Drayton Wade ’13 of Mount Pleasant named to Alumni Association Board

Drayton Wade of Mount Pleasant named to Alumni Association Board

The Clemson Alumni Association has named Drayton Wade of Mount Pleasant to its board of directors. His term began July 1.

Wade received a Political Science degree from Clemson in 2013. He also attended the London School of Economics and Political Science, obtaining an MSc in History of International Relations. He also received an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

Wade currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for Kognitos, an artificial intelligence and software-as-a-service business based in San Jose, California.

As a student at Clemson, he served in a variety of community and Clemson groups, including the Political Science Student Advisory Board, Young Life, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He also participated in the creative inquiry program. As an Alumnus, Wade co-founded the Clemson University Balkans Foundation, supporting global politics programs at Clemson. In that capacity, he created and led the funding of the Vladimir Matic Global Politics Scholarship Endowment, which helps send students on political science-focused study abroad trips, and developed the Clemson University Global Politics Speakers Series. Additionally, Wade created Clemson’s first “AI Symposium” in March of 2024 in connection with the Brook T. Smith Launchpad, serves on the Political Science Department Alumni Advisory Board and on the College of Behavioral, Health and Social Sciences campaign cabinet.

On his appointment to the board of directors, he stated, “I believe by serving I can help build the next era of active alumni, leveraging technology and creativity to expand this base of determined alumni in several key demographics including the tech sector, political world, and younger alumni to subsequently support Clemson to reach new heights.”

The alumni board has 22 members and is the governing body for the Clemson Alumni Association. Primary responsibilities of the board include general oversight of the programs and initiatives of the association, financial audit and review, the establishment of governing policies and strategic planning.

The Clemson Alumni Association is an open-membership, nonprofit organization. Since its inception in 1896, the program has connected members of the Clemson family, inspiring pride, celebrating achievement, providing service and strengthening relationships. Learn more at www.clemson.edu/alumni.