Thomas Clanton, MS, PhD

"There is nothing higher and stronger and more wholesome and good for life in the future than some good memory, especially a memory of childhood, of home. People talk to you a great deal about your education, but some good, sacred memory, preserved from childhood, is perhaps the best education. If a man carries many such memories with him into life, he is safe to the end of his days, and if one has only one good memory left in one’s heart, even that may sometime be the means of saving us." - Fyodor Dostoevsky

• Research Interests
  Sport and Recreation within a Faith-Based Context, Sport and Positive Youth Development, The Bicycle as a Positive Youth Development Mechanism, Community Wellbeing
• Teaching & Education

  Doctor of Philosophy in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management
  Clemson University
  Clemson, South Carolina
  2021

  Dissertation Title: Examining Religious and Spiritual Commitment Across Late-Adolescence and Young Adulthood

  Master of Science in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences
  Texas A&M University
  College Station, Texas
  2013

  Bachelor of Science in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management
  Clemson University
  Clemson, South Carolina
  2012

• Professional Experience

  Director of Youth and Missions
  Easley Presbyterian Church
  2014-2018

• Selected Publications

  Pinckney, H.P., Clanton, T. Garst, B., & Powell, G. (2020). Faith-based organizations: Oft’ overlooked youth development zones. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 38(1). doi: 10.18666/JPRA-2019-8232

  Bowers, E. P., Winburn, E., Sandoval, A., & Clanton, T. (2020). Culturally relevant strengths and positive development in high achieving youth of color. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 70, doi: 10.1016/j.appdev.2020.101182

  Garst, B. A., Clanton, T., White, D., Dickes, L., Griffin, S., & Gagnon, R. (2021).
  Benchmarking South Carolina recreation providers’ role in addressing summertime food insecurity. Recreation, Parks, & Tourism in Public Health, 5(1), 5-36. https://www.muse.jhu.edu/article/820581

  Garst, B. A., Gagnon, R. J., Clanton, T., & Woodward, J. (2021). Cultivating Youth Affinity for College Within the Context of Campus-Based Summer Camps. Journal of Youth Development, 16(5), 64-85. doi: 10.5195/jyd.2021.1083

  Clanton, T., Chancellor, H. C., Pinckney IV, H. V., Balidemaj, V., & Hadiandehkordi, P. (2021). Bicycling as a Positive Youth Development Mechanism. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 40(3).

  Clanton, T., Chancellor, C., Pinckney, H., & Balidemaj, V. (2023). Examining Youth Bicycle Programming Through the Empowerment-Based Youth Development Model. Journal of Youth Development, 18(1), 4.

  Chancellor, C., Romans, T. S., Clanton, T., Rhodes, T., & Park, S. (2025). Strengthening Active Transportation Through Small Grants. Future Transportation, 5(3), 84.

  Clanton, T., Chancellor, C., Park, S., & Rhodes, T. (2025). Applying the Benefits-Based Programming Model to Advance Community Well-Being through Cycling. International Journal of Community Well-Being, 1-21.