Lifelong Tigers

January 12, 2015 / in Lifelong Tigers / 0 Comments / by: Nancy Spitler

Young Alumni Recognize This Year’s Roaring 10

In October, the Young Alumni Council named their newest rising stars: the Roaring 10. These alumni have made an impact in business, leadership, community, educational and/or philanthropic endeavors, while exemplifying Clemson’s core values of honesty, integrity and respect.
Tripp James ’02, M ’04 has founded, operated and harvested several successful small businesses and currently serves as small-business programs manager for the Greenville Chamber of Commerce. A graduate of Leadership Greenville, he has heavily invested his time and talent in PULSE, Greenville’s organization for young professionals. A member of the College of Business and Behavioral Science Alumni Loyalty Board, he serves as a mentor for students.
Hannah Hopkins Pittman ’03, M ’13 is director of professional development for the S.C. Association of School Administrators. Treasurer of the Columbia Clemson Club since 2011, Pittman led efforts to fund a $25,000 scholarship endowment that revitalized the involvement of Richland County alumni. A member of Women’s Alumni Council, Pittman planned and coordinated this year’s “Bring Your Daughter to Clemson” weekend that raised approximately $8,000 for scholarships.
Steven Foushee ’05 is a project manager for Moss 7 Associates, a construction management firm in Greenville. He is the youngest of only seven registered Design-Build Institute of America professionals in the state. A volunteer with the U.S. Green Building Council’s South Carolina chapter, he was in charge of education and outreach for green building initiatives. He is a member of Clemson’s Construction Science Management Industry Advisory Board.
Tia Nicole Williams ’05 is owner and operator of the SERVPRO franchise in Cayce, West Columbia and Lexington. She also is owner and editor of the Lexington Anchor, a monthly online publication. Former secretary and current treasurer of the Columbia Clemson Club, Williams is communications chair of the state Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council and a company adviser for the state Chamber of Commerce Business Week, teaching high school students about business.
George Magrath II ’06 is completing a two-year ocular oncology fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. During his time at the Medical University of South Carolina, he was the first resident in South Carolina to perform laser-assisted cataract surgery. He developed web application algorithms for diagnosing complex eye diseases, melanoma and ocular inflammation, which were featured in Review of Ophthalmology and Ocular Surgery News.
Thomas Rhodes ’06 heads his family business, Rhodes Graduation Services, and is owner of Sumter Advertising Company and chief operating officer of Custom Bike Rings in Summerton. He designed the 2014 Clemson Orange Bowl Ring for Coach Dabo Swinney. Last year, he helped establish the Clemson Distinguished Athletes Award to honor former athletes who are making a difference in their communities through non-athletic endeavors.
Brian Ammons ’08 works in investor relations with Dow Chemical in Midland, Michigan. In 2012 he was one of six people to receive the company’s highest award in both sales and marketing. A board member of Give Us Names, a nonprofit organization formed by Clemson alumni, he spearheaded a partnership with a Chicago-based theater company founded by alumni to donate profits from a stage production to the charitable organization.
Mary Kathryn (MK) Dempsey ’08 is a senior fundraising consultant for Blackbaud in Charleston. A member of the Charleston Junior League and Clemson in the Lowcountry, she volunteers with the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center. Dempsey devoted a lot of time to the Young Alumni Council — as a representative, at-large member and president. She is vice chair of the Alumni Council Engagement Committee and serves on the Alumni Board of Directors.
Laneika K. Musalini M ’11 is director of grants at Tri-County Technical College and a grants writer and administrator for Community Colleges of Appalachia. She also is founder and CEO of Women’s Empowerment. The 2013 recipient of Clemson’s MLK Award for Excellence in Service-Community Member, she was awarded the Duke Energy/Clemson University Center for Workforce Development STEM Innovator Award in 2012.
Raven Magwood ’12 graduated from Clemson at the age of 19 with a 4.0 GPA. She published her first book at age 12 and followed that up with another during college, 7 Practices of Exceptional Student Athletes. Magwood has written a screenplay, “Switching Lanes,” scheduled to be released as a feature film later this year, and travels as a motivational speaker.

