Former Clemson Player Donates $200,000 To Teacher Charity

Sept. 9, 2000

CLEMSON, S.C. –

Former Clemson All-American linebacker Levon Kirkland presented former Tiger All-American linebacker Jeff Davis and the “Call Me Mister Program” a check for $200,000 in between the first and second quarters of the Clemson-Missouri game on Saturday. The presentation took place at Howard’s Rock in the East Endzone of Memorial Stadium.

The innovative Call Me Mister program is a cooperative venture involving Clemson and three historically black colleges in South Carolina: Benedict in Columbia, Claflin in Orangeburg, and Morris in Sumter. The program plans to place 200 young African-American men as teachers in the South Carolina elementary classrooms within four years.

While minority enrollment in South Carolina public schools is expected to make up 39 percent of all students in the next decade, less than one percent of elementary school teachers are African-American men.

Kirkland is in his ninth year with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is in his fifth year as team captain and has been named the team MVP the last two years. He is a two-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection. At Clemson he was an All-American in 1990 and 1991 and was the MVP of the Gator Bowl in 1989.

Davis is the director of the program at Clemson, he position he has held the last two years. He was captain of Clemson’s 1981 National Championship team.