FSL Pillars of the Community Award

The Pillars of the Fraternity and Sorority Community Award recognizes fraternity and sorority alumni who have made significant contributions to Clemson University, their fraternity or sorority at the local, regional, or national level, their industry, or public service.  Fraternity and Sorority Life will recognize up to six Pillars of the Fraternity and Sorority Community each year.  Nominees must not have been an undergraduate student at Clemson University in the past 10 years.  Undergraduate membership at Clemson is not required, but recipients must have made significant contributions to a local chapter or the overall FSL community.  Nominations for the third class of Pillars of the Community will open in summer 2024.

Winston Fowler ‘62 is credited with founding the first social fraternity at Clemson, Sigma Alpha Zeta (now Pi Kappa Alpha) — serving as the organization’s first president. Additionally, Fowler was a member of Tiger Brotherhood, TAPS staff, Central Dance Association, student government and head cheerleader. One nominator describes Fowler as the “father of Fraternity and Sorority Life at Clemson.”

Curtis White ‘80 is a retired Clemson professor who has served as advisor for Omega Psi Phi since 1992. He served in various roles as a faculty member in the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences from 1989-2010. He also served as a member of the United States Army’s Inactive Ready Reserve as a lieutenant colonel. According to one nominator, “Dr. White has demonstrated over decades an unwavering track record of excellence, dedication and commitment in support of Fraternity and Sorority Life.”

Cathy Campbell Turner M ‘76 served as assistant dean of women from 1970-78 and helped expand the sorority system during her time at Clemson. The Panhellenic Council was established during her tenure and the number of Clemson women going through Rush increased exponentially. She and her husband, Joe, have given generously over the years and in 2019 she was named Mother-of-the-Year for unique contributions to Clemson. One nominator says, “Cathy is not only a pillar; she is the foundation and the walls.”

Altheia Richardson M ’96 Ph.D. ‘21 is a former associate vice president at Clemson and previous supervisor of both Fraternity and Sorority Life and the National Pan-Hellenic Council. Richardson led the Harvey and Lucinda Gantt Multicultural Center for years. She currently serves as vice president and chief diversity officer at Newberry College. According to one nominator, “Dr. Richardson’s distinguished career, marked by leadership, innovation and a steadfast commitment to diversity and inclusion, makes her an exceptional candidate for this recognition.”

Joy Smith ’75 M ‘77 was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma and served her alma mater for more than 30 years. Smith was associate vice president and dean of students for many years and held administrative oversight of areas such as student learning and development, student health, career servixqces and multicultural affairs. A former colleague says, “Joy was the epitome of how to be a professional in Student Affairs and was very supportive and involved with the Greek community, and a role model for all students.”

Donald McKale is a retired Clemson history professor who served as chapter advisor to Delta Tau Delta on multiple occasions. In addition to serving as DTD’s first advisor in the mid-1990s, he served the chapter in the same capacity again from 2012-19. He was a faculty member in the Department of History and Geography, receiving numerous accolades — including the Class of 1939 Award for Excellence (2006). One nominator says of McKale, “From Rush to pledging to active membership, he contributed significantly to the chapter’s growth and success.”

James F. Barker was the 14^th president in Clemson University history, serving in the role from 1999-2013. During his tenure, Clemson was consistently ranked one of the nation’s top 25 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) and the Clemson University Restoration Institute (CURI) were developed during his presidency as well. Prior to his time as president, Barker served as dean of architecture from 1986-99. Barker was a member of Delta Kappa Alpha (now Alpha Tau Omega) and graduated from Clemson in 1970.

Amanda H. Hays is an assistant vice president in Clemson’s Division of Student Affairs. She is responsible for the direction and supervision of two departments, Campus Reservations and Events and the Center for Student Leadership and Engagement. As part of her role, Hays has been an integral part of the coordinating team for University commencement and doctoral ceremony. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega and served as vice president and ultimately president of the College Panhellenic Council before graduating from Clemson in 1991. She began working at her alma mater in the areas of University Housing and Fraternity and Sorority Life. Hays was a member of the President’s Leadership Institute in 2022.

Kim Wilkerson serves as the current chair for the Clemson University Board of Trustees and is the first woman to lead the board in school history. She has served as a member of the board since 2010. Wilkerson is president and managing director for Bank of America in South Carolina. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta and graduated from Clemson in 1980. She went on to serve on the Clemson University Foundation Board and Board of Visitors and was a recipient of the Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award in 2011. Wilkerson received the Order of the Palmetto in March, the highest civilian honor awarded in the state of South Carolina.

Bobby Clark is director of procurement and vendor management with Clemson Computing and Information Technology (CCIT). He was chosen to lead the Business, Procurement and Legal Advisory Committee for Internet2, a community providing a secure high-speed network, cloud solutions, research support and other services tailored for research and education. At Clemson, Clark was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and earned his undergraduate degree in computer science in 1988. He is a longtime adviser for Alpha Phi Alpha. Clark — who has worked at Clemson for over 30 years in a number of IT support roles — was a member of the President’s Leadership Institute in 2018.

Jerome V. Reel, Jr. served Clemson with distinction as a faculty member, administrator and historian. He began his association with the school in 1963 before earning the dean of undergraduate studies position in 1979. He was promoted to senior vice provost in 1992, a position he held until his retirement in 2003. Reel received the Alumni Master Teacher Award in 1975, was named Honorary Alumni in 2000 and was recognized with the Clemson Medallion — the highest honor conferred by the University — in 2014. He was a longtime adviser for Pi Kappa Alpha.

Mable H. Wynn was one of the first African-American faculty members at Clemson. She began teaching dance in 1974 and was part of the faculty in the department of parks, recreation and tourism management for 27 years. Wynn passed away in January 2020 and will be honored posthumously for her contributions to the FSL community. Prior to her death, she was a member of the inaugural board of directors for the Phil and Mary Bradley Early Childhood Education Center, which opened in 2020. She was an advisor for many years for the Clemson chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.