Company Profile
Claflin Univeersity
Company Overview
Claflin University is an independent, liberal arts, co-educational, historically black institution that is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It is dedicated to educational excellence and to preparing students without regard to gender, race, religion or ethnic origin. It is committed to offering quality undergraduate programs, select graduate programs, and viable continuing education opportunities.
At the undergraduate level, the University ensures that students receive a liberal arts education that is designed to produce graduates who understand themselves, as well as historical and social forces that impact the world. Their academic experiences will include an understanding of religious and aesthetic values in a universal context and a thorough grounding in their chosen discipline. Their education will incorporate the use of technology, our exposure to recent scientific developments, and inculcate critical thinking and communication skills in order to prepare them for leadership and service in a global and multicultural society.
At the graduate level, students are provided instruction to enhance the analytical and comprehensive research acumen necessary for professional growth and leadership. Continuing education programs create avenues for students to complete their educational objectives and develop skills necessary for contribution to their professional and personal fulfillment.
Undergirding the Mission is the University’s commitment to excellence in all its endeavors.
Company History
Claflin 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. 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. The 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, the Music Center, and the new University Chapel. Claflin University is now recognized as one of the premier liberal arts institutions in the nation.
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
Claflin University, founded in 1869 as Claflin University, is the oldest historically Black college or university in South Carolina. It was also the first college in the state to welcome all students regardless of race or gender.
Two of Claflin’s professors, the Chair of the Department of Biology and the Director for the SC Center for Biotechnology,
were named the 2006 SC Governor’s Professors for Excellence
in Scientific Awareness. This award placed Claflin in a
distinctive position in that it is the only private institution in
South Carolina to have four Governor’s Professors.
A Claflin professor becomes one of twenty professors in the nation to win the Woodrow Wilson National 2006 Career
Enhancement Fellowship for Junior Faculty.
The Claflin University at Fort Jackson Program begins offering teacher education courses for the elementary and middle school curriculum.
Claflin establishes faculty exchange program with Hofstra University.
Claflin University moves to a position of national prominence. U.S. News & World Report, in its 2007 Guidebook to America’s
Best Colleges and Universities, ranks Claflin in the “TOP TIER” for the ninth consecutive year (1999-2007) and cites in the top five “BEST VALUE” category among best comprehensive colleges in the South for students pursuing bachelor’s degrees. Claflin finishes with an impressive graduation rate (68 percent). Claflin ranks higher than all Comprehensive Colleges in South Carolina.
Benefits
Supportive environment for junior faculty.