The School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Newsletter
Claflin University
Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, President
Fall 2010
Volume 10 No. 1 The World Needs Visionaries
By Dr. Peggy S. Ratliff, Dean
The award-winning School of
Humanities and Social Sciences
welcomes back all faculty, staff and
students. We have added several new
faculty and staff members to our School
and the Claflin Family.
Read the column Goodbye and
welcome to get acquainted with new
Dr. Peggy Ratliff faculty members who have joined the
School.
Congratulations to Dr. Camille Kantor, who recently
earned her doctoral degree in geography. She is no stranger
to the University, having served for several semesters as an
adjunct professor; she joins the Department of History and
Sociology as an instructor of geography.
Additionally, we are proud to welcome two new staff
members: Ms. Tynisha Jones joins the Department of English
and Foreign Languages as an associate administrative
assistant, and Ms. Carolyn Goodman, associate administrative
assistant, joins the Department of Philosophy and Religion.
With the experience and skills of these new faculty and
staff members, we are even better equipped to serve the
Claflin family and the surrounding community. Moreover, we
are looking forward to working with these new members as
we implement several new majors and mentor returning
students who have selected a major in a discipline in the
humanities or social sciences.
A section on new faculty provides more information on
the faculty listed above and sections on each department
also provide accomplishments of our faculty, staff and
students. We were deeply saddened in May 2010
by the passing of Dr. Preston Blakely, associate professor of
mass communication. Be sure to read the special section of
this newsletter as we lift him up in memoriam as a colleague
and a friend.
Overall, the School is off to a good start, and we are
looking forward to a most productive academic year.
This newsletter is available on the website http://www.claflin.edu/Academic/School_Hum-SocialSciences.html
We develop the whole person
Stand to make a positive
difference
By Mandakini Hiremath
When a friend of mine said that she had been wrong-
fully insulted, I bombarded her with “What? When?
Where? Why? How” before she finished her sentence.
However, she seemed very hurt and wasn’t ready to talk
about what had happened. I tried to provide her with so-
lace by speaking about the positive aspects that we en-
counter in everyday life. The world we live in may not be
perfect, but it is still a wonderful place to live. Therefore, I
asked her to try to put that incident out of her mind, hop-
ing that the guilty party’s conscience will have to answer
for the injustice.
Let us bow our heads in faith to thank the God Al-
mighty for his amazing creation. Should we pause to glance
at those who are loud and vain or too passive to lend a
hand to make a positive contribution, to make a differ-
ence, and say to them, “Thank you for nothing”? Or should
we follow William James’ pearl of wisdom, “The art of
being wise is knowing what to ignore,” and move forward
in gratitude with a smile for those who take a firm stand
and lend their firm hands to make this world each day a
better place to live in peace and justice?
Each one’s time on earth is limited. There is only so
much energy that anyone is bestowed with in this life time.
Energy is power. One should not waste it. One can do
only so much in a given time, so he or she should not dwell
on negative things. One should be happy to join the com-
munity of just, happy and positive thinkers who are al-
ways ready to lend a hand to uplift the downtrodden, to
make a difference. These positive contributors are des-
tined to stay on top because they need always to stand on
top in order to be able to lift someone else up. They are
See POSITIVE DIFFERENCE, page16
Page 2 Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter

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The School of Humanities and
Department of Art
By Mr. Winston Kennedy, Chair
Social Sciences Newsletter
Dean Dr. Kod Igwe, professor of art, has been doing applied research and creating
Dr. Peggy S. Ratliff a unique sculpture that will be unveiled at the Orangeburg County Fine Arts
Center on October 27, 2010, at 5:30 p.m. The artwork, recently approved by
Compiler the City Council, is dedicated to the mayor and the City Council of the City of
Mandakini Hiremath
Orangeburg. The Fine Arts Center is located at 649 Riverside Drive.
Editors Mr. Herman Keith, assistant professor and immediate past director of the
Linda R. Hill Arthur Rose Museum, is also the former chairman of the Department of Art.
Mandakini Hiremath Mr. Keith has been a significant chronicler of the legacy of Arthur Rose, a
Design and Layout pioneering art educator who left us a rich tradition in the visual arts at Claflin
Mandakini Hiremath University. After organizing a series of important exhibitions over the years, Mr.
Keith has vigorously returned to his studio. This past summer he created a
series of twenty paintings. He employed his “key motif” when he attended
Special Thanks to FACETS – the Fine Arts Enrichment Teaching Studios, here in Orangeburg.
Dr. Peggy S. Ratliff, dean of the school Mr. Habibur Rahman, associate professor and immediate past chair of
of Humanities and Social Sciences, for the Department of Art, is the founding professor of the digital design program in
giving me the opportunity to produce the the department. He was awarded a 2010 Summer Research Grant from the
newsletter. Center for Excellence in Teaching at Claflin University. Mr. Rahman began the
task of organizing, writing and editing a monograph on the graphic design work
Ms. Linda R. Hill, assistant professor of
English, for agreeing to work with me that he has created for the Arthur Rose Museum over the last several years.
as an editor. Due to the fact that his computers have been upgraded more than three times
during his tenure, retrieval of images and text has been a problematic task –
Members of the School and Depart- increasing the difficulty of the present work. It is an important moment in a
ment Chairs for their contributions. graphic designer’s life when a monograph is organized and published. In this
instance the monograph, in one sense, is a catalogue raisonne. It permits
Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, president, and
Claflin University and beyond to reflect and understand an important aspect of
Dr. George E. Miller, III, vice president
for academic affairs, for encouragement. his contributions to the visual art and design programs at Claflin University.
Mr. Jelani Thomas, assistant professor, began a large series of artworks
that will eventually contain at least twenty paintings and drawings that visually
Finally, I sincerely appreciate all the
reference and investigate the Afro Brazilian Capoeira of Angola art form. Sub-
compliments from my administrators,
ject categories represented in the series are derived from the musical instru-
co-workers, students, and friends on the
ments of Capoeira; the singing of traditional songs; the martial games of Capoeira
previous issues of the newsletter and the
Angola; and, from within these games, the ritual calls and gestures known as
columns that are printed in The Times
chamadas. In his applied research Mr. Thomas
and Democrat. These encouraging
employs four different media to convey the discrete
words are a source of motivation.
formal visual references
The School of Humanities and to realize his imaging: pen and ink; pastels; oil paints;
Social Sciences publishes its and digital painting. The completed series will con-
newsletter periodically; therefore, tain five works executed in each medium. The se-
please bring your stories to the ries will be completed by April 2011.
compiler, Mrs. Hiremath. I am in Additionally, Mr. Thomas attended a one-week
the Writing Center, GTK, room # Art Educators Forum at the Savannah College of
228, ext. 5422. Your stories should Art and Design during the summer of 2010. His re-
be typed using Microsoft word. search during this program was funded through a
You may e-mail attachments at Summer Research Grant from the Center for Ex-
mhiremath@claflin.edu. cellence in Teaching at Claflin University. His re- Study of Flamingo by
See ART DEPARTMENT, page 12 Mr. Terrance Robinson
Page 3
Goodbye and welcome
By Mandakini Hiremath
As the 2009-2010 academic year ended, a few col-
leagues moved on to their chosen destinations. Our school
misses each departing member, but life has to go on. As it’s
said, persons may come and go, but institutions stay intact.
The beginning of each academic year is filled with new aspi-
rations, promises and challenges. Each member of the Claflin
family is expected to persevere and to meet expectations.
As we welcome new freshmen and transfer students, we
also gladly welcome new faculty members who have joined
the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Let us look
forward to working together to accomplish Claflin
University’s mission.