Meet Danny Gregg ’71, Alumni Association President

Danny Gregg has lived in a number of places since graduating from Clemson in 1971 — from Columbia to Charleston to Washington, D.C., to New Jersey — but he always knew he would find his way back to Clemson.
As a student, Gregg was very active as a cheerleader, a member of student government — he was elected vice president of the student body — and a member of Tiger Brotherhood and Blue Key honor society. He was also a member of the Numeral Society, which became Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity during his junior year. As an alumnus, he has remained just as active and engaged.
Throughout all his moves, he found ways to be connected to Clemson through local Clemson clubs, but once he moved back to Clemson at age 45, he was able to get involved with the University at a higher level.
After chairing several committees for the Alumni Association board of directors, Gregg was chosen as president-elect in 2012, with his two-year presidential term starting in 2014.
Gregg’s involvement doesn’t end with the Alumni Association. He is a member and past president of the Fort Hill Clemson Club, served as an adviser for his fraternity and has recently begun serving as a mentor for Clemson’s FIRST Program, which offers special resources for first-generation college students.
Like many of his fellow alumni, Gregg describes himself as “dedicated and loyal” and says that he got a lot more out of his Clemson experience than his bachelor’s degree.
“Maybe I should have spent more time in the library and less time doing other activities, like student government and cheerleading, but I’m not sorry at all for the way I did it,” he said. “The relationships that I built outside of the classroom have lasted me a lifetime, and I’m thankful for them.”

Bryn Smith ’02 Named Volunteer of the Year

At the end of the first quarter of the Syracuse football game, the Alumni Association honored Bryn Smith ’02 with the Volunteer of the Year Award, the highest and greatest expression of appreciation extended to an individual by the Alumni Association staff for outstanding service and volunteerism.
After graduating in 2002, Smith moved to New York, where she worked to build a network of Clemson alumni and chartered the New York/Tri-State Clemson Club. She has played a pivotal role in assisting alumni as well as students in her area, helping them to relocate, find internships and expand their careers.

CLUB ACTIVITIES

Houston and Greater Austin

The Houston and Greater Austin Clemson Clubs held a joint meeting prior to the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans game on September 28.

D.C./Baltimore

The D.C./Baltimore Club had two major events with President Clements last fall. In September, more than 200 guests gathered for “A Night with Clemson on Capitol Hill,” featuring remarks from Ambassador David Wilkins, President Clements and the chair of the regional board, David Rochester ’68. Members of the Board of Visitors attended after spending a day on Capitol Hill.
In October, more than 100 members of the club, as well as President and Mrs. Clements, were guests at a reception at the Belgian ambassador’s private residence in Washington, D.C. Ambassador Johan Verbeke was appointed in January 2014, and his social secretary is Gwenda De Moor, a member of the Regional Board of Directors and parent to Clemson alumnus Vinny Brown ’11, M ’14. The reception featured authentic Belgian cuisine and beer, and the program focused on educational, cultural and professional connections between Belgium and Clemson.

Boston

More than 600 alumni and fans gathered in Boston for the Paws on the Claws event at Top of the Hub Restaurant in October. The group enjoyed fun and food as they prepared to take on the Boston College Eagles the next day in an exciting showdown on the gridiron. President Clements addressed the group and gave updates on the state of the University and Clemson’s strong alumni presence and athletic success in Boston.

Greenwood

The Greenwood Club celebrated Greenwood Clemson Tiger Day with 250 alumni, friends and fans in uptown Greenwood around the Tiger Topiary. Four football players — Jim Brown, D.J. Reader, Bradley Pinion and Stephone Anthony — and Coach Mike Reed attended the event, as well as four cheerleaders and the Tiger. Greenwood’s own PGA golfer Ben Martin ’09 signed autographs and posed for photographs.

