The World Needs Visionaries
Three Claflin University Students Named Lina McCord Interns

Kimani Dobson, Winter Grant and Arteria Lingard were selected to serve as Lina H. McCord interns. The Lina H. McCord Summer Intern Program is sponsored by the Black College Fund (BCF), a ministry of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM). The interns are named for the fund's longtime executive director, the late Lina H. McCord, and must be recommended by their chaplain and college or university president to participate.
 
Dobson is a sophomore elementary education major from Bamberg, S.C. Dobson is  a member of A.Bevy and The National Society of Leadership and Success. A.Bevy is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) with a mission to create introspective experiences that assist young adults in discovering their passion, path, and purpose. 

Grant is a senior sociology major from Lynchburg, S.C. She is  a member of Sigma Nu Tau Entrepreneurship Society, president of the Transfer Student Association, an ambassador of the Claflin University Tour Guide Association, and former president of A.Bevy.  
 
Lingard is a junior sport management major from Ruffin, S.C. Lingard is a member of the NAACP, Psychology  Club, and The National Society of Leadership and Success.
 
Dobson, Grant and Lingard will travel throughout the year, across United Methodist jurisdictions and annual conferences representing the Black College Fund and the General Board of Higher Education Ministry. After successfully completing one year as an intern, students have the opportunity to become ambassadors, a permanent designation, which allows continued travel and representation of the program.
Through Save First/Impact America, four Claflin University students were awarded internships that helped them gain skills in tax preparation. The students prepared tax returns for individuals with a low economic status. As a result, the students prepared more than 275 tax returns for families - helping them to secure over $220,000 in tax refunds and saving them $110,000 in commercial tax preparation fees.
 
The students who received the paid internships were Judah Nixon, Quianna Tobin, Brianna Richards and Raven Woods. Tobin, Richards and Woods graduated this past May.

Other student volunteers included Jeannette Mauricio, Janelle Green, and Nnenna Odegag.

"Partnerships like Claflin's are invaluable to the success of this initiative in providing needed services to hard-working families and giving meaningful service opportunities to students," said  Sarah J. Umsted,  South Carolina State Director for  Impact America. 

The SaveFirst initiative exists to ensure that low-income families receive the full Earned Income Tax Credit and other credits to which they are entitled and to encourage long-term financial planning and asset-building. With more than 56% of EITC recipients in South Carolina paying a commercial preparer to complete their taxes, these South Carolina families lose more than $110 million each year to commercial tax preparation costs.
Staff News
Candace C. Kelly, coordinator of the Claflin University Writing Center, has been appointed as the South Carolina State representative and member of the Southeastern Writing Center Association (SWCA) Board. She has begun a two-year term in which she will work to promote and encourage participation in the organization through locally-sponsored workshops and events. She is also on the planning committee for the 2019 SWCA Conference, which will be hosted by Coastal Carolina University in February. During her term, Kelly plans to put a special emphasis on getting underrepresented institutions, such as high schools, technical schools, HBCUs more active on a state and regional level.
Alumni News
As a 2017 Lina H. McCord intern/ambassador, Brittani Levine, '18, will present at the Iowa Annual Conference on June 9-11. She will promote the excellent work of the United Methodist HBCUs and the vital part the Black College Fund plays in the success of these institutions.
Panther Pride
Odou Hazel Finishes 7th in the 400 Meter at the 2018 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships

Claflin University men's track athlete Odou Hazel  ran a personal best time of 46.70 en route to finishing seventh in the 400 meter dash at the 2018 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the Irwin Belk Complex on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C.
 
With the seventh place finish, Hazel earns NCAA Division II Outdoor Track All-American status.
 
Hazel made the finals after finishing third in his heat and eighth overall in the preliminary round on Thursday, May 24. He cut 48/100 th  of a second off his preliminary time of 47.18.
 
"This race was dedicated to my close friend in Jamaica whose mom recently lost her battle with cancer," said Hazel.  "I know she is sad right now but hopefully this [trophy] can put a smile on her face."
 
Hazel received his bachelor's degree in business administration at May's Commencement.


Former Claflin Baseball Player Darrell Langston Earns Additional Honor

Claflin University former baseball player Darrell Langston has been named to the 2018 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) All-America Second Team as announced by the ABCA Wednesday, May 23.
 
The teams are voted on by members of the American Baseball Coaches Association and the process is led by the ABCA NCAA Div. II All-America Committee.
 
This is Langston's fourth post-season honor, as he was named to the All-South Region First Team of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), the 2018 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings NCAA Division II South All-Region First Team, and the Division II Collegiate Commissioners Association (D2CCA) earlier this month.
 
Langston, who earned his degree in sport management this May, finished the season ranked ninth in runs per game and total bases, 10th in triples, 12th in runs, 16th in triples per game and batting average, 17th in slugging percentage and hits, 19th in  doubles and 27th in doubles per game. 
 
Langston finished his two seasons at Claflin with a .395 batting average (.419 in 2018), .674 slugging percentage (.758 in 2018), with 102 runs, 150 hits, 81 RBIs, 32 doubles, 10 triples and 18 homeruns. 
May 30, 2018
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@Claflin is published by the Office of Communications & Marketing 
President: Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, '65
Vice President for Institutional Advancement: Rev. Whittaker V. Middleton, '73
Assistant Vice President for Communications & Marketing: George Johnson Jr.
Public Relations Director: J. Craig Cotton
Web Communications Manager: Colin Myers, '07
Sports Information Director: Romanda Noble-Watson
Photographers: Cecil Williams, '60, Geoff Henderson and Colin Myers, '07