Clemson Drives $230M in 2025 Giving

(Photo courtesy of Clemson University)

Clemson University alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends came together to contribute $230.5 million during the 2025 fiscal year, which ended June 30.

This marks the fifth consecutive year that Clemson has surpassed $200 million in fundraising, and this show of philanthropy moves Clemson closer to its Fiercely Forward campaign goal.

Clemson launched its fourth and most ambitious capital campaign, Fiercely Forward, in February, with a $1.889 billion campaign goal, in honor of the university’s founding in 1889 and its first philanthropic gift as laid out in the will of Thomas Green Clemson.

Fiercely Forward is the largest fundraising effort in the history of the state of South Carolina.

In fiscal year 2025, more than 40,852 alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents, and friends united to make 96,743 gifts supporting both academics and athletics.

The total donations include $160.1 million in cash, pledges and gifts-in-kind, with $81.3 million directed to IPTAY to support student-athletes and athletic excellence.

Planned gifts totaled $23.8 million, and unrestricted donations – vital, officials said, for meeting emerging needs and opportunities – reached $3.9 million.

Notably, 11 new Academic Cornerstone gifts and two new Athletic Cornerstone gifts were received – each a commitment of $2.5 million or more – supporting students and key facility projects like the Watt Family Performance and Wellness Center.

Dave and Lynette Snow gave a transformational $25 million to support the Snow Institute for the Study of Capitalism, positioning the Institute to become the model program in America focused on the moral principles of capitalism.

The Nieri Family donated $12.5 million to name the newly opened state-of-the-art Nieri Family Alumni and Visitors Center, which will connect past, present and future members of the Clemson Family.

“The Clemson Family continues to demonstrate a fierce and unwavering commitment to Clemson University through their outstanding philanthropy and generosity,” said University President Jim Clements. “I am proud of all we have accomplished over the past year and am grateful to each donor, whose investment is critical to meeting our land-grant mission. Together, we are leading Clemson Fiercely Forward and are elevating the Clemson Experience for generations to come.”

Highlights of the fiscal year include:

• The establishment of 10 endowed professorships and 1 endowed chair
• 110 new scholarships
• 6 new graduate fellowships
• And 12,061 first-time donors.

Said Vice President for Advancement Brian O’Rourke: “The generosity shown by our donors is inspiring. Every gift, no matter the size, helps fuel our vision of launching lives of significance, unlocking human potential and igniting change through ingenuity. We are deeply thankful for all within the Clemson Family who are invested in the betterment of our University through philanthropy.”

Davis Babb, Chief Executive Officer of IPTAY, shared his message of thanks.

“I am incredibly grateful to more than 22,000 IPTAY donors who supported IPTAY’s mission and allowed us to achieve one of the greatest years on record. On behalf of Clemson Athletics, the IPTAY team, and the IPTAY Board of Directors, thank you to each member for what you do,” Babb said. “Without each of these contributions, the success of Clemson student-athletes would not be possible. IPTAY members continue to answer the call, even as college athletics changes.”