Medalist. Elliott College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences
Mappus and Jenny Tumas Christopher Nguyen | Blue Key Academic and
each received Algernon Leadership Award, Phi Kappa Phi Certificate of Merit
Sydney Sullivan Awards Haaris Khan | Phi Kappa Phi Certificate of Merit 
in recognition of their College of Business and Behavioral Science
academic and leadership Miles Atkinson | Delta Sigma Pi Scholastic Key
accomplishments. Award
Kathryn Jo Payne | Award for Outstanding Senior in
Additionally Honors presented more than 100 medallions to graduating the Social Sciences
seniors who completed Departmental Honors requirements after working Brian Probst | Blue Key Academic and Leadership
with faculty on mentored research projects. Award
Samantha Reynolds | Award for Outstanding Senior
in the Field of Business
Departmental Honors Departmental Honors Ellison Taylor | Wallace Dabney Trevillian Merit
graduate Shauna graduate FNAME Award
Young LAME Jenny Tumas | Award for Outstanding
Undergraduate Research
Shauna Young | Phi Kappa Phi Certificate of Merit
College of Engineering and Science
Ross Beppler | Samuel B. Earle Award for
Outstanding Senior in Engineering
John Farmer | Award for Outstanding Junior in the
Sciences
Kelly Moran | Award for Outstanding Junior in the
Sciences
Brenden Roberts | Award for Outstanding Senior in
the Sciences
Kate Showers | The Hambright Award for Leadership
in Engineering
College of Health, Education and Human Development
Stefanie Mokalled | Phi Kappa Phi Certificate of
More Departmental Honors Ceremony and Merit
Commencement Photos on page 7. Theresa Wersinger | Undergraduate Emerging
Leader Award
 Recruiting for 2014
From the Director’s Desk

The 2013-2014 academic year was eventful

for the Calhoun Honors College. We began
the year by enrolling our best freshman Honors Ambassadors and staff hosted more than 500 prospective
class ever, and ended by graduating an students and their families in April during several drop-in receptions
extraordinary group of award-winning at the Honors Academic Activities Center, and met with hundreds
seniors who are on their way to study at
the world’s top graduate, medical, and law more during campus-wide “Spring Blitz” information fairs. A record
schools or to work for leading national and number of high schools seniors applied to Honors for fall 2014 (see
international companies. Here’s a brief below), making this one of the most competitive admission years.
summary of some notable happenings in the
Honors College:
Spring Blitz Spring Blitz
Recruitment. The Calhoun Honors College
continues to attract top high school students
at an ever-increasing rate. We received almost
1700 applications for Fall 2014, of which we
could accept only around 750 in order to enroll
a class of approximately 275. We expect next
year’s class to break the record—held by the
current freshman class—for highest median
SAT scores and class rank.

Graduate/Professional Schools. Every year,

our graduates are more competitive for top Honors Reception
graduate and professional school admittances.
This year, our students have received offers
(among many others) from Harvard Dental
School, Harvard Medical School, Stanford
University (for both law and engineering), the
University of California at Berkeley (for law), Honors Reception
and MIT (for engineering). Many students have
chosen to continue their studies at Clemson,
in leading programs such as Automotive
Engineering, Bioengineering, and Genetics.

