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Former names | Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina (1889–1964) |
|---|---|
| Type | Public land-grant research university |
| Established | 1889 |
| Accreditation | SACS |
Academic affiliations | |
| Endowment | $994 million (2022)[1] |
| President | James P. Clements |
| Provost | Robert H. Jones |
Academic staff | 2,103[2] |
Administrative staff | 4,179[2] |
| Students | 28,747 (Fall 2023)[3] |
| Undergraduates | 22,875 (2023)[3] |
| Postgraduates | 5,872 (2023)[3] |
| Location | , , United States 34°40′42″N 82°50′21″W / 34.67833°N 82.83917°W |
| Campus | Large suburb[4], 1,400 acres (570 ha) |
| Other campuses | |
| Newspaper | The Tiger |
| Colors | Orange and regalia[5] |
| Nickname | Tigers |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division I FBS – ACC |
| Mascot |
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| Website | www |
 | |
Clemson University (/ˈklɛmp.sən, ˈklɛm.zən/[6][7]) is a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina. Founded in 1889, Clemson is the second-largest university by enrollment in South Carolina.[8] For the fall 2023 semester, the university enrolled a total of 22,875 undergraduate students and 5,872 graduate students,[3] and the student/faculty ratio was 15:1.[9]
Clemson's 1,400-acre (570 ha) campus[10] is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The campus now borders Lake Hartwell, which was formed by the dam completed in 1962.
Clemson University consists of seven colleges: Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences; Architecture, Arts and Humanities; The Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business; Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences; Education; Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences; and Science.[11] Clemson University is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity."[12]
History
Beginnings
Thomas Green Clemson, the university's founder, came to the foothills of South Carolina in 1838, when he married Anna Maria Calhoun, daughter of John C. Calhoun, the South Carolina politician and seventh U.S. Vice President.[13] When Clemson died on April 6, 1888, he left most of his estate, which he inherited from his wife, in his will to be used to establish a college that would teach scientific agriculture and the mechanical arts to South Carolinians.[14] His decision was largely influenced by the future South Carolina Governor Benjamin Tillman.[15] Tillman lobbied the South Carolina General Assembly to create the school as an agricultural institution for the state, and the resolution passed by only one vote.
In his will, Clemson explicitly stated he wanted the school to be modeled after what is now Mississippi State University: "This institution, I desire, to be under the control and management of a board of trustees, a part of whom are hereinafter appointed, and to be modeled after the Agricultural College of Mississippi as far as practicable."[16]
Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina
In November 1889, South Carolina Governor John Peter Richardson III signed the bill, thus establishing the Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina. As a result, federal funds for agricultural education from the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act and the Hatch Act of 1887 were transferred from South Carolina College (today, the University of South Carolina) to Clemson.[13] Construction of the college began with Hardin Hall in 1890 and then main classroom buildings in 1891. Convict laborers, some as young as 13 years old, built many of the original buildings on campus.[17] Henry Aubrey Strode became the first president of Clemson from 1890 to 1893. Edwin Craighead succeeded Strode in 1893. Clemson Agricultural College formally opened in July 1893 with an initial enrollment of 446. The common curriculum of the first incoming students was English, history, botany, mathematics, physics, and agriculture. Until 1955, the college was also an all-white male military school.
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On May 22, 1894, the main building (Tillman Hall) was destroyed by a fire, which consumed the library, classrooms, and offices. Tillman Hall was rebuilt in 1894 and is still standing today. The first graduating class of Clemson was in 1896 with degrees in mechanical-electrical engineering and agriculture. Clemson's first football team began in 1896 led by trainer Walter Riggs. Henry Hartzog, a graduate of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, became president of Clemson in 1897. Hartzog created a textile department in 1898. Clemson became the first Southern school to train textile specialists. Hartzog expanded the curriculum with more industrialization skills such as foundry work, agriculture studies, and mechanics. In 1902 a large student walkout over the use of rigid military discipline escalated tensions between students and faculty forcing Hartzog to resign. Patrick Mell succeeded Hartzog from 1902 to 1910.[18]
Following the resignation of Mell in 1910 former Clemson Tigers football coach Walter Riggs became president of Clemson from 1910 to 1924.[19] The Holtzendorff Hall, originally the Holzendorff YMCA, was built in 1914 designed by Rudolph E. Lee of the first graduating class of Clemson in 1896. In 1915 Riggs Field was dedicated after Walter Riggs and is the Clemson Tigers men's soccer home field. During World War I enrollment in Clemson declined. In 1917 Clemson formed a Reserve Officers' Training Corps and in 1918 a Student Army Training Corps was formed. Effects of World War I made Clemson hire the first women faculty due to changes in faculty.[20] Riggs accepted a six-month army educational commission in 1919 overseas in France leaving Samuel Earle as acting president. On March 10, 1920, a large walkout occurred protesting unfair "prison camp" style military discipline. The 1920 walkout led to the creation of a Department of Student Affairs. On January 22, 1924, Riggs died on a business trip to Washington, D.C. leaving Earle the acting president. In October 1924 another walkout of around 500 students occurred when Earle rejected their demands of better food and the dismissal of mess officer Harcombe and the reinstatement of their senior class president. The 1924 walkout resulted in 23 students dismissed and 112 suspended.
