Claflin University, S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice Partner to Provide DJJ Employees Greater Access to Degree Programs

The leaders of Claflin University and the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice have put pen to paper for an agreement that grants DJJ employees greater access to several of Claflin’s degree programs.

According to the memorandum of understanding signed on Thursday by Claflin President Dr. Henry N. Tisdale and DJJ Director Margaret H. Barber, Department of Juvenile Justice employees have the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or organizational management or Master of Business Administration degree from the University beginning this fall.

Courses will be offered via video conferencing at regional DJJ sites across the state as well as onsite in the Palmetto Conference Room at DJJ headquarters in Columbia. General education and prerequisite courses will also be available through Claflin Online, the University’s latest initiative that offers busy, working adults and current students more flexibility in achieving their educational goals.

DJJ employees who take advantage of this opportunity are eligible for Claflin University’s Partnership Scholarship Program, which will provide a 30 percent reduction in the University’s standard tuition per semester for those enrolled in one of the undergraduate programs and a 10 percent tuition reduction for those enrolled in the MBA program. Additional scholarship opportunities are available for those who qualify.

“Claflin University has historically been about access – increasing access to educational opportunities, and we see this as a unique way for us to carry out that commitment,” Tisdale said. “It’s through partnerships such as this that we can really expand opportunities for access and do it in a most cost-effective way for the students.”

Barber said there has been a great deal of interest from her staff about this opportunity.

“This is the start of something great,” she said. “The MBA is exciting to people. A lot of people kind of stop at the undergraduate level and don’t go further. The MBA is going to open a door for a lot of people, and the undergraduate degrees are very important to members of our staff who could not get there at one time in their life and they want to get there now.

“I look forward to this working relationship for the future of DJJ. I think we can make our staff stronger, and can help them become better staff and better people through the programs that are being offered.”

Students admitted to the degree programs must meet Claflin’s admission requirements and the admission requirements for each respective program of study. University student support services will be available and accessible to all eligible students.

For more information about the degree programs, contact Dr. Cindye Richburg (criminal justice or organizational management) at 803-535-5575 or crichburg@claflin.edu, or Dr. Matthew Guah (MBA) at 803-535-5689 or mguah@claflin.edu. For more information about Claflin Online, contact Dr. Anisah Bagasra at (803) 535-5742 or abagasra@claflin.edu.