Reverend Ken Nelson will be the guest speaker for Claflin University's Baccalaureate Service at 6 p.m., on Friday, May 5, in the Tullis Arena at the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex.
The Baccalaureate Service is an interfaith service offering farewell to the graduates of Claflin University. The service is open to all graduating students and their families. Commencement Convocation will take place on Saturday, May 6, at 10 a.m. in the Tullis Arena at the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex.
Rev. Ken Nelson is the Orangeburg District Superintendent for the South Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church.
Rev. Nelson was born in Beaufort, South Carolina, and graduated from Newberry College in 1990 with a bachelor of arts degree in sociology, religion and philosophy.
Rev. Nelson was ordained in 1995 following his 1993 graduation from Duke Divinity School with a Master of Divinity Degree. Before his appointment as coordinator of Clergy Services, he served as a congregational specialist and as the conference African-American Ministries coordinator, and at Silver Hill Memorial UMC-Spartanburg, Centenary UMC-Kingsville, St. John’s UMC-Aiken, Mt. Zion UMC-Sumter and St. Mark UMC-Sumter. He also has served as assistant dean and director of religious life at Duke University Chapel.
In addition to Rev. Nelson’s work in local churches and on conference staff, he has served in many ways, including on the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and district committees on Ministry, as a member of the General Board of Church and Society, and as a delegate to five General Conferences and four Jurisdictional Conferences.