Alumni Spotlight

The Tigers Exceeded their 2022 Campaign Goal of

 1.5 million with a total of $ 1,533,445.69

Thanks to the unprecedented support from Benedict alumni and friends across the country, the Annual Alumni Fund Campaign surpassed its record-setting $1.5 million goal by $33,000. This year’s success is due to an extraordinary Campaign Leadership team led by the College’s Assistant Vice President, Ada Brown Belton. The leadership team consist of members from around the nation. “This year’s team consists of Chairwoman Dr. Elsie Hamler, co-chairs Marlene McClerklin and Teshine Good, and 10 additional dedicated committee members. The team also included Mrs. Cedelle Gates, president of The Benedict College National Alumni Association, and finally, our Alumni Club Presidents who are the true MVP’s and the BESTofBC.

On Patrol is New LIVE TV Show that Features Benedict College Alumnus Deputy Sheriff Curtis Wilson

Caption: (Left – Right) Deputy Sheriff Curtis Wilson, Dan Abrams, producer and Sargent Sean Lakins.

Dan Abrams is taking audiences On Patrol: Live. Similar to his former show Live PD, Dan is reuniting with Sgt. Sean “Sticks” Larkin and Deputy Sheriff Curtis Wilson to provide minute-by-minute live analysis as the series documents for viewers in real time the everyday work of police officers on patrol from diverse departments across America. Learn more in this interview on PCTV.

Heterodox Academy Announces Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis as the Winner of the 2022 Leadership Open Inquiry Award

Heterodox Academy (HxA), a New York City-based nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement in higher education, will recognize three exceptional individuals with Open Inquiry Awards this June.

Launched in 2018, the Open Inquiry Awards recognize those who do exemplary work promoting HxA’s core values in higher education — providing models that others can learn from, be inspired by, and emulate. At the HxA Conference 2022 in June, and at the discretion of HxA’s inaugural President John Tomasi, HxA will confer three awards:

The Leadership Award is presented to the person who has most effectively championed the principles of open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement in the academy and beyond. Awarded to Roslyn Clark Artis, Ph.D., the 14th and first woman president of Benedict College in South Carolina.

A new partnership between Benedict College and the University of South Carolina makes earning a master's degree in accounting more attainable for Benedict students.

The alliance between Benedict College and The University of South Carolina helps to create more opportunities for HBCU graduates to attend USC's Master of Accountancy program.

Benedict College will participate in a Clemson led statewide effort to prepare students as medical reserve corps volunteers. The Clemson University School of Nursing received an award of more than $2.7 million to develop a network of diverse undergraduate students who can organize locally to assist communities during disasters and other emergencies. The grant provides for a multi-institutional collaboration that includes Clemson, Benedict College, Claflin University, Coastal Carolina University, and Francis Marion University. 

Benedict College will receive a $500,00 grant from the National Park Service to continue its rehabilitation efforts on historic Morgan Hall thanks to an African American Civil Rights grant for the Morgan Hall Preservation Project Phase II. The grant is important in helping to preserve critical narratives of the people, places, and events associated with the African American Civil Rights movement.



“Buildings like Morgan Hall are a rare treasure that contain a wealth of institutional history,” said Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, President, and CEO of Benedict College. “I am grateful to the National Park Service for their commitment to helping the College to preserve its historic buildings. Built in 1895, Morgan Hall is the former home of five Benedict College presidents and the current home of Institutional Advancement.”

BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina invests in BlueScholars at Benedict College and Claflin University

Pictured: (from left to right) Stephanie Pfeiffer, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Human Resources Director, Talent Acquisition; Claflin University President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack; Benedict College President and CEO Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis; David Cote, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Vice President of Human Resources

BlueCross® BlueShield® of South Carolina is partnering with Benedict College and Claflin University to give more students an opportunity to pursue an education while getting a head start on their career paths.

The BlueCross BlueScholars program will select four students from each institution to receive a full four-year scholarship that covers tuition, room and board.

“We are committed to supporting students of our state’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs),” said BlueCross President and CEO Mike Mizeur. “Early during the pandemic, BlueCross made a significant investment in several South Carolina HBCUs, and we aim for our support to extend beyond students’ academic careers. The BlueScholars program creates a pathway for students to hold leadership roles within our company after graduation. We are committed to support their educational pursuits and their place as future leaders in our workforce.”

The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities announced its ninth cohort of HBCU Scholars, recognizing 86 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students for their accomplishments in academics, leadership, civic engagement and much more.

Currently enrolled at 56 of our nations HBCU’s, the scholars were selected from a competitive pool of over 350 students. Applications also required the signature of their HBCU president or designated HBCU faculty, adding a level of prestige to this application process. 

“The HBCU Scholars announced today have dedicated themselves to their learning and exemplify the talent that our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities have nurtured for generations,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The Biden-Harris administration is committed to supporting these leaders and I cannot wait to learn from them while they serve as ambassadors for the White House Initiative and their institutions.”

