Honorary Membership
Unique among Clemson classes is the Class of '39 program of Honorary Memberships. By means of this program, the class recognizes special contributions to the University, it expresses appreciation for special contributions to the class or to class projects, and it endeavors to maintain contact with families of departed classmates. The program has been in effect since 1966 when Pappy Hayden became the first honorary member, and it continues to be one of the class’s cherished class activities.
There are three ways of becoming an Honorary Member of the Class of '39, two of which are entirely automatic:
First, one can get him or herself was chosen as the Faculty Award for Excellence winner. Each year the faculty selects from within its own ranks that faculty member whose extracurricular activities over the past five years exemplify an ideal of service to the University and the outside community that is unsurpassed among faculty members. That person receives the faculty's highest honor - and in addition, is entitled to honorary membership in the Great class of '39.
Second, when a classmate passes away, his widow automatically becomes entitled to Honorary Membership. The third way is far from automatic. Through the years the class has maintained a high profile through its reunions and its extended activities on behalf of the University. In all these things it has enjoyed the help and support of friends, faculty members, and other alumni. In more than a few cases that help has been exceptional, to the degree that the class has extended to those persons its own highest honor - that of honorary membership.
When we extend Honorary Membership to someone, they are encouraged to participate fully in all class activities and to share the ideals of excellence for Clemson University.
List of Supporting Members
Claud J. Hayden - 1966 (1981)
John C. Mann - 1975 (1988)
Mark R. Eisengrein - 1989
Ulysses S. Jones - 1989 (2002)
Elton W. Shepherd - 1989
Beth C. Farmer - 1994
Lolly Tai - 1995
William (Whirl) N. Miller - 1996
David L. Senn - 1996
Virginia G. Senn - 1996
Jeannie Kelly - 1997
Cathy T. Sturkie - 1998
Carolyn Robinson - 2000
Adrienne L. Tucker - 2000
Mark S. Avent - 2001
Frank J. Cox - 2001
Byron K. Webb - 2001 (2017)
Anne M. Grant - 2003
James R. Adkins - 2005
A. Niell Cameron Jr. - 2007
Carol Talbert - 2007
Jerome V. Reel Jr. - 2008
Sandy Edge - 2009
Todd A. Steadman - 2009
James O. Sweeny Jr. - 2010
Robert M. Sweeny - 2010
R. Trent Allen - 2012
Betty (Bett) W. Long - 2012
Liz P. Newall - 2012
Charles Bradley Russell - 2013
A. Vincent Brawley - 2014
Richie Senn - 2014
Dana Anderson - 2016
John Bodiford - 2016
Anna Brawley - 2016
Patrick McMillan - 2017
Wilson Hunter - 2021
Ann Hunter - 2021
J. C. Cook - 2023
Nicci Hanewald - 2024
