Graduate donates largest gift to Clemson college of science.

Clemson graduate Emily Peek Wallace is giving back to her alma mater through the largest donation ever granted to the university's College of Science: $1.25 million for an endowed directorship.

An endowed faculty position allows Clemson to retain top talent, according to a news release.

As the first endowed faculty position at the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, the Emily Peek Wallace '72 Endowed Directorship provides support for the school director and supports additional initiatives throughout the school.

"I wanted to do something to help the faculty," Wallace said in the release. "Everybody has had to shift their teaching and learning methods due to COVID-19, and the faculty has additional challenges to make sure students are not getting behind and that they're learning what they need to be learning. I wanted to provide encouragement and funding to help them, add additional facilities to help students stay current."

The purpose of the endowment focuses on increasing student engagement and success, as well as enhancing the relevance of the curriculum for the next generation of mathematicians, statisticians and data scientists.

The support includes tutoring assistance for students who may be struggling academically or to help students who may have fallen behind due to unforeseen circumstances. Additionally, the funding will help establish business connections and internships for students who wish to enter the job force instead of going into academic research, and will make training with current statistical software and other resources available for students regardless of future tracks, according to the release.

"With gifts such as this one from Emily, our donors help position Clemson as a destination for the finest academic leaders to develop innovative curriculums benefitting our students and equipping them with the skills needed for what is to come," Brian O'Rourke, vice president for development and alumni relations at Clemson, said in the release. "Our donors are investing in the future not just in Clemson and our students, but also in the industries our students will influence. We can't thank them enough for their assistance and...