Wilkerson family pledge creates endowment for premier lecture series

The Clemson University community will have the opportunity to engage with the world’s finest thinkers and influencers thanks to a generous gift from Clemson Board of Trustees Chair Kim Wilkerson ’80 and her husband, Avery Wilkerson. Their $1 million pledge to the University represents the lead donation to establish The Presidential Leadership Lecture Series at Clemson University. It is the Wilkersons’ vision that the lecture series will become a premier event in Clemson’s yearly academic calendar and add to Clemson’s reputation as a top-tier national public university.

In an era where the exchange of ideas is essential, the establishment of a distinguished lecture series presents a unique opportunity to enhance Clemson’s academic community, interact with world-renowned leaders on pressing global issues and elevate the University’s profile as a trailblazer in education and thought leadership. This series aims to invite business leaders, policymakers, innovators and artists to share their insights and experiences, fostering dialogue that inspires students, faculty and the entire Clemson community.

“Excellent leadership motivates, innovates and creates meaningful change. To learn from those who are accomplished visionaries in their fields is an incredible experience that can change perspectives and influence futures. Avery and I are proud to be the first to bring the Presidential Leadership Lecture Series to the Clemson community. We are excited to help cultivate future leaders who are prepared to tackle the challenges of tomorrow,” TRUSTEES CHAIR KIM WILKERSON.

Clemson will elevate the series nationally through multiple platforms and strengthen the institution’s position as a national authority on leadership excellence.

“Kim and Avery Wilkerson’s incredible gift is a testament to their leadership and commitment to Clemson University. From holding significant leadership roles in their careers and shaping industry to elevating the lives of our students, faculty and staff at Clemson, the Wilkersons are dedicated to leadership, excellence and service. Through establishing the Presidential Leadership Lecture Series, the Wilkerson’s gift will have a significant impact on the lives of our Tigers for many years to come and will continue to lead Clemson fiercely forward,” UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT JIM CLEMENTS.

The Wilkersons are no strangers to leadership excellence. Kim Wilkerson is a trailblazer in the South Carolina banking sector as the first female bank president and an inductee in the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame. At Clemson, her leadership during the past 14 years has positioned the University for unprecedented growth and success. Avery Wilkerson is a dynamic civic and business leader having been appointed to the S.C. Workers Compensation Commission and serving for 16 years under three governors. He also served multiple terms for 18 years as the Mayor of Cayce, South Carolina, and fostered an era of strong economic growth and quality of life for the city’s residents. Kim and Avery have also supported scholarships for need-based students in the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business through the Kim (’80) and Avery Wilkerson Family Scholarship Endowment. Our students enter the workforce and follow the Wilkersons’ model of making a difference wherever they go.

Because a Presidential Leadership Lecture Series is an investment in the intellectual and cultural fabric of a dynamic community that fosters growth, innovation and dialogue with lasting impact, it is hoped this initial gift from the Wilkersons will inspire other support, creating a signature endowed program that will live in perpetuity.

In addition to the lecture series, the Wilkersons are supporting the Clements Family Endowment for ClemsonLIFE and the Clements Family Lyceum Scholars Endowment. These high-profile programs are near and dear to the Clements family and the entire Clemson Family. ClemsonLIFE offers a collegiate experience that prepares young men and women with intellectual disabilities for competitive employment and independent living. The Lyceum Scholars program, part of the Snow Institute for the Study of Capitalism, uses a great books approach to studying the moral, political and economic foundations of a free society.

The Wilkersons’ vision for these premiere programs at Clemson closely aligns with the University’s vision for the future through its strategic plan, Clemson Elevate, by working to provide the No. 1 student experience in the nation. Innovative and thoughtful programs like the ones supported through their generous gifts will get Clemson University closer to that goal.