Acclaimed Inventor Donates $2.5 Million to Howard Community College; Largest Gift in School History

Howard Community College (HCC) President Daria J. Willis joined philanthropists Thomas P. Clement and Wonsook Kim to receive a $2.5 million donation from their family. The gift is the single-largest contribution in the college’s history.  

Clement, a renowned inventor and entrepreneur, and Kim, an internationally awarded visual artist, will support faculty and students in HCC’s Department of Engineering with scholarships, equipment upgrades, and resources to build public and private partnerships in the college’s interdisciplinary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programming.  

“We are grateful to Thomas and Wonsook for such heartfelt and timely support of our faculty and student scholars,” said Willis. “We envision laboratories, learning spaces, and training opportunities that will expand our community’s curiosity and potential. I could not be more excited about our relationship with this family and the long-term outcomes this gift will create.” 

Clement is the Founder, President, and CEO of Acroventions Laboratories and holds over 75 patents in surgical devices for laparoscopic, cardiovascular, neurological, oncological, and otolaryngologic procedures. Before earning baccalaureate degrees in electrical engineering and psychology from Purdue University and Indiana University, respectively, he began his studies at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He is on the board of KoreanAmericanStory.org and the author of ‘Dust of the Streets,’ an autobiography.   

Kim is an artist known for her figurative images in surreal landscape painting. She earned a baccalaureate degree and master’s degrees in arts and fine arts from Illinois State University and was named ‘Artist of the Year’ in 1995 by the United Nations. Her work has been showcased in over 100 exhibitions in 14 countries.   

In 2019, The Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts was named in her honor, the first college ever named in the United States after an Asian woman.  

“I am honored to support Howard Community College with a gift that we think will be foundational for students achieving their dreams here in Howard County,” Clement said. “I know firsthand the value and nurturing that happens at community colleges, and we believe that Dr. Willis’ vision for HCC’s future will expand that value for many students in the years to come.” 

Since Dr. Willis' appointment in 2021 as HCC's fifth president and the first African American to serve in the role, the college has secured its two largest donations in school history. In the last six months, the college has raised more than $3.5 million in major gifts, and more than $5 million in the last two years.