@Claflin: 2019 Homecoming Schedule

The World Needs Visionaries

Homecoming Week and ReUnion Weekend 2019 Commences at Claflin University

Claflin University's 2019 Homecoming week began on Sunday, November 10, with the crowning of Tyniah Sheree' James as Miss Homecoming and the Gospel Explosion Concert with Demetrius West and Jesus Promoters. James is a senior psychology and criminal justice major from Norway, S.C.

The remaining calendar of events will provide Claflin alumni, students, staff and supporters a final opportunity to celebrate the University's sesquicentennial.

In addition to the culmination of Claflin's 150th Anniversary, this year's homecoming is the first for Dr. Dwaun Warmack, who on August 1, began his tenure as the University's ninth president.

Due to inclement weather, the 14th Annual Homecoming Golf Classic that was scheduled for Thursday, November 14, at the Orangeburg Country Club, has been canceled. More details will be provided at a later date.

Weekend activities will begin with the annual Homecoming Pep Rally from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Panther Plaza on Friday, November 15, hosted by the Claflin Athletic Department and Hot 93.9/103.9 FM.

The Sesquicentennial Leadership Giving Luncheon (invitation only) will be held at noon at Claflin's Ministers' Hall. The annual luncheon recognizes donors whose financial gifts of $1,000 or more have supported student success and other fundraising priorities.

Following the luncheon will be the unveiling and renaming ceremony of the Molecular Science Research Center at 898 Goff Avenue. The Center will be named after President Emeritus Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, Claflin's eighth president.

The Sesquicentennial Presidential Scholarship Gala starts at 6 p.m. in the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex. Legendary R&B group The Whispers, who have scored hit records since the late 1960s, will be the featured performers. The sold out dinner and concert is a fundraiser for Presidential Scholars, high-achieving visionary scholars and members of the prestigious Alice Carson Tisdale Honors College. The introduction of the Presidential Scholars and the induction ceremony for the 2019 Class of the Claflin University Hall of Fame will be held during the gala. The Class of 2019 comprises an impressive group of distinguished alumni and community supporters.

The Health and Wellness 5K run and 1-Mile Fun Run hosted by the Charlotte (NC) Chapter of the Claflin University International Alumni Association (CUIAA) begins Saturday's

(Nov. 16) slate of activities. Participants will assemble at 6 a.m. and the race/walk starts at 7 a.m. at Edisto Memorial Gardens. Registration for the 5K Run is $25 for adults ($20 for groups of 10 or more) and $15 for students. The fee for the 1-mile run/walk is $10 per person.

Elected officials, marching bands, community organizations, civic leaders and other area representatives will be part of the Homecoming Day Parade which begins at 9 a.m. at Edisto Gardens. The parade route includes downtown Orangeburg on Russell Street and it ends at the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex on Magnolia Street.

Registration for Claflin alumni will continue after the parade at noon at the Panther Den which will be surrounded by the unmistakable aroma of barbeque, chicken, fish, hamburgers, hot dogs, and other savory delicacies being grilled to perfection in the tailgate areas outside the JTK Health and Wellness Complex. The combination of good food, tasty beverages and lively music have branded Claflin's basketball tailgate as one of the area's signature destinations.

While the tailgate festivities occupy center stage outdoors, Claflin's women's and men's basketball teams will be the main attraction inside the JTK Health and Wellness Complex, as they host a pair of Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) foes in non-conference matchups. The Claflin women play Stillman College at 1:30 p.m. and the men's team plays host to Fisk University at 3:30 p.m. Reserved seating is $20; and general admission is $15.

Other Saturday events include the Greek Step Show (7:30 p.m., JTK Health and Wellness Complex; $5 in advance/$10 at the door); and the Orange and Maroon Masquerade Ball

(9 p.m.-1 a.m. at the Sulit Luxe Affairs, 1005 Broughton Street in Orangeburg). Admission is $45 for the Mardi Gras themed event.

The Worship Service on Sunday, November 17, at 9:30 a.m. at the James and Dorothy Z. Elmore Chapel will feature Bishop Kenneth L. Gibson, (Class of 1979), as the featured speaker. Bishop Gibson is the pastor of the Savannah Grove and Jordan Chapel Free Will Baptist churches.

