Serving Barnwell County and its neighbors since 1852
A retired USC Salkehatchie professor is remembered for his impact on generations of students.
Professor Joe Siren, a beloved history professor for nearly 50 years, recently passed away. He arrived in Allendale in 1974 as a teacher for Allendale-Fairfax High School (AFHS). He joined the USC Salkehatchie family in 1975 when he became part of the concurrent high school program, teaching college courses at area high schools. He retired in 2024.
“Joe was not only an icon, staple, and legend at USC Salkehatchie, but also within our entire region. He touched countless lives in immeasurable ways over the almost 50 years that he selflessly served his communities. We will forever be grateful for his significant contributions, and his memory will live on in the multitude of stories that can be told about the leadership, mentorship, friendship, and more that he provided to everyone he encountered,” said Dr. April Cone, dean of USC Salkehatchie.
“Joe Siren had an amazing breadth and depth of knowledge. Joe could have a conversation about just about anything and often did!” said Dr. Sarah Miller, a former history professor who is now USC Salkehatchie’s associate dean for academic and student affairs.
Most students who attended USC Salkehatchie between 1975 and 2024 likely had at least one class with Professor Siren – U.S. History, Western Civilization, Asian History, Speech and/or Political Science.
“I think what was most important about Joe is he deeply cared about his students and he wanted them to set high goals for themselves. He established a scholarship for students at USC-Salkehatchie. He encouraged dual enrollment studenrs to apply to Ivy League universities. He wanted students to broaden their horizons and perspectives. He traveled the world, immersing himself in other cultures and walking in the places where history happened. He took those experiences and the stories he gathered back to his classroom,” said David Dangerfield, associate professor of history at USC Salkehatchie.
Many former students expressed gratitude for his high expectations and credit Siren with helping them become who they are today.
"This man was the epitome of what an educator should be! He set the tone for success in students that attended Allendale-Fairfax High School (as well as others) and USC-Salkehatchie. He challenged me in every assignment that was given,” said Christopher McClary.
Kayla Jerkins remembers Siren asking her why she was taking his summer class. “I told him that my GPA had dropped below 3.0 and I needed a booster class to get it back up. He told me, ‘I need to do better because I can be better.’ That moment was a turning point for me and showed me that he truly cared about his students' success,” said Jerkins.
"His demand for excellence - no, his expectation of it--impacted so many lives--especially in Allendale County. I've carried his lessons with me and shared many of them with the thousands of students I've taught over nearly 30 years,” said Isoke Kwasi Owon.
Makenzie Kuglar said Siren helped her realize her potential and instilled confidence through his public speaking and history classes.
“I always left his class with more knowledge and a funny story to tell. My heart is broken for his family, friends, past students, and for future students who will never get the chance to meet him,” said Kuglar.
“Everything happening now in the United States, and the world, when it comes to our government and economy, I swear Mr. Siren taught us about in the 90s. Real-life situations that we can now relate to,” said Lawanda Patterson.
As a numbers person who does not enjoy history, Pam Priester said she always looked forward to Siren's world history class at AFHS.
“He never taught from a textbook because he traveled just about everywhere around the world and was able to provide his classes with firsthand knowledge. He had the best sense of humor and was full of tactful sarcasm,” said Priester.
In addition to teaching a plethora of history courses, Siren led The Possums debate group at AFHS.
Patterson and Priester were just two of his many debate students.
“The Possum Invitational was held at our high school, and was always the biggest, or one of the biggest, invitationals in South Carolina. It was so much fun being a student judge, hosting and competing (at the same time) at our own invitational,” said Patterson.
The Possums also got the opportunity to travel for debate tournaments.
“Because of him, we Possums got to see so many beautiful places in the United States as debate students that most of our parents couldn’t afford to take us. He was devoted to our entire community, and we need something in Allendale County named after him,” said Patterson.
Despite teaching thousands of students throughout his career, his students said Siren never forgot them.
“When I graduated and taught at Allendale- Fairfax, Mr. Siren was an awesome mentor, always willing to give advice. After I started teaching at Barnwell High School, I was fortunate enough to again work with Mr. Siren because he taught history and speech through the dual enrollment program at Salk. I always looked forward to him stopping by to chat about his students and life experiences. His mind was sharp as a razor. He was truly a unique, one-of-a-kind individual who will be missed dearly!” said Priester, now a Barnwell High guidance counselor.
One unique fact about Siren is that he had a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of college mascots.
“He could tell you just about any college’s mascot and the story behind that mascot,” said Dangerfield.
While Siren wished for no service, several community members are planning a celebration of life in Allendale. Details have not been announced.
Those who wish to honor Professor Siren’s memory can donate to the Joe Siren Endowed Scholarship Fund, which is awarded to a graduate from Allendale-Fairfax High School or Barnwell High School, with preference for a student majoring in history.
Donate to the Joe Siren Endowed Scholarship Fund:
• By Mail: USC Salkehatchie, Dean’s Office, P.O. Box 617, Allendale, S.C. 29810. (Note: Indicate fund #B11496 on check)
• Online: Visit: https://giving.sc.edu/direct-your-gift and enter fund B11496.
