Presbyterian College will host the annual appreciation dinner for the members of the William Plumer Jacobs (WPJ) Society this Thursday evening in the College’s Mabry-Smith-Yonce Building.

The PC Board of Trustees established the WPJ Society in 1982 to recognize and honor those individuals, churches, foundations, and corporations who have made gifts to the College of $100,000 or more. Named for the founder of the College, the society celebrates annually with the trustees, faculty and administration. The celebration provides an opportunity for PC to express appreciation for the generosity of society members and to welcome new members to the group.

The new members of WPJ include: Tom Free ’91, a firefighter paramedic for the Safety Harbor Fire Department in Florida; Gordon Glaspey ’83, an individual investor in insurance; J.R. “Dick” and Catherine Swetenburg, Clinton locals and active volunteers for First Presbyterian Church; Providence Presbytery in Rock Hill, SC; and The Rev. Dr. Jack Renard Presseau and Jane Todd Presseau, Cornelson Professor emeritus of Christian religion and retired student services librarian, respectively.

In 1994, Marvin and Rebecca Turner established the endowed Marvin S. and Rebecca S. Turner Scholarship. Their son, Dr. Steven Turner, was a 1967 alumnus of PC. He passed away in 2012. Mrs. Turner passed away last year at the age of 99. This past November, PC was informed that the Turners had set up a planned gift for the value of their estate to be donated to the scholarship – which led to an additional $1.2 million added to their scholarship.

An additional highlight of the evening includes a tribute to William Plumer Jacobs III ’40, the great-grandson of PC’s founder, who passed away in January. However, the night will begin with a welcome by Mr. J. McNeill Singleton ’67, vice chair for the PC Board of Trustees; a blessing from The Rev. Rachel Parsons-Wells ’02, PC director of religious life and service; introductions by PC President Dr. Claude C. Lilly, student comments by Jada Suber ’15; faculty comments by Dr. John Inman ’73, Charles A. Dana Professor of Biology, and WPJ member recognition and distinguished members recognition by Dr. Lilly and Mr. Singleton. Mr. Singleton will also close the evening.

The PC String Quartet will play during the evening and includes the following students:

• Abbie Bagwell ’15 will play the viola. She is a daughter of Clyde and Jo-Jo Bagwell of Inman, SC.
• Hannah Garber ’16 will play the violin. She is a daughter Kurt and Myony Garber of Greer, S.C.
• Gabby Lewis ’16 will play the cello. She is a daughter of Alison Lewis of Greenville, S.C.
• Matt Treaster ’16 will play the violin. He is a son of Timothy and Ruth Treaster of Pelion, S.C.