Watts give $5.5 million for Clemson innovation center, academic and athletic funds
January 19, 2012
CLEMSON, SC – January 19, 2012 – A family of Clemson alumni has given $5.5 million to Clemson University’s The Will to Lead capital campaign, the largest gift from an individual or family.
The gift, from Charles Watt and his wife, Linda; son, Steve, and hiswife, Pam; and son, Mike, and his wife, Kim, will transform studentlives and the academic center of the university’s campus.
Above Photo: Watt family members are Mary Katherine (front, left), Kim, Wesley, Linda, Brandon, Pam and Brittany; and Austin (back left), Mike, Charles and Steve.
The primary portion of the gift, $5.25 million, will establish TheWatt Family Innovation Center for academic collaboration and studentengagement. The balance will enhance academic, scholarship and athleticprograms, particularly in the colleges of Health, Education and Human Development; and Engineering and Science.
“We want to create an intellectual center that will prepare a newgeneration of scholars who can take ideas from concept to themarketplace. This will be a place to demonstrate and enable education,discovery and innovation,” said Clemson alumnus and professor CharlesWatt.
Charles (’59, B.S. electrical engineering) is founder and formerchairman of Scientific Research Corporation (SRC), an advanced scienceand engineering company in Atlanta that provides military and commercialtechnology solutions to public and private sectors. Steve (’81, B.S.administration management) is SRC executive vice president; and Mike(’84, B.S. computer engineering) is SRC chairman and CEO. Pam and KimWatt earned Clemson degrees in financial management in 1983 and 1985,respectively. All reside in Kennesaw, Ga.
Charles Watt is known as an innovative thinker with an enduringentrepreneurial spirit; traits shared by his sons, Mike and Steve. Atransformational gift from this remarkable family will provide aninspirational space for imagination, collaboration, problem-solving andinnovation for students across the university, said Clemson UniversityPresident James F. Barker.
“The Watt Family Innovation Center will be the physical manifestationof Clemson’s 2020 plan. It demonstrates our commitment to studentengagement, to focus areas and to having a competitive infrastructure,”he said.
The new three-story, 40,000-square-foot center, to be built near theR.M. Cooper Library and the Class of 1956 Academic Success Center, alsowill be pivotal in creating a new academic center of the campus.
The innovation center will prepare Clemson students to take ideas from concept to reality using 21st century technology, focusing on real-world issues and collaboratingacross university disciplines. It will thrive on public and privateinvestment and expose students to global leadership and criticalthinking.
Space in the student-centered environment, supported by a robusttechnology infrastructure, will be adaptable to serve an increasinglydiverse student community.
The Watt family has given a total of $5,532,181 duringthe university’s capital campaign. The Will to Lead campaign aims toraise $600 million to support Clemson students and faculty withscholarships, professorships, facilities, technology and enhancedopportunities for learning and research.
Individually and collectively, they have been benefactors to Clemsonacademics and athletics; IPTAY; the College of Health, Education andHuman Development; the School of Nursing; the College of Engineering andScience; and the Leadership Circle.
The family members not only support the university financially, theyalso give their time and expertise in serving voluntarily on variousuniversity advisory boards.
Charles, a native of West Pelzer, has served on the ClemsonUniversity Foundation board of directors and as part of The Will to Leadcampaign leadership phase. He has been honored as a Clemson AlumniFellow and with the Alumni Distinguished Service Award and named to theThomas Green Clemson University Academy of Engineers and Scientists. Heis a professor in materials science and engineering at Clemson. Charlesand Linda, a native of Belton, are charter members of the LeadershipCircle and members of IPTAY.
Steve and Pam Watt are members of the university’s Benjamin RyanTillman Society and the Leadership Circle and are supporters ofAthletics; the College of Health, Education and Human Development; andthe School of Nursing. They serve on The Will to Lead campaign committeefor the College of Health, Education and Human Development.
Mike is a fellow of the Thomas Green Clemson Academy of Engineers andScientists and serves on the College of Engineering and ScienceAdvisory Board, the electrical and computer engineering advisory boardand the Clemson University Research Foundation. Mike and Kim are membersof IPTAY and the Leadership Circle and are supporters of the College ofEngineering and Science and Athletics.
