2017 Founders' Day Program

Claflin University

148th Founders’ Day Convocation

Sunday, November 19, 2017 4:00 p.m.

Tullis Arena Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Physical Education Center

VISION STATEMENT Claflin University will be recognized as a leading 21st Century institution of higher education that develops a diverse and inclusive community of globally engaged visionary leaders.

MISSION STATEMENT Claflin University is a comprehensive institution of higher education affiliated with the United Methodist Church. A historically black University founded in 1869, Claflin is committed to providing students with access to exemplary educational opportunities in its undergraduate, graduate and continuing education programs. Claflin is dedicated to providing a student-centered, liberal arts education grounded in cutting-edge research, experiential learning, state-ofthe art technology, community service, and life-long personal and professional fulfillment.

Claflin is a diverse and inclusive community of students, faculty, staff and administrators who work to cultivate practical wisdom, judgment, knowledge, skills and character needed for globally engaged citizenship and effective leadership.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES At the center of everything we do is a system of values informing and guiding all policies and programs. These values, expressed through our decisions and actions, are defined by five over-arching guiding principles: Commitment to Excellence: We will strive for excellence through creativity, innovation and efficiency that allow for optimization of resources.

Commitment to Valuing People: We will value people by providing a safe, wholesome and healthy environment that fosters mutual respect, diversity, and inclusion.

Commitment to Being Student Centered: We will focus on all aspects of student life including student-centered education by embedding skills and praxis that foster life-long learning and independent problem solving and also translate their needs and expectations into actions that embody exceptional service.

Commitment to Exemplary Educational Programs: We will provide exemplary educational programs and an effective learning community by ensuring that they represent the highest standards of academic excellence and by continuous quality improvement.

Commitment to Fiscal Accountability: We will commit to financial accountability by promoting and fostering a culture of compliance, integrity, and fiscal responsibility throughout the University.

MOTTO “As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.�

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The Claflin History 1869 – 2016

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laflin University was founded in 1869 by Methodist missionaries to prepare freed slaves to take their rightful

places as full American citizens. The University takes its name from two Methodist churchmen, Massachusetts Governor William Claflin and his father, Boston philanthropist Lee Claflin, who provided a large part of the funds to purchase the campus.

Dr. Alonzo Webster, a minister and educator from Vermont and a member of Claflin’s Board of Trustees, secured Claflin’s charter in 1869. The charter forbids discrimination of any sort among faculty, staff and students, making Claflin the first South Carolina university open to all students regardless of race, class, or gender.

Dr. Alonzo Webster 1869-1874

Claflin opened its doors with Dr. Webster as its first president. He came to South Carolina to teach at the Baker Biblical Institute in Charleston, an institution established by the S.C. Mission Conference of 1866 of the Methodist Episcopal Church for the education of African-American ministers. In 1870, the Baker Biblical Institute merged with Claflin University. An act by the South Carolina General Assembly on March 12, 1872, designated the South Carolina State Agricultural and Mechanical Institute as a part of Claflin University. In 1896, the S.C. General Assembly passed an act of separation, which severed the State Agricultural and Mechanical Institute from Claflin University and established a separate institution, which eventually became South Carolina State University.

Since the administration of Dr. Webster, Claflin has been served by seven presidents: Dr. Edward Cooke (18741884); Dr. Lewis M. Dunton (1884-1922); Dr. Joseph B. Randolph (1922-1945); Dr. John J. Seabrook (19451955); Dr. Hubert V. Manning (1956-1984); Dr. Oscar A. Rogers, Jr. (1984-1994); and Dr. Henry N. Tisdale (1994-present).

Dr. Edward Cooke left the presidency of Lawrence College to become the second president of Claflin. During his administration, a disastrous fire destroyed the Fisk Building, a proud monument designed by Robert Bates who is recognized as the first certified black architect in the United States. In 1879, the first college class graduated.

By 1878, a new Main Building was constructed for the campus. Along with rebuilding the campus, President Cooke introduced a significant number of academic innovations. The university experienced enrollment of students from all over the state, an increase in faculty and curriculum, the introduction of extracurricular activities, and the installation of a replacement library, which at one point held more than 1,200 volumes.

