Holcombes Boost Gifts to $6 Million for Electrical and Computer Engineering
Milton W. and Betty Holcombe have added $1 million to their support for electrical and computer engineering at Clemson University. That boosts to $6 million their total giving for the Milton W. Holcombe Electrical and Computer Engineering Department (ECE), the only named department in the College of Engineering and Science.
This latest gift establishes the Milton W. and Betty M. Holcombe Fund for Excellence to provide for programs such as undergraduate research for seniors and improved graduate education, visiting lecturers and faculty and student enrichment.
“It is amazing to see the changes to the department since I was here,” said Milt Holcombe, a 1953 graduate. “Betty and I still enjoy coming back to visit with the students and we are proud of the tremendous focus Clemson gives to its students. It is wonderful to see the employment opportunities these engineering students now have to stay in the state of South Carolina. That is something that was not available to me when I was in school.”
An airborne communications systems pioneer, Milt Holcombe is originally from Central and now lives in Dallas with his wife, Betty, who grew up in Clemson. His career included development of the airborne command post systems for the Air Force to keep the president in touch with key officials during an international crisis.
He co-founded Electrospace Systems Inc., a multimillion-dollar telecommunications and navigation systems firm, later sold to the Chrysler Corp. Because of the Holcombes’ investment over the last 20 years, Clemson has gained national prominence in the field of electronic communications, and electrical and computer engineering students have gained opportunities that will help them shape the future of communications.
“The generosity of the Holcombes will help us take the department of electrical and computer engineering to an even higher level,” said newly appointed ECE department chairman Darren Dawson. “We plan to establish several new programs to ensure that we maintain our best and brightest students and faculty.”
“This is truly an endorsement of the electrical and computer engineering department,” said engineering and science Dean Esin Gulari. “This is the fuel that will get the word out about the high-quality research and propel the department’s excellent reputation even further.”
In addition to longtime support of Clemson through annual giving and volunteer service, the Holcombes created the Milton W. and Betty Holcombe Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering in 1987 with a $1 million cash gift. Their support attracted to Clemson Michael Pursley, a world-class communications research scientist, who holds the chair.
|