Dr. Tiffany Boyd Adams joins us as an assistant pro-
fessor in the Department of English and
Foreign Languages. Before coming to
Claflin University, she was an adjunct
professor at Winthrop University in Rock
Hill, SC, and at UNC-Charlotte.
Dr. Adams earned her Ph.D. in En-
glish from the University of Georgia in
Athens in December 2009, her master’s
Dr. T. Adams degree from Morgan State University in
Baltimore, MD, and her bachelor’s de-
gree from the University of South Carolina, Columbia. Her
teaching and research areas of specialization are twentieth-
century Anglophone Caribbean literature and twentieth-cen-
tury African American literature.
Dr. Adams was awarded the Manuscript, Archive, and
Rare Books Library (MARBL) Fellowship in July 2009
from Emory University. She studied the non-fiction prose of
Alice Walker and the Universal Negro Improvement
Association’s (U.N.I.A.) business and personal letters of
Marcus Garvey and his wife Amy Garvey. She lived and
studied in Trinidad at the University of the West Indies.
When asked why she chose Claflin and what she plans
to accomplish, Dr. Adams answered, “I chose to work at
Claflin University because it can provide me with opportu-
nities for growth and leadership.” She added, “While at
Claflin, I plan to lead my students by example. I am com-
mitted to being a responsible and knowledgeable teacher
who aims to make her students informed, global citizens. I
also plan to continue to build a strong record of publications
and research so that I can be an influential voice in Carib-
bean Studies.”
Proud mom, Dr. Adams says, “I have an awesome
daughter named Naima Simone.”
This newsletter is available on the website http://www.claflin.edu/Academic/School_Hum-SocialSciences.html
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
Ms. Gloria D. Brogdon, native of Aylett, Virginia, joins
us as an instructor in the Department of
Mass Communications. She earned her
B.S. in print journalism from Bowie State
University and MLA in broadcast jour-
nalism/television production and
scriptwriting from Oklahoma City Uni-
versity. Ms. Brogdon has thirteen years
Ms. G. Brogdon
of teaching experience at both the uni-
versity and secondary levels. She served as a department
chair at Virginia Union University for three years and has
extensive experience with software for website development
and use, Adobe Creative Suites, media technology, and media
education. Ms. Brogdon teaches basic writing and web con-
vergence/production classes and will assist with our online
website for The Panther.
Ms. Brogdon is a professional videographer, and has
created several full-length and short productions. Currently
Ms. Brogdon is a Ph.D. candidate in media art and text
(MATX) interdisciplinary studies at Virginia Commonwealth
University.
When asked why she chose Claflin and what she plans
to accomplish, Ms. Brogdon answered, “I chose Claflin
because I feel the University has a great Communications
Department. My accomplishments at Claflin University are
directly connected to the needs of the students.”
Dr. Nathaniel Frederick, II, a 2002 Claflin graduate,
returns to his alma mater as an assistant
professor in the Department of Mass
Communications. Dr. Frederick earned
his Ph.D. in mass communications in
2009 and his master’s degree in media
studies in 2004 from the Pennsylvania
Dr. N. Frederick State University and his B.A. in mass
communications from Claflin University.
Dr. Frederick spent several years teaching as an adjunct
and teaching assistant while attending school, and served as
the Frederick Douglass Postdoctoral Scholar in the Com-
munication Studies Department at the California University
of Pennsylvania before joining the faculty. Dr. Frederick
teaches theory and foundations courses for the department
and will oversee the honors thesis courses and development
for the department. Most recently he was invited to speak
on a panel; he discussed the topic Gospel Music and So-
cial Consciousness, 1945-1960.
See, NEW MEMBERS, page 4
Page 4
NEW MEMBERS - continued from page 3
Dr. Frederick has presented his research twice overseas
at international conferences at the Collegium for African
American Research in Bremen, Germany. His research was
also competitively selected for the International Communi-
cation Association Conference in Dresden, Germany. There
he presented a paper entitled A Couple of White Guys
Sittin’ ‘Round Talkin’: Representations of Masculinity and
Commodification in ‘Frasier.’
When asked why he chose Claflin and what he plans to
accomplish, Dr. Frederick answered, “Claflin University is
my alma mater, and Orangeburg is my hometown. I have a
special relationship with this university and the community.
When I finished my degree from Claflin, I wanted to work in
the television industry. In graduate school, I took a course
that made me realize that media is constructed to make us
think a certain way about the world. This course led me to
think about media more critically. Instead of working in the
industry, I chose to study the industry. As a professor, I can
share these ideas with students. My greatest satisfaction as
a teacher is having a positive influence on young persons
and showing them new ways to think about the world. That
type of influence stays with someone for a lifetime. My pro-
fessors at Claflin inspired me to attend graduate school, so
my goal is to be that inspiration for someone else.” He added,
“I hope to expose students to different aspects of media by
inviting both media practitioners as well as scholars to share
their experiences and insights.”
In his spare time, Dr. Frederick enjoys traveling and
watching movies, especially documentaries.
Dr. Camelia-Maria Kantor, originally from Romania,
Eastern Europe, after teaching part time for
two years, joins us as an instructor of geog-
raphy in the Department of History and So-
ciology. She earned her Ph.D. in human ge-
ography and regional development from
Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Ro-
Dr. C. Kantor mania, and her M.B.A. from Claflin Univer-
sity, Orangeburg, South Carolina, in 2010.
In addition she has earned following degrees:
• Master’s degree in education management, 1
Decembrie 1918 University, Alba-Iulia, Romania
(2006)
• Master’s degree in regional development, Babes-
Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania (2005)
• Undergraduate studies in geo-informatics , Babes-
Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania (2004)
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
• Bachelor’s degree (French and English), Babes-
Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania (2003)
When asked why she chose Claflin and what she plans
to accomplish, Dr. Kantor answered, “I chose to become a
member of the Claflin University family primarily because I
found here a lot of warmth, understanding, and friendly
people. From the very first days of school, I felt integrated
and received support from faculty and staff, which made my
transition almost imperceptible. Being both a Claflin gradu-
ate student and a part-time faculty for two years, I proudly
felt like a liaison between the student body and the faculty,
which made me even more aware of the bonds that have
been established throughout the years between the two, lead-
ing to the creation of a successful institution.” She added,
“My goal for the future is to establish a full-fledged geogra-
phy department, but mostly to introduce GIS courses, since
HBCU’s have had little access to this relatively new tech-
nology, which could benefit all majors, not only those inter-
ested in areas related to geography.”
Talking about her academic special achievements, ad-
ventures, and contributions, Dr. Kantor said, “My most re-
cent achievement of which I am particularly proud is getting
my Ph.D., the result of five years of intensive study and indi-
vidual work. Secondly, I managed to present at four confer-
ences this year, two of which were international conferences,
Rural Space and Local Development, Romania, and the 2nd
Serbian Geographers Congress. The other two were held
by Duke University and Claflin University. I was also a re-
cipient of Who’s Who in America and graduated with a 4.00
GPA from the MBA program at Claflin University.”
Mr. Winston Kennedy joins as a professor of art, chair
of the Department of Art, and director
of the Arthur Rose Museum. He comes
from the suburbs of Washington, DC,
Hyattsville, MD. He has also lived in
New York City and Washington, DC.
He earned the Bachelor of Arts degree
(magna cum laude) from North
Mr. W. Kennedy
Carolina Central University, Durham,
North Carolina, in 1970 and the Master
of Fine Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill in 1972.