The Founders' Day Convocation at 4 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 17) in the JTK Health and Wellness Complex will conclude the 2019 Homecoming and Sesquicentennial celebrations. Dr. Belle S. Wheelan, president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) will deliver the keynote message. During the event, a time capsule that was sealed in 1994 to commemorate the start of Dr. Henry N. Tisdale's tenure as Claflin's eighth president will be opened and the contents will be revealed.

Another special attraction of the evening will be a fireworks display that will light up the Orangeburg skyline, symbolizing Claflin's remarkable legacy of 150 years of visionary leadership and academic excellence, and the bright future that lies ahead for South Carolina's first and oldest historically black college/university (HBCU).

2019 Homecoming Weekend Schedule at-a-Glance

Thursday, November 14

ReUnion Weekend Reception and Registration

5-9 p.m.

Country Inn & Suites

731 Citadel Road, Orangeburg, SC 29115

Friday, November 15

Images of Success

8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Classroom and Campus Visits

CUIAA Executive Committee Meeting

8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

Arthur Rose Museum

ReUnion Weekend Registration

10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Campus Center Multipurpose Room

Academic School Receptions

11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Various Locations:

School of Business - Grace Thomas Kennedy Business and Communication Building
School of Education - Bowen Hall
School of Humanities and Social Sciences - W.V. Middleton Fine Arts Center
School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics - James S. Thomas Science Center
The Center for Professional and Continuing Studies -Laymen Hall
Alice Carson Tisdale Honors College - Honors College

Sesquicentennial Leadership Giving Luncheon (Invitation Only)

12 p.m.

Ministers' Hall

Unveiling/Naming of the Henry N. Tisdale Molecular Science Research Center

(Immediately following the Sesquicentennial Leadership Giving Luncheon)

Sesquicentennial Presidential Scholarship Gala featuring The Whispers

6-10 p.m.

Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex

Claflin University D.R.E.A.M. Alumni Choir Reunion Concert

7:30 p.m.

James and Dorothy Z. Elmore Chapel

CU "Wine" Down

Immediately following the Gala

Country Inn and Suites

731 Citadel Road, Orangeburg, SC 29115

Young Alumni Soiree

9:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.

The Sulit Luxe Affairs, 1005 Broughton Street, Orangeburg, SC 29115

Join your friends for an unforgettable evening of networking and conversation while enjoying great food, music and cocktails. Price: $20

Saturday, November 16

Claflin University Charlotte Alumni Chapter Health and Wellness 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run

6 a.m. -Assemble Time

7 a.m. - Race/Walk begins

200 Riverside Drive SW, Orangeburg, SC 29115 (Edisto Memorial Gardens)

Click here to register:

Price for 5K Run:

$25 ($15 for students with ID)

Price for 1-Mile Fun Run

$10 per person

$20 per person -5K Run Group (5 or more)

Homecoming Parade

9:30 a.m.

The parade begins on Russell Street at Edisto Memorial Gardens and ends at the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex on Magnolia Street.

Affinity Group Events

11 a.m.

Mu Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Luncheon

Location: Orange and Maroon Room

Chairpersons: Mrs. Rosa Kennerly-Dance and Mrs. Michelle Henry

Price: $25

Lambda Sigma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Luncheon

Location: 1869 Club

Chairpersons: Rev. Whittaker V. Middleton, Mr. Isaac Templeton and Ms. Tabatha Livingston

Price: $25

Gamma Nu Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., 70th Anniversary Luncheon

Location: Arthur Rose Museum

Chairpersons: Dr. Willie Frazier, Mr. Colin Myers and Mr. Freddie Kirkland

Price: $25

Class Reunion Meetings and Reception

11 a.m.

Grace Thomas Kennedy Auditorium

Classes: 1949, 1954, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, and 2014

Panther Den and Alumni Registration

12-3 p.m.

Tent near the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex

Enjoy your classmates during Claflin' s ultimate tailgating experience - Burgess Brothers Famous Barbeque, good music and lots of fun. Price: $20

Homecoming Basketball Doubleheader

Lady Panthers vs Stillman College: 1:30 p.m.

