Wells Fargo supports Call Me Mister, Emerging Scholars programs

CLEMSON, SC – March 14, 2012 – Wells Fargo has given $210,000 to Clemson University tosupport the Call Me MISTER and Emerging Scholars programs. The gift willprovide first-year scholarships for 50 young men in the Call Me MISTERprogram and fund six students throughout their Emerging Scholarsexperiences.   “We are pleased to make this grant to ClemsonUniversity to show our support for talented young people and education,”said Rick Redden, regional president for Wells Fargo in South Carolina.“This helps demonstrate Wells Fargo’s ongoing commitment to SouthCarolina. We’re responsible for being leaders to promote the long-termeconomic prosperity and quality of life for everyone in our state. Ifthey prosper, so do we.”   Clemson University established CallMe MISTER (Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models) in2000 to place more male teachers from diverse cultures and backgroundsin elementary school classrooms. The program provides tuition assistancefor its students in teacher education at participating colleges, anacademic support system to help assure the graduates’ success and asystem for social and cultural support.
 
There are 143 Misterscurrently enrolled at Clemson or in the partner colleges: BenedictCollege, Morris College, Claflin University, S.C. State University,Midlands Technical College, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College,Tri-County Technical College and Trident Technical College. SeventyMisters have graduated from the program and are teaching in elementaryschools across the state.
 
The Emerging Scholars Program, whichClemson established in 2002, provides high school students ineconomically challenged counties in South Carolina the knowledge andskills to succeed in college. The program focuses primarily on studentsfrom three counties that rank the lowest in per capita income: Hampton,Bamberg and Allendale.
 
Since the program began, 100 percent ofthe Emerging Scholars students have graduated from high school, with 90percent choosing to attend college or join the military in their firstyear out of high school. Seventy-nine percent of the programparticipants who graduated from high school and continued theireducation went to either a research institution or a four-yearcollege/university.
 
“We’re excited about Wells Fargopartnering with us,” said Clemson President James F. Barker. “This willallow students who need the mentoring, encouragement and direction ofthe Emerging Scholars Program to succeed, and will also underwrite thedevelopment of mentors and positive role models in the classroom.”