My Clemson: Kate Blackmon ’81

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Kate Blackmon '81


The technical knowledge I gained in my first undergraduate degree in chemical engineering at Clemson, combined with more human-centered history and English literature classes there, has enabled me to take on a wide variety of challenges in managing human and technical systems. Currently this is as senior proctor of the University of Oxford, a post that dates back to the 1100s.
Two colleges elect proctors each year, and a third elects an assessor. We uphold the University’s statutes and regulations, attend key committees, oversee all examinations, attend official university ceremonies and investigate student complaints and discipline. (But we can no longer hang students for misconduct!) The proctors and assessor are visible because we wear subfusc (academic dress) every day, as well a velvet-sleeved gown, ermine stole and hard-shell mortarboard on official occasions such as degree days (graduations, held in Latin) or the Queen’s Garden Party.
After my year as senior proctor, I will return to my “normal” life, where I am an associate professor of operations management at Oxford’s Said Business School, and a fellow and tutor in management studies at Merton College, which is celebrating the 750th anniversary of its founding this year.

The radical ideas and passion that resulted in a university

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In my inaugural address at Commencement May 9, I spoke about the upcoming 125th anniversary of the University’s founding. In November 1889, the state of South Carolina officially accepted the terms of Thomas Green Clemson’s will to establish a scientific institution on the grounds of his Fort Hill home.
But the story of Clemson University begins much earlier than that. It started with a set of ideas and the passion to make them happen.
These were radical ideas for the mid-19th century:

  • The idea that education and research could lift a state and a people out of poverty and despair.
  • The idea that education should not be limited to an elite class.
  • The idea that institutions should serve their states and be engaged with their communities.

All of us at Clemson today are the beneficiaries of the vision — and the bequest — of our founders.


These ideas helped shape the Morrill Act of 1862, which created our national network of land-grant universities. Many of these ideas were actually developed, articulated and championed by Thomas Green Clemson. Mr. Clemson wrote and spoke often about the idea of scientific education as the path to prosperity. In the late 1860s he wrote, “Our condition is wretched in the extreme. There is, in my opinion, no hope for the South short of widespread scientific education.”
When his wife, Anna, preceded Thomas in death, she left him the land and her resources, which he later bequeathed to the state of South Carolina. This would be used to fund the college that came from their shared dreams — which he called a “high seminary of learning.”
All of us at Clemson today are the beneficiaries of the vision — and the bequest — of our founders.
[pullquote align=’right’ font=’oswald-light’ color=blue-ridge”]This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the Smith-Lever Act, the landmark federal legislation that created the Cooperative Extension Service. Through that statewide network, the land-grant promise became a reality.[/pullquote]
Like the Morrill Act, the Smith-Lever Act has a direct link back to Clemson. The national Extension network was based on the “Clemson model,” and Congressman Frank Lever, one of the co-authors of the legislation, was a Clemson trustee. He is buried in Woodland Cemetery, on our campus.
The connection among the Clemson will, the Act of Acceptance and the Smith-Lever Act is that they created a unique and permanent partnership between Clemson University and the state of South Carolina. That partnership distinguishes Clemson from every other institution of higher learning in the state.
In this partnership, those of us at Clemson make an important promise. We promise to make a difference, not just for our students, but also in the lives of all the people in this state. And we make a difference by holding true to three commitments.
First, we commit that we will provide the highest possible level of academic quality. Mr. Clemson wrote that this new education system “is the only hope for South Carolina, and … that it will give life, vigor and prosperity to unborn thousands … .” I think it’s fair to say that Mr. Clemson set the bar pretty high for all of us!
Second, we commit that our campus is the state of South Carolina. We pledge to be actively engaged in every county of South Carolina. Clemson has never been content to remain isolated behind a set of walls. We go where the problems are — where the opportunities are — and where the challenges are.
Third, we commit to support the state’s economic development. Mr. Clemson’s will speaks directly to our responsibility to the economic health of South Carolina. One of the ways we can help to deliver on this promise is through research and innovation.
Holding fast to these commitments will ensure that we meet the high standards set by Mr. Clemson to provide an outstanding education for our students and keep our promise to South Carolina.
I am honored to work alongside all of you to achieve these ambitious goals.
Go Tigers!
Jim Clements

Vanishing Fireflies: The Making of a Cover

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AKA: Dresses, Preschoolers and Fireflies … Oh My!

