Claflin University Remains a Top Ten Institution in U.S. News and World Report’s 2022 List of Best Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Sep 14, 2021
“Claflin University not only survived—we thrived,” proclaimed Claflin President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack last fall after looking back at how quickly the University’s faculty, staff, students, and alumni adapted to the massive disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. By transitioning to innovative teaching and learning modules, and working cohesively as a team; essential administrative functions, academic departments, and other University programs continued to operate effectively. Despite numerous challenges associated with COVID-19, Claflin achieved national accreditation for the School of Education, approval to launch the new Master of Science in Nursing program during the Fall 2021 semester, and record-breaking fundraising success.
Claflin’s accomplishments did not go unnoticed as U.S. News and World Report ranked Claflin in the “Top 10” on its list of the nation’s Best Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs) for the 11thconsecutive year.
Claflin is the only HBCU in South Carolina ranked in the “Top 10.”
The prestigious publication ranked Claflin seventh in the Best Regional Colleges in the South category. Institutions in this group focus on undergraduate education but grant fewer than half their degrees in liberal arts disciplines.
Claflin was third in the U.S. News ranking of the Top Performers on Social Mobility for Regional Colleges in the South. Claflin is among the colleges that are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of students awarded Pell Grants.
“These rankings reflect our ongoing commitment to academic excellence and student success. They also serve as a tribute to our outstanding faculty and staff which during the past year, redefined teaching and learning at Claflin during a global pandemic,” said Warmack. “We applaud our students who also persevered and continued to pursue their dreams of earning a Claflin degree. Our leal and loyal alumni contributed to our impressive rankings by continuing to give generously to support our students and the mission of this historic University.”
The U.S. News & World Report’s Best HBCU ranking measures the quality of undergraduate education at historically Black colleges and universities. These HBCUs were compared only with one another for this ranking. A school must currently be listed as part of the White House and U.S. Department of Education's Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities to be included in U.S. News' HBCU ranking. To qualify for this U.S. News ranking, an HBCU also must be an undergraduate baccalaureate-granting institution that enrolls primarily first-year, first-time students and must be a school that is part of the 2022 Best Colleges rankings. In total, 79 HBCUs were eligible to be included on the list; 78 of those were ranked, and one was unranked.
Regional Colleges rankings are split into four regions: North, South, Midwest, and West.
Claflin also made U.S. News and World Report’s lists of colleges recognized for efforts to achieve economic diversity and as a Best Undergraduate Computer Science Program among the Regional Colleges in the South.
