@Claflin: Claflin Alum Elected Bishop, Service of Remembrance, Homecoming Schedule of Activities and more

November 4, 2022

The World Needs Visionaries

Claflin University Alumna and Board of Trustee Member Rev. Dr. Robin Dease Elected a Bishop of The United Methodist Church

Claflin University Board of Trustee Member Rev. Dr. Robin Dease, ‘92, was elected a Bishop of the United Methodist Church during the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, on Thursday, November 3, 2022. She will be assigned to an episcopal area by the SEJ Episcopal committee effective January 1, 2023. Dease is the fourth Claflin alum to be elected a Bishop and she is a former chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Claflin University. Congratulations, Trustee Bishop-Elect Dease!

Rev. Dr. Robin Dease, senior pastor of St. Andrew By-The-Sea UMC in Hilton Head Island, was elected Thursday as a bishop of The United Methodist Church by delegates to the 2022 Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference.

Delegates elected Dease, 54, during the jurisdiction’s meeting at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, on the 25th ballot after two full days of voting. She received 206 votes out of 343 valid ballots cast – exactly the number needed to be elected (60 percent of valid ballots).

Bishop-Elect Dease – nominated as a write-in on the first ballot on Wednesday – was the third bishop elected by SEJ delegates, following the Rev. Tom Berlin of the Virginia Conference and the Rev. Connie Shelton of the Mississippi Conference. She is the first bishop elected from the South Carolina Conference since Bishop William Willimon’s election in 2004.

“Whenever I had the opportunity to lead or to serve, I would run home to my parents…and they’d say, ‘Now, don’t go down there and make us ’shamed!’” Dease told delegates upon her election. “My commitment to you is: I will never make you ’shamed.”

Struggling to speak through tears, Dease thanked her fellow delegates for the honor, noting that her parents and most of her 13 siblings had all joined the Church Triumphant, with those remaining physically incapable of being there.

“But you are my family,” she said to resounding applause. Then, looking to the Rev. Ken Nelson, the endorsed nominee of the South Carolina Conference, in the audience, she added, “And Ken is my brother and my friend.”

Rev. Nelson was one of the first persons Dease embraced when the final ballot was announced.

“The South Carolina Conference is deeply elated to elect a faithful and fruitful leader who will help lead our church into the future,” he said. “We pray God’s blessings and promise our support along the way.”

Jackie Jenkins, lay delegate from St. Mark UMC in St. George and head of South Carolina’s SEJ delegation, said Palmetto State United Methodists are celebrating.

“In South Carolina, we are blessed with clergy who are committed to Wesleyan theology, spirituality and practices, and Robin Dease epitomizes those qualities,” Jenkins said. “Her election is a blessing for South Carolina – but even more so, it is a blessing for The United Methodist Church.”

Dease, who served as superintendent of the Hartsville District for eight years before her appointment as senior pastor of St. Andrew By-The-Sea, was born in Brooklyn, New York. After moving to South Carolina, she graduated from Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, in 1992. She earned a master of divinity degree and a doctor of ministry degree in stewardship from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

She joined the South Carolina Conference in 1992, became a full-time local pastor in 1998, and was ordained an elder in 2001. She has served as pastor of Wesley UMC in Johns Island (1998-2008), John Wesley UMC in Greenville (2008-2012), and St. Andrew By-The-Sea UMC in Hilton Head (2021-present). She also has served as superintendent of the Hartsville District (2013-2021), and in 2012, was interim chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Claflin University in Orangeburg.

Her appointment as senior pastor at St. Andrew By-The-Sea made her the first African-American woman to serve as lead pastor of a historically white United Methodist church in South Carolina.

Dease has been involved in numerous denominational and conference boards and committees, and has been active in other organizations in the communities where she has served (Ministerial Alliance, Chamber of Commerce, United Way Faith-Based Committee).

She was elected by the Southeastern Jurisdiction’s 364 total delegates – an equal number of United Methodist clergy and laity, from the nine states forming the Southeastern Jurisdiction. The assignments of bishops in the Southeastern Jurisdiction for the next two years were scheduled to be announced on Friday. Dease’s two-year term of service begins January 1. In the United States, bishops are elected to serve for life.