CWSF2014cover

When you’re a photographer with a kid, pictures can go one of two ways. The first being that your child is so used to having photos taken, they act like a tiny model and keep trying to help. The second being they have had their picture made so often, that they run when the camera comes out.

Luckily, I have the former … most days. So when I asked my 4-year-old daughter if she wanted to wear one of her favorite dresses, stay up WAY past bedtime and catch fireflies, she was totally on board.

Night # 1

On went the dress and out came the Mason jar. The camera and lighting were ready; all we needed was a few fireflies.
So the three of us headed out. I named my husband, Mike, as Assistant Firefly Catcher. Our daughter, Savana, was obviously in charge because she would yell and point out every firefly that blinked while he ran around trying to grab them out of the air.
**Disclaimer** No fireflies were harmed during the making of this photo.
Mike and I had a “back in our day” moment when we realized just how few fireflies were available for catching, compared to when we were kids. So in the end we had about four fireflies in the jar. Of course, once they were in the jar, they wouldn’t blink for anything.


But Savana was a trooper and an extremely patient 4-year-old, and Mike was my helpful lighting assistant.
We tried multiple angles with Savana looking in the jar, different lighting exposures and even a few landscape long exposures (a full minute) of just the yard. With the yard exposures I was hoping to capture their little lights blinking in the distance, but there were just too few to make a difference. And we had a small window of time to work with them. Too early in the evening, it was still too bright so we couldn’t see them to catch them; too late and they were already gone, no blinking to be seen.
The next day I brought in the photos and discussed the options with the team in Creative Services. I received a lot of helpful guidance and decided to give it another go with better ideas in mind to really highlight our little blinking friends.



Night #2

Savana and I headed back out and again only caught about three fireflies. This time we added some field grass to the jar to give them a little playground while we worked. The first night, I was lighting Savana’s face but failing to light the fireflies well enough for photos. This time I had her sit on the ground and turned on a small battery-powered video light, which went under the fabric of her dress to slightly diffuse it, and she rested her jar on top of the light.
I started with some close-ups of our main subjects, and they were more than helpful this time around. The fireflies were much more active in the jar that night, crawling everywhere and even giving us a couple of blinks, although the longer the light was on, the less they blinked.
When I was just about done, I wanted to try a few with the light on Savana’s face as well. We unscrewed the lid, and she looked down into the jar.


Once the lid was gone, I had beautiful soft light on her face and the natural wonder that a 4-year-old brings to the table.
Once I had the shots down to the best ones, I headed into Photoshop to really make the fireflies stand out. There was one main firefly in perfect position and all he needed was a little oomph added to make him stand out. Other than that, this shot is pretty much straight from the camera. A little skill and a lot of luck went into this particular photo. Fireflies don’t take direction well.
This assignment was so much fun and a great way for me to try to think outside of the box, made even better by having the opportunity to include my family. It was such a wonderful learning experience for both my daughter and me and, as always, I’m definitely looking forward to the next challenge.


*CW-C1-fireflies

Clemson Memorial Stadium

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“Put about 10,000 seats behind the YMCA. That’s all you’ll ever need.”

Those were the words of Coach Jess Neely as he left for Rice after the 1939 season. Fortunately, Clemson didn’t follow his advice.
In 1941, the S.C. General Assembly authorized the issuance of $100,000 in bonds to build a stadium. The project was a mid-1900s version of a Creative Inquiry project: Civil engineering students did the preliminary surveying, Professor H.E. “Pop” Glenn and Carl Lee, a 1908 engineering alumnus, provided the design and construction drawings, and players cleared the hill- sides. Coach Frank Howard and returning football players laid the sod in the summer of 1941. Legend has it that Howard put a plug of tobacco into each corner of the stadium as the concrete was poured.
When all was said and done, it seated about 20,000 fans in 26 rows. The University’s trustees named it Memorial Stadium, commemorating all of the alumni, faculty and staff who had died in service to the country.
The first game of the season in 1942 was against Presbyterian College, as it had been since 1930, and Clemson rolled over them 32-13. PC head coach Lonnie MacMillan is credited with providing the stadium its nickname in 1951 after being defeated 53-6.
“It’s like going into Death Valley,” he said.
The name stuck and gained even more traction with the addition of Howard’s Rock in 1966, presented to Coach Frank Howard by an alumnus after a trip to California’s Death Valley. It was at the 1967 game against Wake Forest when rubbing The Rock became a tradition. Legend has it that Coach Howard challenged the team by saying, “If you’re going to give me 110 percent, you can rub that rock. If you’re not, keep your filthy hands off it.”
Another 17,500 seats were added in 1958 (overseen by Professor Glenn), and in 1957, the first Tigerama was held. In 1960, dressing rooms, restrooms and additional concession stands were added along with 6,000 more seats.
Had the original plans for Hartwell Lake gone forward, Memorial Stadium would have been flooded up to the 26th row. Lengthy negotiations and the addition of dikes ensured the stadium’s survival.
More seats have been added over the years, with current capacity at more than 80,000. And just this summer, Yahoo Sports ranked Clemson as having the most exciting entrance in college football, referencing its designation by sportscaster Brent Musburger as “the most exciting 25 seconds in college football.”

