DATE:     11/10/00
CONTACT:  Roy Scott, (864) 656-4391
          Karissa Ulmer, (843) 549-2596
EDITOR:   Tom Lollis, (803) 284-3343 
          
Clemson adds media relations
person for two units

     CLEMSON -- A part-time marketing and public relations 
coordinator has been named for Clemson University's Belle 
W. Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science 
near Georgetown and the Sandhill Research and Education 
Center (REC) near Columbia.
     Karissa Rhamey Ulmer will work out of the Clemson Extension 
office in Colleton County, where she is employed part-time as 
a county agent focusing on a commercial horticulture 
partnership.
     Her county agent duties include landscape beautification 
projects, coordinating horticulture programming for the Colleton 
County grounds crew, and handling horticultural plant 
problems. 
     She will report in her marketing and public relations role 
to Roy Scott, director of Public Service Activities (PSA) 
Marketing and Public Relations.
     "Ulmer came to Clemson with an interesting background - 
both an agricultural degree and public relations experience," 
said Scott. "She should be a great asset to our department."
     Scott said that Ulmer's communication and marketing 
skills should be especially valuable as Sandhill REC develops 
its new community and economic development mission.
     Sandhill REC currently offers educational opportunities 
for individuals interested in urban horticulture. That includes 
the Carolina Children's Garden, which consists of 10 theme 
gardens overlooking a lake. A Conservation Station provides 
visitors information on soils, geology, forestry, wildlife, 
air quality and water.
     The center also offers a Compost Demonstration Garden, 
featuring 12 different composting stations, interpretive signs 
and informational literature. Other learning opportunities at 
the Sandhill REC include a Cottage Garden, a Native Habitat 
Learning Center, a Small Tree Arboretum, a Backyard Wildlife 
Habitat demonstration and several nature trails.
     The Belle W. Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and 
Forest Science develops research and teaching programs on the 
coast that address a wide spectrum of environmental sciences -
including landscape ecology, development impacts, waste 
management, policy studies, natural resources utilization 
and conservation, and water resources.
     Ulmer previously worked for the Atlanta-based advertising 
agency WestWayne, where she served as public relations 
account coordinator for the American Cyanamid account. She 
also worked for the Ohio State Fair Marketing and Public 
Relations Department.
     Ulmer earned a bachelor of science degree in agriculture 
with an emphasis in agricultural communication from The Ohio 
State University.
     She was a 4-H'er while growing up in Lakeville, Ohio, 
and showed horses, cattle and sheep. She and her husband, 
Wesley, live in Lodge, where they have small hobby herd of 
registered Polled Herefords and a stocker operation. They 
have an 18-month-old son named Wes.
                              END