2008 COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS PRESENTER

Dr. Thomas E. Barton

Dr. Thomas E. Barton, the longest serving president of a two-year college in the nation, graduated from Clemson University in 1953 with a bachelor of science degree and received his Ed.D. in higher education administration from Duke University in 1972.  After serving in the public schools of South Carolina and Georgia as teacher, coach, and school superintendent for nine years, he became president of Greenville Technical College in 1962.  The college, which began with one building serving 800 students, is a four-campus system today, offering university transfer and technical programs to over 15,000 curriculum students. In addition, there were more than 56,000 registrations for continuing education programs last year.

Barton was named to the “Blue Chipper’s List” of the top 50 chief executive officers in community colleges by the University of Texas at Austin in 1988 and received the Thomas J. Peters Award for Leadership Excellence in the Community College in 1989.  He received the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Humanitarian Award from the Greenville Urban League in 1994.  Named Business Person of the Year by Greenville Magazine in 1995, Barton has been chosen as one of the 50 most influential residents of Greenville by the publication every year since 1997.  He was also named one of the top 25 leaders in the community by The Greenville News in 2000, 2001 and 2002.  He was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Winthrop University in 2002, an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the University of South Carolina, and an honorary doctor of humanities degree from Clemson University in 2005. In January 2003, he received the state’s highest award for a civilian, the Order of the Palmetto, and was presented the Order of the Poinsettia by Mayor Knox White and named the #1 Citizen of Greenville.

Active in community affairs, Barton has served on the governing boards of the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Textile Hall Corporation, the Historic Greenville Foundation, BB&T, and the YMCA.  He is a commissioner for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and has chaired the board of directors of the Donaldson Air Force Base Museum and the South Carolina Technical College Presidents’ Council. He has served on the executive committee for Friends of the Greenville Hospital System, on the Governor’s Task Force on Education in South Carolina, and as honorary chairman of the March of Dimes Team Walk for Greenville. In addition, he is an active member of the Greenville Rotary Club.

Barton played football at Clemson University under legendary coach Frank Howard.  In 1987, he was honored for his athletic achievements by being elected to both the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame and the Clemson University Athletic Hall of Fame.