Building for the Future. We’ve been working

this year with University Housing on plans for
new space for the Honors College, which will
be part of Clemson’s Core Campus Project. The
plans include new residence halls, expanded
space for Honors College activities and
programs, and new office space for the College
administration. We’ll keep you posted as these
exciting plans develop!
None of this would be possible without our
students, faculty, and staff, or the strong
support of the University and of our alumni.
We are deeply appreciative of the support we
receive from contributions of time, money,
and energy. It truly takes a village to educate
an Honors student!
Bill Lasser, Ph.D.
Director, Calhoun Honors College
2014 Honors Accepted Applicant Stats
Honors received more than 1500 applications for admission in Fall 2014, up 22% from
2013. Of the 794 accepted, 35% come from South Carolina, the average SAT is 1452,
and the average high school class rank is the top 2.8%.
Those accepted plan majors in Those accepted come from
Engineering 37% Southeast 42% (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North
Life Sciences 22% Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia)
Other Sciences 12% Mid-Atlantic 10% (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York,
Business 9% Pennsylvania, West Virginia)
Health 9% Midwest 6% (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Liberal Arts, Social Sciences 8% Ohio, Wisconsin)
Undeclared 2% New England 3% (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Education 1% Rhode Island)
Architecture 1% West 3% (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon,
Utah, Washington)
 Anthropology, History students collaborate with English professor on
research with IMPACT by Kristin Buhrow and Collin Eichhorn
Honors students Kristin Buhrow and Collin
Eichhorn collaborated this spring with English
professor Dr. Susanna Ashton to uncover the life
of South Carolina slave John Andrew Jackson. A
slave in Lynchburg, S.C., Jackson escaped from
bondage to Boston in 1847, later writing “The
Experience of a Slave in South Carolina,” which
was published in Ashton’s 2010 book I Belong to
South Carolina: South Carolina Slave Narratives.
History major Eichhorn and anthropology ma-
jor Buhrow used their academic training to in-
vestigate questions about Jackson’s life, combing
through American and
British newspapers
searching for men-
tions of Jackson, re-
sulting in more than
50 transcribed articles.
They also scoured ar-
chives and deed reg-
istries for property
Eichhorn and sales documents, wills, marriage licenses, and
conducts any other documents that offered information into
archival Jackson’s life. The researchers cross-examined
research these documents with respect to Jackson’s narra-
at Sumter tive to develop a larger picture of his experiences.
County Deeds Buhrow and Eichhorn also took on projects rel-
Registry. evant to their respective fields. Buhrow combined
Eichhorn and Jackson’s narrative with legal documents to con-
Ashton are struct an extensive family tree. The lineages of
collaborating many slave and master families in Lynchburg have
on an essay proven to be interwoven, and an understanding of
about Mas- the complex relationships between the people of
sachusetts Lynchburg will reveal more about Jackson’s experi-
“freedom ence, helping to answer questions
fighters.” not fully explained in his narrative.
Separately Eichhorn re-
searched the geography and
logistics of Jackson’s travel
within the 19th century, spe-
cifically throughout the British
Isles. This information contrib-
Ashton with members of the Lynch-
burg community after presenting
information about former slave John
Andrew Jackson.
utes to the researchers’ understanding of his
travel and experience while demonstrating how
different contemporary cultures viewed slav-
ery and those who had been held under its grip.
While much of the research to uncover Jack-
son’s story has taken place in libraries and on-
line, Buhrow and Eichhorn traveled with Ashton
to Lynchburg to tap into local knowledge, and to
search for any evidence of Jackson and his peers
visible today. They found at the Sumter County
Deed Registry documents indicating the sale of
Jackson’s wife and daughter away from him in
1837, and his eventual
purchases of property
after emancipation.
In addition to this
incredible documen-
tation, the visit to
Lynchburg also of-
fered the rare and
valuable opportu-
nity to share with the community a version of Buhrow
their history that had so far been denied them. searches for
The ability to reveal a previously unknown his- slave grave
tory is one of the core motives for doing re- sites in a
search, and the impact it has on those descended Lynchburg,
from Jackson and his contemporaries is priceless. S.C., swamp.
WHAT’S NEXT? Despite his developed career, Buhrow
Jackson’s story is not commonly known. Know- continues
ing Jackson’s story allows readers to more fully to work
understand the grim realities of life under slavery, with Ashton
and offers inspiration for communities and people to edit an
that continue to experience social injustice. By us- article for
ing extensive literary, historical, and anthropologi- a peer-
cal research, Ashton aims to pub- reviewed
lish a book on Jackson’s life and journal.
his methods of writing on his life
as a slave. The research required
to present a full and accurate pic-
ture of Jackson’s life calls for ap-
proaches from many branches of
the humanities and social sciences.
Lunch with the Author Honors students met with visit- notes from
ing author Scott Reich at an April 7 lunchtime book discussion.
Reich is author of The Power of Citizenship: Why John F. Ken-
nedy Matters to a New Generation, which emphasizes the impor-
Goldwater
tance of citizenship and provides a blueprint for how to improve An April 24 reception Scholar
Brittany
public discourse and be effective citizens. Honors students also honored major Avin
fellowships winners and
received an autographed copy of Reich’s book. finalists as well as their
faculty advisors. Each
student received a copy
of The Promise of a
Pencil: How an Ordinary
Person Can Create
Extraordinary Change by
Adam Braun.