On April 1, 1925, a fire destroyed the interior of the agricultural building and its many research projects and an agricultural museum. The exterior of the building survived, leading to the construction of Sikes Hall to hold the library from Tillman Hall. On May 27, 1926, Mechanical Hall was destroyed in a fire. Present-day Freeman Hall, built in 1926, was the reconstructed shop building. In 1928 Riggs Hall was established in honor of Walter Riggs.[21] President Enoch Sikes increased student enrollment by over 1,000 students and expanded the degree programs with an addition of the first graduate degree. The Department of Arts and Sciences was formed in 1926 with the addition of modern language programs. Programs at Clemson were reorganized into six schools of agriculture, chemistry, engineering, general science, textiles, and vocational studies. In 1927 Clemson received accreditation from the Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges of the Southern States.
During The Great Depression student enrollment and income declined. The New Deal brought needed construction to the campus under the Works Progress Administration with new dormitories to relieve the housing shortages. Long Hall, Sirrine Hall, and 29,625 acres of privately owned farmland was acquired by Clemson through federal funding. Agricultural engineers of Clemson diversified with the Clemson Agricultural Extension to educate farmers on soil conservation and crop storage techniques during The Great Depression. Robert Poole became the first Clemson alumnus to be president in 1940. On September 19, 1942 Memorial Stadium was formally opened as the new stadium for the Clemson Tigers football team previously played on Riggs Field since 1915.[22]
During World War II more than 6,500 students were sent overseas in the military. As a result of the Clemson ROTC, around 5,850 were commissioned officers. The class of 1943 had a historical low of 343 graduates.[23] By the end of the war, 376 Clemson students had been killed in it.
Becoming civilian and coeducational and desegregated
In 1955 Clemson underwent a major restructuring and was transformed into "civilian" status for students. It began admitting white women; the university was still segregated.[24]
In 1963, the school admitted its first African-American student, Harvey Gantt, who later was elected as mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina.[25]
Clemson University
In 1964, the college was renamed Clemson University, as the state legislature formally recognized the school's expanded academic offerings and research pursuits.[26] The university manages the nearby 17,500-acre (7,100 ha) Clemson Experimental Forest that is used for research, education, and recreation.[citation needed]
In 2015, students protested against Tillman Hall being named for Ben Tillman. Tillman was a South Carolina Governor and United States Senator and was a white supremacist during the Reconstruction era as well as a member of the Red Shirts and a known associate of the Ku Klux Klan. The board of trustees voted against renaming the building.[27] In the summer of 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, the trustees petitioned the state legislature to remove Ben Tillman's name from the building and restoring the original name ("Old Main"), at the same time it renamed the honors program, which had been named for John C. Calhoun. As of July 2021[update], no changes have been made toward renaming the building.[28]
Campus
The Campus of Clemson University was originally the site of U.S. Vice President John C. Calhoun's plantation, named Fort Hill. The plantation passed to his daughter, Anna, and son-in-law, Thomas Green Clemson. On Clemson's death in 1888, he willed the land to the state of South Carolina for the creation of a public university.
The university was founded in 1889, and three buildings from the initial construction still exist today: Hardin Hall (built in 1890), Main Building (later renamed Tillman Hall) (1894), and Godfrey Hall (1898). Other periods of large expansion occurred in 1936–1938, when eight new buildings were constructed, and the late 1950s through 1970, when no fewer than 25 buildings were constructed, most in a similar architectural style.