Mr. Kennedy was previously chairman of the Department
of Art and director of the Gallery of Art at Howard University,
where he accomplished most of his academic and
See, NEW MEMBERS, page 5
Page 5
NEW MEMBERS - continued from page 4
administrative goals. He took early retirement from Howard
University in 2001. His wife, at that time, had won the
McArthur “Genius Grant” Fellowship, and she was
subsequently offered her dream professorship at New York
University. He thought it was appropriate to support her
dreams, so they moved to New York City. In New York, he
became a Schomburg Scholar at the Schomburg Center for
Research in Black Culture, NYPL. He did research in
documents and art objects concerning two subjects: “Out of
the Shadows: The Image of Black Men in Fine Arts and
Popular Prints” and “A History of African American
Printmakers from 1724 to the Present Day.” Although he
has written articles and given lectures in the United States
and Europe (University of Paris 7) on this subject, he,
nevertheless, anticipate that he will complete this research
and publish on the same early in his tenure at Claflin University.
He has found some interesting materials concerning
Charleston slave printers working in 1750 at the South
Carolina Historical Society in Charleston. This work
continues.
When asked why he chose Claflin and what he plans to
accomplish, Mr. Kennedy answered, “I was impressed by
Claflin University’s ranking by external evaluators, especially
its ranking among HBCU’s. Additionally, although I was born
in Bridgeton, NJ, I consider Orangeburg to be my primary
ancestral home on my maternal side. I lived here for ten
years as a child, although on my paternal side my ancestral
home is Jamaica, WI.” He added, “I plan to build a superior
art program at Claflin University. I believe that the faculty
has begun to assist me in that process through their current
careful review of and recommendations on the various
programs in the Department. Our intent is to become a
regionally important art program in two to three years. After
this time, with continuing effective work, we should be able
to obtain a national ranking as a leader in African American
art. We wish to challenge the standing of Howard University
and Spelman in the visual arts. We wish to deliver an
increasingly superior program for our students.”
Mr. Kennedy states that one of his academic
achievements during his first tenure as chair of the Art
Department was tripling the departmental budget from
$15,000 to $45,000. The Gallery of Art’s budget was also
tripled from $7,000 to $21,000. The Art Department’s
general operating budget was $1,300,000+. Mr. Kennedy
presented a series of annual exhibitions in the Gallery of Art.
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
Many were reviewed by the Washington Post. He
wrote the NASAD self-study report and hosted the
evaluation team, nurturing the eventual full accreditation of
the department. During his second term as chair, he advanced
student enrollment in the Art Department from 60 students
to 160 students and completely replaced all studio and office
furniture and was able to secure a major warehouse facility
to which their sculpture program was relocated; additionally,
individual studios were provided for MFA graduate students.
Dr. Emmanuel N. Ngwang joins us as a professor in
the Department of English and Foreign
Languages. After graduating from the
University of Yaoundé with a B.A. in 1977
and an MAT in English and Teaching English
in 1978, Dr. Ngwang gained admission into
the University of Wisconsin in the fall of 1980
Dr. Ngwang
to do an M.A. in American literature.
However, in the spring of 1981, he transferred to Central
State University (now the University of Central Oklahoma),
Edmond, Oklahoma, where he later obtained an M.A. in
English in December 1981. That spring he gained admission
into Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, where he
earned his Ph.D. in American literature with a specialization
in 19th and 20th Century American drama in 1986. Before
coming to Claflin Dr. Ngwang taught at Oklahoma State
University for four years as a graduate associate; University
of Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 1987-1997, where he moved
up to the rank of associate professor and acting chair of the
Department of English, coordinator of Graduate (M.A. and
doctoral) Programs; Kentucky State University, Frankfort,
Kentucky from 1997-2003 and Mississippi Valley State
University from 2003-2010.
Dr. Ngwang has won significant recognition in academia
both in Cameroon and the U.S. Of particular note are the
2000 Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers; 2002 Who’s
Who Among American Teachers; 2002-2003 College of
Arts and Sciences Excellence in Scholarship & Creative
Award, Kentucky State University, Frankfort, Kentucky;
and the 2004 Mississippi Humanities Teacher Award for
Excellence in Teaching & Research, Jackson, Mississippi.
Dr. Ngwang’s research interests have shifted to postcolonial
literature with emphasis on dramatic literature. Some of his
recent publications include “Arrah’s Existential Dilemma: A
Study of Tanyi-Tang’s Arrah” in Cameroon Literature in
English: Critical Essay on Fiction and Drama (2010);
See, NEW MEMBERS, page 6
Page 6
NEW MEMBERS - continued from page
“Spaces, Gender, and Healing in Alice Walker’s The Color
Purple (1982); “Mariama Bâ’s So Long a Letter,” a
chapter in New Urges in Postcolonial Literature:
Widening Horizons (2009); “Re-Configuration of
Colonialism or the Negation of the Self in Postcolonial
Cameroon in Bole Butake’s Plays,” a chapter in
Reconceiving Postcolonialism: Visions and Revisions
(2009); “Buchi Emecheta’s Destination Biafra: A Feminist
(Re)-Writing of the Nigerian Civil War,” a chapter in The
Journal of African Literature, Vol. 5: War and Conflict
(2008); “In Search of Cultural Identity or a Futile Search
for Anchor: Africa in Selected African American Literary
Works” in Identities and Voices: ALIZES No.12; Revue
Angliciste de la Réeunion (2007); “Female Empowerment
and Political Change: A Study of Bole Butake’s Lake God,
The Survivors, and And Palm Wine Will Flow…” in
ALIZES (TRADE WINDS): A Journal of English Studies.
No.23 (2004); and “Literature as Politics: Revisiting Bole
Butake’s Lake God and Other Plays in The Literary
Griot: An International Journal of African-World
Expressive Culture Studies, Vol. 14.
When asked why he chose Claflin and what he plans to
accomplish, Dr. Ngwang answered, “I was attracted to
Claflin University because of Claflin University’s history and
reputation. As I move towards the end of my teaching career,
I want to end it with and on a winning team; I wanted to be
part of the growing popularity of the Claflin family that has
distinguished itself in the many fields of excellence and
tradition. For a poor teacher, there is no greater joy and
reward than moving into the world and meeting visionary
leaders who can point back at you and say, ‘He was my
teacher.’ And who doesn’t want to be part of a winning
team!” He added, “I bring with me a global perspective
built on the experience of having studied and taught on two
continents and lived in several different states and other
parts of the U.S. I hope to accomplish an extra push for
love of scholarship and publication among the students. I
want to infect the students with my love for scholarship,
publications, and research and hope to add African
Literature, which does not feature prominently in the
literature program except in the English Department’s World
Literature II. I strongly believe that every HBCU should
endeavor to teach a pure African-based program as part
of its historical heritage, and African Literature tends to
encompass and embrace the humanistic values of such
programs. Hopefully, I can add this missing link to the English
The World Needs Visionaries
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
5
program and to the African American Studies specialization.
So far I have been encouraged by the fellowship and
friendliness of my colleagues and the eagerness and thirst
for knowledge I have discerned in my students.”
Dr. Ngwang’s special interests include traveling, reading,
and playing soccer (football).
Dr. Donald K. Pardlow, a resident of Chattanooga,
Tennessee, joins us as an assistant professor
of English in the Department of English and
Foreign Languages. He earned his Ph.D. in
English Rhetoric and Linguistics from Indiana
University of Pennsylvania in 2003, an M.A.
in British and American literature from the
Dr. Pardlow
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in
1994, and a B.A. in writing and American literature from
the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1990.
Having taught in the community college system of Georgia
for the past nine years, he now teaches sections of English
composition and the Honors thesis seminars at Claflin.
