Claflin University President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack is among the inaugural honorees of the NAACP 2026 Advancement List, a premier national recognition program that celebrates exceptional professionals across industries who shatter barriers, pioneer innovation, and serve as powerful role models for the Black community. Leaders are selected for their visionary guidance, creativity, and tangible impact in transforming markets, shaping culture, and fostering a more equitable future. Warmack was selected in the Education category.
According to Trovon Williams, Founder and Creator of the Advancement List and SVP of Marketing and Communications at the NAACP, "Black excellence is not confined to one sector, one title, or one moment. The NAACP Advancement List is about affirming the power of our community across industries — from boardrooms to classrooms, from studios to startups. We must intentionally celebrate those who are building, innovating, leading, and advancing our people forward every single day."
Since arriving on August 1, 2019, as Claflin University's ninth president, Warmack has fostered a progressive vision for Elevation and Transformation at South Carolina's oldest Historically Black College/University (HBCU). His prescient and dynamic leadership has earned Claflin a distinctive national and global reputation. Claflin has experienced record fundraising, academic innovation, and exponential expansion of the University’s historic landscape.
Claflin consistently ranks among the Top 10 on the U.S. News & World Report’s annual list of the Best Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs). Claflin ranks No. 1 among HBCUs in South Carolina and No. 5 among all colleges/universities in South Carolina. Claflin is also the Palmetto State’s top-ranked national liberal arts college/university in Social Mobility. This category measures how well a university enrolls and graduates economically disadvantaged students, specifically those awarded Pell Grants.
Claflin’s unprecedented fundraising success was amplified by a $20 million transformational gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott in 2021. Claflin’s endowment of more than $90 million represents an increase of more than 237% during Warmack's tenure as president. The University’s total assets have grown to more than $233 million—an increase of more than 117%.
Warmack worked with S.C. Congressman James Clyburn to secure more than $17 million in federal funding for the new Center for Biotechnology and Innovation, which will broaden access to advanced technology and expand research for Claflin faculty and students. He secured more than $3.5 million from the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham to support funding for Claflin’s new Public Health Center, which will serve as the new home for Claflin’s Department of Nursing. Claflin is the only South Carolina HBCU that offers bachelor’s (RN to BSN) and master’s degrees in nursing.
Claflin expanded its physical footprint beyond the main campus by purchasing the historic Kress building in downtown Orangeburg. The facility acts as an accelerator/incubator hub designed to scale local minority- and women-owned businesses.
In 2024, Warmack successfully elevated the institution's profile in STEM and innovation by hosting the inaugural HBCU Tech Summit. U.S. Representative Ro Khanna and Dr. Jennifer Clyburn Reed co-hosted the event, bringing together federal leaders, major technology corporations, and top innovators to expand workforce opportunities for HBCU students.
In November 2022, Claflin’s Reaffirmation of Accreditation with No Recommendations by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) explicitly acknowledged the University’s exceptional academic programs and Warmack’s progressive leadership.
Warmack’s awards include the Times & Democrat Person of the Year in 2025, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) 2025 President’s Award, 2025 Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders, and 2025 UNCF Institutional Excellence Award — National UNITE Summit. Warmack currently chairs the SC Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission. He previously served as the organization's vice chair.