DeAndre “Nuk” Hopkins

January 12, 2015 / in Alumni Profiles / 0 Comments / by: Nancy Spitler

S.M.O.O.O.T.H. operator

Former Clemson football standout and now starting wide receiver with the NFL’s Houston Texans, DeAndre “Nuk” Hopkins has always been a smooth operator on the football field. But he can be just as smooth off the field.
Hopkins teamed up with his mother, Sandra Greenlee, and founded S.M.O.O.O.T.H Inc. — Speaking Mentally, Outwardly Opening Opportunities Toward Healing — an organization devoted to helping women and children heal from domestic violence situations. Greenlee, a victim herself, along with Hopkins, wanted to help end the cycle of domestic violence through education and empowering women and children. Hopkins has stood by her side and shared his perspective as a child who witnessed a bad situation, lived through it and is now successful.
With the help of sponsors, they have been able to provide children with school supplies as well as food, secure educational speakers, and set up booths promoting self-defense, anti-bullying and higher-education opportunities.
“This is an important issue, and if we can do anything about it to help people get around it, then we want to,” Hopkins says. “So we want to show people you don’t have to have a lot of money to overcome this. It’s something my mom went through, and she wants to reach out to people and help them.”
Hopkins also serves as an ambassador and spokesman for the Houston Food Bank and Souper Bowl of Caring. He hopes to raise awareness about hunger and help bring about hunger relief throughout the Houston community through volunteer activities, appearances and nutrition education.

Tiger Mascots

January 12, 2015 / in Alumni Profiles / 1 Comment / by: Jon Harp

Celebrating 60 Years of The Tiger

Sixty years ago, the Clemson family grew by one, one who quickly became one of the most recognizable, lovable and iconic members of the family: the Tiger mascot.
He’s been to every football game since his welcome to the Clemson family, done thousands of push-ups, visited hospitals and even danced at weddings. But only the select few actually have had the honor of bringing life to the Tiger.
With around 350 appearances each year, committing to being the “man in the suit” is no small feat. These men must travel frequently and train extensively, spending hours brainstorming and executing creative and entertaining stunts, mastering the mascot’s mannerisms and practicing hundreds of push-ups in preparation for sporting events all while still balancing a full student workload.
Michael Bays ’97, M ’99, Tiger mascot from 1994 through 1997 and record holder for most push-ups in his career, organized a reunion of former Tigers during Homecoming to share stories and memories of their glory days behind the mask as a celebration of the Tiger’s 60th birthday.
“Not only did being the Tiger bring me closer to my school,” said Bays, “but it also brought me closer to many people and taught me that the most important thing is putting a smile on a person’s face.”
An impressive total of 35 alumni and former Tiger mascots gathered together to tailgate, reunite at Death Valley and honor the birthday of their beloved mascot. Among others, this group included several Tiger legends such as Zach Mills ’80, inventor of the push-up tradition, push-up record-setters like Bays, and the oldest living Tigers, Billy McCown ’60 and *Steve “Frog” Morrison ’63.
“I think all of us feel a special connection to Clemson that nobody else can ever understand,” said Bays. “When the Tiger is around, it is magic. All I can say is that with 35 Tigers around, the magic is indescribable.”
For more stories of Mascots though the years, go to clemson.edu/clemsonworld and click on “Alumni Profiles.”

Matthew C. Reinhart ’94

January 12, 2015 / in Alumni Profiles / 0 Comments / by: Jon Harp

“Pop-up” Engineer

Take a biology major, mix in a portion of art training and a large serving of creativity, and what do you get? A pop-up engineer!
That’s the combination that resulted in a successful career for author, illustrator and paper engineer, Matthew Reinhart.
Reinhart began his Clemson experience with intentions of becoming a physician, but he had always enjoyed art and took art classes to build up his portfolio. After graduation, he realized that medicine was not his true calling and took off to New York City.
Reinhart attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, majoring in industrial design, with a concentration in toy design. His focus soon shifted to becoming a paper engineer. More precisely, a pop-up engineer.
Cutting, folding and taping small pieces of paper to make model after model to create dancing princesses, open-jawed dinosaurs and flying super heroes became his passion.
Reinhart apprenticed with renowned pop-up bookmaker Robert Sabuda, and soon they were collaborating. Reinhart made his first big breaks into the pop-up world with The Pop-Up Book Of Phobias, Animal Popposites and The Ark. Many book collaborations with Sabuda followed, including a trilogy of New York Times best-selling Encyclopedia Prehistorica and the series Encyclopedia Mythologica. He co-authored Mommy? with the ever-popular Maurice Sendak, and Brava Strega Nona with famous writer and illustrator, Tomie DePaola.
Reinhart’s solo pop-up books include The Jungle Book, Cinderella: A Pop-Up Fairy Tale, The Pop-Up Book of Nursery Rhymes, and STAR WARS: Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy, DC Super Heroes Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe and Game of Thrones: A Pop-Up Guide to Westeros.
He continues to work and live in New York City, cutting, taping and folding paper into pop-up masterpieces.

