Bangs™ to ‘help’: Hannah C. Davis ’09

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You can help satisfy your social conscience with a pair of shoes, thanks to the efforts of Hannah Davis.
As founder and president of Bangs™, a retail shoe line, Davis has shown how a for-profit can partner with nonprofits to create positive change. Bangs™ partners with nonprofits whose projects focus on self-reliability and empowerment through education and cultural understanding, turning away from handout methodology.
She pairs each of her four different styles of shoes — each a different color — with causes that directly address world issues. Buy a blue pair of shoes and clean water initiatives are helped; red goes toward disaster relief efforts; khaki helps fight world hunger; and green shoes’ proceeds fund educational projects.
Davis graduated with a degree in political science with a minor in Mandarin. She traveled in China for six weeks during a study abroad program and fell in love with the country. After graduation, Davis taught English for a year in Jiangsu Province.
Inspiration for the design of Bangs™ shoes was found in the olive green, army-style shoes worn by thousands of construction and field workers across China. Davis developed the ideology behind the Bangs™ brand to connect people to a philosophy she was passionate about. In fact the name “Bangs” came from the Mandarin character for the word “help,” which phonetically is spelled b-a-n-g.
One of the company’s marketing strategies is University Outreach. Bangs™ ambassadors in 20 universities in the Southeast participate to raise awareness of the social enterprise. Student Leah Esposito is the Clemson Bangs Team Leader.
More about Bangs and its products is at www.bangsshoes.com.
To hear more about Davis’s story, check out her TED X talk.

 

Alanna Walker discovers another side of life

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Alanna Walker

Alanna Walker


I entered Clemson with a rock solid plan for my future. I knew that I wanted to get a B.S. in bioengineering and then continue on straight into a Ph.D. in bioengineering and become a professor at a research university.
As my time passed, I continued happily in bioengineering, but I also began to get involved in programs outside of my major. Specifically, I got involved with Clemson’s New Student Dialogue diversity education program during my junior year. It is difficult to say what made me decide to get involved with this program, but I believe it was a combination of having a great experience with One Clemson as a freshman and my desire to learn about everything (even outside of the world of bioengineering!).
I didn’t know what to expect, but looking back, I can safely say that becoming a peer dialogue facilitator changed my life. Learning about and implementing dialogue between incoming freshmen and transfer students opened up an entirely different world of skills and experiences for me. I learned to introspect; I learned to listen; and, most importantly, I learned to really open my mind and experience real empathy for others.
I already possessed those skills, but the New Student Dialogue program allowed me to realize that they were there and that they are just as important to develop as my problem-solving, engineering-based skills. I also became involved with the new Intergroup Dialogue program for students of all levels. In that program, I was able to find my voice as a peer leader. I worked closely with my co-facilitators and my supervisor to help shape the curriculum, which gave me the confidence to take ownership of my own education. I wouldn’t trade those experiences for the world.
These new experiences allowed me to get in touch with a side of myself I had previously discounted. My newly honed interpersonal skills needed an outlet, but I was shocked to find that perhaps my trusty “life road map” wasn’t leading me to a career that would enable me to reach my full potential. [pullquote align=’right’ font=’oswald’ color=’#685C53′]I was so passionate about bioengineering; how could I have been so wrong? Was it even possible to reconcile my scientific, bioengineering life with my empathetic, Peer Dialogue Facilitator life?[/pullquote]
After quite a bit of denial, self-doubt and pro/con lists, I came to realize that I needed to adjust my plan. Spring break of my senior year, I sat down and took a serious look at where I had been and where I thought I was going. I came up with not only a new road map, but also an entirely different destination! I applied and was accepted to Columbia University’s master’s of bioethics program. I finally found a way to use my medical background and my interpersonal skills in a way that complement each other beautifully!
It is amazing for me to look back at the naively confident freshman I was when I first came to Clemson and compare her to the adventurously open-minded first-year master’s student I am today. Bioethics, like bioengineering, is a field of unknowns that I am excited to explore. Even so, the idea of changing my plan a month before graduation was almost as scary as the prospect of moving from Clemson, South Carolina, to New York City! But I am thankful every day that I was able to trust my instincts and seize this amazing opportunity. Without my experiences of self-discovery in the New Student Dialogue and Intergroup Dialogue programs, I wouldn’t have had the courage to take this giant leap of faith. I got what I consider to be a very well-rounded education by taking ownership of my learning and getting in touch with myself.
Always and forever, Go Tigers!
I’m Alanna Walker, and this is my Clemson.

A first-generation Tiger reflects on a new sense of family.