The campus area first appeared as a census-designated place (CDP) in the 2020 Census with a population of 7,311.[29]
Academics
Admissions
Undergraduate
| Undergraduate admissions statistics | |
|---|---|
| Admit rate | 49.2 (  −1.3) |
| Yield rate | 19.8 (  −11.2) |
| Test scores middle 50% | |
| SAT Total | 1240-1400 |
| ACT Composite | 27-32 |
The 2022 annual ranking of U.S. News & World Report categorizes Clemson as 'more selective'.[31] For the Class of 2025 (enrolled fall 2021), Clemson received 47,007 applications and accepted 23,138 (49.2%). Of those accepted, 4,589 enrolled, a yield rate (the percentage of accepted students who choose to attend the university) of 19.8%. Clemson's freshman retention rate is 94%, with 85.5% going on to graduate within six years.[30]
The enrolled first-year class of 2025 had the following standardized test scores: the middle 50% range (25th percentile – 75th percentile) of SAT scores was 1240–1400, while the middle 50% range of ACT scores was 27–32.[30]
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 47,007 | 28,600 | 29,070 | 28,845 | 26,242 | 23,506 |
| Admits | 23,138 | 17,715 | 14,900 | 13,613 | 12,380 | 11,881 |
| Admit rate | 49.2 | 61.9 | 51.3 | 47.2 | 47.2 | 50.5 |
| Enrolled | 4,589 | 4,199 | 3,932 | 3,792 | 3,649 | 3,684 |
| Yield rate | 19.8 | 23.7 | 26.4 | 27.9 | 29.5 | 31.0 |
| ACT composite* (out of 36) |
27–32 | 27–32 | 27–32 | 27–32 | 27–31 | 26–31 |
| SAT composite* (out of 1600) |
1240–1400 | 1230–1380 | 1240–1400 | 1220–1400 | 1220–1390 | — |
| * middle 50% range |
Colleges and schools
[discuss]
| College | Enrollment (2019)[3] |
|---|---|
| College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences | 2,191 |
| College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities | 1,990 |
| College of Behavioral Science and Health Science | 4,125 |
| College of Business | 5,076 |
| College of Education | 1,861 |
| College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences | 7,182 |
| College of Science | 3,311 |
In July 1955, the four schools that made up Clemson—Agriculture, Arts & Sciences, Engineering and Textiles—were transformed into nine colleges: Architecture, Arts and Sciences, Liberal Arts, Sciences, Commerce and Industry, Education, Engineering, Forestry and Recreation Resources, and Nursing.[37] This structure was used by the university until 1995 when the university's nine colleges were condensed into five: Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences; Architecture, Arts, and Humanities; Business and Behavioral Science; Engineering and Science; Health, Education, and Human Development.[38] On July 14, 2014, the Eugene T. Moore School of Education broke off from the College of Health, Education, and Human development, thus becoming the sixth college.[39]
An academic reorganization effective July 1, 2016, created seven new colleges: College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences; College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities; College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences; College of Business; College of Education (including the Eugene T. Moore School of Education); College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences; and College of Science.[40]
Currently, there are nine academic colleges: College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, College of Architecture, Art and Construction, College of Arts and Humanities, College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, College of Education, College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, College of Science, the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business, and the new College of Veterinary Medicine.[41]
College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences
The College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences (CAFLS) supports Clemson University's land-grant mission to provide education, research, and service to the public. CAFLS faculty members teach major subjects and core curricula while preparing students to be leaders, creative thinkers, and communicators. Emphasis is placed on engaging students in research, internships/coops, study abroad, and service learning. CAFLS research is focused on the sustainability of agriculture, forests, and natural resources; food and packaging systems to ensure a healthy and safe food supply, and biomedical sciences to improve human and non-human health.[42]
College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities
The College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities (CAAH) contains three schools: the School of the Arts, the School of Design and Building, and the School of the Humanities. Within these schools are ten departments: Art, Architecture, Construction Science and Management, English, History, Landscape Architecture, Languages, Performing Arts, Philosophy and Religion, and Planning, Development, and Restoration.[43] One of the departments of the college, the School of Architecture, was ranked as the No. 16 graduate school for architecture in the country by Design Intelligence.[44] The Brooks Center serves as performing arts venue for the college.[45]
Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business
The College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
The College of Business, after receiving a $60m gift from Wilbur and Ann Powers, was renamed the Wilbur O. and Ann Power College of Business in October 2020. The College of Business was the first to be named in the history of Clemson University.[46]
The college of business is ranked on among the top schools on The Princeton Review’s 2023 Best Business Schools and Best Business Schools (Southeast) lists. The college is also listed on the Best Online MBA Programs. It’s ranked #10 for Best MBA for Human Resources, #34 for Top 50 Entrepreneurship: Grad, and #5 for Top South Top 50 Entrepreneurship: Grad.[47]
As of 2024[update], U.S. News and World Report ranks the college #98 in Best Business Schools and #56 in Part-time MBA.[48]
College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences
The College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences (CECAS) specializes in engineering as well as the physical sciences such as physics and chemistry. Inspired by Thomas Green Clemson's dream to create a "high seminary of learning to benefit the agricultural and mechanical arts," engineering and sciences have been an integral part of the university's development. Since the first degrees were granted in 1896, Clemson engineers and scientists have made significant contributions to South Carolina, the nation, and the world.