2013-2014 MAJOR SCHOLARSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP

WINNERS, HONORABLE MENTIONS AND NOMINEES
Astronaut Scholarship
Brenden Roberts, Physics
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
Brittany Avin, Biochemistry and Genetics
John Farmer, Physics
Kate Showers, Bioengineering

Fulbright Scholarship
Chrissie Schalkoff, Biological Sciences

Killam Fellowship
Congratulations to Savannah Mozingo, Language and International Trade
PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE DINNER
Honors graduate
National Institutes of Health
assistant Chelsea
Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program
Muhlhahn on her Jessica Lau, Bioengineering National Finalist
selection to work
National Science Foundation
with the Fulbright
Graduate Research Fellowship
Commission in Winners
London after Scott Cole, Bioengineering
graduation. Muhlhahn Kate Gasparro, Civil Engineering
Melissa Gende, Civil Engineering
also received the Devin Gordon, Materials Science and Engineering
Chi Sigma Alpha Lauren Harroff (’12), Biosystems Engineering
Outstanding Julie Robinson, Chemical Engineering
Graduate Student Honors collaborated with the Honorable Mentions
Ross Beppler, Electrical Engineering
Award in May. Center for Career and Professional Jessica Lau, Bioengineering
Honors associate Development in January to host Stefani Mokalled, Mathematics
director Jamie Brenden Roberts, Physics and Astronomy
the annual professional etiquette Benjamin Ujcich, Computer Engineering
Williams received
dinner, helping students develop the
the Chi Sigma Rhodes Scholarship
skills necessary to succeed in social Kate Gasparro, Civil Engineering National Finalist
Alpha Outstanding
Professional Award. settings.
Truman Scholarship
Melissa Moore, Economics National Finalist

Dr. Jeff Fine
Kate Gasparro, my Winner of 2014 Bradbury,
finalist for Truman, Burtner Awards
Rhodes awards, FELLOWSHIPS Fine receives the