Dr. Edward Cooke 1874-1884

President Cooke’s tenure proved very productive, as the institution continued to prosper. The Board proposed the addition of a school of law and a school of medicine.

The chair of the law school was former South Carolina Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Jasper Wright.

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The Reverend Dr. Lewis M. Dunton, former vice president and development officer, was Claflin’s third president. Dr. Dunton, a graduate of Syracuse University, was a practical educator. Under his administration, the law department was set up under the Honorable J. J. Wright, a former associate justice of the S. C. Supreme Court; graduates were admitted to the South Carolina Bar. Consistent with President Dunton’s philosophy to “train the mind to think, the hand to execute, and the soul to feel,” expansion of Claflin became one of his first priorities, along with an expanded curriculum. As a result of expansion beyond the curriculum, Claflin’s musical scholars became known nationally. Tours and recitals by the Claflin Singers, who traveled the country, proved profitable for the institution. In 1888, with the Dr. Lewis M. Dunton help of longtime supporter William Claflin, the trustees endorsed the president’s plan to expand the physical plant, adding several new buildings to the campus. These buildings, 1884-1922 erected on newly available land, made it possible for Claflin to offer additional training in the areas of industry and trade.

Dr. Joseph B. Randolph, Claflin’s fourth president, was the former president of Samuel Houston College and former dean of Wiley College. As a professional educator, he placed emphasis on a complete liberal arts education that would inspire students intellectually, culturally and spiritually in preparation for launching them into varied fields.

Dr. Randolph’s determination for Claflin to attain higher academic standards resulted in an increase in the institution’s enrollment. The student body numbered 600 in 1928, double the number of students in 1923. The confidence with which President Randolph set about implementing his academic, extracurricular, and cultural programs demonstrated his optimism for Claflin’s advancement.

Although his tenure saw no expansion of the physical plant, nominal improvements in equipment of the physical plant and minimal improvements in equipment and facilities, Dr. Randolph’s great success resulted from his ability to preserve Claflin and to protect her from closure during one of the roughest times in the history of Claflin University and the United States.

Dr. Joseph B. Randolph 1922-1945

Dr. John J. Seabrook, director of Morgan Christian Center, Baltimore, Maryland, became the fifth president of Claflin. Dr. Seabrook persuaded the South Carolina Annual Conference to increase substantially its annual giving to Claflin. The endowment was increased, and the curriculum was expanded.

Dr. Seabrook, much in fashion with the rising Civil Rights Movement, assumed a proud and spirited posture. He envisioned a “Bigger and Better Claflin” that would include a broader curriculum and a larger faculty with greater qualifications. Bringing a new enthusiasm to the institution, Dr. Seabrook began realizing his vision for his alma mater.

Dr. John J. Seabrook 1945-1955

Only one year after assuming office, President Seabrook began expanding and improving the physical plant. The Alumni Athletic Field was added to the University. The T. Willard Lewis Chapel was modernized, and the dining hall was converted into a cafeteria to increase its seating capacity. In 1947, the college infirmary, Pearson’s Music Studio and the Davage Heating Plant also became impressive additions to the physical plant.

As part of Dr. Seabrook’s plan for academic expansion, the first summer school session was held in 1947. The following year, Claflin was approved for membership in the Association of American Colleges.

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Dr. Hubert V. Manning was appointed Claflin’s sixth president. He was a Methodist minister and former associate professor at Claflin. Under Dr. Manning’s leadership the faculty was strengthened, the endowment increased and the physical plant was significantly expanded.

President Manning’s achievements as an educator significantly enhanced Claflin’s reputation. His involvement in the academic activities of the institution, beginning with the accreditation of Claflin and the launching of programs and projects to improve and expand the institution’s faculty and curriculum, remained constant until the end of his administration. Dr. Manning retired at the end of the 1984 academic year. May 4, 1984, was declared “Dr. H. V. Manning Day” by Orangeburg Mayor E. O. Pendarvis. This was the town’s tribute to the president for “building up an admirable educational institution” Dr. Hubert V. Manning and for “furthering educational opportunities for area youth.” By then, he had given 1956-1984 Claflin 28 years of devoted service.