[by UMCSC | Nov 3, 2022 | Conference Updates, Florence District, Front Page, Greenville District, Greenwood District, Hartsville District, Marion District, Orangeburg District, Rock Hill District, Spartanburg District, Walterboro District]

Countdown "All American Hilltop Homecoming"

Greetings,

It is indeed my pleasure to invite you to our 2022 Homecoming activities on November 12-19, 2022. In 1869, Claflin University was founded to provide high-quality academic preparation for all students "without regard to gender, race, religion, or ethnic origin." Homecoming Week provides Claflin an opportunity to celebrate 153 years of producing graduates who represent Claflin in leadership positions in business and industry, education, government, performing and visual arts, science and technology, and other professions.

We are extremely proud of the University’s accomplishments, and our Leal and Loyal Alumni have helped make them possible. U.S. News and World Report recently ranked Claflin No. 1 in Annual Alumni Giving Percentage among the nation’s HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities). The prestigious publication also ranked Claflin in the Top 10 on its list of "The Best HBCUs" for the 12th consecutive year, and College Choice listed Claflin in its Top 10 among the 25 Best Colleges in South Carolina. These recognitions further illustrate why Claflin is one of the region’s premier liberal arts universities.

I look forward to seeing you soon at the place where it all began – Claflin University.

Sincerely,

Zelda M. Lee, '77

Director of the Annual Fund/Alumni Relations

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2022

Hilltop Affair Ball

7 - 11 p.m.

Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex, Auxiliary (Panther) Gym

Tickets: $10. Click here for tickets.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2022

J’s & Jesus

11 a.m.

James and Dorothy Z. Elmore Chapel

The Crowning of Mister and Miss Homecoming

3 p.m.

W.V. Middleton Fine Arts Center Auditorium

Wild Wild West Late Night Meltdown

10 p.m. - 12 a.m.

Panther Plaza

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2022

Morris College Homegoing Service and Car Smash

3 p.m.

Kleist Hall Parking Lot

Men’s Basketball vs. Allen University

7 p.m.

Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex, Tullis Arena

Click here to purchase tickets.

Toga Party

10 p.m. - 1 a.m.

Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex, Auxiliary Gym

Click here for free tickets.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2022

Dorm Stroll-Off

12-2 p.m.

Panther Plaza

Dorm Step Show

7 p.m.

Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex, Tullis Arena

Click here for free tickets.

Claflin University International Alumni Association Virtual Executive Meeting

7-8 p.m.

Contact Zelda M. Lee at zelee@claflin.edu for more information.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2022

Miss & Mister Fried Chicken Wednesday Meltdown & Fashion Show

12-2 p.m.

Panther Plaza

Hilltop Bonfire

9 p.m.

Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex Gravel Parking Lot

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2022

Homecoming Concert featuring Toosii

Doors open at 7 p.m.

Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex, Tullis Arena

General Admission $20. Click here to purchase tickets.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2022

A Service of Remembrance for Mrs. Alice Carson Tisdale & the Dedication of the Tisdale Memorial Garden

11 a.m.

Tingley Memorial Hall Courtyard

Email adglover@claflin.edu to RSVP.

Presidential Scholarship Gala featuring Midnight Star

7 p.m.

Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex, Tullis Arena

(Sold Out)

Dream Gospel Choir Concert

7 p.m.

W.V. Middleton Fine Arts Center Auditorium

CU Wine Down (21 and up only)

10 p.m.

Join your friends for an unforgettable evening of networking and conversation while enjoying great food, music, and cocktails. Casual attire.

Orangeburg County Conference Center

1643 Russell St, Orangeburg, SC 29115

Tickets: $25. Click here to purchase tickets.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2022

Leadership Giving Brunch (Invitation Only)

10 a.m.

Orangeburg County Conference Center

1643 Russell St, Orangeburg, SC 29115

For more information, contact Mrs. Samantha Scott at

(803) 535-5665 or samscott@claflin.edu

Panther Den and Tailgate Experience

12 p.m. - until

Tent and parking lot of the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex

Enjoy the company of your classmates during Claflin’ s ultimate tailgating experience – Burgess Brothers Famous Barbecue, good music and lots of fun.

Homecoming Game vs. Morris College

Women's Basketball 1:30 p.m.

Men's Basketball 3:30 p.m.

Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex

Tickets; $20. Click here to purchase tickets.

NPHC Greek Step Show

8 p.m.

Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex

Tickets: $20. Click here to purchase tickets.

Orange and Maroon Dance

9 p.m.

Come dressed to impress (dressy attire) for a night of fun, tasty cuisine and cocktails.

Orangeburg County Conference Center

1643 Russell St, Orangeburg, SC 29115

Tickets: $35. Click here to purchase tickets.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2022

Alumni Farewell Brunch

12 - 4 p.m.