journey
Bradbury Award from
reflects on her Provost Nadim Aziz.
fellowships process
If you had told me four years ago that I Through the Truman and Rhodes ap-
would be applying for the Truman and Rhodes plication processes, I spent months writing
scholarships, I would have laughed. Not that dozens of drafts of personal statements and
this was totally impossible, but as a freshman, prepping for interviews. During this time, I
I hardly knew what I wanted to study, much met frequently with professors who would
less where I wanted to be after four years at interview me about my interest in infrastruc-
Clemson. ture in developing countries as well as my
I was introduced to the Truman Scholarship opinion on Renaissance philosophers.
when I applied for the Honors Global Policy At the same time, I contacted Truman and
Scholars Program. During my first year, my Rhodes finalists and recipients for insight
cohort, 12 driven freshmen and sophomores, into the application and interview process. I
challenged me in many met people who had Honors professor Dr. Jeffrey Fine received
ways. We debated started non-profits, two major awards at the end of this year:
philosophy, econom- were White House the 2014 Douglas W. Bradbury Award, pre-
ics, ethics, and policy. fellows, and had sented to a faculty member who has made
These discussions spent months in South outstanding contributions to the Honors Col-
helped me bridge my Africa conducting lege, and the Frank A. Burtner Award for
interests in both engi- research at medi- Excellence in Advising, a university-wide
neering and policy. cal institutions. This recognition.
I worked closely preparation made me
An associate professor in the Department of
that year with Dr. Jeff more confident in my
Political Science, Fine’s involvement with
Fine from political Gasparro (third from left) and her fellow Dixon career path to pursue
Honors includes teaching Honors courses
science and Honors Global Policy Scholars who inspired her to infrastructure policy,
pursue the Rhodes and Truman Scholarships. and directing the Political Science Depart-
director Dr. Bill Lasser, domestically and
mental Honors program since 2008. He has
who suggested applying internationally, to help
mentored 21 Honors students in individual
for the Truman, which supports students inter- communities realize their potential.
research. Fine is extensively involved with
ested in public service. As a civil engineering During interviews for both the Truman
both Honors admission and National Schol-
student and having recently completed an and the Rhodes, I met incredible students
ars Program selection.
internship in Washington, D.C., writing public from across the country. I was humbled to
policy proposals for engineers, I developed a be part of this group of students. These were From a faculty nomination “[Fine] is the perfect
specific focus in infrastructure. amazing opportunities and eye-opening ex- example of the teacher-scholar model and is very
Through the Truman process, I informed periences. I keep in contact with the people deserving of recognition for his service, teaching
others of the dire need for infrastructure I met along the way and am thankful for the and mentorship over the years to students in the
investment and maintenance throughout staff and faculty who supported me. Without Calhoun Honors College. His impact on Clemson
the country to increase economic and social their faith in my abilities, I would have never students is unparalleled in political science and his
progress. Soon, though, I realized that the ap- applied for either of these scholarships. presence among the faculty raises the bar consider-
plication process was going to be much more The Honors College is much more than a ably for his colleagues in the areas of teaching and
than a policy statement...it was going to be a supplement to my education. They became a mentorship.”
process of self-analysis. support system that challenged me to realize
Through this process, I worked with Dr. my potential and pursue my passions. From a student nomination “[Fine’s] involvement
Meredith McCarroll, director of the Clemson in Dixon Global Policy Scholars is just one of many
Writing Center. Her unique perspective and Gasparro graduated in May 2014 with a degree in examples of his continuing efforts to provide Honors
feedback helped me find the voice in my writ- Civil Engineering. She is pursuing a master’s in Civil students with new opportunities and experiences to
ing samples and started to bring my applica- Engineering at Stanford University, and was named grow academically. My time traveling with Dr. Fine
tion to life. a National Science Foundation Graduate Research made evident his ability to connect and relate to
Fellow. students in a way unparalleled to any professor I
have had in my college career.”

May 2014
Ross Beppler
Honors Reception
shakes President James Clements’
hand. Beppler will begin a Ph.D. program in
energy policy with full funding at Georgia Tech

GRADUATION
in the Fall.

Diploma in hand, Honors

graduate FNAME LNAME
congratulates a fellow new
alumnus.

Graduates sing the alma mater

during a commencement ceremony.
More than 3200 students graduated
in one of three ceremonies in May.

Students who complete

Departmental Honors
requirements receive a
medallion at the Honors
Award Ceremony.

More than 100 graduates received the John Cortes receives his
Departmental Honors award at the Honors Departmental Honors Award.
Awards Ceremony at the Brooks Center for Cortes begins a Ph.D. in
Performing Arts. Mechanical Engineering at the
University of Pennsylvania in
the Fall.
 Calhoun Honors
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! College Staff
We are grateful to the donors listed to Helen Anderson Virginia Geoffrey Director
the right for gifts to the Calhoun Honors Glynn Banks David Hammatt 1966 Dr. Bill Lasser
College Foundation account over the past lasser@clemson.edu
James Barker 1970 Edward & Bethel Kean
year. Donations support a wide range Charitable Associate Directors
Suneet Bahl 1983
of enrichment opportunities, including Ricki Shine
Mary Bynum 1984 Patrick Kelly
Educational Enrichment Travel Grants for rshine@clemson.edu
research, service and internships around the Herbert Cooper, Jr. 1963 Melissa Koenig 1994 Jamie Williams
jamwill@clemson.edu
world; Departmental Honors Research and John Crane 1981 Vance Mattison II 1982
Conference Travel Funds, which provide Assistant Directors
Michael Davis C.P.A. 1996 Gary Powell
Katie Bower
equipment, supplies, and professional travel
Martha Duckenfield 1981 Lynn Satterfield bower2@clemson.edu
opportunities for advanced students; and Dana Irvin
Honors Center programs, workshops and Nancy Dunlap Douglas Shier
parma@clemson.edu
mentoring hosted in Holmes Hall. Donald Fraser, Jr. 1973 Office Manager
Lynn Reeves
Make a gift to support the Calhoun Honors College at klsauls@clemson.edu

