@Claflin: Golden Class of 1970 and 1971, SCICU Excellence In Teaching Award and more

April 16, 2021

The World Needs Visionaries

Claflin University will host its spring Commencement Convocation on Saturday, April 24, at 9:30 a.m. This ceremony will celebrate the classes of 2020 and 2021 and will be held at the Orangeburg County Fairgrounds. It is a ticketed event, however, you can watch live on the University's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ClaflinUniversity1869.

Claflin University to Honor Golden Class Graduates During Virtual Baccalaureate Service

Claflin University will honor its "Golden Class" graduates during the 2021 Baccalaureate Service on Friday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m. You can watch the service on Claflin's YouTube channel or Facebook page.

Members of the Golden Class are Claflin alumni who are celebrating the 50th Anniversary of their graduation from "On a Hilltop High." These revered graduates have helped lay the foundation for Claflin’s legacy of producing globally- engaged visionary leaders.

This year, in addition to paying tribute to the Golden Class of 1971, Claflin University will also honor members of Golden Class of 1970 who were not celebrated last year due to COVID-19. The members of both Golden Classes will receive a Golden Diploma to commemorate their 50th Anniversary as leal and loyal sons and daughters of Claflin University. Let's celebrate the Golden Class of 1970 and the Golden Class of 1971.

Class of 1970

George Alexander
Clyde A. Bess
Rose M. Bland
Vera McKnight Bodison
Linda Tucker Booker
Gloria A. Grant Glover Breland
Clarence Bridges
Sally Black Bridges
Ludie Fulton Brown
Carolyn Oliver Campbell
Idella Waymer Carson
Lucinda Ladson Cohen
Queenie L. Crawford
Gladys Mayrant Evans (posthumously)
Vernetta Pinkney Frederick
Charles B. Gary
Christine Donna McPherson Harris
Velma Martin Haywood
Jenetha McCutcheon Hollis
Almeta Taiste Howell
Shirley Anne Hugee
Joseph H. Jefferson
Shirley Nelson Jefferson
Willa Marion Jennings
Deloris Williams Johnson
Liz Zimmerman Keitt
Linda Faust Keyton
Ernestine Kennedy King
Gloria Elaine Gantt Lambright
Janice Wannamaker Marshall
Eugene Mincer
Evelyn Bush Pringle
Ronald A. Ravenell
Thelma L. Brown Ravenell
Betty Jean Sanders (posthumously)
Joan Steward Stevens
Shirley Taylor
Glendra Smith Watson
Jennifer Green White
Patricia Jennings Williams
Jenette V. Wright

Class of 1971

Sherry Young Bess
Lillie A. Bonnette
Ollie Glover Boyd
Willie D. Briggman
Connie Irving Brown
Willie L. Burgess
Mattie Jackson Burroughs
Typhelyn Chalmers
Harvey E. Choplin
Alexander Cummings
Rosa Kennerly Dance
Mamie Jenkins Davis
Mary Frances DePass
Pearline Williams Friday
Brenda Brown Glaze
Deloris Dickerson Glover
Loretta Dash Greene
Samuel W. Hanna
Carolyn Harper
Jessica J. Hawkins
Jimmie Howell
Cassandra A. Jenkins
Barbara Brown Leaphart
Mazie Glover Lewis
Martha M. Logan
Earline Fleming McClary
Paul Edward Nelson
Cathelyn Peterkin Quick
Radine James Tate
Lou Ella Swinton
Lois Williams Thompson
Verlie Graham Tisdale
Veronica Copeland Vincent
Brenda D. Bines Watson
Audrey Lavelle Montgomery Wilborn
Connie D. Williams
Fred T. Williams

Claflin Students Win Awards at South Carolina Speech and Theatre Association's Annual College Festival