Orangeburg County Conference Center

Click here to purchase tickets.

The story of Midnight Star began in 1976 on the campus of Kentucky State University in Frankfort, KY. Two musical kindred spirits, trumpeter Reggie Calloway and saxophonist Bill Simmons, set their sights on creating a new band. The two friends had a vision of assembling spectacular musicians and entertainers who shared their dream of making it big in the music industry. Reggie and Bill enlisted fellow Kentucky State University students Belinda Lipscomb (lead vocals), Kenneth Gant (bass, vocals) Jeff Cooper (guitar), Boaz Watson (lead vocals, keyboards), Melvin Gentry (vocals, guitar, drums) to join in their quest for greatness. The group quickly developed a reputation locally as a jamming party band at dances, covering top 40 material of the day. They later added guitarist Dana Mattison and trombonist Vincent Calloway (Reggie’s younger brother).

As the group pursued their journey into the music business, Midnight Star demonstrated natural camaraderie rarely experienced in the industry. This type of immediate unity cannot be forced or replicated: college friends dedicated to living together, enjoying themselves and sharing their passion for music. They rehearsed 5-days a week and toured clubs throughout Kentucky, Ohio & Indiana. Within two-years of its inception, Midnight Star showcased in New York City. This 1978 showcase inspired Solar Records chief Dick Griffey to sign the group to his label.

After being signed, the group was swiftly swept into the studio to record its first album, “The Beginning.” The album wasn’t an instant success, but it was a promising debut that made for some terrific listening. Released in 1980, “The Beginning” spawned one minor hit, “Make It Last” and received meaningful airplay with the soulful ballad “Searching for Love.”

The group was still establishing a name for themselves on the national stage with the release of their second album, “Standing Together,” in 1981. Two mid-charting singles "I've Been Watching You" and “Tuff” exuded the characteristics of how great the band would soon be. In 1982 the third album, “Victory,” which yielded the mid-charting "Hot Spot," was an exercise in experimentation when Dick Griffey suggested that the band produce the album themselves with Reggie Calloway at the helm. Also, drummer Bobby Lovelace joined the group in late 1982, freeing Melvin Gentry to sing and play guitar exclusively.

Solar Records stuck by the group and the patience would pay off in 1983. On the fourth album, the phenomenal “No Parking on the Dance Floor,” Midnight Star was able to reap the rewards of its hard work. The technofunk classic "Freak-AZoid", the title cut "No Parking on the Dance Floor" and the absorbing "Wet My Whistle" helped propel the group to new heights and launched Midnight Star into superstar status. The album, though, did not rely on growth solely from the single releases. Album cuts were beginning to jump off the vinyl, as the vibrant "Electricity" and the romantic ballad, "Slow Jam," made their respective paths to the dance floors and radio airwaves. The “No Parking on the Dance Floor” album reached an amazing milestone in the group’s career with an over 2-million units sold and RIAA Double Platinum Certification.

Album five, “Planetary Invasion,” led way the following year with the group's first No. 1 R&B hit, "Operator." Using the creativity of a busy phone line signal and an operator's voice, the tune was completely mesmerizing and managed to remain at the No. 1 position for five weeks. The infectious and timeless album track "Curious" pushed its way onto radio and is still favorite to listening audiences to this day! “Curious” has been sampled multiple time by various Hip Hop artist. “Planetary Invasion” also became a huge success across the Atlantic, elevating Midnight Star to international status. Midnight Star struck gold again in 1986 with the exploding “Headlines” album, which opened the group's next period with a hit single of the same title. But another single from the album, the golden "Midas Touch," really made the difference. The tune's gentle melody created another bonified chart topper. This would be the last album with the Calloway brothers, who left the band to pursue a career as music producers. The group carried on its the hit making ways with the self-titled Midnight Star album in 1988. Both "Don't Rock the Boat," which featured a guest appearance by Whodini, and the quirky "Snake in the Grass" jumped into Billboard Magazine's R&B Top 10. Midnight Star broke into the 90’s with the smash “Do It (One More Time)” from “Work it Out,” an album that also featured the sultry ballads “Red Roses” and “Love of My Life.”

