Paying It Forward
By Piper Monk
In 2014, Chalmers Carr III (‘90) and Lori Anne Carr (‘90, M‘92) established the Creative Inquiry program’s first endowment to support student research in fruit and vegetable crop production, agriculture industries and rural economic development. As founders of the family-owned and operated Titan Farms, the Carrs are proud to extend their professional work to bolster the Clemson student experience and the Clemson family. Since its establishment in 1999, Titan Farms has grown to span more than 600 acres of bell pepper, 1,000 acres of broccoli and 6,200 acres of peaches, crowning them the largest peach grower on the East coast. The Carrs aspire to be ahead of the curve when it comes to the many aspects of innovation and sustainability in agriculture and consumerism. After getting to know Dr. Doris Helms, the founder of the Creative Inquiry program and former Clemson University Provost, the Carrs learned all about the program’s possibilities and how they could give back to the University. “We were doing a lot of research for our farm, so when they came to us about a program for students, something resonated with me because I didn’t have that when I was here—the ability to engage on reallife problems and work with professors to come up with solutions,” Chalmers said.
Since the endowment was formed, it has supported several long-running Creative Inquiry projects. The Nutraceutical and Functional Foods Research and Product Development Creative Inquiry project, led by Dr. Feng Chen from the Department of Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences, received the endowment multiple years. Because of the project’s exceptional work on the characterization of aromas and health benefiting chemicals of SC peaches, the team was invited to the American Chemical Society National Meeting’s student competition. “It’s been so fun to see the different things that come out of the projects supported by this endowment and hear the success stories,” Lori Anne said. Sharing her excitement, Chalmers added, “With that being one of our first sponsored ones, it’s just the icing on the cake!”
What makes undergraduate research at Clemson University so unique is its commitment to encouraging collaboration, curiosity and creativity. The Carr Family Endowment further fosters that goal, giving Creative Inquiry students and mentors the ability to develop their own project ideas as well as receive suggestions from the family that address topics relevant to SC fruit and vegetable agriculture. This year, the Carrs worked with the Peach Package of the Future Creative Inquiry team (for more information see pg. 8) to investigate peach consumer habits and determine if peach package innovations help modern consumers.
The Carrs are excited about new potential project ideas in the future, including food development for child nutrition and school lunch programs. Lori Anne (B.A. Elementary Education ‘90 and M.E. in administration and supervision‘92) is enthusiastic about initiatives that connect students of all ages to the food that is grown around them. Many people see agriculture as simply farming, but agriculture is much more. In the summertime, Lori Anne enjoys inviting the South Carolina Commissioner’s School for Agriculture on a Titan Farms exploration. “They are astounded when we start talking about all of the different facets—marketing, management, farming—that agriculture touches, and all of the different support people and industries that help us do what we do. It’s always eye-opening for them,” Lori Anne said. The supply chain of agriculture, from a farmer’s first planted seed up to the product in a consumer’s hand, is a long journey, and the Carrs are excited to have Clemson University’s Creative Inquiry students join them along the way.
The Carr Family is quick to point out that being involved with other universities and industries is unlike the collaboration with the Creative Inquiry program—it is one of a kind. “This is why we spend as much time and energy at Clemson as we do. It’s about the experiences, giving back, paying it forward and providing opportunities that students wouldn’t have automatically had,” Lori Anne said. “I would encourage anyone to get involved and give to this program. They don’t even have to do an endowment, just sponsor a small project. You can bring a problem to them, and you’d be surprised how students take that and run with it,” Chalmers said.
Recipients:
Dr. Andrew Hurley, Peach Packaging of the Future
Dr. Kirby Player, Rural Health Hubs
Dr. Douglas Bielenberg, Breaking Bud: Environmental Control of Bloom Time in Peaches
Dr. Feng Chen, Characterization of Aromas and Health Benefiting Chemicals of SC Peaches
Dr. John McGregor, Shelf-life Extension of Fresh Peach Slices by Surface Crust Freezing
