Clemson University trustees on Wednesday named Kevin Guskiewicz, a neuroscientist and veteran university leader, as the school’s 16th president, ending a national search that began in December.
The Clemson University Board of Trustees selected Guskiewicz by unanimous vote during a specially called meeting Wednesday morning, according to the university. A start date is still being finalized.
For families across Fort Mill, Tega Cay, and York County, the decision reaches well beyond the Upstate campus. Clemson remains one of the most common destinations for graduates of Fort Mill School District high schools, and as a public land grant institution it draws students, research dollars, and tuition payments from households throughout the region.
Guskiewicz comes to Clemson from Michigan State University, where he had served as president since March 2024. Before that he was chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2019 to 2024. He succeeds James Clements, the university’s 15th president, who retired at the end of 2025 after 12 years leading the school. Provost Robert H. Jones has served as interim president since then. The selection marks the 16th time in 136 years, and only the second time in 27 years, that Clemson trustees have chosen a new president.
In a statement released by the university, Guskiewicz said he had long admired Clemson and was honored by the opportunity. “Together, we will build on Clemson’s strong foundation while advancing student success, academic excellence,” he said, adding that he intends to strengthen the university’s mission of serving the people of South Carolina.
A national search
The search began in December and was led by trustee Cheri Phyfer, a 1993 Clemson graduate, with assistance from the firm Funk Associates. Phyfer said the committee drew a deep field of candidates.
“Dr. Guskiewicz rose to the top of a remarkable list with his deep understanding not only of higher education on the national level, but familiarity with Clemson University and its mission,” Phyfer said.
The committee met with 18 stakeholder groups during the process, including the faculty and staff senates, student governments, the Alumni Association, IPTAY, the Board of Visitors, the Clemson University Foundation, and community representatives. Board Chair Kim Wilkerson praised the committee’s work and welcomed the incoming president.
“Kevin Guskiewicz comes to Clemson with extensive experience leading national universities coupled with a vision to guide Clemson into its next chapter,” Wilkerson said.
A researcher and educator
Guskiewicz is recognized internationally for his research on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of concussions in sports, work that has influenced safety guidelines in college and professional football. He received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2011 for that research and has published more than 200 peer reviewed papers. In 2013, Time magazine named him a Game Changer, one of 18 innovators it credited with inspiring change in America. In 2020 he was inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in athletic training from West Chester University, a master’s degree in exercise physiology and athletic training from the University of Pittsburgh, and a doctorate in sports medicine from the University of Virginia.
A native of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Guskiewicz and his wife, Amy, have four children.
The university plans to host a reception in June to welcome Guskiewicz to campus, with details to be announced in the coming weeks.
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