June 23, 2025
To John Gasque, education means more than personal achievement; it’s giving back to the people who made his dreams possible.
A rising junior majoring in computer engineering at Clemson University, John’s story is rooted in the small town of Latta, South Carolina where his father, a third-generation farmer, works 4,000 acres of land.
“He works very hard, and he’s made a lot of sacrifices for our family,” John said. “But he’s always done it because he wants the best life for me and my little sister.”
John’s path to Clemson wasn’t always clear. When he was a high school senior, the cost of college felt like an impossible obstacle.
“Even if I went to college, I didn’t want to have all this debt hanging over my head and it would be difficult for me and difficult for my family,” he said. But everything changed when his guidance counselor told him he qualified for the Meeting Street Scholarship.
“All of a sudden, college became something that was more affordable, and it became a more realistic dream,” he said.
Now with the help of the Scholarship, John is taking full advantage of his college experience and preparing for a future where he can give back to his family. John hopes to design and improve the technology that powers modern farming.
“When I work for [my Dad], I see all the equipment that he uses, and it’s not what you would imagine for a farmer,” John said. “He has to be very smart to know how to operate the equipment because there’s a lot of these complex computer systems that help with everything.”
By studying computer engineering, John hopes to innovate agricultural and industrial equipment. This technology could make farming easier not just for his Dad, but for farmers across the country.
“You know, it’s just my dad and my uncle working 4000 acres,” he said. “That’s a lot of land for two people. So, I hope that I can make that better for them.”
Coming from a high school class of about 90 students, John said the transition to a freshman class of over 7,000 at Clemson was intimidating. He encouraged students to live on campus for at least their first year to build meaningful connections with other students.
“Try talking to new people,” he said. “You might find that this person might be your best friend… there’s always opportunities to make those connections at college.”
He also encouraged students to learn the importance of putting in hard work.
“You’ve got to be willing to make that effort – to take the initiative to be in class, to study outside of class and to take your academics seriously,” he said.
Thanks to the Meeting Street Scholarship, John Gasque is not only living his college dream, but he’s also building a future shaped by gratitude, innovation and love for his family.
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