CECAS was formed in 1995, joining the engineering disciplines with the chemistry, computer science, geological science, mathematical science, and physics and astronomy departments.[49]
Clemson University Honors College
The Clemson University Honors College focuses on education for highly motivated, academically talented students. Entrance to the college is very competitive, with only 250 incoming freshmen accepted each year with an average SAT score of 1400 or higher and finished in the top 3% of their high school graduating class.[50] The college was founded in 1962 and originally named for John C. Calhoun, a South Carolina native and politician, who was the vice president of the United States from 1825 to 1832.[28]
College of Education
The College of Education is Clemson's newest college, and is centered in the Tillman Hall. The college has some 600 undergraduate students, and 600 graduate students, with the mission to embrace the diverse faculty, staff, and students and provide them with a diverse set of experiences. The COE also houses the Call Me MISTER Program and the Moore Scholars.[51]
On June 12, 2020, university trustees petitioned the state legislature for authorization to rename Tillman Hall. "Pitchfork" Ben Tillman was a governor and U.S. senator who used virulent racism to dominate South Carolina politics after Reconstruction.[52]
Graduate school
The Graduate School offers more than 100 graduate degree programs in 85 disciplines on the college's main campus and at sites such as Clemson at the Falls and the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville, the Clemson Architecture Center in the historic Cigar Factory in Charleston, the Restoration Institute in North Charleston, as well as some online/distance-learning programs. Many of the graduate programs are highly ranked nationally, and the school offers several unique interdisciplinary programs.[53]
Rankings
Admission to Clemson is rated "more selective" by U.S. News & World Report.[54]
For the Class of 2022 (enrolling Fall 2018), Clemson received 28,845 applications and accepted 13,613 (47.2%), with 3,792 enrolling.[55] The middle 50% range of SAT scores for enrolling freshmen was 610–690 for reading and writing, and 610–710 for math.[55] The middle 50% ACT composite score range was 27–32.[55] The average high school grade point average (GPA) was 4.43.[55]
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For 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked Clemson as tied for the 86th best national university in the U.S. overall, and tied for the 43rd top public school.[66]
In 2016, The Princeton Review ranked Clemson University number one in three categories: Student Career Services, Town-Gown Relations, and Students pack the stadium.[67]
Research
The Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) was established in 2013 in Greenville as a seminary for automotive research and innovation.[68] CU-ICAR is a 250-acre (101 ha) automotive and motorsports research campus. The department of Automotive Engineering was ranked tenth in the world in 2015.[69] CU-ICAR includes a graduate school offering master's and doctoral degrees in automotive engineering, and programs focused on systems integration. The campus also includes an Information Technology Research Center being developed by BMW. BMW, Microsoft, IBM, Bosch, Timken, JTEKT/Koyo and Michelin are all major corporate partners of CU-ICAR. Private-sector companies that have committed to establishing offices and/or facilities on the campus include the Society of Automotive Engineers and Timken. Plans for the campus also include a full-scale, four-vehicle capacity rolling road wind tunnel.
The Charleston Innovation Campus in North Charleston was founded in 2004 as the Restoration Institute. It houses the Warren Lasch Conservation Center, Dominion Energy Innovation Center, and the Zucker Family Graduate Education Center. The conservation center includes the Hunley Commission which is undertaking the stabilization of the H. L. Hunley, a Civil War submarine that was the world's first to sink a ship. The energy innovation center opened in 2013 and houses a 7.5MW and a 15MW offshore wind turbine test facility for $100 million.[70][71] In 2016, Clemson opened the Zucker Family Graduate Education Center. The 70,000 sq. ft. facility is home to graduate programs in digital arts and engineering disciplines.[72]
In 2016, Clemson announced a new partnership with Siemens, including a grant with a total value of $357,224,294. This grant is the largest in the school's history. Through it, students in Clemson's College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences will have access to a variety of new software.[73]