When asked why he chose Claflin and what he plans to
accomplish, Dr. Pardlow answered, “Since I finished my
dissertation, I had been looking to move on to a four-year
college, an institution where I could teach a wider variety
of classes and complete more of my research. I think that
my cognition-centered pedagogies for teaching language
could well serve the university’s unique goal of training
visionary thinkers and leaders.”
His revised dissertation, Flight for Flatland, was
published last year by VDM Verlag Dr. Mueller Publishing,
and his first volume of verse, Notes of a “Gypsy” Scholar,
is currently under editorial review by University Research
Press (NM). In addition to a collection of short fiction, he
is currently working on monographs about deductive logic
and student creativity. His hobbies are creative writing,
ancient languages, and chess.
Mr. Colin Patrick Pool, a native of Mobile, Alabama,
joined us as an instructor of mass
communications in the Spring of 2010 to
fill our need for a sound production faculty
member. He earned the Master of Fine
Arts degree in Recording Arts and
Technologies from Middle Tennessee
Mr. Colin Pool
State University in Murfreesboro and
Bachelor of Arts in History and Bachelor
of Music degrees from the University of South Alabama.
See, NEW MEMBERS, page10
Page 7
Department of English and Foreign Languages
The Department of English and Foreign Languages
welcomes five new members: Dr. Tiffany Boyd-Adams,
assistant professor of English; Dr. Emanuel Ngwang,
professor of English; Dr. David Pardlow, assistant professor
of English; Dr. Jorge Salvo, associate professor of Spanish.
Our faculty members continue to engage in research and
attend conferences and workshops. Dr. Sharynn Owens
Etheridge attended the UNCF Mellon Faculty Seminar in
Atlanta, Georgia, July 6-12. Its theme was “UNCF Mellon
Programs Archival Research Institute Legacies and Treasures:
Exploring the Archival Collection of Black Intellectual
Scholar-Activists.” Her research focus was African American
Harlem Renaissance writer Langston Hughes.
She also attended the Summative ADEPT Formal
Evaluation of Classroom-Based Teacher Training recently.
The training was sponsored by the South Carolina
Department of Education.
Dr. Gaynell Gavin’s recent publications include essays
and a poem: “The Wedding,” Vermont Literary Review,
XII, 2010, 67-74; “Anarchy Barbie, Attorney-at-Large,”
“In Brief: An American Tale,” and “Leftovers,” Legal Studies
Forum XXXIV.2, 2010, 633-650; and “The Change,”
Arcadia 1, Spring 2010, 77.
With summer 2010 funding assistance from the Center
for Excellence in Teaching, Dr. Gavin attended the Rustbelt
Roethke Writers Conference at Saginaw Valley State
Study abroad notes
By Dr. D. Gene Pace, Director of Study Abroad.
Recently, Claflin University students
have taken a particular interest in foreign
study. During the fall 2010 semester alone,
seven students are studying abroad, a
larger number than in the previous two
years combined (2008-2010). Several
Dr. D. Gene Pace additional students plan to do so during
the fall 2011 semester. Those studying in
foreign countries during the fall semester are Carolyn Smith
(Kenya),
Brandon Singleton (Japan), Amani Turnage (England),
Mary Remy (France), Aaron Shepard (Spain), Beije Allen-
Nichols (Spain), and Afton Anderson (Spain). During the
previous two years, five of the six Claflin University study-
abroad students were from Trinidad; the other was from
the U.S. (five females, one male). This semester, all seven
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
University in July. While at the conference, she gave a well-
attended invited reading at the United Church of Christ in
Midland, MI.
Last spring, at the invitation of Dr. Mitch Mackinem, Dr.
Gavin gave the presentation “Some of My Best Friends are
Sociologists: Literary Nonfiction and Sociology” as the
keynote address at the Annual Meeting of the South Carolina
Sociological Association.
The Ninth Annual Claflin University Conference on
Contemporary English and Language Arts Pedagogy in
Secondary and Postsecondary Institutions was held on
October 27-29, 2010, in Ministers’ Hall, Claflin University.
The theme for the Conference was “Locating Voices:
Community and Literacy.”
Also joining the department are approximately 10 new
majors. These students will major in English, English
Education or American Studies. The Department offers
majors in English, American Studies, and English Education,
and minors in the aforementioned subjects and Gender
Studies, French, Spanish and Theatre.
Speaking of majors, the Department is proud of the
accomplishments of all its majors, but would especially like
to congratulate Tiffany Miller on being named a Woodrow
Wilson Fellow, and UNCF/Mellon Fellows Isaiah Jones,
Erin Swinney and Shatavia Wynn.
study-abroad students are African-American (five females,
two males).
Afton Anderson wrote from Spain: “Both Baije and I
did, indeed, arrive at our destinations safely. As you may
know, our first destination was London, which I absolutely
loved! We took a tour of the city and I was amazed by the
ancient and modern architecture London has to offer. We
also got a chance to see the queen’s palace, which was a
phenomenal sight. I was really awed by the richness of the
city, the shopping, the architecture, the monuments, the
PEOPLE! It was a different world altogether and I definitely
would not mind living there one day if I ever got the
opportunity. We arrived in Granada on Tuesday, where we
met our host families. I absolutely love ours! Our senora is
See, STUDY ABROAD, page
Page 8 Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter

Claflin University’s Eighth Annual Pedagogy Conference

By Dr. Susan Till

Dr. Till and students in the linguistics class by Alice Walker and Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy
presented a paper entitled “One Poem, Allison,” examines the hegemonic origin and structure of
Many Journeys” at the ninth annual gender roles in novels written by Southern women. Dr. Till
Pedagogy Conference sponsored by the contends that societal and institutional structures of hierar-
Department of English and Foreign Lan- chy that privilege some and marginalize other are often in-
guages on October 27-29, 2010. In visible to readers who simply “read literature” rather than
their study of how home and community “study texts.” She explores the paradigm developed by
Dr. Susan Till experiences the linguist Norman Fairclough for
shape not only critical language study.
one’s literacy but also one’s iden- Fairclough provides an approach
tity, the students wrote their own for collective groups, such as col-
“Where I’m From” poems. The lege and university classes, to un-
students created a collective pre- mask power structures in lan-
sentation, consisting of one stanza guage. When students critically
from each of their individual po- examine the narratives of the fe-
ems. The combined poem re- male protagonists Celie in The
flected a collage of life events, be- Color Purple by Alice Walker
ginning with birth and ending with and Bone in Bastard Out of
the present. Each student read her Carolina by Dorothy Allison,
original stanza. After the session, they uncover continuing systems
the student writers/linguists an- Top Left to Right: Destinee Moore, Danielle Scott, of hegemony that reify feminine
Patrice Cooper, Rasheeda Wright, Tasha Smith,
swered questions from the audi- Bottom Left to Right: Katrina Dickey, Angela Primus, compliance and masculine domi-
ence about their insights in con- Tanika Morrison nance.
structing personal “Where I’m Absent from Photo: Mary Chisolm, Christina Grant, The novels reveal a patriarchal
From” poems. Vestina Jackson world, reinforced by society,
Women in Popular Culture Conference church, and family. Walker and
Dr. Susan Till presented a paper at the Women in Popular Allison narrate stories told by young girls imprisoned by
Culture Conference held at South Carolina State Univer- the normalization of male dominance and female submis-
sity, October 21-23. Her presentation, entitled “Gender sion, a reality that results in violence, which dehumanizes
Roles in the American South: Voices from The Color Purple perpetrators as well as victims.

STUDY ABROAD - continued from page 7

so nice and she feeds us very well :-) We have already
started our intensive Spanish courses, where are taught in
Spanish with not a lick of English! lol but it is great because
it forces us to use Spanish and learn the language. Even the
people in Granada, in the stores, restaurants . . . speak
[no] or little English; so I hope to be fluent when I get
back. Yesterday, we visited the Alhambra. It was the most
magnificent sight I have seen since I have been in Granada.
