Kaplans’ Cornerstone gift provides scholarships to Pickens County students
When Jim Kaplan ’87 moved from California to Pickens, South Carolina, in 1993 to work for Cornell Dubilier Electronics, he and his wife, Julee Kaplan, embraced their new community and have been giving back to it ever since.
Jim rose through the ranks at Cornell Dubilier during a 30-year career that led him to eventually become the CEO. In late 2023, the company was sold to Knowles Corporation.
Julee had a successful career in public relations and ran her own life-coaching business.
The Kaplans have maintained strong ties to Clemson University, not only as Jim’s alma mater but also through two of the three Kaplan children, Claire Ed.S. ’23 and Tomson ’24. Their oldest son, Jamie, followed in his mother’s footsteps, graduating from the College of William & Mary.
“There are very few truly impactful things you can do with money that make a difference in a person’s life — and this is one of them: scholarships. If we can provide the means to get somebody to Clemson, Jim Clements and the University will do the rest, and their life will be better for it.”
Jim Kaplan
As believers in the power of education, the Kaplans want to give back to the people and places that mean so much to them through the gift of need-based scholarships for students in their own community. They strongly feel that all hardworking students deserve to attend college and should not be excluded because of their inability to afford tuition. The Kaplans hope to alleviate that burden for their neighbors in Pickens County, South Carolina.
Their recent $2.5 million Academic Cornerstone gift to Clemson established the Kaplan Family Scholarship Endowment, which will provide need-based Universitywide scholarships to students who are Pickens County residents.
The Kaplans also believe in giving their time through dedicated service to the University and the Pickens community. Jim has served in multiple roles for the Pickens County United Way, including fundraising chairman. He has served on the board of the Electronic Industry Association and on the governing board of the Tri-County Technical College Commission. At Clemson, Jim served on the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences’ Will to Lead Cabinet.
Julee has served as the University’s Tri-Delta sorority advisor. Together, they are members of the 1889 Generations Society and the Clemson University Foundation Order of the Oak.
The Kaplans know that scholarships can be life-changing for families who cannot afford the costs of going to college. Their gift will create opportunities for many deserving Pickens County students who grew up in the shadow of Clemson but might not have ever become Clemson students due to costs. This scholarship endowment will open the doors for those students to realize their dreams, reach their fullest potential and become the newest members of the Clemson Family.
