Harry Shucker receives state’s highest civilian honor

Furman University alum and longtime administrator Harry B. Shucker ’66 was named a recipient of South Carolina’s highest civilian honor on Aug. 11 in Younts Conference Center on campus. The Order of the Palmetto is a non-partisan award from the governor’s office that recognizes the extraordinary lifetime achievements of South Carolina citizens.

SC House Representatives Mike Burns (left) and Chandra Dillard. Photo: Jeremy Fleming

A decorated Vietnam veteran and in service to Furman for almost 40 years, Shucker said he was shocked and humbled to learn of the news delivered by Furman Director of Community Relations and State House Representative Chandra Dillard (D-23) and Rep. Mike Burns (R-17) both of whom nominated Shucker.

In a letter to Gov. Henry McMaster, they wrote, “His influence has improved the lives of thousands of South Carolinians and strengthened the institutions that serve them. He embodies the very spirit of service and leadership the Order of the Palmetto was created to honor.”

Shucker said the Order of the Palmetto represents a “composite” of his life’s work.

Across Shucker’s wide arc of service to the university, it’s difficult to find an administrative role he didn’t fill or an award he didn’t receive.

His career spanned admissions to financial aid, and residence life to student life where he invested his last 22 years at Furman as vice president of Student Services. In that capacity, he hit his stride, pouring his heart and soul into mentoring and advising scores of students, including Furman’s Courtney Tollison ’99, Distinguished University Public Historian and Scholar.

She remembers Shucker saying, “Anytime you are given the opportunity to have a positive effect on the life of another, that is truly a sacred moment.”

Courtney Tollison ’99, Department of History. Photo by Dear Lissie Photography.

Tollison recalls Shucker’s encouragement when she expressed interest in student government. “He provided opportunities to develop leadership skills and nurtured them along the way,” she wrote in a nomination letter. And when weighing career options and graduate degrees, Tollison said Shucker spent hours counseling with her and remained a close ally when she returned to Furman to teach.

Shucker has amassed a trove of Furman awards highlighting his gifts of leadership and mentorship and his commitment to elevating diversity and inclusion. Nationally, he was recognized for excellence as a student affairs officer. And locally, the mayor of Greenville designated Jan. 25, 2008, as Harry B. Shucker Day in observance of his contributions to the city and Furman.

Post retirement, two endowed scholarships bear his name, and for first- and second-year students, the Shucker Fellows Program was established. It aims to build students’ leadership IQ, boosting their ability to be effective changemakers at Furman and more broadly. Student awards also carry his namesake and point to the values he engendered in others.

An innovator in student development, Shucker was the architect of processes and practices that enhance the student experience and are still in use today, said Connie Carson, vice president for Student Life. Moreover, “He infused the importance of civic engagement, leadership and service for others into the student culture,” she wrote in a letter of nomination.

Beyond Furman, Shucker has invested his time and talents on boards for Leadership Greenville, Greenville Literacy Association, and Goodwill, as well as serving on the advisory committee for the J.E. Sirrine Scholarship, a fund that has benefited Greenville County students for decades.

A fierce advocate for the country’s children, Shucker has delivered more than 100 presentations at churches, schools and businesses about the toll excessive screen time can exact on the social and emotional wellbeing of young people.

For Shucker, the Order of the Palmetto honor reflects his body of work, especially his impact through academic advising. “It was the highlight of my time at Furman,” he said.

And if the crisp, framed Order of the Palmetto commendation isn’t reminder enough of Shucker’s influence, there are plenty of students eager to tell him so.

Amy Joye (left) and Harry Shucker. Photo: Jeremy Fleming

As a transfer student, church music alum Amy Joye ’95 and coordinator for Alumni Engagement and Community Relations, found herself overwhelmed with social and academic uncertainty when she sought Shucker’s guidance. “He listened with patience and empathy, giving me the confidence to seek counsel to help address the anxiety and depression at the heart of my struggles. That conversation truly changed my life,” said Joye who attended the award ceremony along with about 75 friends, family, alumni and faculty.

Hearing those words of appreciation from alumni never grows old for Shucker, a devoted husband, father, grandfather and church leader. “That’s the most positive result I can hope for,” he said.