Turners make cornerstone gift to Alumni and Visitors Center
If you know Joe Turner ’71, M ’77 and his wife, Cathy M ’76, you know one thing is sure: They love Clemson University with conviction and undying loyalty. Since Joe and Cathy met as Clemson employees in the early 1970s, they have dedicated their energy and resources to Joe’s alma mater and Cathy’s adopted home. She even became an official Tiger after completing her master’s degree in 1976.
Joe joined the staff of the Clemson Alumni Association shortly after graduation, working under legendary alumni director Joe Sherman. That same year, Cathy, then a recent Auburn University graduate, came to Clemson to become the assistant dean of women in student affairs. The Turners started dating, fell in love and the rest is Clemson history.
Cathy invested eight years with Clemson before leaving her position to focus on raising the Turner’s three children. Joe worked at Clemson for 14 years, first with the Alumni Association and later as executive director of IPTAY. Even after leaving the University to start a successful business franchise, the Turners built a life together that has been seamlessly connected with Clemson and the Clemson Family. Their Universitywide philanthropic support includes establishing the Joseph and Cathy Turner Tiger Mascot Program and the Cathy Campbell Turner M.S. ’76 and Joseph J. Turner Jr. B.A. ’71 Tiger Mascot Endowment. The Turners also support the FIRST Program, which helps ensure success for students who are the first in their families to attend college.
The Turners’ most recent gift is the perfect fit for this Clemson couple, who represent the very best of the Clemson Family. They have made a significant contribution to the new state-of-the-art Clemson Alumni and Visitors Center. The Turner Family Loggia, named in their honor, will be a highly visible area for students and alumni alike to make new memories. It will hold a special place for the Turners themselves, reminding them of their many cherished walks through campus under the former loggia at the Edgar A. Brown University Union.
The Alumni and Visitors Center, scheduled to be completed in the fall, will be a special space for the entire Clemson community, a place that brings together Tigers of every generation. Located adjacent to the Clyde V. Madren Conference Center and John E. Walker Sr. Golf Course, the new state-of-the-art facility will overlook the 18th green and the shores of Lake Hartwell. It will stand as Clemson’s front door, inviting prospective students and their families to explore our campus and welcoming past generations back home.
Having the Turners sponsor one of the premier gathering spaces for the Clemson Family is only fitting. Their Clemson connection has remained steadfast for over 50 years.
