I think we all can agree that 2020 has been a year like no other! We had just settled into the spring semester when Covid-19 changed our world, and higher education as we know it. Faculty and students quickly transitioned to online learning in mid-March and did their very best to wrap up the semester while keeping focused on our educational mission. I am very proud of our 2020 marketing graduates who kept a positive attitude in the face of uncertainty and disappointment, many of them having to reinvent their post-graduation plans.

Despite the chaos of balancing new teaching modalities and homeschooling, our faculty never lost sight of our department’s core values: community, integrity, steward leadership, academic rigor, intellectual curiosity and passion for education. Over the summer, they leaned into a new challenge and worked hard to develop the best hybrid and virtual courses possible for our students. Our growing Sales Innovation Program pivoted online for fall 2020, and we temporarily paused our M.S. program enrollment to focus solely on undergraduate education.

But as they say, “All that has come before is prologue,” and as 2020 comes to an end, it is time to reflect on where we’ve been and look toward the future. The challenges of the past year have strengthened us and positioned us to be stronger tomorrow. Supported by the newly-announced $60 million endowment from the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers family, we will enter the new year with optimism and hope for what is to come. Faculty and students are now occupying the gorgeous new state-of-the art Wilbur O. and Ann Powers Hall and Chandler L. Burns Hall, and we look forward to an increase in face-to-face learning in spring 2021.

Your support of the department of Marketing is more important now than ever. We have big plans and invite your support of their implementation. If you are able to provide a financial gift to our Department, please consider donating directly to The Department of Marketing Excellence Fund. These donations go to support student scholarships and engagement activities in the classroom, cutting-edge faculty research and the overall health of the department. We also appreciate you hiring our graduates and interacting with our students. Because of you, our Department and our Clemson Family remain strong, and for that we are grateful. We are excited for the future and thank you for being part of our strong foundation. Go Tigers!