CLEMSON – ( February 28, 2014 ) – A major gift to Clemson University ensures that the legacy that began in 1938 will benefit current and future students. In that year, Frank S. Barnes, Jr., of Rock Hill began his freshman year at Clemson College. He followed his father, F S. Barnes, Sr., who graduated from Clemson College in 1915, the same year the Sheep Barn was built on campus.

The Sheep Barn is the oldest surviving building associated with the agricultural land where Clemson University now sits, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. No longer needed for its original purpose, the Sheep Barn will be renovated to serve as a vibrant, social center for student engagement.

After graduating from Clemson College in 1942, the younger Barnes left Clemson to serve his country in WWII as an officer in the U.S. Signal Corps. After the war, he returned to Rock Hill and devoted his career to Rock Hill Telephone Company and became its president in 1968 and later its CEO and chairman. Under his leadership, Rock Hill Telephone Company grew to a diversified communications company, known now as Comporium, which continues to be privately owned and operated by the Barnes Family members.

Barnes also remained loyal to his alma mater. He served as a member of Clemson’s board of visitors and foundation board and was honored by the Clemson Alumni Association with its Distinguished Service Award and by the university with its President’s Award. In 1997, he was awarded the highest public honor Clemson bestows on an individual, the Clemson Medallion.

“Frank Barnes, Jr. exemplified every excellent quality we hope Clemson graduates represent in their lives,” said Clemson President James Clements, announcing the gift from Barnes’ children. “We want to see the qualities that he displayed in his life — and passed along to all who knew him — showcased in this new venue to enrich the Clemson experience of our students for many generations to come.”

In honor of their father, the gift from Barnes’ four children will transform a historic agricultural landmark into the Barnes Center, a space for student activity and engagement. The building renovation is made possible by the generosity of Frank “Sandy” Sanders Barnes, III, Bryant Graves Barnes, Anne Barnes Grant, and Lea Barnes Taylor.

“Students want and need a welcoming, accessible and inclusive place to connect on campus in a positive Clemson environment,” said Gail DiSabatino, vice president for Student Affairs. “As a vibrant student hub on campus, we can meet these needs while preserving and honoring Clemson’s rich and honorable agricultural history through the restoration of this great venue.”

As a new destination location for students, the Barnes Center will provide opportunities for student learning and student development, which directly align with the university’s 2020 Road Map. This project from concept development through daily operation will provide opportunities for student employment, leadership, graduate assistantships and internships and experiential learning.

Four generations of Barnes family members have received Clemson diplomas.
The Barnes family has established three endowment funds for Clemson’s College of Engineering and Science, creating fellowships, lectureships and the Frank Barnes, Sr. Telecommunications Laboratory in the Flour-Daniel Engineering and Innovation Building.

This gift is part of the university’s $1 billion “The Will to Lead” capital campaign to support faculty and students with scholarships, professorships, facilities and technology.