Rebecca Short never expected the Upstate to be where she’d build her career.

A proud Greer native, Rebecca always envisioned a career in Washington, D.C. After earning her bachelor’s degree from Western Carolina University and both her master’s and doctorate in public administration from Auburn University, she set her sights on the nation’s capital, where she planned to work in public policy. But what she expected would be a temporary position at Clemson University became an unexpected opportunity—one that has kept her in the Upstate for the past 13 years and allowed her to help prepare the next generation of South Carolina’s workforce.

When Rebecca accepted the position at Clemson, she was still focused on a future in Washington.

“I told Dean Anand Gramopadhye that I was really on my path to be in D.C. within the next five years,” Rebecca said. “But being in this role really changed my whole world.”

What Rebecca saw as a temporary stop, Gramopadhye saw as an opportunity. He encouraged her to help lead the Clemson University Center for Workforce Development (CUCWD)—a role that ultimately transformed not only her career, but the impact she could have on others.

Today, Rebecca directs CUCWD, an organization dedicated to developing digital training tools that prepare people for careers in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, mobility and other high-demand industries. Working alongside technical colleges across the state, the center creates virtual reality experiences and interactive training modules that allow students to build practical skills in realistic environments.

One example is CUCWD’s partnership with Greenville Technical College, where the team developed guided virtual training for the Aircraft Maintenance Technology program. Students can gain valuable experience by practicing procedures in the virtual environment before working on the actual airplane, making training more accessible while helping them build confidence before entering the workforce. View a demonstration of the training modules here.

Demonstration of a virtual reality training tool developed by the CUCWD.

While the center’s mission is rooted in South Carolina, its expertise has earned national recognition. CUCWD has collaborated with organizations including the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Energy and NASA. In just the past few years, the center has trained more than 20,000 people. Despite those national partnerships, Rebecca says the focus has never changed.

“It all comes back to our land-grant mission as a university—to support the economic and workforce development of the state,” she said. “I love that we can show people in both urban and very rural parts of South Carolina that there are meaningful careers available that allow them to support themselves and build a life they’re proud of.”

Rebecca says there’s no better place for that work than the CU-ICAR campus. “In addition to being a showcase for the university, it’s perfectly located in the engineering epicenter of the state,” she said.

Being based in Greenville has also brought Rebecca back to the community she grew up near. Living close to downtown, she enjoys spending time at Unity Park and along the Swamp Rabbit Trail, which will extend through the CU-ICAR campus in 2026. She also frequently reconnects with lifelong friends in Greer, another Upstate community that has experienced tremendous growth over the years.

Today, Rebecca says she has found the opportunity to do the kind of work she always hoped for—just in a place she never expected.

“The research I am able to do here is different from what I thought I’d be researching in public policy,” she said. “But I am still able to make an impact, specifically on workforce investment for the state.”