@Claflin: Granville Hicks Leadership Academy, 2022 Alumni Convention and more

January 21, 2022

The World Needs Visionaries

Claflin University to Host Virtual Granville Hicks Leadership Academy for Laity and Clergy

On January 27-28, 2022, Claflin University will host the 30th Annual Granville Hicks Leadership Academy for Laity and Clergy. Themed "The Black Church: This is My Story, This is My Song," this event equips laity and clergy for ministry and leadership within the church. Due to the pandemic, the academy will take place via Zoom.

Special guests for this year's conference include Rev. Zachary Dillard, pastor of St. Mark United Methodist Church; Rev. Dr. Sheila Elliott Hodge, pastor of Silver Hill Memorial United Methodist Church; and Rev. Dr. Allison Gise Johnson, associate professor of chemistry at Claflin University.

The Granville Hicks Leadership Academy honors the Rev. Dr. Granville A. Hicks, a 1957 Claflin graduate who has been recognized for his leadership as a pastor and district superintendent in the South Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. Hicks was instrumental in creating programs to improve race relations, education and leadership development at the conference. It began as a lecture series before evolving into a leadership academy that emphasizes connections between the academy, Claflin University, and The United Methodist Church. The event empowers attendees with biblical knowledge, intellectual growth, and theological reflection.

Conference registration is $75. Click here to register for the conference.

Central Savannah River Area Alumni Chapter to Host Alumni Association Convention in Augusta, Georgia

The Central Savannah River Area Alumni Chapter will host the 47th Claflin University International Alumni Convention on April 21-24, 2022, in Augusta, Ga. This year's planning committee is pleased to welcome attendees to Augusta where the theme for the Convention is "Feeling Good From the Garden City to the Hilltop High."

Click here to download the convention schedule/brochure.

"Big House Gaines" Ticket Promotion Tips Off for the 2022 CIAA Basketball Tournament

Big Daddy Kane, YoYo, Monie Luv, Rakim, and Michel’le Added to List of Artists to Perform at Official CIAA Events During Tournament Week (February 22-26)

The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA®), the nation’s oldest historically Black athletic conference, has announced that the Annual “Big House Gaines” ticket promotion is now available. This promotion, in honor of legendary Head Coach Clarence Gaines, allows you to automatically upgrade your seats, where applicable, when you purchase tickets to the 2022 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament taking place February 22-26, 2022, at Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, MD. The offer is valid through January 28 (or while supplies last) and limited to four (4) tickets per transaction.

The “Big House Gaines” ticket promotion for the highly anticipated CIAA Basketball Tournament, featuring 22 action-packed games, is now available via the CIAA league office along with select participating member institutions. Single-session tickets will go on sale in early February. Premium courtside and center court seating, in addition to general admission, can be purchased by calling (803) 535-5034 or emailing matisse.lee@claflin.edu.

In addition to the highly anticipated Division II basketball championship, the annual tournament will again offer a multitude of official celebratory affiliated events that appeal to a diverse demographic of alumni and fans, including community engagement, Super Saturday, step-shows, concerts. Staple events such as Fan Fest, Education Day, and Career Expo will again be featured during tournament week, one of the country’s premier college basketball and cultural experiences.

Newly announced artists confirmed to perform at the official CIAA events during Tournament Week include Big Daddy Kane, YoYo, Monie Luv, Rakim, and Michel’le. Previously announced performers included The Magnificent DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Legendary DJ Kool.

This will be the conference’s first basketball championship in Baltimore since 1952, after hosting a Charm City-themed virtual tournament experience in February 2021. Fan housing and hotel packages are currently available at ciaatournament.org.

COVID-19 Guidelines

To ensure that all appropriate health and safety protocols are being addressed due to COVID-19, the following safety plan and guidelines* have been developed.

Patrons at the CIAA Basketball Tournament will be REQUIRED to wear face coverings for all games in Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. Vaccinations are recommended but not required.
Those attending any official ancillary events during CIAA Tournament Week will be REQUIRED to wear face coverings. Proof of vaccination and/or negative COVID test results will be required at select private (Invitation-Only) events.

*Guidelines and Protocols are subject to change at any given time due to recommendations provided by the City of Baltimore, the State of Maryland, Center for Disease Control (CDC), NCAA Sports Science Institute, and the CIAA Athletic Trainers Association. Please check back periodically at the 2022 CIAA Basketball Tournament COVID 19 Guidelines and Protocols website for updates.

For more information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com. You can also like us on Facebook , follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and on Twitch. To get the latest updates on the CIAA Tournament, visit ciaatournament.org.

About the CIAA

Founded in 1912, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is the first, and longest running, African American athletic conference in the U.S. 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. In 2020, the conference celebrated the special 75th anniversary of its Championship Basketball Tournament - an event that has become a must-see in the African American community. The Basketball Tournament has been honored as a 2019 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, for both 2018 and 2019.

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the CIAA is governed by the Presidents and Chancellors of its 12 member-institutions: Bowie State University, Claflin 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. Chowan University is an associate member in football and women’s bowling.

Alumni News

Picture Project CLT, Charlotte, North Carolina’s newest interactive selfie museum and creative space, opened last month. Childhood best friends, Melissa Fuller (left) and Sharetha Holman Cooper, ’02, (right), birthed the Picture Project CLT concept in December 2020, in the wake of the COIVD-19 pandemic. Both creative entrepreneurs, Fuller, an event designer; and Cooper, a photographer; realized that people still wanted to celebrate life’s milestones, host events, and have unique spaces to create. Picture Project CLT is a 4,500 square feet space that boasts 30+ unique photo opportunities, has a dedicated event space within the museum and a fully functional 8-person podcast studio. For more information, visit www.pictureprojectclt.com

Carla Malloy Jefferson, ’97, has been elected to serve on the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) board of directors. ISTE, an education nonprofit that supports the use of technology to accelerate innovation in education, recently announced the results of its election for board of directors. Jefferson is currently the principal of the Darlington County Virtual Academy, a fully virtual option for the Darlington County School District. A 24-year veteran educator, she's been a classroom teacher, curriculum facilitator, and district level administrator. Jefferson’s work has been highlighted in several publications including ISTE Empowered Learner, Tech & Learning Magazine, and District Administrator.

Stephon Void, ’05, has published his first book of poetry in partnership with the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate Press. Titled From My Heart to Your Eyes: Poems of Faith and Social Justice, the book is a collection of poems on faith and justice. Void is a nuclear magnetic resonance technician in the Department of Chemistry at Claflin University. He is also a certified lay servant in the South Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church. Click here for more information on the book.

Acclaimed photographer Cecil J. Williams, '60, has created “Moments of Grace – The South Carolina History That Changed America” wall art series. “I believe we need something like this because often South Carolina’s history and the things that we did have been lost in history. We stand on the shoulders of many great people, but our history is not known,” Williams said in an interview with the Times and Democrat. The series is on display at the Cecil Williams Civil Right Museum in Orangeburg. Click here to read the story. [Photo courtesy of Dionne Gleaton/Times and Democrat]