Planting Seeds for the Future: Tony '71 and Betsy Maglione, March 2025

Greetings, Tigers!

Spring has always been a time of new beginnings-a season when fresh opportunities take root, and the promise of the future begins to bloom. For Tony and Betsy Maglione of Charleston, South Carolina, this season is the perfect backdrop for the latest chapter of giving back to Clemson, which helped shape their family and their future.

The Magliones have made generous estate plans to establish an endowed scholarship for students in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences (CECAS). Their gift is designed to cultivate the next generation of Clemson engineers-students eager to mature and grow into dynamic leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers.

"Clemson planted the seeds for everything we've built in our lives," Tony says. "Now it's our turn to help someone else start their journey."

From Roots in New Jersey to a Life in the Lowcountry

Tony's journey to Clemson began with a leap of faith. Growing up in Montclair, New Jersey, he chose Clemson to pursue his academic endeavors, and it didn't take long for him to put down roots that would be nourished and cultivated.

Tony and Betsy met at Clemson in 1971 and after their first date, Betsy said she knew he was "the one for her." Betsy grew up in Anderson, South Carolina. "I was a Yankee boy who came to Clemson sight unseen," Tony recalls. "I took my first airplane ride when my mother when I attended freshman orientation and found Clemson to be more than I ever imagined," he said.

Betsy enjoyed Clemson Football games with her father, William L. Lee, who attended Clemson in the mid-1940s. He taught his daughter a love for Clemson Football, and Betsy said the campus has always felt like a second home to her.

Although Betsy and Tony did not start dating until months later, a Homecoming football game was the spark that ignited their relationship. They enjoyed dinner every evening in the Schilletter Dining Hall and began dating in February of 1972.

By the time Tony graduated with an engineering tech degree in 1975, Betsy had completed her education studies at Erskine College, where she had transferred after her sophomore year. After completing her first half year of teaching at the John de la Howe School in McCormick, South Carolina, Betsy and Tony were married three months later in Charleston.

Immediately after his graduation, Tony started his first job working in a textile plant in Calhoun Falls, South Carolina. However, he quickly discovered the dangers of the working environment when a mill worker died on his shift after getting caught in the machinery. Soon thereafter, Tony heard about a job opening through a friend from Clemson whose father needed someone with his skillset to serve as an assistant construction and utility manager. Tony joined the Seabrook Island Development Company and relocated to the Charleston area.

Growing a Family of Tigers

After their August 1975 wedding, the couple settled into life in the Lowcountry. In 1978, Tony left Seabrook Island and began working for Lucas and Stubbs Architecture (now LS3P Architecture) in project and construction administration.

While Betsy was tutoring students during the summer of 1980, she received a phone call that the chartered airplane flying Tony and several colleagues to a project-site in Kentucky had crash-landed near Summerville, South Carolina. Thankfully, Tony only suffered minor injuries from the crash that, unfortunately, killed the pilot and hospitalized all others on board.

"I was four months pregnant with our oldest son at the time," Betsy relayed, "and I will never forget that phone call. I did not learn for four more hours whether Tony was okay," Betsy shared.

Their son Anthony "Chip" Jr. '04 was born prematurely later that year, and Betsy elected to be with him after his 62-day hospital stay. "At that time, our budget was extremely tight," she recalls, "I oversaw our family finances, and I always ensured that, no matter what, we gave back to Clemson. We couldn't give much during those days, but we always gave something." Tony chuckled and added: "We were too 'po' even to afford the 'r' in the word poor."

Tony and Betsy added their son Alan '06 to the family in 1984, and Tony eventually left LS3P to become the director of design and construction for the Charleston Water System. While there, he was involved in a variety of interesting and first-of-a-kind engineering projects, including the construction of the Daniel Island water and sewer system. Tony headed his division for 14 years.

In 1997, Tony was ready for a new challenge and went to work for a private consulting firm, where he remained until 2015 when Betsy retired. At that point, he started his own consulting firm, with Betsy serving as CFO. "That was the perfect working scenario," Tony added, "it allowed me to transition to fewer hours per week; however, I was traveling a lot to visit clients, so after six years, I decided to fully retire."