After a long hiatus from the stage, it became obvious to the group that the performing bug had hit them. It was time to give themselves and fans what they all were missing… Midnight Star concerts. The band reassembled in 1998 with Belinda Lipscomb, Melvin Gentry, Bo Watson, Bill Simmons, Kenneth Gant and Bobby Lovelace and quickly hit the concert circuit. In 1999 to support of touring, Capitol Records/Right Stuff released the Midnight Star "Anniversary Collection" which CD covered many of their past hits. It also gave the band the opportunity to contribute a brand new "Slow Jam Live" and Freak-A-Zoid remix track for the CD. In 2002 the Midnight Star released their first album in over 12 years, entitled "15th Avenue.

For the group, it’s been a thrilling rollercoaster ride, from obscure beginnings at Kentucky State University through the halls of Solar Records and onto stardom. Midnight Star created for itself an enviable track record that so many in the music business today would love to call their own. And not to say that hit records are the only true make-up of a group, it is what the music invokes in the listening public and the ability to sustain that feeling for a length of time. Midnight Star continues to perform its music to sold out halls and arenas all over the world.

Claflin University to Host A Service of Remembrance for Former First Lady Alice Carson Tisdale and Dedication of the Tisdale Memorial Garden

When asked to share his reflections on former First Lady Alice Carson Tisdale’s immeasurable contributions to and influence at Claflin University and throughout South Carolina, her husband, president emeritus Henry N. Tisdale responded quickly and effusively.

“Alice was First Lady and Partner like you would not believe, said Dr. Tisdale, who served as Claflin’s eighth president for 25 years. While I was raising funds for the University, Alice was a friend-raiser. She was renowned for her hospitality and left an indelible mark on countless University events. Alice was always out in the community, making friends and bringing them to the campus.”

Both Dr. Tisdale and Mrs. Tisdale retired during the summer of 2019. A year later, First Lady Tisdale lost her valiant struggle with breast cancer.

Claflin University and the Tisdale family will honor Mrs. Tisdale’s legacy as a compassionate educator and inspirational visionary leader with a Service of Remembrance and Dedication of the Tisdale Memorial Garden on Friday, November 18, at 11 a.m., at the Tingley Memorial Hall Courtyard on 400 Magnolia Street in Orangeburg, S.C.

The Tisdale family celebrated her life with a private service on August 1, 2020.

Following the funeral, the family began planning to celebrate Mrs. Tisdale’s life publicly at the place they called home for a quarter of a century.

“After we received the approval of Claflin’s Board of Trustees and Claflin President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack, we began planning the celebration,” Dr. Tisdale said. “That’s when I decided ‘On a Hilltop High’ would be our final resting place. We asked renowned artist, Dr. Leo Twiggs (Class of 1956), to lead the effort to build and design what would become Tisdale Memorial Garden. And to our delight, he agreed.”

Twiggs’s recommendation for the site was approved, and Tisdale Memorial Garden was constructed in the Tingley Memorial Hall courtyard in Claflin University’s historic district. It is the most elevated area in Orangeburg County.

“Dr. Twiggs’s creativity and vision as an artist and alumnus were very important to our family and me,” said Dr. Tisdale. “Twiggs worked with me as an artist-in-residence at Claflin. He also worked closely with Alice on various programs at the University. Alice was a lover of the arts, so they also had a good relationship.”

It’s significant that Tisdale Memorial Garden will provide Mrs. Tisdale with a lasting presence on Claflin’s picturesque landscape. She was primarily responsible for transforming Claflin into one of the nation’s most attractive campuses. Black Southern Belle Magazine listed Claflin as a “Heavenly Campus” because of the University’s vivid, green lawns, impeccably - manicured shrubbery, and the aesthetics of its historic buildings.

“Alice insisted we plant flowers, and she was a partner in Claflin Pride Day. She played a vital role in changing the look and making it a beautiful campus,” Tisdale said. “Shortly after we arrived at Claflin when I was appointed president, Alice visited every dorm and selected the colors and the décor for each building. She wanted the students to feel good about being at Claflin. She led the effort to coordinate the colors and themes you see around the campus. She created what is now considered the ‘Claflin Look’ on campus.”

As a “friend-raiser," Mrs. Tisdale was a member of numerous organizations, including the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Beta Zeta Omega Chapter.

She hosted the First Lady’s Hats and Gloves Scholarship Tea which attracted hundreds of guests each year from throughout South Carolina and neighboring states. It was one of the region’s most popular events.

However, Mrs. Tisdale’s most impactful contributions to Claflin occurred during her remarkable tenure as the founder and director of what became the Alice Carson Tisdale Honors College.

“After we arrived at Claflin in 1994 from Delaware, I informed the board chair that I believed we had someone who could take over the honors program and do a fabulous job establishing an honors college,” Dr. Tisdale said. “Alice started the program with 80 students before the enrollment grew to more than 300 students.”

