063-Annual-Report-2023-v13 Final pages - Flipbook - Page 2
a letter from our dean
Clemson University’s College of Education aims to be a catalyst for individual and
community transformation through innovative PreK-20+ educational programs,
rigorous applied research and collaborative partnerships. As the state’s only Carnegie
classified “research intensive” (R1) land-grant university, we are deeply committed to
bettering the lives and livelihoods of South Carolinians and our neighbors throughout
the nation.
As this year’s annual report highlights, our award-winning faculty, staff, students,
alumni, friends and partners continue to set records for enrollment, funded research
and impactful outreach and philanthropy. At a time when colleges of education are
experiencing a significant decline in enrollment across the nation, we’ve seen a surge
in undergraduate and graduate enrollment over the past five years (50% and 44%
growth, respectively), and a 68% increase in the number of degrees awarded in our College. Likewise, our
externally funded research has increased by an impressive 306% over five years, and our partnerships with
other institutions, including public school partners, community and technical colleges, business, industry,
government and the nonprofit sector are flourishing.
This year we exceeded our goal of enrolling 50 Clemson LIFE (Learning is for Everyone) students, two years
ahead of schedule. Clemson LIFE provides a collegiate, independent living-learning experience, including
employment and social skills development, for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The Shepherd Hotel,
this year’s recipient of our Distinguished Partner of the College Award, employs more than 40 of our Clemson
LIFE students and graduates, providing us with a vision for what it means to be a truly inclusive community.
Our Call Me MiSTER® program (Mentors Instructing Students Towards Effective Role Models) has also
expanded its impact with 16 Call Me MiSTER partners in 11 states. More than two dozen students are
attending Clemson’s Call Me MiSTER program this year, many of whom come from historically underserved,
underrepresented communities in South Carolina.
We’re proud of our efforts to increase the number of well-qualified teachers in our state through innovative
programs. Teacher Residency, a bachelor’s-to-master’s program that includes a yearlong residency with a
mentor teacher, celebrated its fifth graduating class this year. The program boasts an impressive 95% threeyear retention rate among its graduates. Expressway to Tigertown, a “grow your own” educational partnership
with school districts and community/technical colleges throughout the state, enrolled its first students and
promises to make a significant impact in our state’s hard-to-staff schools.
The success of our College is the result of a lot of people working together to achieve common goals. We are
grateful to our many supporters, including this year’s Distinguished Friend of the College, Mark and Kathryn
Richardson. We are united in our mission to meet the educational needs of our state and the nation and to
be at the fore of pioneering educational research. We know that our work is profoundly important; education
contributes to the health and vitality of our economy, the inclusiveness of our society, the well-being of
our citizens and the strength of our democracy. If these outcomes matter to you, we invite you to join our
community as a student, colleague, partner or supporter. Together, we can achieve even more!