Marc Calvin Weersing, a pastor of the Spartanburg First Presbyterian Church and a member of PC’s Board of Trustees, was a graduate of Calvin College, Calvin Theological Seminary, and Columbia Seminary. While a trustee of Presbyterian College, he was co-chairman of the 1962 capital campaign which secured more than $1.8 million for PC from the Synod of South Carolina. In addition, he served five years on the Board of World Missions and on the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church US Presbyterian Development Fund, Committee of Evangelism, and on the General Council.

Dr. Weersing was nominated as the 14th president of PC by the trustee, Dr. Eugene T. Wilson, from a field of almost twenty candidates. During his sixteen years as president, Dr. Weersing presided over the full racial integration of the student body, as well as co-education, not to mention the turmoil of the 1960-1970s. Enrollment increased steadily during his tenure and the faculty almost doubled with more than 70% holding doctoral degrees.

Eight major buildings, including the James H. Thomason Library, Belk and Georgia dormitories, Templeton Physical Education Center, and the fraternity court were added to the campus during President Weersing’s tenure. In July 1964 construction began on three buildings simultaneously; a new dormitory for women, Richardson Science Hall, and Greenville Dining Hall, all planned and funded by the Synod of South Carolina’s 1962 fundraising campaign. These three buildings were the first structures on the college’s new East Plaza. Upon the completion of Clinton Hall in mid-1965, full coeducation of the campus would take effect that fall. PC’s first Dean of Women, Marion Hill, DCE of Spartanburg First Presbyterian, came to the college to assist in the transition. In 1965, PC enrolled 90 women students and by 1968, the total enrollment of 720 included 210 female students (Hammet, Spirit of PC, 141).

The turbulent 1960-70s at PC focused primarily on local concerns to students including, mandatory assemblies, drinking rules, ROTC 2-year requirement, dorm visitation, dress code, and curfews. Computerized registration and scheduling occurred under Dr. Weersing’s administration and the college calendar moved to a 13-13-7 week semester schedule. The off-campus study was first introduced at PC during the seven-week May term after 1970.

Dr. Weersing was quite tall at 6 feet 6 inches. On your next visit to the President’s House, check out the dining room table which he had altered to suit his tall frame.

When Dr. Weersing announced his retirement, “the physical plant of Presbyterian College stood out as an attractive symbol of progress and permanence: a Jeffersonian pattern of colonial Georgian buildings spread around three plazas on an oak-shaded campus of 175 acres.” (Hammet, Spirit of PC, 189)

After his retirement, Dr. Weersing remained in Clinton, where he died in 1986.