Kendall G. Cochran ’12

January 12, 2015 / in Alumni Profiles / 0 Comments / by: Nancy Spitler

A Ring Story

Kendall Cochran has a lot to be thankful for. In July, when he was on his way to work, an oncoming SUV crossed over into his lane and hit him head-on. Trapped in his truck with smoke filling the cab and the engine on fire, he managed to climb out the window.
Standing on the side of the road, watching his truck burn, the horticulture major called his dad to let him know he had been in an accident. After he confirmed he was okay, his next words were, “My truck is burning up, and my Clemson ring is in there.”
After the local fire department had put out the fire and EMS had cleared Kendall, he went to his charred truck to search for his ring, which he had placed in the driver-side door panel. It took the fire department’s jaws of life to rescue the ring, encased in the melted door panel. The firefighters cut out a chunk of the door panel with the ring embedded and handed it to Kendall. Not much else survived the fire, including a treasured Clemson horticulture jacket.
But he has his ring. He chipped it out of the plastic, buffed it a bit, and put it back on his finger.

SPANDEX

January 12, 2015 / in Alumni Profiles / 0 Comments / by: Jon Harp

Alumni return to Brooks Center with “super” production
If you saw a bolt from the blue last October, it wasn’t Superman. It was Clemson alumni of the Wishbone Theatre Collective, swooping in to perform their super hero-themed play, SPANDEX, at the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts.
The Chicago-based theatre company spent a week in technical rehearsals and student-focused activities before giving two performances of their original work in the Bellamy Theatre. The poignant comedy/drama questions ideas of perfection, bravery and the American superhero through the eyes of children and adults.
Wishbone Theatre Collective was founded in 2009 by former members of the Clemson Players, the University’s student theatre troupe. Since then, the organization has staged mostly original works written by members of the company, including Returning from Madness (by Laurie Jones ’08) and En El Corazon (by Jones and Mandy Stertz ’08), as well as the classic ghost story, The Woman in Black. In addition to several non-Clemson company members, Wishbone’s current roster includes Elizabeth Finley ’08, Katie Jones ’08, Laurie Jones ’08, Erin Lovelace ’10, Mandy Stertz ’08 and Kimberly Van Ness ’08.
SPANDEX premiered in 2011 at the Chicago Fringe Festival and later traveled to the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. “We created the play as an ensemble through the inspiration of our childhood superheroes,” says Laurie Jones, who co-directs the production with her sister, Katie. “Wishbone did a children’s camp one summer, and we kept hearing the kids talking about good guys and bad guys. We thought we would take this childlike version of right and wrong and apply it to a real-life situation.”
While in Clemson, Wishbone conducted an improvisation workshop as well as a Q-and-A session for students. They shared stories of performing in less than ideal venues (their production of The Woman in Black was staged at a creepy funeral home) and of the joys and challenges of creating a theatre company from scratch.
Katie Jones, who was in the first graduating class of Clemson performing arts majors, told students that state-of-the-art equipment is not a requirement to produce a show: “You don’t need much. All you really need is six chairs and an imagination.”

Walter L. Dantzler ’67

January 12, 2015 / in Alumni Profiles / 0 Comments / by: Jon Harp

Family and farm
By any measure, Santee farmer Walter Dantzler is a blessed man. After graduating from Clemson’s advanced ROTC program in June 1967, he helped his father bring in the harvest before heading off to Vietnam. Then he served a 13-month tour of duty before returning to the family farm.
“I got home from Vietnam on a Saturday, went to church with my family on Sunday and was back farming by Monday,” Dantzler said.
Dantzler was named South Carolina winner of the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year. He visited with the other state winners at the Expo in October.
“It was good talking about the joys and challenges of farming with people who understand. To a person, they all talked about wanting their families involved in their operations,” Dantzler said.
Therein lies Dantzler’s other great blessing: His is a multigenerational family farm, with wife Maida Owen ’68, son Bryan — who attended Clemson, daughter-in-law Gina and 11-year-old grandson Dyson all putting shoulder to the wheel. And the Dantzlers aren’t just a farming family — they’re a Clemson farming family. Maida is retired after 39 years teaching science at Holly Hill Academy. Son David ’98, M ’07 works for the Coastal Regional Commission of Georgia. Youngest son Brook, a Citadel graduate, is an agency manager for Farm Bureau Insurance.
“All three of my sons grew up baling hay and working in the fields.  I gave them the choice, and David and Brook chose to work away from the farm. That’s all right. I’m proud of all my children,” Dantzler said.
Dantzler farms approximately four thousand acres of corn, cotton, peanuts, soybeans and wheat, along with 512 acres of timber. He uses guidance systems for planting and irrigation, grid sampling to reduce fertilizer and chemical use, and strip tillage for better weed control and less erosion.
“The technology has changed some things, but farming is still a hot and sweaty job with long hours,” Dantzler said.
Dantzler is confident grandson Dyson will be the next generation to work the land. “Dyson shows a real love for being outside and working hard. When it’s his turn, we’ll have drones flying over these fields.”

