Clemson Ring Endowment Established by the Molyneaux Family
Dan, Jenny and John Molyneaux, March 2026
The Molyneaux Family
When his parents asked John Molyneaux ’25 what kind of philanthropic gift they could make to Clemson University in honor of his graduation, he didn’t have to think twice before suggesting a Ring Endowment to support students who can’t afford to buy a Clemson ring.
“As a senior, I had attended a student body presidential debate, where I first heard mention of starting a ring fund. I remember being surprised that a fund like this didn’t already exist,” John said.
Dan and Jenny Molyneaux, John’s parents, quickly got on board and established a Ring Endowment to ensure more students could have the opportunity to proudly wear the Clemson Ring by providing financial support. They have come to know that the Clemson Ring is more than jewelry; it is a symbol of pride, respect and dedication that can’t be described and is understood only by Tigers.
“As Clemson parents, we have loved learning about the University’s deeply held traditions and seeing the passion that students and alumni have for their school and the special part the Clemson Ring plays in that,” Dan shared. “We clearly see how the Clemson Ring embodies the Clemson spirit and provides an instant connection to fellow alumni,” he said.
John said that his parents instilled in him and his two older siblings the importance of giving back and serving others. “Our family’s history of charitable giving starts with both sets of my grandparents,” John said. “They emphasized finding ways to support people and our community,” he added.
Jenny, who recently retired from a community foundation in their community, said that she and Dan always included their children when choosing charities to support in annual giving. “Many times, the kids would select areas they had a connection to, such as St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or the ALS Association, after a piano teacher was diagnosed with ALS. We just wanted to raise them to be philanthropic and think about helping others in tangible ways,” Jenny said.
When John’s older siblings graduated from the University of Notre Dame, the Molyneauxs started the tradition of giving back to the university at graduation by asking each child to choose a cause or program to support what was nearest to their heart.
John said that he wears his Clemson Ring daily as a sign of love and loyalty to his alma mater. “As a freshman from Iowa, I learned quickly about the importance of the Clemson Ring. An upperclassman fraternity brother had his ring slip off into a large cooler during a football tailgate, and that’s when I first began to realize the significance and history of the Ring,” he said. “That experience opened my eyes to what the Clemson Ring means as my fraternity brothers relayed to me all about our Clemson Ring tradition,” he added.
John said that his fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha, emphasized involvement and service, as did other organizations that enhanced John’s Clemson Experience, such as Delta Sigma Pi Business fraternity and College of Business Recruiting Ambassadors (COBRA).Through Pi Kappa Alpha, John met Bubba Britton ’97 M’24, Clemson Alumni Association’s Director of Philanthropic Initiatives and Pi Kappa Alpha’s advisor. When John broached the subject of a Ring endowment with him, Bubba was able to help John and his parents with the steps involved in establishing such an endowment.
“Whether as a new member of Pi Kappa Alpha or as a leader on the Executive Committee of the Chapter, John has always embodied the spirit of ‘How Can I Serve?’. John’s willingness to impact others and his love of Clemson and its traditions could not be any better brought together than with this endowment,” said Bubba.
“I love telling people about Colonel Ben Skarden ’38 and how his Clemson Ring saved his life,” John said. “The Ring binds people together in a unique and special way,” he said. “My parents and I hope that one day, as this endowment grows, everyone who wants to have a Clemson Ring will be able to do so,” John said. “Our family knows that we have been blessed, and we want to share those blessings with others, just as our family has done for three generations,” he said.
“We are thrilled to play a small part in establishing this fund, but what we are most excited about is seeing how the fund will grow and giving others the opportunity to bless and support Clemson students as well,” Dan said. “Nothing would please us more than seeing this fund grow to many times the size of our donation,” he added.
If you would like to join the Molyneauxs in supporting students who need assistance to purchase a Clemson Ring, you can do so by clicking here.