Ryan ’02 and Loran Rogers ’04 Kerrigan

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Encouraging Teens to Meet the Challenge

Teen gang member “James” arrived at Peak 7 Adventures with a criminal record — and a chip on his shoulder.

As part of a community service requirement, James was required to participate in the outdoor adventure rock-climbing program. He had no interest in climbing, only proving his toughness.

But James’ bravado turned to fear as he ascended a rock. He was afraid of heights, and his guides met those fears with assurance. By the end of the trip, his defenses came down. Three climbing trips later, the Peak 7 staff saw a new James, one who wanted a more positive life.

James’ story is repeated time and again at Peak 7, a Spokane, Washington-based organization founded by Ryan and Loran Rogers Kerrigan. [pullquote align=’right’ font=’oswald’ color=’#3A4958′]The program takes young people on kayaking, rock climbing, snowshoeing, backpacking and rafting trips to teach them about the outdoors — and life.[/pullquote]

While Peak 7 serves teens from various backgrounds, they focus on underprivileged and at-risk youth, partnering with treatment facilities, group homes, drop-in centers and other programs. The Kerrigans started the faith-based organization in 2006, serving 137 teens. By 2013, Peak 7 had served more than 13,000 youth. Since most of the teens cannot afford the cost, the organization relies on grants and donations for support.

“Many of our kids come from challenging circumstances,” Ryan says. “So when they do the work necessary to finish a trip, it gives them a glimpse of what they are capable of.”

The Kerrigans are graduates of the University’s parks, recreation and tourism management program — Ryan in travel and tourism, and Loran in therapeutic recreation. Loran worked full-time as a recreational therapist while Ryan worked sans salary to start Peak 7. Loran is now the organization’s sponsorship coordinator.

Clemson equipped them with the knowledge to start Peak 7, but it did even more, according to Ryan. “The national reputation of Clemson’s parks, recreation and tourism management program opened doors for us, and we grew as people and leaders at Clemson,” he says. “Professors took an interest and encouraged us.”

And now, the Kerrigans are encouraging James and thousands like him.

Mark J. Charney ’78

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Educate. Inspire. Connect.

Educate. Inspire. Connect. These are the perfect words to describe the career and dedication of Mark Charney.
It’s also the mission of the Actors Hall of Fame, which honored him for his work with the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Chair of Texas Tech University’s Department of Theatre & Dance, Charney also serves as national coordinator for the Kennedy Center’s Institute for Theatre Journalism and Advocacy and its Dramaturgy Initiative.
Charney is both a playwright and an administrator. He’s the associate chair of the National Critics Institute for the O’Neill Theatre Center in Waterford, Connecticut, conference planner for the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) and has served as secretary of the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC). [pullquote align=’right’ font=’oswald’ color=’#3A4958′]He has twice received the Kennedy Center Gold Medallion of Honor for his work advancing theater in colleges and universities around the U.S.[/pullquote]
As a playwright, Charney has won the David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award for his play, “The Power Behind the Palette.” His “The Decameron Project” traveled to the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, where it was featured for two weeks. His semi-autobiographical comedy, “37 Stones or the Man Who Was a Quarry,” played both off Broadway and in Washington, D.C., and his most recent play, “The Balloon Handler Makes Good,” was developed by ATHE in D.C., and performed in the New Works Festival in Santa Clarita, California, the Ten for TENN Play Festival in Tennessee, and the Warner International Playwrights Festival in Connecticut. For three years, Charney was co-artistic director of the playwrights lab, WordBRIDGE.
Charney earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Clemson, served as chair of the English department and as director of performing arts, where he worked in the Brooks Center of the Performing Arts, furthering the major and the playwriting program.