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Cynthia Ofori Dwumfuo

Cynthia Ofori Dwumfuo


Coming thousands of miles away from home in Accra, Ghana, I least expected to find another home, another family, or to feel so attached to this place I had never even heard of before my grad school search began. Yet, here I am two years later, a proud Tiger; my blood runs fiercely orange.
I arrived at Clemson excited about this new adventure and reassured by the warmth of the people I had interacted with during my application process. Besides, how bad could it be? Bad? It turned out far from that; it’s been pretty awesome! My time here has been a roller coaster of academic rigor, cultural discovery, good friends, warm people and a welcoming community. As an international student, I fully cherish the open-mindedness of my Tiger family. I appreciate being held to the same standards as my fellow students from America, not patronized or dismissed in spite of cultural differences. People here are friendlier than any other place I ever traveled to. It’s amazing I discovered this school through a random search on Google!
From the first football game to the rigorous course work and tutoring I did in the writing center, I quickly adopted the determined spirit of a Clemson Tiger. I racked up diverse experiences I doubt I would otherwise have had (I never saw myself white-water rafting, that’s for sure). I have been an active member of the community, a grad student, freshman composition teacher, tutor, volunteer, a TEDxClemsonU speaker. I’m proud to say I have helped other internationals like myself to enjoy their Clemson experience by serving in several organizations such as the cultural exchange community and the international students association.
Graduating with a master’s degree in professional communication, I leave Clemson with a sense of accomplishment, and look forward to being an active alumna representing the school proudly wherever I go. Traipses through the gardens, hiking haunts, lakeside lounging, 36-hour days, afternoons by the reflection pond, evenings downtown, and nights at Cooper library — I’ll miss it all.
I still can’t get over the feeling of that first game in Death Valley and the deafening chant that rang in my ears for days after that … “C.L.E.M.S.O.N. T.I.G.E.R.S. fight tigers, fight tigers, fight, fight, fight!” Wherever I go, this chant will fondly remain with me. I love to share my Tiger spirit. Somewhere in Accra, Ghana, my brother sports a Clemson T-shirt, and somewhere in London, UK, my baby nephew wears the cutest Clemson jersey and socks. I’m proud to be a first-generation Clemson Tiger.

I’m Cynthia E. Ofori-Dwumfuo and this is my Clemson!

A 2012 MAPC Clemson graduate, Cynthia E. Ofori-Dwumfuo earned a B.A. in economics from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. She currently is interning with VOX Global, a strategic communications and public affairs firm in Washington, D.C.

Young businesswoman on the rise: Raven C. Magwood ’12

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Three D’s, one young woman and a long list of accomplishments and ambitions. Recent graduate Raven Magwood believes that dedication, determination and discipline are the sources to her success. She graduated from Clemson at the age of 19, but that’s just one of her many accomplishments.
By the time she was 12, Magwood had a national gymnastics title, was a published author and had started high school. At 16, she followed in her parents’ footsteps to Clemson, planning on a career in medicine. A conversation with her mother altered that career path.
“She asked me if someone would pay me to do anything, what would I do? I told her that I would speak and write,” Magwood said. With her parents’ support, she changed her major to communication studies.
By this time, her motivational speaking was gaining a lot of attention. Halfway through college, she made a bold decision to take time off to host her own television show, “The Raven Magwood Show,” which aired Saturday mornings on My 40. She interviewed celebrities that included Alveda King (Martin Luther King Jr.’s niece), actress Porscha Coleman and former Clemson football player Stanley Hunter. After a year and a half, Magwood decided it was time to go back and finish her degree.
Her final year at Clemson, she attended classes during the week and spent most of her weekends traveling the country to speak and promote her third and latest book, The 7 Practices of Exceptional Student Athletes. Magwood graduated in December, finishing college in just four semesters. And now she has plunged into her full-blown career of speaking and writing.
Her advice to others? “It is key to set goals; when times get tough for me, my goals show me what I’m working so hard for and where I want to be.”

Making his way in L.A.: Judson McKinney ’08

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Judson McKinney hopes he has just joined the likes of Elton John, James Taylor and Tom Waits. All three of them performed early in their careers at the legendary Troubadour club in West Hollywood, where McKinney had the opportunity to take the stage on June 20.
Unlike the alums who headed to Nashville (see p. 20), McKinney headed to Los Angeles with a degree in philosophy. He’s worked hard, pounding the streets with CDs, even living in his car on occasion.
But it’s paid off, as evidenced by his performance at the Troubadour. With a style that’s been described as Americana, the singer/songwriter/guitarist is playing regularly at venues in Los Angeles and beyond. His new album, “Drink the Wine,” released by Atomic Sweater Records, cracked the iTunes charts upon its debut. And one of the tracks, “People Grow Up So Slow,” is soon to be featured in Michael Rosenbaum’s film “Old Days.”
His reviews describe him as “both straightforward and oddly mercurial.” A reviewer from L.A. Record described the performance at the Troubadour like this: “Judson and his Americana crew rocked the Troubadour and got everybody’s hips shaking and faces smiling.” LA Times has called him one of “the more compelling live acts around.”
At Clemson, McKinney played in a band called Sum Yung Gai, later known as Everyday Strangers, which performed at the now-defunct Joint, as well as at the Handlebar in Greenville and at clubs in Charleston.

