@Claflin: Location Change for Presidential Scholarship Gala and more

November 12, 2021

The World Needs Visionaries

Presidential Scholarship Gala Venue Moved to Claflin University

Due to the weather forecast for Friday, November 19, 2021, the Presidential Scholarship Gala featuring SWV has been relocated to the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex (Tullis Arena) on the campus of Claflin University. The University will still exercise COVID-19 safety protocols (the wearing of a face covering and proof of full vaccination).

The University is utilizing the CLEAR Health Pass (mobile app) for the verification of the COVID-19 vaccination. Attendees of the Gala will receive instructions on how to use the app after tickets have been purchased.

The event will honor a former Claflin University distinguished administrator, Mrs. Alice Carson Tisdale. Former First Lady Alice Carson Tisdale, who will be recognized posthumously, was the director of Claflin University’s honors college which bears her name. She was also the wife of the eighth president of Claflin University, Dr. Henry N. Tisdale.

2021 Homecoming Concert on November 18 to Feature Big Latto

2021 Homecoming Concert featuring Big Latto

Tickets are $30 for Claflin students and $45 for general admission. Click here to purchase your ticket. Click the video for a special message from Big Latto! Be sure to share the video to invite others to purchase tickets for the concert.

DJ Envy of The Breakfast Club is the Special Guest of the Homecoming Alumni Social

DJ Envy of The Breakfast Club will be the featured entertainer at Claflin University’s Homecoming Alumni Social on Friday, November 19, at 9 p.m. at The Cinema in Orangeburg. Come dance the night away to music and enjoy an evening of networking, great food, and cocktails. Tickets are $25. Purchase your tickets today at alumni.claflin.edu. Be sure to share the video to invite others to purchase tickets.

2021 Homecoming Schedule of Events - November 13-20

Please scan this QR code with your smart device or click here to visit the Homecoming web site to download the schedule.

The inauguration of Claflin University’s ninth president, Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack, will be held on November 19, 2021, at 10 a.m. This event will be broadcast live on Claflin University’s Facebook page. Because of COVID-19, attendance to the historic ceremony will be by invitation only. Dr. Warmack’s inauguration was originally scheduled for March 2020. However, the celebration was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Claflin University President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack Selected to NCAA Division II Presidents Council

Claflin University has earned national recognition as a premier liberal arts university that has been ranked by U.S. News and World Report as a “Top 10 Best Historically Black College/University” (HBCU) for 11 consecutive years. The University is also known for producing graduates who have achieved successful careers in every industry and profession.

Claflin’s legacy of global visionary leadership has taken a new path with the announcement that President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack was one of four new members elected to The NCAA Division II’s Presidents Council. The Presidents Council is Division II’s highest governance office.

The current Presidents Council comprises 16 members, all of whom serve as presidents or chancellors at their respective Division II institutions. Members of The Council are charged with setting the strategic direction for the division in all areas, including the division’s financial affairs and championships administration. Warmack will be the representative for Region 2 on the council. He will begin his term following the 2022 NCAA Convention and serve through January 2028.

“Being selected to the Presidents Council is a tremendous honor and a privilege,” said Warmack, a former Division II basketball standout at his alma mater, Delta State University. “Student-athletes make tremendous sacrifices to represent their colleges and universities in intercollegiate athletics. They are expected to excel in athletic competition and in the classroom, which is not easy. Fans often forget that college athletes are students first. Academics really is a top priority at Division II and Division III levels.”

Claflin University is a member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). Warmack is a member of the CIAA’s Board of Directors.

The Presidents Council is also the primary sponsor of legislative proposals at the NCAA Convention, and the chair of the Council moderates the Division II Business Session at the annual Convention.

Tickets on Sale Now for 2022 CIAA Basketball Championship Tournament in Baltimore

The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA®), the nation’s oldest historically Black athletic conference, is now offering a variety of ticket and hotel options for the 2022 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament set to tip-off February 22-26 at Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, MD.

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.

Premium courtside and center court seating, in addition to general admission, can also be purchased by calling (803) 535-5034 or emailing [email protected].

Ticket packages, which includes all men’s and women’s games held during the tournament week, are available starting at $200. Single-session tickets will go on sale in early February.

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.

Businesses looking to activate in Vendor Village at Fan Fest, tournament week’s signature ancillary experience, can apply and learn more details HERE.

Participant registration and vending opportunities for Career Expo as well as CIAA Education Day, which attracts over 6,000+ students annually, are now available HERE. Information for both events, which will offer in-person and virtual activation this year for the first time in the tournament’s history, is also available at ciaatournament.org.

For the best available lodging rates at a wide variety of hotels in the Baltimore area, tournament attendees are strongly encouraged to utilize ConferenceDirect, the CIAA’s official hotel booking partner. Information on booking hotel reservations can also be found at ciaatournament.org.

The CIAA and its partners are committed to providing a safe and healthy environment throughout tournament week and will follow all state and local COVID-19 guidelines and protocols. For more information on safety practices and guidelines, visit the COVID-19 Guidelines and Protocols landing page at ciaatournament.org. Updates to this information may occur based on public health recommendations, so potential attendees are strongly encouraged to review regularly.