[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 114 (Wednesday, September 3, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8738-S8739]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO DR. JOAB LESESNE

 Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of 
Dr. Joab Lesesne, a great educator and South Carolinian.

[[Page S8739]]

  Dr. Lesesne recently celebrated his 25th year as president of Wofford 
College, a small Methodist-affiliated school, which has become one of 
the finest small liberal arts schools in the Nation. Its successful 
evolution is largely due to Dr. Lesesne who first arrived at Wofford 33 
years ago as an assistant professor of history. Prior to his post at 
Wofford, he taught history at Coastal Carolina, part of the University 
of South Carolina system.
  Three years after his arrival at the college, Dr. Lesesne was 
appointed assistant dean. While in this position, he implemented a 
visionary interim program during the 1967-68 academic year which 
continues today. Through this program, students are able to devote 
themselves to one particular subject for several hours a day for an 
entire month. The projects range from the study of modern Irish poetry 
to kayaking down the Rio Grande. The program has contributed to the 
school's success in turning out well-rounded students with broad 
interests.
  In 1969, Dr. Lesesne was appointed director of development, a 
position he held for a year before being named dean of the college. 
After serving as dean from 1970-1972, Dr. Lesesne continued his 
ascension and was elected president of the college. Today, under his 
guidance, Wofford continues to break new ground, both locally and 
nationally.
  In 1975, the Wofford Board of Trustees approved full co-education, 
and the college began admitting women as resident students for the 
first time in its history. They now comprise approximately 45 percent 
of the student body. Throughout the Lesesne presidency, Wofford has 
grown exponentially in its endowments and its campus facilities. 
Additions include the Campus Life Building, which marked the college's 
125th anniversary in 1979, a new residence hall, and the Franklin Olin 
Building, one of the largest gifts ever made by the prestigious F.W. 
Olin Foundation. The campus's hospitable setting led the Carolina 
Panthers to choose Wofford as their summer training camp.
  Wofford consistently receives national recognition for its leadership 
in liberal arts education. It is consistently ranked as one of the 
``best buys'' in liberal arts education and recently,a survey showed it 
to be the national leader in the percentage of students earning 
academic credits outside the United States through travel or study 
abroad programs. Furthermore, its academic excellence is complemented 
by fiscal responsibility. The Lesesne presidency has an enviable record 
of balanced budgets, tuition well below the national average for Phi 
Beta Kappa independent colleges, and overall good management.
  Dr. Lesesne's record of distinction does not end with Wofford. In 
1991, he was chosen as the Citizen of the Year by the Spartanburg 
Kiwanis Club and, in subsequent years, has received numerous awards 
from the local and statewide Chambers of Commerce. Additionally, he 
serves on many boards representing industry, banking, commerce, and 
education. He is past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the 
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the 
first southerner ever to hold the post, and is a former president of 
the Southern University Conference, and former President of the 
National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist 
Church. Additionally, Dr. Lesesne is a retired major general in the 
South Carolina Army National Guard.
  Dr. Lesesne's tenure at Wofford, the longest of any college president 
in the State, exemplifies the virtues of fortitude and loyalty. Under 
his steady hand, the school sails forward, faithfully serving its 
pupils and the community. Joe, in the roles of educator and 
administrator, is a public servant of the highest order. All of us in 
South Carolina are proud to call him our own.

                          ____________________