Dr. Oscar A. Rogers, Jr., former dean of the Graduate School at Jackson State University became Claflin’s seventh president. Under his administration the enrollment and endowment increased, an art collection was established, the Grace Thomas Kennedy building was constructed, the financial base of the college was improved, and two capital campaigns were completed.

Renovations to and expansions of Claflin’s physical plant were carried out under Dr. Rogers’ administration. As had been planned, Wilson Hall was demolished, and the construction of a temporary women’s dorm was underway. Renovations also took place on the High-Rise Dormitory and on the Lee Building, where major interior work restored the beauty while retaining the structure’s architectural integrity.

Dr. Oscar A. Rogers Jr. Throughout the Rogers administration, Claflin’s alumni increased their membership as well as their contributions to the alumni organization. They became significant supporters 1984-1994 of the institution in many respects, and between 1986 and the end of the Rogers era, alumni contributed almost $2 million to Claflin. Through the rest of the 1980s, Claflin reported one success story after another in fundraising, student growth, and additional projects and programs on the campus as the result of grants and awards from government, private corporations and foundations.

Dr. Henry N. Tisdale 1994-Present

Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, Claflin’s eighth and current president, was former senior vice president and chief academic officer at Delaware State University. Dr. Tisdale brought a wealth of scholarly achievement and demonstrated leadership to the University. He declared academic excellence the number-one priority for Claflin. His first steps, designed to enhance the academic environment, included the establishment of the Claflin Honors College and the Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics and the national accreditation of more than a dozen academic programs. Graduate programs established include the Master of Business Administration, the Master of Science in Biotechnology and the Master of Education. Facilities enhancements include construction of the Living and Learning Center, Legacy Plaza, the Student Residential Center, Claflin Commons, the Music Center, the James and Dorothy Z. Elmore Chapel, and the Molecular Science Research Center.

Claflin University has also opened a Forensics Science Center which, in a partnership with the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety, is a regional center for crime scene data and DNA analysis. On October 20, 2016, Dr. Tisdale announced that Claflin raised more than $105 million in its Imagine the Possibilities Capital Campaign. Under Dr. Tisdale’s leadership, Claflin University is gaining recognition as one of the premier undergraduate teaching and research universities in the world.

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Program Presiding: Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, ’65 President, Claflin University “Claflin LEADS: A Shared Vision for the 21st Century” Prelude………………………………………………….………………………….……………………………………………..…………..…..Claflin University Wind Ensemble Dr. Margaret Young-Weitzel, Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Instrumental Music Education Processional...........................................................................................................................................Claflin University Wind Ensemble * Posting of the Colors………………….………………..………...................................................................................................ROTC Honor Guard * Hymn…………………………………………………. “Jesus, Thine – All Victorious Love”…......................................words by Charles Wesley, 1740 Music by Carl Glaser arr. by Lowell Mason, 1839 * Invocation…….…………………………..…………..........……………………………………..…………................................Reverend Dr. Ernest C. Etheredge

University Chaplain

Greetings...……………………………….…….…………………............................................................................................Ms. Jessica D. Tolbert, ’19 President, Student Government Association Dr. Lori C. Hicks Associate Professor of Music Ms. Natasha Carter, ’06 President, Claflin University International Alumni Association Musical Selection……......................…………….……………………..…..…....“Abide With Me”…………..….............................……..arr.Moses Hogan Claflin University Concert Choir Christopher Leysath, Guest Conductor North Augusta (S.C.) High School Presentation of Presidential Citations…….…….………………..……..…........................................................................Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, ’65 Introduction of the Speaker…………….…….…………………………………….…………..…................................................................Dr. Karl S. Wright Provost and Chief Academic Officer 148th Founders’ Day Address…………….…….………………………………………………….…………………….………..............................Mr. Michael Moore CEO and President, International African American Museum, Charleston, S.C. Musical Selection………….………..………………..……………“Down by the Riverside”……………………….………………….….……….....arr. Moses Hogan Claflin University Concert Choir * Alma Mater………………...……………………………..…………………………………………………………………..………………………………………All In Attendance Claflin University Concert Choir * Benediction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………..………..……...........…Mr. Caleb B. Green Gates Millennium Scholar Sophomore Business Administration Major Recessional……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Claflin University Wind Ensemble * All who are able, please stand.