This fortified palace was jaw-dropping, as every room and
every ruin held some of the richest history one could only
imagine. From the Alhambra, there was the most fantastic
view of the ancient town, which we will be visiting next
week. I loved the Alhambra as well and if I ever get the
chance, I will definitely go back :-)”
We are currently seeking to expand the number of
exchange programs with foreign institutions to include such
countries as Turkey, China, Equatorial Guinea, and
Cameroon. Brandon Singleton’s blog may be found at http:/
/neoclassical09injapan.blogspot.com/. Dr. Pace plans to
collaborate with and support Mr. Lee Tant, assistant
director of public relations at CU, to sustain an international
studies blog that will feature all of our students who study
abroad.
Page 9
Department of History and Sociology
By Dr. Christopher Curtis, Chair
It would be foolish to think that
research excellence is found only
in the biotechnology and chemis-
try laboratories at Claflin. After only
its second year in existence, the
Department’s Social Science Re-
search Initiative is already bearing
substantial fruit. Last spring, de-
Dr. C. Curtis partmental students travelled
across the region to deliver re-
search presentations at academic conferences. In March,
senior Bridget Perry and junior Keara Washington made
presentations at the Black Psychology Conference hosted
by Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Vir-
ginia. Perry presented her paper on changing perceptions
among African Americans on death and mourning, while
Washington presented her poster analyzing factors that re-
cur when domestic abuse devolves into homicide. In April,
eight students – Shawna Griffin, Karon Hopkins, Nicola
Whitley, Takiah Corbett, Keara Washington, Tris Thrower,
Maggie Malloy, and Mary Remy – travelled to Myrtle Beach
to present papers and posters at the Carolina Undergradu-
ate Social Science Symposium (CUSS). It was the fourth
consecutive year that our students have participated in this
state-wide conference, but the first time that we had more
than three students on the program. Karon Hopkins, Mary
Remy, and Shawna Griffin were awarded $500 scholar-
ships to attend the Southern Sociological Society meeting
in Atlanta. The idea behind these competitive scholarships
is to expose promising minority students to the habits of the
discipline and to foster their interest in graduate study. This
past summer, two of our Politics and Justice Studies ma-
jors, Kiara Drake and Mary Remy, participated in the Lead-
ership Alliance program. Additionally, Natia Marshall (Poli-
tics and Justice Studies) and Karon Hopkins (Sociology)
also participated in prestigious summer internship programs
with the law firm of Rogers, Townsend, and Thomas and
the Social Security Administration, respectively. We also
have two students studying away from campus this semes-
ter: Mary Remy is taking a semester abroad in France,
while Claros Morean is spending the semester as a Con-
gressional intern in Washington, D.C.
The proliferation of quality research among our stu-
dents is not so surprising when one considers that they are
simply following in the footsteps of their faculty mentors.
Our professors continue to set the standards of teaching
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
and research excellence at Claflin University with more than
half of our faculty presenting papers at national, international,
or regional conferences last spring, and by maintaining a con-
sistent pace in peer-reviewed publications. Faculty in the De-
partment of History and Sociology are not merely proposing
to research promising projects; they are producing, and do-
ing so on a nationally recognized level. Dr. Kema Irogbe’s
most recent article, “Food Insecurity in Post-Independent
Sub-Saharan Africa: Causes and Prospects,” The Journal
of International Governmental Systems and Structure
(June 2010), was published in both English and French. Dr.
Mitchell Mackinem continued his string of publications with
his essay “Losing Hope: The Production of Failure in Drug
Court,” Research in Social Problems and Public Policy,
17 (2010). Dr. Lisa Dilks, in the midst of completing her
first-year here at Claflin, published what is already becoming
a widely-acclaimed article, “Socializing Economic Theories
of Discrimination: Lessons from Survivor” (the television
show), Social Science Research (2010). Other faculty mem-
bers are achieving national recognition for their scholarship.
Ms. Anisah Bagasra recently presented a timely paper: “De-
velopment and Testing of an Acculturation Scale for Muslim
Americans” at the American Psychological Association An-
nual Conference that was featured in the October issue of
that association’s leading journal, Monitor on Psychology.
Dr. Millicent Brown has been named to the Smithsonian
Institute’s advisory council on the “Civil Rights Oral History
Project” for the forthcoming Museum of African American
History, which will open in Washington, D.C., in 2015.
It might be worthwhile to note that the faculty’s engage-
ment and success in research publications has not dimin-
ished their commitment to teaching excellence. The spring
student evaluations for departmental faculty were off the
charts. While the overall performance mean for faculty at the
university was 3.54 (an impressive number in itself), the de-
partmental mean stands at 3.61 with nine of thirteen faculty
members ranked above the university standard. Five faculty
members were scored above 3.7. With this kind of personal
attention and successful learning going on in the classrooms,
it is easy to see why the department continues to attract stu-
dents.
It has been a very busy fall semester for the Department
already. In August, the departmental office and six of our
See, HISTORY AND SOCIOLOGY, page 10
Page 10
NEW MEMBERS - continued from page 6
Over this past summer, Mr. Pool attended Indiana
University School of Journalism’s Teaching Fellows
Workshop. Before coming to Claflin, he worked as an
independent audio engineer in Nashville, gaining production
credits on a variety of independent and demonstration
recordings. As a graduate assistant with MTSU’s Walker
Library, he helped upgrade the library’s educational
materials for distance learners, including a series of web-
based Flash tutorials. And most recently he worked as an
adjunct at Belmont University, Nashville, TN.
When asked why he chose Claflin and what he plans to
accomplish, Mr. Pool answered, “I was attracted by the
location, the small, close-knit community, and the
opportunity to participate in the building up of the mass
communications program.” He added, “I hope to prepare
my students for the professional world, while working to
increase the prominence of the university.” He says, “One
short-term goal is preparing the student radio station,
WCUR, for possible expansion onto the Internet.”
Mr. Pool is a member of the Audio Engineering Society,
Alpha Epsilon Rho, Phi Kappa Phi, and Golden Key
International Honor Society. His interests include electronic
music composition, college football, and cooking.
Dr. Jorge Salvo joins us from University of South
Carolina as an associate professor of Spanish in the
Department of English and Foreign Languages.
Dr. Salvo earned his Ph.D. in Spanish American
literature from Florida State University and his master’s
HISTORY AND SOCIOLOGY
-– continued from page 9
faculty members moved into our new location on Goff Av-
enue. We are very pleased with the accommodations, par-
ticularly since the new house includes a conference room
in which we can now conduct our departmental meetings
and Honors seminars. There is also sufficient space for
expansion that would allow for the entire department to be
housed in one location and could also provide classroom
space and a much-needed departmental computer lab. In
September, the department hosted its Third Annual Poli-
tics Forum as well. Our students were introduced to and
engaged prominent, federally-appointed law and justice
This newsletter is available on the website http://www.claflin.edu/Academic/School_Hum-SocialSciences.html
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
and bachelor’s degrees in Spanish from
Florida International University.
Dr. Salvo proudly says that he wrote
the first doctoral dissertation on the topic
of Hispanic African literature, which
comes from Equatorial Guinea, a small
Spanish-speaking country in the Gulf of
Dr. J. Salvo Guinea on the West Coast of Africa.
Equatorial Guinea is the only Spanish-
speaking Sub-Saharan country. The dissertation was
published by the Biblioteca Miguel de Cervantes
(www.cervantesvirtual.com) of the University of Alicante,
Spain. He has written number of short stories and a novel,
which are published in different outlets.