Going Above and Abroad

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Kathleen Peek '15
Kathleen Peek '15

The benefits of studying abroad

Many people say that travel is the only thing money can buy that makes a person richer. While my empty pockets might not support this statement, I definitely agree after spending this past semester studying architecture in Italy and traveling to 10 other countries along the way.

That being said, studying abroad gave me much more than I bargained for. It gave me new eyes, a new way of seeing things. I left the states for the first time in my life back in January with what I thought was an open mind and a clear grip on the world in which we live. I couldn’t have been more blind. I had no idea just how big and wide and deep the world could be. I thought I was big and important, yet we as individuals are so small in comparison to the world around us.
Study Abroad3Traveling abroad was like hitting a “reset” button. Every new place pushed me out of my comfort zone. In day-to-day life it’s easy to fall into the routine of just getting by, but upon being forced out of my comfort zone, I could feel life pushing me closer and closer toward the role for which I was created. The opportunity to truly see — and not just look — presents itself in these moments. Therefore, travel, exploration and experiencing are necessary elements for human growth. Such experiences create new questions while answering old ones at the same time. Not only do we develop our own selves, we also contribute to the world when we take our new ways of seeing to our own homes and beyond.
Whether it was during the required independent travel or while visiting the beautiful Italian cities on a Tuesday field studies class, studying abroad brought many opportunities to encounter other cultures. Eating fresh focaccia and pesto pasta for lunch in Italy, discussing prices over tea in the Turkish market, being blessed by the Pope in Rome, visiting the La Sagrada Família in Barcelona, and every other adventure made this past semester diverse and rich in experiences.
Feeling fulfilled was easy when every day brought something new. Then something profound hit me. Whether in South Carolina or Italy, living is living. This might sound like an obvious point, but I remember when I first realized this while abroad. Traveling to new places is only learning new ways of living. It’s so easy to think of traveling as a vacation where we can relax and impose our own lifestyle on the places that we are visiting. In reality, it is us experiencing new cultures, peeking into the everyday lives of our own brothers and sisters.
Study Abroad2This past semester clearly taught me that experiencing is necessary for any education, but especially for an education in architecture. [pullquote align=’right’ font=’oswald’ color=’#685C53′]Seeing the Acropolis or the Coliseum was grander than any lesson, and visiting the ruins of Pompeii gave a glimpse into history better than any textbook ever could.[/pullquote] In studying architecture, one encounters much history, art, culture and an understanding of the way people live. Every piece of effective and historic architecture truly belongs to its own place, and studying them brought insight to those new places.
Study Abroad1Besides giving new eyes with each experience, studying abroad granted me a newfound sense of independence. It reinforced the skills gained when I walked out of my parents’ arms and made my first steps onto Clemson’s campus as a freshman three short years ago. I remember my high school self being just as intimidated by college as I was by any European form of public transportation in January. Living in a new place allowed me to live in the moment more, relying on my own devices. Without independence, one couldn’t survive a few days, much less a whole semester in a foreign country.
I learned this quickly when a group of us decided to go skiing in the Alps. After skiing across the border from Italy into Switzerland, I somehow got separated from my friends. I frantically searched around and began to panic. Where were my friends? Why did I lose them? How would I get home? I knew I had two options: cry or keep skiing. Maybe I did a little of both, but in the end I decided to keep skiing. As I made my way through the snowy mountains, I had this moment of self-empowerment where I threw up my ski poles and let a loud “WOOOHOOOO” escape from the inner depths of my emotions. No doubt the people around me thought I had lost it, and maybe I had, but it was in that moment that I felt completely independent. If I could do this — what I had thought to be impossible only moments earlier — what else could I accomplish in my life?
To say that this past semester was the best of my entire educational career is an understatement. These experiences will stay with me forever, and I am immensely grateful for the opportunities Clemson has given me. Studying abroad brought new eyes, new perspectives, independence and a realization of what’s important. Then again, these opportunities are there for the taking every day no matter where we are; we just have to remember to take them.
It’s safe to say that studying abroad was more than a good investment, and even with my empty pockets, I feel richer than ever.
Kathleen Peek is a senior architecture major from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