Tony now spends his time volunteering for Water Mission in Charleston, and helping to build water purification systems and components deployed worldwide for emergency relief.

"Water is life," Tony says, reflecting on his work. "And engineering is about making life better for people. That's what drives me."

Beyond the technical expertise, Tony credits his ability to connect with people as the key to his career growth. "Developing your soft skills is just as important as your technical ones," he says. "You need to be able to communicate, lead and inspire others around you."

Tony and Betsy now enjoy spending as much time as they can with their four grandchildren who live nearby. "We joke that we had children so they would give us grandchildren," Betsy laughed.

As a licensed general contractor for over 30 years and with his hands-on style of work, Tony and Betsy built their current home.

Tony also volunteers with the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, where he participates in the Major Discovery Night program, as well as serving as a judge for the SPARK program. He enjoys talking with students during those evening events and explains that while choosing a major and area of focus is important, successful careers are built upon the ability to go where opportunities exist and then build upon those experiences. "I have observed that one's professional life can take you in a variety of unforeseen directions - many of which were unimaginable in your early 20s," Tony adds.

Flourishing in a Global Marketplace

One unique aspect of the Magliones' engagement is their encouragement for students to learn a foreign language and seek out opportunities to develop their soft skills. For Tony and Betsy, fluency in another language opens doors-both professionally and personally.

"In today's world, speaking another language sets you apart," Tony explains. "It shows that you're thinking beyond borders, that you're ready to collaborate and lead on a global scale, particularly in engineering and construction."

Betsy agrees. "We hope this scholarship inspires students to explore new cultures, new perspectives, and to embrace the full potential of what's out there."

"Another added advantage is a solid understanding of finance and cost accounting principles such as EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization)" he added.

According to Tony, soft skills are overlooked during an engineer's course of study; however, they are important and will prove to be beneficial. If students take a public speaking and finance course, they will never regret it," he said. "Polish up those interpersonal and writing skills, and you'll multiply your opportunities and adventures ten-fold," Tony added.

Tony and Betsy have made annual gifts to support underrepresented engineering students in South Carolina and hope that their new estate gift will enable students to earn a Clemson degree inspired to give back to plant seeds for the next generation. The Magliones' continuous investments over the last 51 years is a strong testament to their remarkable commitment and devotion to help us build strong and productive students who will strive to make our world a better and safer place.

"Winston Churchill famously said: 'You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give,'" Betsy quoted. "We truly believe in this philosophy and we enjoy investing in Clemson students," she said.

A Season of New Beginnings-and Planting for the Future

With spring in full bloom, the Magliones' see their scholarship as the beginning of something enduring-an opportunity for students to plant their own seeds and watch them grow.

"It's not hard to accomplish your goals, if you plan it out," Tony says, repeating the personal motto that has guided him throughout his life. "This scholarship is part of our plan to help future engineers get their start."

As the campus bursts into color and the familiar energy of spring fills the air, the Magliones' gift stands as a fortress for new beginnings-and the belief that with the right support, anything can take root and flourish.

"Clemson gave us so much," Betsy says. "Now we're planting something that will keep growing for years to come."

Please reach out to us at [email protected] or visit our website for information about estate and gift planning options. There you can find our free Estate Planning Guide to help you begin thinking through financial decisions in advance of meeting with an attorney and financial advisors. I always enjoy hearing from you, so please reach out to me directly at [email protected] or call 864-656-0663.

You, too, can make a lasting impact by planting seeds today that will grow and yield harvests for generations. Whether it is through a scholarship, professorship, operating fund, and/or an estate gift, your intentional support can help shape the future for Clemson students-today and beyond.

If you would like to explore how you can leave a legacy of opportunity, I invite you to reach out to us. Together, we can help you cultivate an idea that you could be planted today, tomorrow or the future.

Ever Loyal & Forever Grateful ~

JoVanna J. King

PS: March Madness is upon us, and we are elated over the extraordinary success of our Men's Basketball Team. GO Tigers!

In addition, our campus is bustling with a variety of spring sports! We hope you are making plans to join us to help us cheer all of our student-athletes to victory - both on and off the fields and courts of competition. GO TIGERS!