Claflin University students participated in the South Carolina Speech and Theatre Association's Annual College Festival on Saturday, March 20. Colleges and universities from across the state competed in three categories: Theatre, Public Speaking, and Performance. While the festival is normally held in-person and hosted by a different member institution every two years, it pivoted to a virtual platform, which was hosted by the University of South Carolina - Lancaster. Teams from USC Lancaster, Lander University, Newberry, and Northeastern Technical College competed as well. Claflin’s team consisted of Camryn Brutus, Kambria Cook, Miracle Lee, Jevauni Malcolm, Ni’Ray Nelson, Isaiah Robinson, Bryson Scott and Terrence Weeks. The students competed and placed in the following categories:

Musical Theatre Audition

1st – Kambria Cook

2nd - Miracle Lee

3rd – Isaiah Robinson

Duet Acting

3rd - Isaiah Robinson & Bryson Scott

Impromptu Speaking

1st – Jevauni Malcolm

Adjudicated Audition Monologues

2nd - Camryn Brutus

3rd – Jevauni Malcolm

Storytelling

1st – Kambria Cook

2nd – Jevauni Malcolm

Poetry Interpretation

2nd - Ni'Ray Nelson

Persuasive Speaking

2nd – Jevauni Malcolm

Triathlon Award

1st – Jevauni Malcolm

Sweepstakes Award

1st - Claflin University

For the first time since its inception, SCSTA voted to replace trophies with cash awards for first, second, and third place, recognizing the greater benefit and need for college students. SCSTA was founded in 1958 with a mission to encourage a passion for excellence in speech and theatre education in South Carolina. Claflin has been a member of SCSTA and has been competing in the college festival since 2008. Claflin served as host to the college festival in 2016 and 2017. Assistant Professor of Speech and Theatre, Cedric Rembert, serves as College Division vice president, and Annette Dees Grevious, associate professor of speech and drama, serves as a member-at-large on its executive council. Both have served as president of the organization previously. Rembert and Grevious coached this year’s team to success, receiving the sweepstakes award for most points awarded to a given school based on the number of points each participant received for each event in which they competed divided by the number of participants on their school’s team. This year marks the fourth sweepstakes award received by Team Claflin.

Faculty News

Michael Fairwell, instructor of mass communications, is the 2021 South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) Excellence In Teaching award winner for Claflin University.

For more than a decade, Fairwell has trained many Claflin students who are now working as producers, reporters, anchors, and media front-runners all over the country. Fairwell supervises more than 60 students each year in the Senior Project capstone course and guides them in the production of a proposal and media project. Fairwell’s internship class has launched many students as interns with CNN, ESPN, SCETV, and local and national television affiliates.

Claflin has recognized Fairwell’s leadership with numerous awards, including Professional Employee of the Year Award, School of Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty Excellence Award, and the Claflin University Quality Enhancement Plan Instructor of the Year. Fairwell has also been named Claflin University Advisor of the Year and faculty representative to the Claflin Board of Trustees.

Fairwell holds a Master of Media Arts degree with concentrations in television and film and a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and mass communications, both from the University of South Carolina-Columbia.

Outside of Claflin University, Fairwell owns a production company – the Fairwell Group. He recently produced LIVIC, a documentary about an iconic photographer during the Civil Rights Movement. In addition to the documentary, Fairwell’s production company has produced several commercials, infomercials, shorts films, and documentaries.

Fairwell holds memberships in the Broadcast Educators Association (BEA), South Carolina Broadcasters Association (SCBA), Radio Television and News Directors Association (RTNDA), South Carolina Media Educators Association (SCMEA), National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated.

Would you like to purchase Claflin University items for yourself or as gifts? Proceeds from the items above will support scholarships for the next generation of visionary leaders at Claflin University.

Click here to order today.

If you are paying by check, please make payable to Claflin University. Please put t-shirt size on the memo line. Mail to:

Claflin University

Attn: Marcus Burgess

400 Magnolia Street

Orangeburg, SC 29115

For more information, please call (803) 535-5348.