Baccalaureate Service
Reverend Tiffany Knowlin Boykin
Friday, May 8, 2026 • 6 p.m.
Reverend Tiffany Knowlin Boykin, pastor at the historic Wesley United Methodist Church in downtown Columbia, S.C., will serve as the guest speaker for Claflin University’s Spring 2026 Baccalaureate Service on Friday, May 8, at 6 p.m. in the James and Dorothy Elmore Chapel.
The Baccalaureate Service is a longstanding Claflin tradition that serves as a meaningful prelude to Commencement, honoring graduating seniors through prayers, hymns, reflection, and words of inspiration.
A native of Marion, S.C., Boykin earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Columbia College before continuing her studies at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, where she received her Master of Divinity. She also earned a Master of Urban Policy Studies from Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.
During her time at Georgia State, Boykin worked with United Methodist Volunteers in Mission, helping coordinate and support mission experiences for individuals and groups serving communities in need.
Boykin previously served as pastor of College Place United Methodist Church in Columbia, becoming both the first African American and the first female to lead the congregation. In addition to her ministry, she has served as an adjunct professor at Columbia College, teaching “The African American Religious Experience” to undergraduate students.
Her leadership and service have also extended to organizations including Columbia College, the Sisters of Charity, and Habitat for Humanity, where she has served as a trustee and advocate for community engagement.
In June, Boykin will begin a new appointment as district superintendent of the Walterboro District of the South Carolina United Methodist Church.
She and her husband, Kareem, are the proud parents of Kale.