The eponymous Honors College, named in Mrs. Tisdale’s honor by Claflin’s Board of Trustees, became an academic unit and a college within the University. “The Alice Carson Tisdale Honors College became more than a schedule of activities – the focus was on major academic programs,” said Dr. Tisdale.

“Alice went out and helped recruit high achieving high school scholars to the College. She spent many nights on the phone convincing students that Claflin would be a great place to pursue their college degrees. When these students enrolled at Claflin, Alice would mentor them. She was there for them around the clock on nights and weekends.”

Mrs. Tisdale recruited a cadre of academically talented students. Some received prestigious international and national scholarships, including J. William Fulbright, Harry S. Truman, Thomas Pickering, and Gates Millennium scholarships.

During her leadership, students were also selected for internships and career opportunities at Fortune 500 companies and leading research facilities. ACT Honors College students also surpassed 90 percent retention and graduation rates.

“Alice provided exceptional leadership for the ACT Honors College and the program’s success was astounding,” Dr. Tisdale said. “However, by coming to Claflin, she sacrificed her career ambitions in mid-level education, where in Delaware, she was a rising star.”

Before moving to South Carolina, Alice’s career in mid-level education was on an upward trajectory in the state of Delaware. She had received several honors and awards in mid-level education. But that career ended when she followed her husband to Claflin.

“She came to Claflin without a job -- to support me. Alice came because she believed it was God’s plan for us to be here,” said Dr. Tisdale. “She believed in me and that I could provide leadership and vision at Claflin. It was incredible for someone with her accomplishments who had become increasingly prominent in her position not to follow her career path. That’s why she was First Lady and Partner like you would not believe.”

Dr. Tisdale feels the Tisdale Memorial Garden is a tribute to what Claflin has accomplished over the past 25 years, which has provided the University with the momentum it enjoys today.

“It speaks volumes for Claflin University,” Tisdale said. “It symbolizes that what was created during that period is helping to sustain the University’s current growth and progress. There were outstanding leaders and great people at Claflin, and the past accomplishments were not a fluke. The administrators, faculty, and staff – Team Claflin – were very serious and committed to academics and student success-focused programs. That’s why Claflin continues to climb higher and higher in the national rankings.”

Note: To attend the Service of Remembrance and Dedication Service of the Tisdale Memorial Garden on Friday, November 18, please email adglover@claflin.edu.

PantherCam - Honors College Takes a Road Trip

Students of the Alice Carson Tisdale Honors College recently visited the Cecil Williams South Carolina Civil Rights Museum in Orangeburg. The museum holds 35 historical exhibits consisting of 500 photographs and over 200 artifacts depicting the civil rights movement in South Carolina during the 1950s and 1960s. The exhibits focus on major events such as the Briggs v. Elliott Supreme Court case, the Orangeburg Freedom Movement, Harvey Gantt's admission to Clemson University, the Orangeburg Massacre, and the 1969 Charleston hospital strike. Click here to see a recent documentary produced by PBS Charlotte on the Museum.

Alumni News

The Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center is featuring an exhibition of the works of one of the region's most successful visual artists, Floyd Gordon, '80. The exhibit, "Floyd Gordon: Sixty Years of Retrospection" is open through December 23, 2022. A reception for Gordon will be held on Wednesday, November 9. The Arts Center's opening hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Early Bird Tickets On Sale for 2023 CIAA Basketball Tournament

The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA®), the nation’s oldest historically Black athletic conference, returns to Baltimore, Maryland for the 2023 Men's and Women's Championship Basketball Tournament. The CIAA Basketball Tournament will be held at the newly renamed CFG Bank Arena from February 21-25, 2023.

Ticket packages for the CIAA tournament week are now on-sale at a special EARLY BIRD rate of $50 off any seat, any ticket until November 13, or while supplies last. Offer is limited to four tickets per transaction.

Early bird general admissions ticket specials and premium courtside seats can be purchased via Ticketmaster by visiting here.

Fans, alumni, and attendees wishing to make hotel reservations can select and book their lodging for Baltimore by contacting ConferenceDirect or by calling (844) 293-6678.

Regular priced ticket packages will be available online via Ticketmaster. Group sales inquiries can be made via the conference office by emailing Jenell Howard directly at jhoward@theciaa.com or by calling (704) 910-2133, Ext. 405 later in November. For more information about the 2023 CIAA Basketball Tournament in Baltimore, visit www.ciaatournament.org.