After notifying the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) of its decision to exit, Claflin University is pleased to announce that it is joining the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), commencing July 1, 2018. President Henry N. Tisdale said the decision to move to the conference headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., was made after careful consideration of potential benefits.

"We believe this is a win-win situation for the University and our student-athletes," Tisdale said. "The CIAA aligns with our institutional profile and the proximity of its members to Orangeburg is very attractive for our alumni and supporters."

Claflin raised its athletic program profile when it became a NCAA Division II member in 2008 and concurrently joined the SIAC. Claflin sponsors men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, and men's and women's cross country. A tradition of excellence describes Claflin's athletic history.

A plethora of championship trophies and banners adorn the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Physical Education Center, the University's indoor athletic facility. Since joining the SIAC, Claflin has won volleyball, baseball, softball and men's basketball championships. An impressive number of student-athletes have won top individual honors, including an Olympic qualifier.

"It is my pleasure to welcome Claflin University's administration, student-athletes, staff, alumni, and fans to the CIAA," said Jacqie McWilliams, CIAA Commissioner. "The institution is a fit for our conference based on their location within our demographic region and commitment to sponsoring sports programs that bring competitive and championship growth in the CIAA. They will expand our footprint into the South Carolina market and reinforce our commitment to the student-athlete experience and employ strategies that engage alumni and fans within the region to support our mission and vision.

"The CIAA is committed to sponsoring a range of male and female sports programs that bring competitive and championship growth within the conference and to the regions that all our participating schools represent," said CIAA Board of Directors Chair and Fayetteville State University Chancellor Dr. James A. Anderson. "The CIAA will seek to sponsor additional men's sports like baseball and tennis to maintain a healthy number of automatic qualifications. The addition of Claflin University allows the conference to facilitate this goal while expanding our geographical footprint."

"This is a new day for Claflin University," President Tisdale said. "We look forward to continuing our success in athletics with all the administrative support we can provide.  Our student-athletes deserve nothing less."

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. With a record enrollment of 2,100 students, 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. For more information on Claflin, visit www.claflin.edu.

Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first African American athletic conference and one of the most recognized conferences in Division II. The CIAA conducts 14 championships attended by more than 150,000 fans from around the country. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 12 member-institutions: Bowie State University, Chowan University, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Livingstone College, Saint Augustine's University, Shaw University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University and Winston-Salem State University. For more information on the CIAA, visit  theciaa.com.

Aspiring entrepreneurs and business scholars showcased their creativity and innovation at Claflin's 5th Annual Entrepreneurship Business Plan Competition on March 5 in the Grace Thomas Kennedy Building.  The competition is modeled after the popular ABC television show "Shark Tank." Student teams vie for $10,000 in cash prizes.

 

The team that placed first and won the $5,000 grand prize at this year's event was Media Cover, who developed a business plan for a distribution medical supply company for countries in the Caribbean. Members of the winning team were Janela Morsby, a senior biochemistry major and Isheka Orr, a junior environmental science major.

 

The second-place prize of $3,000 was awarded to Team Fast Cream for their concept for a tech savvy ice cream parlor. Kiersten Hargett, a senior management major; Quianna Tobin, a senior accounting major; and senior Reynard Gregory, an accounting major, comprised Team Fast Cream.

 

Layzee Gurl Cosmetics placed third and earned $1,200 for the group's creation of a peel-off make-up. Seniors Stanyetta Carson and Betty Lincoln, a pair of organizational management majors, formed this team.

 

The fourth-place prize of $500 went to Kayla Richardson and Equan Jones for A Piece of the South and the team's idea for a southern restaurant in southeastern Connecticut.

Richardson is a senior mass communications major and Brown is a junior engineering major.

 

Black Excellence Voice (BEV) finished fifth for its presentation of a web and app-based product - the Black Community Platform. Team members Hillary Mokaya and Chelsey Williams won the $300 prize. Mokaya is a senior business administration major and Williams is a junior English Education major.

 

Judges for the competition were: Rogie D. Nelson, program coordinator for the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs-Micro-Business Development Program; Shaquan Kearse, '14, owner/operator of Kearse & Co., LLC and an accountant with Community Works; and Carolyn R. Snell, '83, assistant to the vice president of student development & director of career development at Claflin.

Claflin University is currently in second place in The Home Depot Retool Your School Grant Program competition. In 2014, Claflin won $10,000 for campus beautification. This year we are aiming to win $50,000 and here is how you can help.