Clay Owen
Clay Owen, ’83 journalism, enjoyed a long career in communications and public relations at CNN and AT&T band is now a professor in the College of Information and Communications. His life’s passion, though, is the nonprofit Curing Kids Cancer, which he and wife Grainne founded after losing their 9-year-old son Killian to leukemia in 2003. To date, they have raised more than $29 million for pediatric cancer research.
“Someone once said, success belongs to those who show up. That, to me, is what makes a difference. You have to come back day after day after day and say, ‘We're going to raise money for childhood cancer. We're going to make sure those dollars are spent effectively. We're going to get to know the children. We're going to get to know the doctors. We're just going to continue showing up.”
Glenn Tilton
Glenn Tilton graduated from USC in 1970 with a degree in international studies, intent on joining the CIA like his father. Instead, he found himself in the corporate world, eventually becoming chairman and CEO at Texaco. He was later chairman, president and CEO of United Airlines and chairman of the Midwest for JPMorgan Chase. He serves on the boards of various publicly traded companies as well as on the Board of Visitors of the College of Arts and Sciences at USC.
“Through the School of International Studies, I met a number of people with totally different experiences. The faculty were, in large part, experienced in global affairs, not simply academics, and a number of them were expatriates who came from countries that were actually under Soviet influence at the time. Of course, they had a point of view about that, as you might imagine, which made my classes very relevant in juxtaposition to what was happening in the world.
“At the same time, Gov. West was very much interested in internationalizing South Carolina. He had a vision that international business would find South Carolina to be a very attractive place to locate and to grow. And obviously, history proved correct. He brought international companies to South Carolina. That was his vision while I was here, and then throughout my career, university president after university president after university president connected with me. All of those relationships with all of those individuals just kept building on the unique nature of my experience here in South Carolina.”
Alyssa Lang
Alyssa Lang, ’15 broadcast journalism, is a sideline reporter for SEC Network and a co-host on SEC Now and Out of Pocket. Previously, Lang worked as a sports anchor and reporter in Jacksonville and Charlotte, and at WLTX in Columbia.
“It's insane when I get an assignment to be on the sidelines back at South Carolina, especially when it's under the lights at Williams-Brice Stadium. I remember being a student at Student Gamecock Television, carrying my camera and my tripod, doing terrible standups and looking terrible and sounding terrible on TV. So to come full circle, to walk back out on the field and soak all of that in with 80,000-plus members of my Gamecock family — That can be really emotional.”
Leroy Chapman
Leroy Chapman, ’94 English, is the first Black editor-in-chief of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is now leading the AJC’s transformation into a modern media company by investing in digital storytelling, podcasting and documentary film.
“The thing about being an English major is that if you can read Beowulf in Middle English, if you have to take two entire courses of Shakespeare, like I did — if you can do those things that really challenge you intellectually — that's preparation for becoming a lifelong learner. Getting a strong liberal arts education empowers you to tackle difficult things, to take them apart and understand them. And that's what journalists do every day.”
Caroline Fermin
Caroline Fermin, ’85 psychology, spent 25 years in the Marine Corps before being medically retired. Fermin received four Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Services Commendation Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
“My plan after graduating from Carolina was to be commissioned, do five years and then get out, get married, have children, get into the the professional world. I ended up becoming a counselor when I graduated, but I quickly found out that was not the right career path for me.
“I joined the Marine Corps five years after I graduated, but South Carolina really helped me. I was part of the Platoon Leaders Class, which is a college organization for folks that will eventually commission into the Marine Corps. I always knew that I wanted to join, but after working out and drilling with those guys I knew that was my calling.”
C. John Wentzell
C. John Wentzell, ’74 accounting, worked as a CPA before becoming CFO for a group of Anheuser-Busch beverage distributorships. His university service includes 24 years on the Alumni Association’s Board of Governors and 20 on the University Foundation’s investment committee.
“I just always thought it was very important to give back, be it in your community, your church, your school, your neighborhood, your state or your country. We're very blessed in this country, and I think people receive a lot more by giving than you would realize. And I feel as though I have gained a lot more and received a lot more throughout my tenure here at the university than I've ever given.
“I look at the people here at the university, the alumni that we have. So many people have done so much. They've given their time, their resources. They love this university, as do I. And to be selected as one person to stand up and receive the award, that's pretty awesome.”