Bishop Simeon Moultrie to Serve as Guest Speaker for Claflin University Matriculation Day Convocation

Bishop Simeon Moultrie, founder and lead pastor at The Brook, located in Columbia, S.C., will be the guest speaker for Claflin University’s 156^th Matriculation Day Convocation on Tuesday,  Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. in the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex.  The program is not open to the public, but it can be seen on the official Claflin University Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ClaflinUniversity1869/.

In addition to seminary studies, Moultrie received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history and a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling at South Carolina State University. Extending his reach beyond the walls of the church, he is a well-respected community leader and astute businessman. Simeon and his wife Nikki share their legacy of uplifting their community with their three children: Dominic, Nicholas, and Brielle.

Other highlights of the program will include remarks by Claflin President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack, installation of Student Government Association (SGA) officers, and performances by the Claflin University Concert Choir.  Dr. Karina Liles, chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, will deliver the Faculty Tribute.

Matriculation Day Convocation is a Claflin tradition that marks the official start of the new academic year.

U.S. News and World Report has ranked Claflin among the Top 10 Best Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for 13 consecutive years and No. 9 in the Top Performers in the Social Mobility category. The Social Mobility category measures colleges and universities that enroll and graduate a significant number of students who receive Pell Grants.

At Claflin, these students earn degrees that prepare them for professional careers or to continue their education in graduate school.  Washington Monthly Magazine ranked Claflin among the nation’s Top 100 Liberal Arts Colleges/Universities.

Claflin received more than 9,000 applications for the 2024-25 academic year and accepted more than 600. The Class of 2028 comprises a dynamic and diverse group of high-achieving scholars. The collective grade point average of the class is 3.60, with average scores of 1046.80 on the SAT and 19.35 on the ACT.   The top three majors are biology, business administration, and psychology.

Warmack began his tenure as Claflin’s ninth president in August 2019. As architect of the “Elevation and Transformation” Claflin has experienced since his arrival, Warmack has spearheaded unprecedented success in fundraising for scholarships and campus renovations. Claflin has also established consequential partnerships nationwide and globally that expand pedagogical and research opportunities for University faculty and staff.

Claflin did not have to travel far to attract some of this year’s talented students, as 14 graduates from Orangeburg’s High School of Health Professions (HSHP) and 13 from Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School enrolled at the University. Several were among the 37 scholars who earned admission into the Alice Carson Tisdale Honors College. Nineteen outstanding first-year students were awarded Meeting Street Foundation Scholarships, and fourteen were recipients of James E. Clyburn/Rudolph Canzater Scholarships.

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