Benedict's Summer Undergraduate Research Institute (SURI) was a great opportunity for students to get involved with science and engineering in a hands-on, immersive eight-week experience. The students worked one on one with faculty mentors to learn laboratory and science communication skills and showcase their work in a culminating Research Symposium. "We are so proud of the new discoveries made in our program each year!" said Dr. Jessica Furrer, Associate Professor, Environmental Engineering Program, Department of Computer Science, Physics, and Engineering, and SURI Coordinator. 

Meet Hydeia Thomas, a Burroughs Foundation Scholar! Hailing from Riverdale, Georgia, Ms. Thomas is currently a senior and making a name for herself in the accounting field. We can't wait to see what she will achieve! 

Benedict College proudly welcomes Dr. Robert N. Garner as the Dean of the School of Science and Engineering. Dr. Garner comes to Benedict from the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. At UIW, Dr. Garner served as Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. He is credited for leading his department in acquiring certification from the American Chemical Society and accreditation from the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

The UNCF Institute of Capacity Building (ICB) recently announced Dr. Verna Orr as a Change Agent. Orr is in her second year as a Special Assistant for Planning and Institutional Effectiveness for Benedict College. She is being recognized for driving transformation at Benedict College to promote institutional resiliency and exceptional student outcomes.

Benedict College is the First Historically Black College to Host a South Carolina Association of Law Enforcement Explores (S.C.A.L.E.) Conference.

As crime rates increase here in South Carolina, the explorer program here at Benedict College not only trains police officers of the future but brings the community together.

Click on the link below to listen to a great interview by Dr. Dawn Mills Campbell with the current Benedict students in an Executive Communications class which is a part of the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. 

The “In The Know” program was originally recorded live by Dr. Campbell on Benedict’s campus and aired on 95.7 FM WDEK on Sunday, July 24, 2022. 

The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) enters into the second year of its relationship with ESPN that will feature 22 football games this fall aired exclusively across ESPN platforms, including ESPNU, ESPN3, and ESPN+.

The Benedict College Tigers will appear on ESPNU on Thursday, Sept. 15 when they host Savannah State. Benedict will also appear on ESPN+ on Nov. 5 when they play at rival Allen University.

Every week, from September 4th to November 12th, will feature a SIAC matchup.

Benedict Women's Volleyball Adds 5 for 2022

Benedict College head women's volleyball coach Gwendolyn Rouse has announced the addition of five student-athletes for the 2022 season.

Joining the Lady Tigers are:

Leah Brock, a 5-foot-10 setter from Chasse High School in Belle Chase, La.

Jordan Gilbert, a 5-foot-11 right side hitter and middle blocker from Lawson State Community College and Jasper (Ala.) High School.

Aliyah Jones, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter from Arizona College Prep High School in Phoenix, Ariz.

Chynna Spears, a 5-foot-8 middle blocker from Booker T. Washington High School in New Orleans, La.

La'Jai Wilson, a 5-foot-3 Libero/defensive specialist from Warren Easton Charter High School in New Orleans, La.

The Benedict College softball team has been named the 2022 NCAA Division II statistical champion for runs per game.

The Lady Tigers averaged 8.52 runs per game during the 2022 season. The Lady Tigers scored a season-high 28 runs against Allen on March 27. Benedict also topped 20 runs in games against St. Augustine's and another game against Allen. The Lady Tigers had 17 games in which they scored 10 or more runs.

Having the nation's top-scoring softball program is not new for the Lady Tigers. Benedict was the NCAA's top-scoring team in 2018, when the Lady Tigers averaged 9.97 runs per game; and 2017, when they averaged 9.58 runs per game.

Benedict finished 29-19 overall in 2022.

This year's Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) preseason football team features 29 returning players from the 2021 SIAC Football All-Conference team, including Benedict quarterback Eric Phoenix, while defensive lineman Loobert Denelus was also selected to the 2022 preseason team, announced Wednesday during the league's media day presented by Cricket Wireless in Atlanta, Ga.

The Benedict Tigers were picked to finish second in the SIAC East Division, a big jump after finishing fifth in last year's final standings.

Phoenix was a 2021 All-Conference second team selection, and starts 2022 on the second team, sharing the quarterback spot with Lane's Michael Huntley. Phoenix completed 137-of-200 passes for 1,891 yards with 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in seven games last season. He also rushed for 127 yards and four touchdowns.

Denelus had a big impact for the Tigers in 2021, his first season with the Tigers. He had 41 total tackles while recording 9 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks and a pair of quarterback hurries.

Training up the next generation of business leaders and giving them the tools to reach their goals. That is the mission at hand for educational leaders at Benedict College and executives with Synovus Bank.

“I feel like this has given me knowledge beyond my years,” Saniyya Boykin told WACH FOX News Friday.

Boykin and eleven other high school students completed the first ever Y.E.S., standing for ‘youth entrepreneurship summer camp’ through Benedict College’s upward bound program – in partnership with Synovus Bank.

Benedict College Marching Tigers Band of Distinction Family & Friends Packages for the 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade are available. Book yours TODAY!

For details and booking, visit https://tinyurl.com/BCBODFamilyandFriends. Use code: 1120