Land, cash donations to support Teacher Renewal Center, youth programs
COLUMBIA – Clemson University and the South Carolina Department of Education Thursday announced a major gift of Upstate forestland and cash to support a new partnership aimed at providing unique professional development opportunities for teachers to renew their enthusiasm for the teaching profession.

Clemson President James F. Barker announced that The Cliffs Communities and its foundations, led by Jim Anthony, will donate $10 million in cash and more than 355 acres of prime real estate in the Jocassee Gorges area of Pickens County to support development of a Teacher Renewal Center – a first-of-its-kind facility in South Carolina. The goal of the center is to enhance the quality of education by helping the state retain its best teachers.

“The Teacher Renewal Center will offer a venue and programming designed to renew teachers’ spirits and celebrate their contributions to our children, to our state and to our nation,” said Anthony, founder and chief executive officer of The Cliffs Communities. “Our Cliffs property owners and associates are honored to be a part of a project that will make a tremendous difference now in the lives of literally thousands of teachers and children in South Carolina, and also for generations to come. Being involved in this initiative is simply the right thing to do.”  to see the full press release