When asked why he chose Claflin and what he plans
to accomplish, Dr. Salvo answered, “Because as a private
institution and a Historically Black College, Claflin provides
us, faculty, with a sense of purpose, a clear direction in
which our efforts are part of a vision that brings the whole
university on a sensible path.” He added, “I plan to
generate an effort for greater comprehension and
collaboration between the two bigger minorities in the U.S.:
African Americans and Hispanics.”
Dr. Salvo is one of the founders of CESGE (Centro
de Estudios Guineo Ecuatorianos), the first think tank for
Equatorial Guinea.
officers in the forum setting. Participating this year were
Federal Judge Michelle Childs, US District Attorney Bill
Nettles, and Federal Marshall Kelvin Washington. And,
finally, we want to welcome our newest full-time faculty
member, Dr. Camelia Kantor, who completed her doc-
toral work in Romania over the summer.
When you try to achieve your goal and fail,
don’t be disappointed. Accept it and stand up.
Wipe your tears, study and learn once again.
You might achieve even more than you’ve
set out for.
Page 11
Claflin University Pre-Law Society news
The Pre-Law Society (PLS) has grown increasingly active
during my three years at Claflin University. A highlight of
the 2009-2010 academic year was the informative and well-
attended second annual law student alumni panel, which
was held on November 20, 2009. The topic was “Law
School and Beyond.” Panelists included Harriet Huell
(chair), then a law student at UNC. Other panelists were
Chyrra Greene (USC), Krystal Johnson (Charleston), and
Antoine Marshall (Wake Forest). We missed 2008 panel
chair, Waverly Gordon (Duke), who was studying abroad
in Italy. Concluding remarks were made by Drs. Roosevelt
and Peggy Ratliff. The November 2010 panel is being co-
chaired by Ms. Huell and Mr. Marshall. Another highlight
occurred in spring 2010 when First Circuit Solicitor David
Pascoe spoke to the PLS of his life-long dream to become
a prosecutor and the achievements he finds most meaning-
ful. He engaged in a lively question-and-answer session
with students, covering topics ranging from how he pre-
pared for the LSAT to prosecuting a capital murder case.
Constitution Day brought “An Evening with South
Carolina’s Federally Appointed Legal and Law Enforce-
ment Professionals” on September 17, 2010. Under the
guidance of Mr. Robert Nance and my co-adviser, Dr. Chris
Curtis, the PLS co-sponsored this event with the Depart-
ment of History and Sociology. Featured panelists were
U.S. District Court Judge Michelle Childs, United States
Attorney for South Carolina William Nettles, and United
States Marshal for the District of South Carolina Kelvin
Washington. Tonya Brown, General Assignment Reporter
at WPDE NewsChannel 15 Presentations were followed
by a Q-and-A session. After many questions, the panelists
remained to meet and converse informally with students.
The following week brought Bryan Jeffries, of the Jeffries
Law Firm, as the featured speaker at the September PLS
meeting. Mr. Jeffries’ private practice includes personal in-
jury, wrongful death, and criminal defense. He is also a
part-time First Circuit Assistant Solicitor. Mr. Jeffries ex-
plained that he does not do criminal defense work in the
circuit where he prosecutes crimes and elaborated on the
concept of conflict of interest. He answered many ques-
tions about his majors before law school (criminal justice
and English), life as a law student and his subsequent broad
range of law practice experience. The guest speaker at
October’s PLS meeting is CU’s own Dr. Caroletta Shuler,
who brings expertise to share on the CLEO (Council on
Legal Education Opportunity) program.
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
PLS Member News
PLS VP Kiara Drake, a senior with a double major in
American Studies and Politics and Justice Studies (PLJS),
had her first experience with the Leadership Alliance at
Yale University in 2009, where she was startled to learn
that she would research and write a 25-30 page paper.
Rising to the occasion, she began work on “Legalized Dis-
crimination in the Land of Liberty,” arguing against dis-
crimination that gay and lesbian Americans continue to face
regarding the institution of marriage, which formed the ba-
sis for her senior honors thesis. She also participated in the
John Marshall Law School Legal Education Access Pro-
gram, which provided an introduction to law school cur-
riculum and a Kaplan Law School Admissions Test prepa-
ration class. Kiara was awarded Best Opening Statement
and Best Overall Team in a mock trial competition and
(pending application and acceptance) received a $10,000
award toward tuition at John Marshall. Her second sum-
mer with the Leadership Alliance, 2010, was at Cornell
University, where she took on another constitutional law
project, “Practicability and Democracy in Antonin Scalia’s
Originalism and Stephen Breyer’s Living Constitutional-
ism.” Kiara is in the process of applying to law schools.
Nzingha Hooker, PLS president, interned at the
Orangeburg County Probate Court under the Honorable
Pandora Jones-Glover in summer 2010. Nzingha’s many
duties included preparing case summaries, pre-hearing
notes, marriage licenses, and other legal documents. She
attended hearings on settlement of estates, will contests,
conservatorships, guardianships, commitment of the men-
tally ill, and performance of marriages. Nzingha also at-
tended meetings at which the judge decided how she would
rule and gained knowledge of the legal system’s “inner
workings.” A senior, Nzingha is now applying to law
schools.
In summer 2010, PLS secretary-treasurer and parlia-
mentarian Natia Marshall was CU’s first intern at the law
firm of Rogers Townsend and Thomas, where she took on
a wide variety of duties in technology, business law, event
planning, and reports/accounting. She had to learn the firm’s
data bases quickly and had three supervisors assigning vari-
ous projects with deadlines to her. Under the supervision
of a corporate attorney, she also had the opportunity to
replace a paralegal who left for summer vacation. Discussing
See, PRE-LAW SOCIETY NEWS, page 12
Page 12
PRE-LAW SOCIETY NEWS
-- continued from page 11
her internship, Natia, a junior PLJS major, concluded
exuberantly, “I greatly appreciate this chance to broaden
my horizons in the field of law!”
Alumni News
Waverly Gordon, who majored in biochemistry at CU,
went on to obtain a Master of Health Administration at
The Ohio State University, followed by a JD from Duke
University in spring 2010. During law school, she interned
in the Office of the Majority Whip of the U.S. House of
Representatives, Congressman James E. Clyburn. She
now serves as a Louis Stokes Urban Health Policy Fel-
low through the Congressional Black Caucus Founda-
tion. Her fellowship is a 20-month program, which in-
cludes work on health care issues in the office of Del.
Donna Christensen, who is the Delegate to the U.S. House
of Representatives from the Virgin Islands, and on a con-
gressional committee with jurisdiction over health care.
Harriet Huell obtained a BA in mass communications
from CU, followed by an MA in media studies from The
Pennsylvania State University in 2007, and a JD from the
University of North Carolina School of Law in 2010.
She has joined The Banks Law Firm, P.A., in Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina. Her areas of concentra-
tion are commercial real estate, community economic de-
velopment/affordable housing law, and general civil liti-
gation. Ms. Huell is licensed to practice in North Caro-
lina and the District of Columbia, and will also take the
South Carolina bar exam. She serves on the Board of
Directors for the New Beginnings Women’s Resource
Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, and as General Counsel
for Kingdom Apostolic Community Worship Center.
Antoine Marshall graduated from CU with a BA in
American Studies and is thriving in his second year of
law school at Wake Forest University. Over the summer
he worked for the North Carolina Institute of Minority
Economic Development as a policy analyst. He moni-
tored bills at the state and federal levels that affect small
businesses, HBCUs, home-ownership, loans and debt.
He also created a database of the evolution of state laws
affecting minority-, women-, and service-disabled vet-
eran-owned businesses.
