Feb. 27, 2007 The William Plumer Jacobs Society of Presbyterian College welcomed eight new members and honored George and Ann Cornelson of Clinton as its 2007 Distinguished Members during a ceremony at the Depot bookstore Tuesday evening.
The Jacobs Society, named for the college's founder, was established in 1982 to recognize and honor individuals, churches, foundations, and corporations who have supported Presbyterian College through lifetime gifts or pledges of $100,000 or more.
In addition to sharing their time and talents, the Cornelsons have long been generous donors to Presbyterian College. William Shearer, chairman of the college's board of trustees, praised the couple for "dedicating their lives not only to being active citizens of their community, but also for taking leadership roles in improving the quality of lives of their neighbors."
George Cornelson, chairman of the philanthropic Bailey Foundation, began his service to the PC board of trustees in 1959 and was named a trustee emeritus in 2006. The great grandson of Mercer C. Bailey, a founding trustee of Presbyterian College, and George H. Cornelson, a trustee in 1903 and 1904, Cornelson accepted an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from the college in 2003.
Ann Cornelson champions education and mentoring for young people in Laurens County as chair of the board of PC's CHAMPS (Communities Helping, Assisting, and Mentoring Promising Students) program - an initiative to make a college education possible to deserving students.
The couple has served as deacons and elders at First Presbyterian Church Clinton and establishing the Emma Bailey and Rev. George H. Cornelson D.D. Chair of Christian Religion. The Cornelsons also have made a lead gift to establish a center for church leadership development at Presbyterian College.
  
| 