Clemson Forever

January 12, 2015 / in Clemson Forever / 0 Comments / by: Jon Harp

From one family to another

When Ashley Snow visited Clemson as a prospective student from Connecticut, she attended a Zac Brown concert and the spring orange and white football game. She was sold.
What sold her parents on Clemson was the community that embraced, nurtured and challenged her. “I was scared the school would be too big — that she would get lost in the shuffle of student activities and not find her way,” Lynette Snow says. “But freshman year, she was in the living learning community and met friends that she still has to this day. And she joined DSP (Delta Sigma Pi, the business fraternity).”
“And don’t forget DZ (Delta Zeta sorority),” her father, David, interjects “That’s her core group of friends,” says Lynette. She calls Ashley’s Clemson experience “inspiring” while David remarks that he has seen her grow dramatically.
The Snows were in town in October for Family Weekend, but also for the announcement of their $2.4 million gift to support student recreation areas and programs. The University’s recreation area on S.C. Highway 93 on Hartwell Lake will be named the Snow Family Outdoor Fitness and Wellness Center. The gift is the largest to the University from parents who are not alumni.
But if you’re around the Snow family very long, you could be forgiven for thinking that they might be alumni. They have settled in as members of the Clemson family during their daughter’s time here.
“I went to Bates College as an undergrad and Duke for grad school,” says David. “Lynette went to East Carolina undergrad and University of Pennsylvania for grad school. None of those schools is as inclusive of the entire family as Clemson. We have felt as if this is our school, too, while our daughter has been here, and the warmth and closeness of this community is infectious. It’s inclusive, and as a result, we feel just as much a part of Clemson as we did our own schools.”
“Maybe more,” adds Lynette.
“I’m the only one who goes here,” says Ashley, now a senior marketing major, “but my whole family now bleeds orange.”
When Ashley and her twin sister, Lauren, a student at Elon University, are asked how they would describe their family, they respond with “closeness and respect. And we love helping others.”
Their generosity to Clemson was carefully considered. David describes the criteria for their family’s investment: “Lynette and I like to give to things that are meaningful, and to people and institutions that deserve that kind of giving.”
For them, Clemson fit the criteria. “Clemson is a phenomenal school. It has a phenomenal product. It has something special that should be preserved,” David says. “And when you feel that way, you look for ways that you can help.”
University administrators identified an area of need: the intramural and club sports program, whose fields double as parking lots and tailgate spaces during football games. Often after heavy rains and robust tailgating, club sports and intramurals find themselves unable to compete. The Snows’ gift will ensure that Clemson’s active club, intramural and wellness programs will have their own spaces and dedicated fields.
“It’s pretty clear that a great institution with great facilities should have great intramural and club fields that are safe,” says David. “So we decided that was a worthy project, and we thought we’d make a lead gift to make sure that would happen for the Clemson family.”
The Snows’ gift is part of Clemson’s $1 billion Will to Lead for Clemson campaign.

The first class of Barker Scholars, pictured, left to right, with President Emeritus and Mrs. James Barker: Allison Hanratty, Samantha Cuffe, Landon Bulloch, Ryan Heard, Zachary Nesbit. Not pictured: Brandi Patterson, Matthew Hapstack, Caroline Marwede and Christine Duoos.