www.clemson.edu/cuhonors/support.html Admissions Coordinator

Susan Falendysz
sfalend@clemson.edu

For the record Administrative Assistant

Wini Del Winkler
Congratulations to the December 2013 Honors graduates below wwinkle@clemson.edu
Graduate Assistants
ACCOUNTANCY AND FINANCE ANN STRINGARI • HISTORY BRANDI ELVINGTON • BLAKE NEAL Leah Boyd
lbboyd@clemson.edu
MATTHEW GHENT MARKETING ERIN FITZGERALD • MATTHEW
Bethany Haberstroh
BIOENGINEERING CASEY KUKIELSKI • JOHN MCCULLOUGH bhabers@clemson.edu
POOLE “Magnetic Spheroids for Tissue Engineering MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES MEGAN BRYANT “The Chelsea Muhlhahn
muhlhah@clemson.edu
Applications” number of mates of latin squares of sizes 7 and 8”
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES ALYSSA HENSHAW • COLIN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PATRICK HARRINGTON Mail
STAMPER • TIMOTHY HAWKINS “A Priori Analysis of Common 105 Tillman Hall
Box 345106
CIVIL ENGINEERING MELISSA GENDE Turbulence Modeling Assumptions from Massively
Clemson, SC 29634
COMMUNICATION STUDIES SARAH KELLEY “The Parallel Direct Numerical Simulations of High
Phone
Effects of Polymorphic Brand Identities on Short Term Pressure Hydrogen Flames”• MARK JOHNSON (864) 656-4762
Creativity” “Microbe Removal Using Stacked Reservoir-based
Fax
COMPUTER SCIENCE ROWAN ARMSTRONG Dielectrophoresis” (864) 656-1472
“Evaluating Circumstantial and Perceptual Barriers PHILOSOPHY MICHAEL MATTHEISS • JOHN MCCRARY Web site
with Regard to Dental Facility Attendance” • TIMOTHY PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY MAXIMILIAN HUGHES www.clemson.edu/cuhonors
SCOTT • BRETT RHYNE “Light System on Foucault Pendulum and Working on on Facebook
GENETICS AND BIOCHEMISTRY SARAH BARFIELD Vacuum Chamber in CUBIT Lab” • RYAN KINGERY www.facebook.com/
ClemsonCalhounHonorsCollege
GRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS DAVID PLATT PSYCHOLOGY CARLY HERRING • LAURA LAMANTIA
HEALTH SCIENCE WILLIAM SENN “Evaluating on Twitter
@ClemsonHonors
Circumstantial and Perceptual Barriers with Regard to
Donate
Dental Facility Attendance”
www.clemson.edu/
cuhonors/support.html
105 Tillman Hall
Box 345106
Clemson, SC 29634-5106

Honors Fall Reception Honors Alumni

Friday, October 10, 4 to 5:30 pm
Honors parents and alumni are invited to
a drop-in reception during Clemson Family
Weekend on Friday, Oct. 10, from 4 to 5:30
in the Holmes Hall Honors Center.
Register online by Oct. 1 at
www.ClemsonHonorsFamilyWeekendReception.com
Stay connected to what’s happening in
Honors and to the opportunities available
to connect you with current students.
Update your Clemson Alumni record at
tinyurl.com/HonorsAlumniUpdate
Like Honors on Facebook at

Honors Parents
facebook.com/ClemsonCalhounHonorsCollege

Follow Honors on Twitter

Stay informed about Calhoun Honors @ClemsonHonors
College programs, deadlines and student
accomplishments. Enter or update your Connect with Honors on LinkedIn at
contact information at tinyurl.com/CHCLinkedIn
www.ClemsonHonorsParentInfoForm.com