Brigadier General Twanda Young to Serve as Keynote Speaker at Claflin University's 2018 Spring Convocation
Claflin University will hold its annual Spring Convocation on Thursday, January 25, at 11 a.m. in Tullis Arena at Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Physical Education Center with Brigadier General Twanda Young delivering the keynote address. The convocation signals the start of the 2018 Spring Semester. Classes will be suspended at the University from 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. to allow campus-wide attendance. Admission is free and open to the public.
Young graduated from Claflin in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in English. She participated in the Army ROTC program at Claflin University through the cross-enrollment agreement with South Carolina State University. She was the first female commissioned from the ROTC program to earn the rank of Brigadier General. Young earned a master's degree in adult education at South Carolina State and a master's in executive development from Ball State University. She also holds a master's degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
Young has served in command and staff positions in the continental United States and Hawaii with First Army, Joint Forces Command, U.S. Army Reserve Command, and in Afghanistan with NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (NTM-A/CSTC-A). Among her other key assignments were G1, U.S. Army Reserve Command; Commander, Theater Support Group-Pacific; Army Reserve Warrior Transition Liaison Program Manager; CJ1, Chief Strategic Initiatives (Kabul, Afghanistan); and Executive Training Officer, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Division.
Young was the recipient of the 2010 Order of the Saint Maurice presented by the 197th Infantry Brigade and the 2011 Horatio Gates Bronze medal by the Adjutant General Regiment. Her military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service.