Clemson appoints deans in two new colleges

Two longtime leaders have been named to term appointments in Clemson’s new College of Business and College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences.

McCormick has been interim dean of the College of Business and Behavioral Science since July 2014.Bobby McCormick has been named dean of the new College of Business and Brett Wright has been appointed dean of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, which begins operation July 1.

“Dean McCormick has made significant progress in reorganizing the college and focusing on getting the business school’s proposed new building on track,” said Clemson’s executive vice president of academic affairs and provost, Robert H. Jones. “He has been an effective leader during a dynamic time in the life of the college.”

McCormick began his lifelong connection to Clemson as a student in 1965. After taking a break from school for military service in 1969, he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from Clemson. In 1978, he earned a doctorate in economics from Texas A&M University. He is a professor emeritus, BB&T Scholar of Economics and currently serves as Senior Fellow at Property Environment Economy Research Center in Bozeman, Montana.

“It’s an honor and privilege for me to serve my place as dean,” McCormick said. “The faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters of the business school inspire me on a constant basis to find better ways to improve the lot of people in our state, region and world. I promise to leave hardly any stones unturned to be the servant leader our faculty and students need and deserve.”

McCormick has a long list of accomplishments at his alma mater. He founded and funded the Trevillian Distinguished Professorships, created and funded the Faculty Accelerant Grants Program and played a key role in the college’s growth. In 2015, the business school bestowed 1,180 degrees, the largest number of undergraduates of any college in Clemson’s history.

Wright has been interim dean of Clemson’s College of Health, Education and Human Development since July 2014.

The new college is comprised of the College of Health, Education and Human Development’s schools and departments – nursing; parks, recreation and tourism management; public health sciences; and youth, family and community studies – and Clemson’s communication, political science, psychology and sociology and anthropology departments.

“I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to address health and wellness challenges, tackle human impacts on the environment and build stronger communities across South Carolina by better understanding human, political and social behavior and the impact of an ever-connected world,” Wright said.

“I am pleased and honored to be asked to help lead the inaugural efforts of this college, which will further Clemson’s land-grant mission, strategic vision and global impact for years to come.”

“Dean Wright has been an effective leader during current and immediate past transitions,” Jones said. “He is calm, deliberate and collaborative, and he uses wise judgment – qualities that will bode well for the future of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences.”As interim dean, Wright co-chaired the Provost’s Task Force for Health-Related Research and Education and worked with the Eugene T. Moore School of Education as it became a standalone academic unit. Since the board of trustees announced the creation of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences last fall, he has helped lead the transition to the new college.

Prior to his appointment as interim dean in July 2014, Wright was chair of the parks, recreation and tourism management department, one of the largest and oldest university parks and recreation departments in North America. As chair, he oversaw departmental growth and the creation of the department’s award-winning EDGE program. Wright has been at Clemson since 2002.

He serves as co-chair of the Clemson-based U.S. Play Coalition, an international network that promotes the value of play throughout life. He is also a fellow and member of the board of directors of the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and former president of the National Society of Park Resources.

According to Jones, both McCormick and Wright will serve through the end of 2017 or until new deans are hired through national searches.