Tiger is a Harvard Hero: Rupal Ramesh Shah M ’07

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Rupal Ramesh Shah, a microbiology graduate, was honored by Harvard University as a 2012 Harvard Hero. This prestigious award is given to a select number of Harvard staff members who are recognized for “above and beyond” achievements and for their contributions to the university. Out of 12,000 Harvard staff members, only 49 received this award in 2012.
Shah is laboratory manager of the tuberculosis laboratory in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases in the School of Public Health.
“As a researcher, I value working with and learning from other scientists and colleagues in the lab and the department,” she said. “As a lab manager, I use the leadership skills I developed at Clemson to organize, lead and manage teams, and I truly enjoy this aspect of my work.”
Shah’s view of the world extends from the cellular to the global. Her work as a laboratory scientist involves molecular biology to help fight disease. As a humanitarian, she volunteers with both local and global organizations to help fight poverty, lack of education and improve public health.
“Her dedication to the well being of humanity is innate. I don’t think she will ever stop trying to make the world a better place, and many will benefit from her efforts,” said Alfred “Hap” Wheeler, chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Clemson, and one of Shah’s mentors.

Turning ‘Mock Turtle Soup’ into ‘Gold’

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When Jason Underwood ’04, Harrison Brookie ’07, M’08, Meg Pierson ’08  and Ben Burris  ’11 were members of Clemson’s improv comedy group, Mock Turtle Soup, they never dreamed that one day they would come together and form their own theater.
Alchemy Comedy Theater was created to perform and teach improv comedy. All of the members have day jobs, but have pooled their talents and experiences to form the only comedy improv theater in Greenville.
Artistic director Brookie is a secondary education graduate teaching at Southside International Baccalaureate High School. Underwood, class instructor, has a degree in architecture and works at Fluor Daniel. Pierson, Improv 201 instructor, graduated in history, and electrical engineering graduate Burris works at aeSolutions and is the group’s assistant artistic director.
They created a training center that has produced almost 50 students of comedy — some who have joined the theater. Performances are every Friday night at Coffee Underground. For more information, go to http://alchemycomedy.com/.

Veterinarian with heart: Mary Mauldin Pereira ’01

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After graduating with a degree in animal science, Mary Mauldin Pereira enrolled at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) on the island of St. Kitts. Her lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian was realized after graduating in 2005. She and her husband, Gary, and their daughter, Ava Kate, live on the island where she is an assistant professor of parasitology at RUSVM.
In addition to teaching, Pereira has created a fundraising program, oneLOVEPets, for animals in need. Through the sales of pet collar tags, wristbands and other products, funds are raised to support animal shelters, spay and neuter clinics, fostering and food drives.
For more information, go to www.onelovepets.com, oneLOVEPets on Facebook and Twitter @OneLovePets!

Coming back to Clemson: Jimmy D. Mullinax ’94

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Industrial management major Jimmy Mullinax has come back to Clemson 17 years after being commissioned by the Clemson Army ROTC. A lieutenant colonel in the Army, Mullinax, a logistics officer, returned in June tasked with developing cadets into future Army officers and ensuring that they meet yearly Army commissioning requirements.
Mullinax has also served as an air defense officer in a Patriot Missile unit, as well as in a variety of positions ranging from platoon leader to brigade operations officer. He has been stationed in South Korea, Germany, California, Kentucky, Virginia and Texas. He has his master’s degree in military studies from Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
Mullinax and his wife, Angie Chapman ’95 (SED-MA) Mullinax, are living in Liberty with their three children.

ChillSpot™: Ken M. Leahy ’93 and Mark H. Raeside ’93

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What do you get when you combine a hot Southern summer’s day, a furry, miserably hot dog and two Clemson graduates? No, not a strange meal at a tailgate.
You get an ingenious way to keep a pet cool.
Marketing major Ken Leahy and design major Mark Raeside, both of Atlanta, are the inventors and co-founders of ChillSpot™ — a cooling dog bed. From the prototype made with sawed-off coolers and the use of thermodynamics, they were able to perfect a design that uses ChillPods placed in the super insulated base and transfers the “chill” to an aluminum top.
ChillSpot™ has become the cool place to be, not just for the family dog, but for famed animals such as the University of Georgia’s bulldog mascot, Uga, the pandas and tigers at Zoo Atlanta, and President Barker’s dog, Mookie.
For more information about ChillSpot™, go to www.chillspot.biz/index.html.