By Helene Carter

Claflin University’s President Henry N. Tisdale and the Rev. Robert Cox, Chairman of the Board for The Oaks, announced a unique partnership to enhance the academic experience for Claflin students which provides reciprocal services for The Oaks.  Formerly known as the Methodist Oaks, the Orangeburg, South Carolina, residential community offers accommodations from active to assisted living.

The announcement came September 6, 2007, during the Matriculation Day Convocation, the official beginning of the 2007-2008 academic term, in Tullis Arena of the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Physical Education Center.

President Tisdale and Rev. James McGee, CEO and President for The Oaks,  orchestrated the partnership. It will benefit students from all of the academic Schools at Claflin.  The partnership has three components: The Oaks Scholarship Program, The Oaks Internship Program, and The Oaks Research Program.

The Oaks Scholarship consists of an annual $10,000 award made available to students who are pursuing undergraduate degrees in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences with links to the “senior living industry.” Dominique Nesbit, a sociology major and recipient of the 2007 Oaks Scholarship, will work on The Oaks campus to learn the senior living industry and engage in research. The Oaks scholar must be a rising senior, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or better on a 4.0 scale, plan to work in the senior living industry or related field, and have an unmet financial need. 

The Oaks Internship Program allows Claflin students to gain knowledge and practical training in their respective fields while earning a stipend. Crystal Chambers, the 2007 internship fellow, will conduct research and perform beneficial services for residents at The Oaks while pursuing a degree in sociology.

The Partnership also offers several part-time positions to Claflin students throughout the year.

The Oaks Research Program offers a plethora of opportunities for students who wish to conduct research in the senior living industry, gerontology, and environmental science. Currently, students under the guidance of Dr. Edythe Jones, assistant professor of biology, conduct valuable ecological research of wetlands and the natural inhabitants of Carolina bays. These isolated wetlands rest in shallow depressions that are largely fed by rain and shallow groundwater. There are four Carolina bays located throughout 122 acres of tupelo swamp and 6,000 feet of interpretive nature trails on The Oaks campus. Carolina bays are found primarily in Georgia and the Carolinas, but they range from Delaware to Florida and are estimated to be from 30,000 to 100,000 years old.

President Tisdale said of the Partnership, “The Oaks Partnership is yet another indicator that Claflin is moving in the right direction and well into a new era of transformation. The Oaks shares our vision and commitment to preparing our students to emerge as competent leaders in the global society and become servant leaders in the community in which they live.”

The Rev. James McGee likened the partnership to an infant, with the potential to grow and expand tremendously. “For years, we have worked with Mr. David Eikerenkoetter, assistant professor of sociology, and the gerontology class, offering an exchange of experiences for the students and our residents. Claflin and The Oaks have unique opportunities to exploit the relationship of what Claflin has achieved in the academic field and what we are doing in the field of aging to enhance the quality of life for the communities we serve.  Plus, we like each other....”

That the community views Claflin University as a sound investment is evident in the institution’s ability to garner generous support from various constituents. U.S. News & World Report, in its 2008 Guidebook to America’s Best Colleges and Universities, cited Claflin for its remarkably high rate of alumni giving (38%), which is among the highest in the nation for post-secondary institutions.  The national evaluator voted Claflin in the Top Ten of the Top Tier among best Baccalaureate institutions in the South.  Consumers Digest, in its June 2007 report, voted Claflin among the Top Five Best Value among Private Colleges and Universities in the nation.

To learn more about The Oaks which also provides nursing care, rehabilitation and respite services, please visit www.themethodistoaks.com.

To gain additional information about the Claflin University - The Oaks partnership, contact Dr. Peggy S. Ratliff, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at 535-5233 or pratliff@claflin.edu.