Dear Clemson,

The Tiger’s Best of Clemson is a special edition that has quickly become one of my favorite parts of the year. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lot of work. Over the past month and a half, our staff has been deciding the categories, selecting nominees, monitoring the votes, reaching out to winners and writing the articles.

Yet, it’s an incredibly unique and enjoyable opportunity for our student staff to spotlight other students, community members, businesses, organizations and more in the Clemson area. Seeing the winners’ excitement and pride when they hear about their victory is unmatched.

What’s so special about this edition is the fact that it brings parts of the Clemson community together that might not interact otherwise. It’s a chance for local businesses, organizations and community members to further connect with their followers and customers by urging them to vote in the category they were nominated for. And when the edition is finally released, it provides an opportunity for the community to get to know local establishments on a deeper level. Being able to shine a light on these community favorites and hear their “why Clemson” stories is something I will forever be grateful for.

Dave and Buddy, Todaro Pizza, the Clemson Ring and All In Coffee; the list of familiar, and maybe less familiar, winners goes on and on. I encourage you to go pick up a print copy of the 29th annual Best of Clemson at one of The Tiger’s stands and learn about, or remind yourself of, all the things that make Clemson, Clemson.

From all of us here at The Tiger, thank you to our voters for making this edition possible and a huge thank you to our winners for making this wonderful place feel like home. It is truly the greatest joy to celebrate you!

Happy reading, and go Tigers!

Kat Pugh is a junior English major from Clayton, California. Kat can be reached at [email protected].