Dec. 11, 2008
CHARLESTON -- The Medical University of South Carolina paid tribute to Clemson University President James F. Barker by conferring an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree on him Thursday. The presentation was made by MUSC President Ray Greenberg and Provost and Vice President for Academics John Raymond at the MUSC Board of Trustees' annual December meeting.
Barker was cited by MUSC for his "remarkable vision and leadership" as Clemson's president, being a "driving force in the early successes of the Centers of Economic Excellence," of which MUSC and the University of South Carolina are partners. MUSC and Clemson also have collaborated in other academic initiatives, including the joint bioengineering program.
Barker has been president of Clemson since 2000. He received his bachelor's degree from Clemson in 1970 and has been associated with the institution since joining the faculty in 1986. From 1986 to 1995 he served as dean of Clemson's College of Architecture. He retained the dean's position when the college was reorganized in 1995 to become the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities.
Under Barker's guidance, Clemson has more than doubled research in just three years and has risen to 22nd place among the nation's top public universities. He has been honored with the Buck Mickel Award for Business and Community Leadership by the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce, the Anderson Independent-Mail's Pointing the Way Leadership Award, Greenville Magazine's The Cliff's Business Person of the Year Award, and the Order of the Palmetto - the state's highest civilian honor. He also was inducted into the Boys and Girls Clubs Hall of Fame.
About MUSC
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, The Medical University of South Carolina is the oldest medical school in the South. Today, MUSC continues the tradition of excellence in education, research, and patient care. MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and residents, and has nearly 11,000 employees, including 1,500 faculty members. As the largest non-federal employer in Charleston, the university and its affiliates have collective annual budgets in excess of $1.6 billion. MUSC operates a 750-bed medical center, which includes a nationally recognized Children's Hospital and a leading Institute of Psychiatry. For more information on academic information or clinical services, visit www.musc.edu or www.muschealth.com.
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