Imagine the Possibilities
President’s Update The Campaign for Claflin University June 19, 2014 Dear Claflin Friends, I hope you are enjoying your first few weeks of summer. The campus is now into Session One of our summer term, and we are pleased with enrollment. Session Two promises to take on added life when we welcome a number of high school students to the campus for early matriculation. At the same time, we are administering the first of our Claflin Online courses. Though summer is here, Claflin is humming along quite nicely! I was taking some time to reflect on Claflin’s “Imagine the Possibilities” Capital Campaign and the blessing it has been to this University, I thought I’d share with you two brief thoughts on our progress. Numbers That Tell a Partial Story December 31, 2014 Benchmark Goal Raised to Date Balance Left to Raise
$80 Million $75.75 Million $ 4.25 Million
The Bigger Story, a Campaign that Transforms In its 144 years, Claflin has witnessed acts of generosity which have radically propelled it forward in serving as a beacon of hope, access and success to its students. This is one of those times. The funds that have been paid and pledged into this campaign are having perhaps as big an impact in the life of the University as Lee Claflin’s original $5,000 investment to purchase our grounds and first building in 1869. The transformative effects of the campaign are all around us. Claflin rebuilt infrastructure, expanded housing, dramatically widened its research capabilities, and has deeply embraced the digital education environment with the integration of smart classrooms, high-speed wireless connectivity and massive data capabilities. These improvements have transformed Claflin into a 24/7 teaching, learning and research environment. Claflin a Model for the Fundraising Future 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 just over $157,000 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. What an inspiration! Is it all surprising that we have just been named to the US News & World Report “Short List” as the Number One HBCU in the nation in terms of the percentage of alumni giving back to their alma mater? See the story here! Have a great summer!
The World Needs Visionaries
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Capital Campaign Steering Committee Mr. James A. Bennett, General Chair Ms. Alice Behlin Mr. Frank Blue Mr. David R. Campbell Mr. Paul V. Fant Mr. Hezekiah Hayes Mr. William H. Johnson Ms. Lessie Price Mr. Issac Templeton Rev. Harold Wallace
Mr. Clyde A. Bess Mr. Michael E. Brenan Mr. Ted Creech Dr. Willie Frazier Mr. John Hipp Ms. Janice Marshall Rev. Caesar Richburg Dr. Leo Twiggs
ARTHUR ROSE PAINTING COMES HOME First Lady’s Hats and Gloves Tea Endows Scholarship The First Lady’s Hats and Gloves Tea Committee made a special presentation during this year’s Tea. After years of hosting what has become a signature spring event in the Orangeburg community, the committe announced that the Alice Carson Tisdale Scholarship would be endowed at the $25,000 level. The Tea welcomed more than 400 guests this year and honored Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter with the Visionary Award.
Alumni Give Back
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Wood visited Claflin re-
Two Claflin University alumni, Ms. Doris Bradley and Mr. Alvin McCall donated $50,000 each to the University. ...
cently visited Claflin to return an origional painting by world ronowned artist and Claflin alumnus Arthur Rose. The couple said they purchased the artwork at one of Rose’s famous outdoor art sales many years ago. They are now retiring and downsizing their home, and decided to return the piece to Claflin University. The artwork was appraised at $30,000.
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Division of Institutional Advancement Claflin University 400 Magnolia St. Orangeburg, SC 29115
SCANA, Microsoft Invest in Claflin