Drafted by Dr. Gaynell Gavin, Advisor to the PLS & Pre-Law
Contributors to this column: Kiara Drake, Waverly Gordon,
Nzingha Hooker, Harriet Huell, Antoine Marshall, and Natia
Marshall
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
ART DEPARTMENT-continued from page 2
search consisted of a mining of the question of the relative
integrity and/or artistic merits of digital arts validity as a
medium in fine arts production. After attending courses con-
cerning both digital and classical forms of fine art produc-
tion during the forum, he was able, after returning home, to
recreate a project that he had sampled while in residence at
SCAD. He completed the applied research with an essay
that described and analyzed his experiences through the use
of a formal comparative analysis. Finally, he was able to
organize an opinion as to the visual differences and visual
qualities associated with the final visual art works.
Mr. Terrance Robinson, assistant professor, has cre-
ated visual works in several media in visual arts. Over the
summer months he taught elders at The Oaks of Orangeburg,
a senior-citizen facility located in the area. The purpose of
his collage workshop was to provide the elders an oppor-
tunity to reflect and remember through their individually cre-
ated collages. This autobiographical process caused deep
reflection on the past and present moments by the partici-
pants—creating their collages became a moment of art
therapy for the elders. He continued his applied research at
the Art Center of Columbia. He is attempting to “discover
how clay bodies can be manipulated into twists, folds, and
planes as elastic, plastic, and rubber are.”
Later, Mr. Robinson presented twelve paintings in a one-
person exhibition at the Art Center in Columbia. The exhi-
bition, entitled Abstraction: Phase I, was exhibited from
August 21 to September 15, 2010.
Mr. Robinson has accomplished much in professional
development during the summer: He attended a screen-print-
ing workshop at the Savannah College of Art and Design;
took a basic welding course at Midland Technical College;
and was a participant in the UNCF/Claflin University Insti-
tute for Teaching and Learning. Currently, he is executing
the cover design for Dr. Ronald Neal’s book, which is en-
titled Democracy 21st Century America: Notes on Race,
Class and Religion.
Finally, he is pre-
paring works for the
following exhibitions:
Richland County Li-
brary, Columbia, SC;
Museum of Ne-
braska Art, Kearney,
Nebraska; Harvest
Food Bank, Colum-
bia, SC; and the Wil- Mr. Robinson with the elders at The
Oaks of Orangeburg, a
liam Percy Library,
senior-citizen facility
Greenville, MS.
Page 13
Department of Mass Communications
By Dr. Donna Gough, Chair
Faculty and students in the Department
of Mass Communications are looking
forward to another great year. The
Panther, WCUT Television and
WCUR Radio are ready for another
Dr. Donna Gough slate of programs. Under the direction
of Journalist-in-Residence Mr. Lee
Harter, The Panther is headed by Editor Brittany Brown,
Assistant Editor Jessica Taylor, and Photographer Kemet
Alston. Under the direction of faculty member Mr. Colin
Pool, the campus radio station, WCUR, is headed by Sta-
tion Manager Antonio Shands, Program Director Asa
Gillyard, and Music Director Jonqwel Prioleau. Under the
direction of Mr. Michael Fairwell, the campus television sta-
tion, WCUT, is headed by Station Manager Kalen Robinson,
Program Director Jessica Brown, and Production Manager
Nicholas Jackson.
Mass Communications supports the internship efforts of
students. The following are some of the internships that stu-
dents participated in this year: Steven Dial interned at WGCL
CBS Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia; Donique Tyler interned in
the Public Relations Department for the Richmond Raiders
Arena Football Team in Richmond, Virginia; Janda Ander-
son interned at Publix in Savannah, Georgia; Yolanda
Middleton interned at Dash Promotions in Atlanta, Georgia;
Latisha Ford interned at Shawn Johnson & Associates in
Charleston, South Carolina, … The names of those on the
interns list goes on too long to include all the names. In addi-
tion to internships, students attend workshops to receive ad-
ditional training and career fairs to learn about employment
opportunities. Tony Talley and Alan Brooks attended the
Center of Excellence Advertising Boot Camp at Howard
University in Washington, DC, this summer.
Department of Mass Communications faculty were in-
volved in a number of professional activities over the sum-
mer. Ms. Yolanda McCutchen and Mr. Colin Pool were ac-
cepted into the Indiana University School of Journalism
Teaching Fellowship Program, June 13 – 17, 2010, in
Bloomington, Indiana. The program provides training for fac-
ulty new to teaching in the field of mass communications.
Ms. Yolanda
McCutchen served as a
judge for the Casey Med-
als, a national journalism
award given by the Jour-
Ms. McCutchen serves as a judge nalism Center on Children
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
& Families and the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism at
the University of Maryland. Ms. McCutchen delivered the
keynote address at the T. Howard Foundation’s Internship
Orientation, attended the National Association of Black Jour-
nalists Convention in San Diego, California, and attended
the Blogging While Brown Conference in Washington, DC.
Also, Ms. McCutchen served as a judge for the Oklahoma
Speech Theatre Communication Association’s 2010 Con-
vention Student Public Relations Competition and partici-
pated on a panel with her presentation, entitled “Reality PR
& Mass Communication Education.”
Dr. Donna Gough served as the vice president of the
Oklahoma Speech Theatre Communication Association
(OSTCA) and was responsible for planning the OSTCA
2010 Convention held on September 11, 2010, at Rogers
State University in Claremore, Oklahoma. Dr. Gough be-
came the president of OSTCA during the convention and,
as a result, is the first woman to be the president of both
statewide organizations, the Oklahoma Speech Theatre
Communication Association and the Oklahoma Broadcast
Education Association.
Dr. Julian Williams and Dr. Nathaniel Frederick attended
a conference on Saturday, September 25, 2010, in Atlanta,
Georgia. The conference, “Media Law in the Digital Age:
What You Need To Know,” was sponsored by Kennesaw
State University and Harvard Law School. Dr. Williams will
be presenting a paper entitled “Man at the Microphone: Jesse
Helms’ Early Years As a Broadcaster,” at the annual con-
vention of the American Journalism Historians Association.
The convention will be held in Tucson, Arizona, on October
6-9, 2010.
The Department of Mass Communications has been se-
lected to develop two major initiatives for the university. The
first initiative is the partnership between Claflin University
and Boston University (BU) that was established to provide
exchange programs for students and faculty and to assist
program graduates with seamless matriculation into the
graduate program in communication at BU. Claflin mass com-
munications majors Kristen Bell,
Andre Rodriguez, Kelli Marie
Carroll, and Jarrell Rogers, along
with department chair Dr. Donna
Gough, traveled to Boston to at-
tend the BU Matriculation events,
August 29 - September 1, 2010. Mass Comm. students at BU
See MASS COMMUNICATIONS, page 17
Page 14
Music Department
By Dr. Isaiah McGee, Chair
Dr. Meisha Adderley was a
recipient of a 2010 Faculty
Summer Research Grant from
Claflin University’s Center for
Excellence in Teaching. As a
component of the grant project,
Adderley recorded a CD of works
by Afro-American female
Dr. Isaiah McGee composers with GEM Recording
Studios. The project culminated in
a presentation at the World Piano Conference in Novi Sad,
Serbia, where she designed a lecture that investigated the
lives of the female composers and provided a detailed
analysis of their concert piano works.
Dr. Richard House, director of University bands,
authored two music reviews for the trumpet ensemble works
Newton Antiphonies by Carson P. Cooman and Fantasy
Fanfare by Michael Bretz. The reviews were published in
the June 2010 International Trumpet Guild Journal. A
third review for the brass ensemble arrangement of Modest
Mussorgsky’s “The Great Gate of Kiev” from Pictures at
an Exhibition will be published in January 2011.
