Be prepared, Claflin alum and Founders' Day speaker advises

“My topic is simply this: Be prepared,” said Founders Day guest speaker S.C. Rep. Joseph H. Jefferson Jr., a member the Claflin class of 1970.

“Be prepared,” said Jefferson again as he continued by quoting Ephesians 6:11. He stressed being mindful of the world  in reference to Ephesians 6:11 and that people need to cloth themselves with the armor of God in order to go through life.

Jefferson said he is proud to be an alumnus and praised Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, president of Claflin University, for how beautiful the campus surroundings look and for leading the university to greater heights. He praised the teachers as well and hailed them as the core of the educational institution.

Prior preparation is essential,” Jefferson said at the Nov. 22 event. “We don’t all grasp at the same level of information, so it’s imperative that each of us to determine the speed at which we’re able to explore, comprehend and gather information.”

He also said that once one gathers information, confidence is required to explain such information.

“We all fall down, but getting up is the key,” said Jefferson, who was quoting a coach of a high school football team in South Carolina.  He also talks about how lucky the present generation is, because during his time at Claflin in the 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement was at its peak.

He said that he was going to push for a two-year nursing program to be established at Claflin University.

Also at the convocation:

·         Tisdale welcomed new members to the trustee board in his opening address and noted  the day marks the founding of the first HBCU in South Carolina.

·         Tisdale honored the families of the nine victims who were slain on June 17 at the historic Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. A tribute in the form of a memorial citation was received by Jennifer Pinckney, the widow of one of the victims, the Rev. and Sen. Clementa C. Pinckney. Two scholarships have also been set up in the memory of the Rev. Pinckney.

·         This year’s presidential citation was awarded to Barbara Johnson-Williams, president of the Orangeburg chapter of NAACP.