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Mr. Michael B. Moore International African-American Museum

Michael B. Moore, president and chief executive officer for the International African-American Museum in Charleston, S.C., is the museum’s first president and CEO, and was appointed in March 2016 by the Board of Trustees. He received his bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and the Master of Business Administration from Duke University. Moore was a marketing executive for Coca-Cola, General Foods, Kraft Foods and several other global brands. His dynamic leadership and business career include being credited with raising a nine figure sum for a corporate acquisition, heading an innovative internet software company, and leading a specialty food company.

Moore has served on the museum’s board for the past few years. In his new job, Moore will be responsible for hiring museum staff and for fundraising.

His fundraising strategy includes securing grants from foundations and corporate contributions. The International African-American Museum is planned for a site on the former Gadsden’s Wharf on the Cooper River, where more than 100,000 slaves were brought into the country. Moore also plans to use the museums site as a promotion and fundraising tool. The groundbreaking ceremony will be held in March 2018 and the museum is scheduled to open in Spring 2020.

Moore is a great-great-grandson of Robert Smalls, a former slave who in 1862 took command of a Confederate ship in the Charleston Harbor. Smalls sailed the ship past five Confederate forts in the Atlantic Ocean, and then turned it over to Union forces.

He then became a captain in the Union Army. After the Civil War, Smalls was elected to both houses of the state Legislature and to Congress.

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MACE BEARER Dr. Randall Harris MARSHALS................................................................................................................................Dr. Angela Peters Dr. Muthukrishna Raja Dr. Peggy Ratliff Dr. Solomon Selvam USHERS M.O.V.E.R.S. Claflin Men 100 MISS Ms. Barbara Green Mr. Leroy Fogle, ’80 Ms. Shirley Hugee, ’70 Mrs. Sadie Jarvis, ’63 Mrs. Cynthia Duncan Joseph Ms. Dia Sanders Mrs. Kristie Johnson Dr. Twaina Harris Mr. Derrick Quarles, ’14

148th FOUNDERS’ DAY COMMITTEE Mr. Drexel B. Ball, Co-Chairperson Mrs. Marilyn G. Drayton, ’79, Co-Chairperson Dr. Robin R. Davis Rev. Dr. Ernest C. Etheredge Mr. John L. Gauntlett, ’12 Ms. Cecillia G. Hackett, ’19 Ms. Shirley A. Hugee, ’70 Mrs. Sadie Jarvis, ’63 Mr. George Johnson Jr. Mrs. Cynthia Duncan Joseph Ms. Matisse Lee, ’08 Mrs. Zelda M. Lee, ’77 Ms. Tammy McCottry Dr. Isaiah R. McGee Dr. Alison Mc Letchie Mr. Steve Pearson Dr. Angela W. Peters Dr. Peggy Stevenson Ratliff Ms. Carolyn Snell, ’83 Ms. Jessica D. Tolbert, ’19

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Jesus, Thine All – Victorious Love Jesus, Thine all victorious love Shed in my heart abroad; Then shall my feet no longer rove, Rooted and fixed in God. O that in me the sacred fire Might now begin to glow; Burn up the dross of base desire And make the mountains flow!

O that it now from Heav’n might fall And all my sins consume!

Come, Holy Ghost, for Thee I call, Spirit of burning, come!

Refining fire, go through my heart, Illuminate my soul; Scatter Thy life through every part And sanctify the whole.

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Alma Mater When the sun of Carolina Mounts the eastern sky Proudly stands our alma mater On the hilltop high.

When the evening twilight deepens And the shadows fall, Linger long the golden sunbeams, O’er the western wall.

When the shades of night shall gather, Dark the heart may be, Still the rays of youth and love Shall linger long o’er thee.

Chorus Orange, Maroon, float for aye Claflin fair o’er thee.

May we all be leal and loyal To thy memory.

Words by Etta B. Rowe Harmonized by Fredericka R. Young Revised by Dr. Isaiah R. McGee, 2014

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Claflin University 400 Magnolia Street Orangeburg, SC 29115 www.claflin.edu