Panthers vs Fisk University: 3:30 p.m.

Price: $15 - general admission; $20 - reserved seats

Greek Step Show

7:30 p.m.

Tullis Arena, Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex

Price: $5 in advance; $10 at the door

Orange and Maroon Masquerade Ball

9 p.m.-1:00 a.m.

The Sulit Luxe Affairs, 1005 Broughton Street, Orangeburg, SC 29115

Let's boogie down! Come dressed to impress with your mask for a night of fun, tasty cuisine and cocktails. Price: $45

Sunday, November 17

Pre -Worship Service Breakfast (Complimentary)

8:30 a.m. (Reservation required)

1869 Club

Open to all alumni and their families.

Worship Service

9:30 a.m.

The James and Dorothy Z. Elmore Chapel

Speaker: Bishop Kenneth L. Gibson, '79

Pastor of Savannah Grove and Jordan Chapel Free Will Baptist Churches

Founders' Day Convocation

4 p.m.

Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex, Tullis Arena

Speaker: Dr. Belle S. Wheelan

President of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Fireworks Presentation

6 p.m.

Outside of Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex

Faculty and Staff News

Thomas M. Peters is the new interim director of the Jonas T. Kennedy Wellness Center and Intramurals. Mr. Peters comes to Claflin University after serving as the athletic director for the City of Pine Bluff Parks and Recreation in Arkansas. He has also served as the assistant coordinator, coordinator and assistant director of intramural sports for the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Auburn University at Montgomery and Western Carolina University respectively. Peters earned a Bachelor of Science degree in health and human performance from the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 2002. In 2003, he had the opportunity to serve as the intern for Recreational Services and Intramural Sports at Cornell University. Peters is a member of the United States Air Force Reserve, and in his free time, he enjoys running, fitness, cooking, officiating, and working with youth.

Romanda Noble-Watson, sports information director, was recently featured on the website of College Sports Information Directors of America during their Recognition Week (November 6-12). CoSIDA educates, advocates, and communicates with and for the intercollegiate athletics communications community. Its mission is to engage and empower members, develop exceptional leaders, and promote and enhance our profession. Click here to read the complete feature.

Alumni News

Special Agent Nicholas Gantlin, '12, is among a group of African-American special agents being recognized by the FBI as they celebrate its 100th Anniversary of the African-American Special Agents. Gantlin is a native of Charleston, S.C., and was a member of the Alice Carson Tisdale Honors College. SA Gantlin graduated Magna Cum Laude from Claflin University, and in 2016, received a Master's of Professional Studies in Homeland Security from The Pennsylvania State University. He is a spring 2010 initiate of the Delta Alpha Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. SA Gantlin joined the FBI as a Program Analyst in 2012 and entered on duty as a Special Agent in 2017. He is the first graduate of Claflin University who has become a FBI special agent and the only one in the history of the institution.

Dr. LaVerne Jackson-Harvey, '77, is hosting a book signing on November 23, 2019, at the Cambridge Commons Club House, 8501 Cambridge Commons Drive, Charlotte, N.C. 28215. Her book of poetry is titled "Poetry for the Soul." Dr. Jackson-Harvey is a poet and a children's book author who has authored more than 100 poems. The book signing event will also feature work by Ella York, and together they are "A Family that Writes." The two will also host a writers workshop called "So You Want to Write a Book ... Now What?" on March 14, 2020. Tickets are $50 if purchased on or before November 23, and $75 after November 23. You can reserve your space by emailing [email protected] or calling (414) 517-1486.

Panther Pride

Fayetteville State Defeats Claflin in Final Home Volleyball Match of the Season

The Claflin University volleyball team fell to Fayetteville State University 3-0 (25-19, 25-10, 25-23) in a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Southern Division match on Tuesday, November 13, at the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Center (Tullis Arena). The loss dropped Claflin to 6-17 overall and 5-11 in the CIAA with one match remaining. The Lady Panthers will close out the regular season on Friday, November 15, at Saint Augustine's University in Raleigh, N.C.