Cliff Arthur didn’t set out to build a career in hospitality. When he first arrived at the University of South Carolina, he was a chemistry major, but quickly realized he was on the wrong path. The turning point came in an unexpected place: the basement of Snowden Dormitory, better known as the “Honeycombs.”

A casual conversation with his roommate changed everything. When Arthur mentioned he loved to cook, his roommate asked if he had ever considered the Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Administration (HRTA) program — now part of the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management (HRSM). As fate would have it, the cooking lab was located in the basement of his dorm.

He met with faculty, enrolled in the program and immediately found his calling.

“I fell in love with it right off the bat,” he says. “I went from almost failing out to making the Dean’s List and President’s List. It was just something I gravitated to.”

That discovery sparked a career that would span decades, multiple states and more than 70 restaurant locations — and it ignited a lifelong devotion to the college that helped launch it all.

Learning from the ground up

One of Arthur’s favorite memories as a student was running his own mock restaurant for a week — a signature program experience in those days. His restaurant, Simon’s, featured salmon with saffron dill sauce, a memory that remains 40 years later. He created the menu, managed the staff and invited his mother to dine.

“That’s when it hit me,” he says. “This is what I wanted to do.”

While still in school, he worked at Steak and Ale on Forest Drive, gaining hands-on experience as a server and bartender. Upon graduation, he entered their management training program — the first step in a career that would include leadership roles with Bonefish Grill and later Metro Diner.

Today, Arthur is an owner and director of operations for 16 Metro Diner locations across the Carolinas, Georgia and Virginia. The Columbia location — his long-awaited hometown restaurant — has quickly become one of the busiest in the country.

But even with decades of success, Arthur’s advice to students remains simple: start at the bottom.

“You’ve got to learn to bus tables. You’ve got to wash dishes. You’ve got to host. You’ve got to understand every part of it,” he says. “Hard work always works in this industry.”

A leader among alumni

Arthur’s impact on HRSM extends far beyond his professional accomplishments.

Nearly 20 years ago, while preparing to open a Bonefish Grill in Columbia, he reached out to the college to recruit student talent. A chance meeting with HRSM Director of Alumni and External Relations Tina Weeks Weaver led to an invitation to join what would become the HRSM Alumni Society Board. He would go on to serve as chair and help shape the organization into a thriving network of engaged graduates.

He was instrumental in developing Alumni Society Reconnect events — hosting gatherings in Columbia, Charlotte, Augusta, Myrtle Beach, Greenville and Hilton Head, all at no cost to the college.

He covered expenses for “Meet the Dean” lunches, welcomed alumni and friends into his restaurants and even sponsored USC Alumni Association Freshman Send-Off events.

“I can’t emphasize enough how providing these in-kind resources accelerated our momentum,” Weaver says.

His generosity extended to career nights, Maymester classes, holiday meals for alumni volunteers and countless alumni gatherings. He and his team even brought signature martinis, bang bang shrimp and auction baskets to homecoming events year after year, helping transform them into major fundraising successes.

The gift heard around the world

Perhaps Arthur’s most transformative contribution began with a single check.

During an Alumni Society Board meeting, members learned that some students could not afford to participate in study abroad programs. Arthur immediately offered to help start a scholarship fund. That seed gift became the catalyst for what is now the Alumni Society Fund.

Originally intended to provide need-based travel assistance, the fund has evolved to support both student opportunities and alumni engagement initiatives — an alumni-led decision that proved transformative for the college.

The fund, now endowed at $100,000, has raised more than $300,000 over time and has awarded over $56,000 to more than 50 students.

Arthur doesn’t dwell on the numbers. For him, it’s about impact.

“When you can give back, you should,” he says. “I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in today without this college.”

A family tradition

For Arthur, the University of South Carolina is more than an alma mater. It is woven into his family’s story.

He and his wife, high school sweethearts, attended Carolina together, were married at the Rutledge Chapel and had their reception at McCutchen House. Their oldest daughter also graduated from USC, where she met her future husband.

“South Carolina holds a very special place for me and my wife,” Arthur says.

Walking through the modern HRSM building today — a far cry from the basement lab in the Honeycombs — he is struck by how much has changed. Yet the heart of the school remains the same: preparing students for meaningful careers in hospitality.

And for Arthur, that preparation shaped a life filled with opportunity.

“HRSM allowed me to do some really fun things in life,” he says. “It’ll always be very special.”

From a struggling chemistry major to a distinguished alumnus, board leader, mentor and benefactor, Cliff Arthur’s journey reflects the very spirit of hospitality — opening doors, creating connections and making others feel welcome.

And for two decades, he has done exactly that for the College of HRSM.