For the first time in Council history, a general election among Clemson LGBTQ+ Alumni Council members was held May 28 through May 31 to select six new Board members for the 2020-2023 term. Ballots were emailed to members of record, and candidate bios were made available to assist with the decision of choosing from 13 outstanding candidates.
The Clemson LGBTQ+ Alumni Council Board is a working board, which means Board members actively do the organization’s administrative work, including participating in event planning, fundraising work, marketing, and communications. Board members commit to attending at least one campus event per year, perform an average of three hours of work per month on Council tasks and attend monthly conference calls.
Those candidates not receiving the most votes were invited to participate in Council leadership by lending their talents and passion for Clemson to one of the Council’s committees. Please welcome the following new Board members, presented in alphabetical order, who will be installed during the July Board meeting.
Patrick Becker (he/him/his)
Patrick is a 2009 graduate with a degree in Financial Management. He was born in Richmond, Virginia the only son and the youngest of three children. While a student, Patrick worked in the Athletic Ticket Office and was a leader in Kappa Alpha Order, CUSG, and the Leadership Council. He was a member of the Order of Omega and ODK.
After graduation, Patrick pursued a law degree, graduating from Washington and Lee University School of Law, and a tax law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He relocated to Atlanta in the fall of 2014 for a job opportunity and became actively involved in the Stonewall Bar Association, Georgia’s LGBTQ+ bar association. Through Stonewall, he has mentored potential and current law students as well as recent graduates, helping them navigate their career search and the challenges of being an openly gay attorney in the South.
Patrick is currently a tax attorney with Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in Atlanta, where he lives with his husband of two years, Edgar, and their Boykin Spaniel Hampton. “As a member of the Clemson LGBTQ+ Alumni Council Board, I hope to further support admissions efforts, current student initiatives, and recent graduate career searches,” says Patrick.
Cortney Curtis (she/her/hers)
Cortney grew up in Greenville, South Carolina and graduated in 2016 with a degree in Animal Science. She recently graduated from Lincoln Memorial University–College of Veterinary Medicine (LMU-CVM) as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Cortney is a Captain in the US Army Veterinary Corps and serves our nation’s four-legged heroes, Military Working Dogs.
Cortney says she was not open about her sexuality at Clemson with the exception of a few close friends. She says she decided to be more open with friends and family during her time in veterinary school in rural Appalachia, where being open was not always welcome. Cultivating a positive environment for others to feel comfortable being their authentic selves became a passion of hers.
“Joining the Clemson LGBTQ+ Alumni Board is a great opportunity for me to give back to my Clemson Family,” says Cortney. “I look forward to working with current Clemson students, the LGBTQ+ student organizations, and alumni to continue to cultivate a sense of community for all.”
Jeremy DiGorio (he/him/his)
Jeremy graduated in 2011 with a degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education, and he earned his Masters of Higher Education Administration from the University of Connecticut. He currently serves as Director of Finance and Treasury at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, where he manages multiple areas in finance and accounting. Jeremy is an At-Large Board Member for the Southern Association of College and University Business Officers (SACUBO).
Jeremy has a history of working with LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff at multiple institutions. He is currently Co-Chair of PRISM, the faculty and staff advisory group at Rollins, which works to provide advocacy, inclusion, and education as an employee resource group on campus. Previously, Jeremy served as advisor to Spectrum, an LGBTQ+ student organization at Rollins and helped plan GlitterBall, their annual fundraiser, which provides a prom experience for LGBTQ+ youth. He is also a SafeZone trainer and provides educational workshops to participants.
Jacob Livingston (he/him/his)
Jacob is from Conway, SC and graduated in 2019 with a degree in Bioengineering & Biomedical Engineering. While at Clemson, he was a leader in Undergraduate Student Government, where he actively pursued the creation of resources for LGBTQ+ members on campus.
Jacob authored several pieces of legislation to ensure the continued support of Clemson’s queer students for years to come, including legislation that made the LGBTQIA+ Engagement Committee a permanent part of the Undergraduate President’s Cabinet.
As a young professional in Washington, DC, Jacob is an active member of his employer Accenture’s Pride Employee Group, where he helps to build community among his LGBTQ+ colleagues and connects them with new resources.
“I’m eager to continue advocating for LGBTQ+ students and alumni, and hope to use my skills in project coordination, event planning, and public speaking as a member of the Board of Directors,” says Jacob. “I have a huge heart for Clemson University.”
Meagan Linton MacBean (she/her/hers)
Meagan graduated in 2009 with a degree in marketing. A licensed attorney, she currently lives in Jackson, Mississippi, where she works as a Trust Officer for Trustmark National Bank. She has a history of service on non-profit boards, including experience in fundraising, marketing, and board leadership, including as past Board President of the Care Lodge Domestic Violence Shelter in Meridian, MS.
Her leadership experience includes previously serving as Vice-President of the Board of the Meridian Freedom Project, an after-school and summer enrichment program for public school students in Meridian. Meagan is also a member of the Mississippi Bar’s Women in the Profession Committee, and the Mississippi Women Lawyers Association. She is a past president of the Rotary Club of Meridian, MS, and the Lauderdale County Bar Association. She is currently a member of the Rotary Club of Jackson, MS, and a Rotary Assistant District Governor for District 6820.
Meagan is a 2016 graduate of the Mississippi Economic Council’s Leadership Mississippi Program and a 2018 graduate of the Mississippi Bar Association’s Leadership Forum. In 2019, she was selected as one of the “Portico 15,” Portico Magazine’s annual list of up-and-coming attorneys in Mississippi. She teaches law related courses to undergraduates part-time at Mississippi State University.
Meagan says she is an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, diversity, and inclusion. While a student at Clemson, she served as a “One Clemson” ambassador and was a member of “OUTlaw” while at the University of Mississippi School of Law. In her spare time, Meagan enjoys reading, running, travel, tennis, and Clemson football.
Derwin Simpson (he/him/his)
Derwin is a 2020 graduate with a degree in Industrial Engineering, and he is moving to Washington DC later this year to begin a career in consulting. He grew up in Charleston, SC and calls himself a dancing engineer, teaching hip hop to kids part time.
“I’m passionate about my family, music, giving back, and choosing joy,” says Derwin. While at Clemson, he was involved in organizations such as the Clemson Undergraduate Student Government, the Orientation Ambassador Program, and Blue Key Honor Society. The involvement Derwin says he is most proud of is serving as one of the founding members and Vice President of Clemson’s first LGBTQ+ mentorship organization, Clemson Rainbow Fellowship.
“I’ve worked to support and fight for the community as a student at Clemson, and I feel like my connections and perspective as a recent graduate will be a great resource on the Board” says Derwin. “As a board member I feel like I would have the organizational and technical skills needed to help actualize the Council’s plans. Beyond that, I’m also passionate about people – specifically the LGBTQ+ community at Clemson. I’d love to do what I can to continue emboldening the connections of the Alumni network, while also giving back to the current and future students at Clemson.”