U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton Addresses Class of 2007

L-R: Claflin University President, Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, presents Honorary Doctor of Laws to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton

By Helene Carter

Claflin University’s Commencement Convocation took center stage in Orangeburg, South Carolina, on Saturday, May 12, 2007, with U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for president, as its featured speaker.  Senator Clinton addressed 321 students in the Class of 2007, personally shook the hand of every graduate and joined them as a proud Claflinite when she received the Honorary Doctor of Laws.

In his introduction of Senator Clinton, President Henry N. Tisdale presented a long list of her extraordinary leadership accomplishments, saying, “Just like Claflin, Senator Clinton is committed to educational excellence, and, as we also say on a Hilltop High, she is indeed the real McCoy.” 

When Senator Clinton took the podium, she thanked President Tisdale for his noble work, referencing numerous honors and awards bestowed upon the university as a testament to his visionary leadership.  The Class of 2007, faculty, staff, alumni and friends nodded in approval and honored Dr. Tisdale with a standing ovation.

Senator Clinton reminded the Class of 2007 that they were among a select and fortunate group of young people in the United States and in the world. She encouraged the graduates to adhere to the golden rule, “Do unto others as ye would have them do unto you.”  While urging the graduates to give others the help they received during their matriculation, she said, “Give them the opportunity to chart their own course in life and we will reap the benefits in the future.” 

“Those behind you stood there with their work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope; in a real way each of you are a glorious result of that faith, love, hope and work.”  As the Senator urged the Class of 2007 to show their appreciation for those who guided and supported them, the graduates stood and applauded their parents, extended families and friends.

She lauded Claflin for opening its doors to all students regardless of race, religion or gender during an era when women did not have the right to vote and segregation was at its height.  Commenting upon Claflin’s bold move in 1869 to open its doors to many, giving them the "right to live up to their God-given potential," she said, “It was nothing short of revolutionary.”

“We have seen the power of a Claflin education in action,” said Senator Clinton, pointing to Retired Chief Justice Ernest A. Finney, Jr., who was among those in attendance, adding, “There weren’t many opportunities for African Americans during his time as a lawyer.  While he faced obstacles, he had something no one could take away, his Claflin diploma and a law degree, which were his passport to opportunity and confidence within himself.”

Chief Justice Finney, a graduate of Claflin University, went on to become a renowned civil rights attorney, South Carolina’s first African American circuit judge and the state’s first African American chief justice on the South Carolina Supreme Court.

Senator Clinton, an advocate for education, said, “We should do more to prepare people who are college material.”  She went on to say we need to give them the mentoring, the tutoring and the remedial education they might need, citing Claflin’s GEAR-UP and TRIO as programs that are beneficial because "they both prepare students for college and demand parent involvement.” 

“We have a responsibility to help young people to succeed” was the empowering, overarching message from Senator Clinton.  In her closing remarks, Senator Clinton encouraged the graduates to join those who came before them and continue the traditions that made it possible for the members of the Class of 2007 to reach this milestone.

Senator Clinton, in her closing remarks, encouraged the graduates to join those who came before them and continue the traditions that made it possible for the members of the Class of 2007 to reach this milestone.

Applauding Senator Clinton’s message, President Tisdale commented, “Senator Clinton epitomizes the true definition of a public servant.”  He thanked her for continuing to be a champion for civil rights, human rights, educational access and social justice.

Claflin awarded the first Master of Science in Biotechnology degrees and the first Master of Education in Educational Studies degrees since the establishment of the two programs in 2005 and 2006, respectively.

Claflin University, located in Orangeburg, SC, is an independent four-year liberal arts institution accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.  The undergraduate research institution enrolls nearly 1,800 students and offers 33 majors and three graduate programs.

U.S. News & World Report has ranked Claflin in the top tier as an outstanding comprehensive liberal arts institution in the Southeast region for the past 11 years.  Recently, Consumers Digest ranked Claflin number three in the top five best value private colleges and universities in the nation.   And Chronicle of Higher Education listed Claflin as having the second highest graduation rate among very selective HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).

For more information about Claflin University, please visit the university’s website at www.claflin.edu.