David O. Prevatt M ’97, PhD ’98

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He follows where the wind blows

When tornadoes strike, David Prevatt gets his Wind Hazard Damage Assessment Team into action. He and his civil engineering graduate and undergraduate students rush to sites around the country to investigate tornado damage done to buildings and homes. Through a Faculty Early Career Development research grant from the National Science Foundation, the team is working to develop engineering solutions for tornado-resilient and sustainable housing communities.
Prevatt is an associate professor in the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment in the department of civil and coastal engineering at the University of Florida.
[pullquote align=’right’]You might have heard about him on NPR and NBC News.[/pullquote] Prevatt is a leading spokesman for improving construction and building guidelines. As a strong advocate for more federal funding to increase coordination and sustained research support in wind engineering, he testified before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Joint Hearing of Research and Technology Subcommittees and Committee on Science, Space and Technology.
The National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology in his home country of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, awarded Prevatt a silver medal in recognition of his research. Prior to his appointment to the UF faculty, Prevatt was an assistant professor and director of the Wind Load Test Facility at Clemson. He’s a director of the American Association for Wind Engineering and member of the U.K. Wind Engineering Society.

Valerie N. Pezzullo M ’14

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Graduating and Giving Back

Valerie Pezzullo had two things to celebrate this spring: She received her master’s degree in mechanical engineering and took first place in MTConnect Challenge 2, a contest to develop innovative and unique software applications for manufacturing.
Pezzullo’s software application detects vibrations in metal-cutting machines so that corrections can be made before parts are damaged. The application is expected to help manufacturers that rely on computer-controlled machines to make highly precise parts for a variety of industries, ranging from automotive to aerospace.
It could have an especially large impact on manufacturers that use high-value materials. Regenerative vibration, or “chatter,” can ruin parts that cost as much as $20,000 each in raw materials alone. By the time the vibrations are audible, it’s too late because the part already may be damaged.
“As a student, it was exciting to go through the design and see it through to the final product,” said Pezzullo, who is from Selden, a hamlet on New York’s Long Island. “The app is very practical and useful for industry.”
Pezzullo’s application was part of her thesis and an offshoot of previous research done by her adviser, Laine Mears, associate professor of automotive engineering.
“It will have a big impact on manufacturing, especially in the Upstate, because manufacturing is such a large part of the economy,” he said. “This is a great example of automatically generating information and using it to improve manufacturing quality and productivity.”
And the $100,000 prize? Pezzullo has said she will pay off her student loans and establish a scholarship for female students studying engineering.
Pezzullo did her research at the Clemson University-International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) and worked on machines provided by Okuma America Corp., a Charlotte subsidiary of Okuma Corporate. The contest was sponsored by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Defense-wide Manufacturing Science and Technology (DMS&T), AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology and the U.S. Army Benét Labs.

Robin Lennon Bylenga M ’91

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Robin Lennon Bylenga M ’91

Getting Women Rolling

Robin Lennon Bylenga is getting women rolling.
Bylenga has always been conscious of physical fitness, but when she decided to take up cycling, she found the atmosphere of the typical bicycle shop intimidating and often geared toward male cyclists in products and shelf appeal. Bylenga decided to open a bicycle shop geared toward women cyclists.
In 2010, she founded Pedal Chic. The colorful Greenville store carries footwear, helmets, pads, sports apparel and clothing, as well as commuter, road and mountain bikes. [pullquote align=’left’]Operating on the premise that men and women shop differently, think differently and purchase for different reasons, this entrepreneur has gained national attention for her efforts and business.[/pullquote]
Pedal Chic was named “Best Bike Shop for Women” in 2012 and one of “America’s Best Bike Shops” in 2013 at Interbike, North America’s largest bicycle trade event. Bylenga and her shop have been featured in publications such as Garden & Gun, Money, Adventure Cyclist, Southern Living, Greenville Business Magazine, Momentum Magazine and The Boston Globe.
Bylenga, daughter of former Clemson president Max Lennon, received her master’s degree in human resource development from the University. She’s a board member of Bike/Walk Greenville and a motivational speaker for women’s cycling and exercise, and for entrepreneurial and empowerment opportunities.
Bylenga is passionate about what women can achieve.
For more information about Pedal Chic, go to www.pedalchic.com.