CAMPAIGN GOAL
A PRIL 21, 2014
$96.4 MILLION
PHASE 1 GOAL
$80 MILLION
FUNDS RAISED TO DATE $74.11
BALANCE LEFT TO RAISE $5.89 MILLION
Campaign
focus
NEWS AND UPDATES FOR THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES
Campaign Exceeds $74 Million Alumni Giving Percentage Reaches 52.2% To date, Claflin University has raised more than $74 million of its $96.4 million goal. At the same time, the Campaign itself has become a model for not only HBCU fundraising but for higher education as a whole. That model draws upon the resources, vision and enthusiasm of all its constituencies. These include funding from alumni, staff, parents, faculty, business and industry, private foundations, and state and federal government Even our current students have an integral role. While raising some $149,000 against their original $100,000 goal, they have also fully embraced a lesson in philanthropy that will carry with them into their future roles as the next generation’s visionaries. And what has this meant? Well, among other things, Claflin now boasts an alumni giving rate of 52.2%. Within US News & World Reports’ rankings, this places us No.
7 amongst all US colleges and universities. And while we still trail Princeton, we now stand ahead of Harvard, Yale, Stanford, as well as all our HBCU brethren. The journey to 52 percent was a strategic one that involved strengthening existing initiatives, embarking on new ones, embracing new technology, collaborating with the alumni association, involving communications and marketing staff, and solid leadership. “We have always been proud of the support we receive from our alumni,” said Rev. Whittaker V. Middleton, vice president for Institutional Advancement at Claflin. “A few years ago, we started the 1st to 50 Campaign to become the first historically black college or university to reach a 50 percent alumni giving rate. We have received an overwhelming response, and can now say we are the First to 52.2.”
Our Loyal Donors Mrs. Doris Bradley ('64), donated $50,000 toward the Doris. S. Bradley Scholarship Fund. Mr. Alvin McCall’s $50,000 campaign gift will be used toward capital improvements. Our Claflin students have continued to amaze us with their generosity and have blown past
their initial campaign goal of $100,000 by raising $149,000! They have now set a new stretch goal of $160,000. Mr. Edwin J. Wilson, Jr. presented an estate gift on behalf of Mr. Edwin Wilson, Sr. for $100,000.
Longtime Claflin Supporter Dr. Jonas T. Kennedy Dies Dr. Jonas T. Kennedy, the namesake of Claflin University’s health and physical education center whose philanthropy extended to his community and beyond, died Friday, March 14, 2014. He was 97 years old.. Kennedy’s financial contributions to Claflin University made possible the construction of several buildings on the campus, including the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Physical Education Center in 1980, the Grace Thomas Kennedy Business and Communications Building named in honor of his mother, and the James and Dorothy Z. Elmore Chapel. Additionally, the Augustus G. Kennedy Sr. Amphitheater is named in memory of his father. Claflin President Dr. Henry N. Tisdale described Kennedy as a true philanthropist whose unwavering support of the University and its students was transformational. “Claflin University will miss one of its most distinguished leal and loyal supporters,” Tisdale said. “When I came to Claflin 20 years ago, I knew of Dr. Kennedy’s historical and generous support of the institution and our students. In fact, when I was appointed president of Claflin, he was one of the first persons I called to say thank you and to ask for his continued support. In all of my years here, Dr. Kennedy has continuously met and exceeded our greatest expectations. His legacy is forever engrained in the fabric of Claflin University. He was a great man.”
What’s on the Horizon
Campus Visits Capital Campaign Steering Committee
We will be calling upon our
inner family in the coming weeks and months to help get us over the finish line. Please be thinking about how you can help support the University and be a part of the University's transformation! On April 24-28, the Claflin
University International Alumni Association will hold its 40th Annual Conference in Silver Spring, Maryland. The hosts is the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Alumni Chapter.
Mr. James A. Bennett, General Chair
Aflac’s New CEO Visits Claflin Rev. Whittaker V. Middleton, Mr. Paul Fant and Dr. Henry N. Tisdale greet Ms. Kendall Moore and new Aflac CEO Mr. Daniel L Lebish (center).
Claflin will be also be making
significant funding requests to foundations and corporate prospects in the coming weeks. Stayed tuned! For more information regarding the Campaign for Claflin University, contact Rev. Whittaker V. Middleton, vice president for institutional advancement at 803-535-5375.
Claflin University 400 Magnolia Street Orangeburg, SC 29115
SRR Presents $7,500 Gift Savannah River Remediation presents a gift for scholarships at Claflin. Pictured are Rev. Whittaker V. Middleton, Mr. Ken Reuter, CEO, Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, Mrs. Lessie Price and Ms. Valeria Green.
Ms. Alice Behlin Mr. Clyde A. Bess Mr. Frank Blue Mr. Michael E. Brenan Mr. David R. Campbell Mr. Ted Creech Mr. Paul V. Fant Dr. Willie Frazier Mr. Hezekiah Hayes Mr. John Hipp Mr. William H. Johnson Ms. Janice Marshall Ms. Lessie Price Rev. Caesar Richburg Mr. Issac Templeton Dr. Leo Twiggs Rev. Harold Wallace