First class of Barker Scholars named

This past fall, the first class of Barker Scholars was announced. These nine students are recipients of the scholarship fund that was established to honor President Emeritus and Mrs. James Barker. To date, the Barker Scholars Endowment has grown to more than $3 million, with gifts from 2,161 donors, including 85 founding partners who gave $25,000 or more.

The Hendrix family: Helping students experience the world

It all started with an empty mayonnaise jar and a dream.
In the 1980s, Pam Hendrix wanted to go to Europe with her family. But with four children, travel abroad was expensive, so she made a deal with her husband, Clemson trustee Bill Hendrix ’63, M ’68. If she and the children could save up enough money to pay for half of the trip, Bill said he would match their savings to fund the trip. So she washed out a mayonnaise jar and started filling it up.
Over a period of years, Pam and her children — Jill, Joy, Holly and Jim — watched the jar fill several times. Through saving and working together toward a common goal, they ended up saving more than their half of the cost of the trip, and the family was able to take a tour of Europe, visiting Rome, Paris, London and Geneva.
“We started putting in money, and the more we put in, the more we wanted to put in,” Pam said. “At some point, we filled up the jar, and I opened an account, and we just started stuffing money in every chance we got.”
“It was fun because we all felt like we were working toward the same goal,” said Holly Hendrix Cirrito ’95. “We spent years saving up pennies and nickels and quarters, and everyone was a part of it, which made it feel very special.”
“It showed us that working hard over time toward a goal is important, and that you can achieve your goals if you stay focused, even if you start out small,” said Jill Hendrix Ganzenmüeller ’92. “We learned that saving pennies and dimes can make a difference.”
That trip left a lasting impression on all four of the Hendrix children, and nearly 30 years later, they are making it possible for Clemson students to have the same amazing experience. In honor of their mother, they, along with their spouses, established the Pamela Maddex Hendrix Dream Jar Study Abroad Endowment.
“We felt like this was a wonderful opportunity to give my mom some well-deserved recognition,” said Jim Hendrix ’98. “We knew that by joining forces and doing it together as a family, we could have a greater impact on students’ lives.”
“My mom is a very special person, and she always puts her family first. We all have a love for travel, and it came from her,” said Joy Hendrix Yonce ’93. “We wanted her to know how special we feel that she is, and we wanted to help future Clemson students — hopefully, they’ll get that travel bug that we all have.”
Bill and Pam are excited to see their children giving back to Clemson.
“I think it’s wonderful that they wanted to honor their mother this way,” said Bill. “She has always loved travel, and she remembers every place we’ve ever been. It just seems natural for Clemson students to benefit from her love of travel.”

MY CLEMSON Daniel Licata ’09

January 12, 2015 / in My Clemson / 0 Comments / by: Jon Harp

When I transferred to Clemson in the fall of 2006, I was looking for a better “college experience.” The university I had left behind was low on school spirit; they didn’t even have a football team.
Clemson did not provide me with an experience; it transformed my life. I found a new family in those “Hills.” The color orange was no longer something to add to my wardrobe, it became my wardrobe. And while the “Hills” were certainly special, “The Hill” was sacred.
In the long history of Clemson, approximately 50 other students have had the same perspective I did when I first stepped to the top of The Hill on Labor Day Monday in 2007. With limited vision, gasping for air and fighting off heat exhaustion, I stood in front of the Death Valley faithful, ready to lead our team on to the field. The “C-L-E-M-S-O-N” chant that overcame the stadium, physically shaking my helmet, will forever be engrained in my mind. As the cannon sounded, I knew my life would never be the same. During the 2007-08 school year, I prowled the sidelines during a 23-21 victory in Columbia and an ACC Tournament in Charlotte that had our team in the championship game.
After graduating summa cum laude in the spring of 2009, I returned to my home state of New Jersey to begin a career in education. I love exploring the subject of social studies with my high school students, but if you were to ask any of my students where my true passion lies, they would all answer, “Clemson!” My students know that the Tiger does push-ups after every score, that Friday is always solid orange and that my mood on a Monday in the fall is largely dependent on the Saturday that precedes it.
Daniel Licata is a social studies teacher at Palmyra High School in Palmyra, New Jersey. He recently won the teacher of the year award and led the varsity baseball program to their second consecutive division championship, the first time for the school since the 1930s. He served as the Tiger mascot in 2007 and 2008.