Clinton Mayor Lew Starling, second from left, and his legal partner and cousin, Kelly Daughtry, second from right, friends of Lee University, are pictured here during their recent visit to the Tennessee campus, where Starling presented university President Dr. Paul Conn with a gift for the school’s new engineering building. Shown with them are Lee University board member and Deacon Jones owner Ken Jones, and Danny Murray, director of Voices of Lee.
Clinton Mayor Lew Starling has loved Lee University since his first introduction to the Tennessee school by Deacon Jones owner and Lee board member Ken Jones.
That first encounter, a concert by the Voices of Lee at a Deacon Jones function, left Starling impressed with the a cappella ensemble and its director Danny Murray, as well as the university and its offerings.
This week, Starling put action behind his support of the university by presenting a generous gift to university president Dr. Paul Conn in support of the school’s forthcoming engineering building.
Starling was at the university Thursday, April 24, to present the check, a multi-year gift. In this visit to the university’s campus in Cleveland, Tennessee, Starling was accompanied by Kelly Daughtry, a legal colleague and family member. Inspired by their mutual friend, Jones, a longtime Lee supporter and member of the university’s Board of Directors — the gift reflects, Starling said, their shared commitment to being “friends of Lee” and supporting the school’s mission and future.
Starling has previously supported the Voices of Lee, and expressed his admiration for Lee University, itself, with this new contribution.
“Mr. Starling’s gift is such a meaningful vote of confidence in Lee’s bright future,” said Conn. “We are deeply grateful for it and also to Ken Jones and Danny Murray for sharing our vision and nurturing this budding friendship.”
The university announced last month its plan to break ground on a new building, which will house the School of Engineering program, in summer 2025. The goal is to have the building completed by the beginning of the 2026 fall semester.
Starling is an accomplished attorney, civic leader, and father of two based in Clinton, North Carolina. A graduate of Campbell University and Wake Forest University School of Law, Starling is the managing partner at Daughtry, Woodard, Lawrence & Starling, with offices in Clinton and Smithfield. His distinguished legal career includes recognition in The Best Lawyers in America and multiple honors for community service, including the NC Bar Association’s Citizen Lawyer Award.
Starling has served as mayor of Clinton since 2001, during which time the city earned the All-American City designation. He is active in numerous community, civic, and educational organizations, including serving on the boards of Sampson Regional Medical Center, First Citizens Bank, and Campbell University. In 2023, Starling received the Distinguished Service Award from the Boy Scouts of America, Tuscarora Council, and is a member of First Baptist Church in Clinton, where he serves as a deacon.
Lee University is a private, comprehensive university located in Cleveland, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The university’s reputation as a quality institution is seen in the high caliber of faculty, students, and friends who are drawn to campus. Over the past two decades, Lee has experienced remarkable transformations including significant growth in academic programs, athletics, institutional facilities, student enrollment, and faculty expertise and diversity. For more information, visit leeuniversity.edu.