Volunteer Profile: Dr. Allen G. Edwards, Clemson ’71
Dr. Allen G. Edwards spent forty years advancing the mission of community colleges in Texas, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee. He served as president of Pellissippi State Community College from 1993 to 2011, then continued as president emeritus until 2018. Brother Edwards has continued his relationship with Phi Delta Theta since graduation, serving as the Eta East and Eta West province president in the mid-2000s, as the alumni club contact for the Smoky Mountain, Knoxville, TN Alumni Club, and, more recently, as president and secretary of the Phi Delta Theta Alumni Club of Charleston, SC. Currently, he volunteers for the Phi Delta Theta Foundation as a scholarship judge.
Who or what inspired you to become a volunteer?
When I moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1993, I met several prominent citizens who were alumni of the Tennessee Gamma Chapter at UT Knoxville. Sam Furrow and Gary Wade had served as volunteers in many roles, and they inspired me to get more involved in Fraternity activities.
What would you tell someone who is considering volunteering for Phi Delta Theta?
I have learned a lot about current college students, their hopes and dreams, and the obstacles they may face. By volunteering, I have renewed my pride in our Fraternity and really believe that fraternities play an important role in the undergraduate experience of young men. I am so grateful that I volunteered.
Tell me about your undergraduate fraternity experience. Why did you choose Phi Delta Theta, and do you have any favorite memories you would like to share?
I actually joined a local fraternity at Clemson University, which became the South Carolina Gamma Chapter of Phi Delta Theta when all the local chapters affiliated with national groups. We chose Phi Delta Theta because of connections we had with members across the South and because we felt our chapter was a great match for what General Headquarters was looking for in a new chapter. One of my favorite memories is of the night that Phi Delta Theta’s selection team announced that they had selected us to be that new chapter. The competition had been fierce, and we erupted onto the fraternity quad, singing and chanting. At our installation ceremony, the sky darkened with a total solar eclipse. It was an auspicious occasion!
How have you stayed connected with Phi Delta Theta after graduation?
As I moved into my profession, I lost touch with Phi Delta Theta for several years, but a brother, Jim Douglas, called me one evening and suggested I come back to Clemson for an event, which led to a rekindling of my interest in Fraternity affairs.
Who from your chapter inspired you? Have you ever told them that?
Of course, Jim Douglas inspired me to get involved again, and my old roommate, Mike Winburn, whom I admired very much, kept my expectations for fraternity life high. More recently, it has been men like Jeff Mackin and David Kochamba who have continued to serve the Fraternity so well. In the low country of South Carolina, I am inspired by men like Will Porcher and Rob Marchant who keep the Phi Delt Spirit high by holding oyster roasts and other events. I have recognized these men by donating money to the Phi Delta Theta Foundation in their honor.
What accomplishments or career milestones are you most proud of, and how do you attribute them to your experience?
I am so proud to have the honor of serving two colleges as president. I am very proud to have started the Tennessee Consortium for International Studies, which sends students and faculty to over twenty-five countries each year. I think I learned a lot from my experience in Phi Delta Theta. As president, I learned how to organize my time better and to count on others for the skills I lacked.
Do you have any advice for current students?
I tell students to put “first things first” (get their academics in order), then take advantage of all the other opportunities that college can offer. Be a student first, a fraternity man second, and always remember that we were put here for a purpose.