On February 23, 2010, Dr. Meisha Adderley and
Ms. Stacey Holliday, faculty pianists, performed a duo
piano recital for the Art of Music series at the Columbia
Recording contract offered by Albany Records to two
Music faculty members
Dr. Meisha Adderley, assistant
professor of music/piano, and Ms.
Stacey Holliday, instructor of music
and accompanist for the Department,
recently signed with Albany Records,
one of the most prominent classical
record labels in the country.
Dr. Adderley and Scheduled to be released in Spring
Ms. Holiday
2012, their CD will be comprised of
60-79 minutes of piano duo and solo
works by Afro-American composers. Recently, the pianists
were contacted by Susan Bush, president of Albany
Records, who commended them on their choice of
repertoire and their “fine playing” on their demo CD.
To date, no piano duets by Afro-American composers
have been recorded. The Center for Black Music Research
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
Museum of Art. In addition to works from the 17th – 21st
centuries, the concert featured a world premiere by South
Carolina composer and Associate Vice President for
Academic Affairs (Claflin University) Dr. Cedric Adderley.
Dr. Laura J. Keith was invited to serve on the Music
Content Advisory Committee of the National Evaluation
Series for Pearson Publishing Company during the week of
July 19, 2010, in St. Louis, Missouri. During the National
Benchmark Conference, K-12 educators and university
faculty members from across the country met to recommend
a performance level that would be expected of an entry-
level educator in each field, with Dr. Keith serving in the
area of music.
2010 Graduate Amanda Bailey is currently attending
Johnson and Wales University of Culinary Arts in Charlotte,
NC.
2010 Graduate Curtis Bates is currently assistant band
director at Columbia High School in Columbia, SC, where
he also serves as a substitute teacher. He plans to attend
graduate school at the University of South Carolina in Fall
2011.
2010 Graduate Titus Gant is pursuing a graduate degree
in Jazz Studies at North Carolina Central University in
Durham, NC.
at Columbia College in Chicago holds the unpublished piano
duet scores of eight Afro-American composers in its
archives. Over the past year, Dr. Adderley and Ms. Holliday
have been uncovering these concert duet works as well as
solo works by Afro-Americans, performing them at various
venues throughout the country. Although a considerable
amount of Afro-American piano music has been written,
further scholarly research and recordings are needed to
uncover and document the composers and their works and
to spark an interest in their obvious value. As we move
farther into the twenty-first century with a transformed
interest in the music of Afro-Americans, the duets and solo
works of Afro-American composers on the CD will be
veritable treasures for listening, analysis, future study, and
performance.
Page 15
Philosophy and Religion Department
By Dr. Daniel Hembree, Chair
The Department of Philosophy and Religion
remains committed to the views, values and
guiding principles of Claflin University by en-
suring that their graduates are equipped with
the necessary tools and skills needed to navi-
gate through the world. Three of our stu-
dents graduated in May and are now gradu-
Dr. Hembree ate students in religious and theological stud-
ies. Jessica Baker is a first-year student at
Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in the Master of
Divinity program. Jamal Wilkerson was accepted into the
School of Divinity at Howard University, while Marcus Giv-
ens is currently enrolled at Springfield College in Charles-
ton, SC, working toward a master’s degree in community
counseling. They join the list of recent alumni from our pro-
Claflin instructor’s research focuses on Muslim Americans
By Ms. Anisah Bagasra
Ms. Anisah Bagasra, an instructor of psy-
chology in the Department of History and
Sociology, has spent the last several years
exploring issues pertinent to the Muslim com-
munity in the United States. The results of her
Ms. Bagasra
doctoral research are beginning to garner at-
tention in the psychological community, and serve to fill ex-
isting gaps in current knowledge regarding acculturation,
religious commitment, and Muslim Americans’ perceptions
of mental illness. The initial goal of her research was to un-
derstand how Muslims in America view mental illness, what
they attribute as the cause of mental illness, and attitudes
toward various treatment options. In addition, her research
explores help-seeking preferences and allowed participants
to share personal experiences with mental illness and men-
tal health providers. The results of the open-ended portion
of her study have revealed mixed experiences with Ameri-
can mental health care providers, and a heavy reliance among
participants on religious-based coping mechanisms. The
results of the close-ended survey suggest that, when faced
with general questions about mental illness, Muslim Ameri-
cans attribute mental illness to various causes, both West-
ern clinical ideas of causation and cultural and spiritual attri-
butions. Muslim Americans are also likely to endorse both
spiritual and psychotherapeutic interventions over medica-
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
gram who are currently pursuing graduate degrees in theol-
ogy and law.
We begin the 2010-2011 academic year with both ex-
citement and anticipation of meeting new students enrolled
in the philosophy and religion program. We are also pleased
to welcome our new faculty member, the Rev. Dr. Robin
Dease, to our department. The Rev. Dease is a Claflin Uni-
versity alumna. She received both the Master of Divinity
and Doctorate of Ministry degrees from Wesley Theologi-
cal Seminary in Washington, DC, where Claflin University
alumna Lakisha Lockhart is enrolled. She comes to our
department with great experience and will serve as an ad-
junct professor teaching courses in the Bible. She currently
serves as the pastor of John Wesley United Methodist Church
in Greenville, SC. We extend a big welcome to the Rev.
Dease, and we are excited about her being here at Claflin
University.
tion. Help-seeking preferences among participants reflect
existing literature that shows a preference to turn to family
and friends before seeking outside help. The secondary part
of this study examined the role of acculturation and religious
commitment as possible mediating factors in perceptions of
mental illness. Though no solid relationship appeared in the
statistical analysis, the research led to the development of
two new psychosocial instruments – an acculturation scale
for Muslim Americans and a Muslim religious commitment
scale. The development and testing of these scales has led
Ms. Bagasra to present the results at major national confer-
ences. In August, she traveled to San Diego to present at
the Annual American Psychological Association Conven-
tion. The presentation was well-received and led to a re-
port in October’s edition of the Monitor on Psychology.
Later this month, she traveled to Atlanta to present at the
American Academy of Religion’s Annual meeting regarding
Muslim identity formation in the 21st century. Initial results
from her doctoral presentation were also presented at the
Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI)
in New Orleans in June, highlighting the help-seeking pref-
erences and experiences with mental health practitioners of
Muslim participants. Ms. Bagasra is now awaiting the final
approval of her dissertation and has plans to continue with
her research and publish the results in academic journals.
Page 16
POSITIVE DIFFERENCE -- continued from page 1
happy because they know that they
are making others happy by instilling
justice in society. It is better to join
the team of uplifters than those who
always stand at the bottom in order
to pull someone else down. Thank
God Almighty that the number of pes-
simists is far exceeded by the number
Mandakini Hiremath of positive contributors.
Reflecting on a situation like this
makes me ponder President Henry N. Tisdale’s favorite
“Paradoxical Commandments of Leadership,” produced
by Kent Keith. He read these at the conclusion of his spring
semester address to Claflin faculty and staff at the Honors
and Recognition Ceremony.
1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered:
Love them anyway. 2. If you do good, people will accuse
you of selfish, ulterior motives: Do good anyway. 3. If you
are successful, you win false friends and true enemies: suc-
ceed anyway. 4. The good you do today will be forgotten
tomorrow: Do good anyway. 5. Honesty and frankness
makes you vulnerable: Be honest and frank anyway. 6.
The biggest men (and women) with the biggest ideas can
be shot down by the smallest men (and women) with the
smallest minds: Think big anyway. 7. People favor under-
dogs but follow only top dogs: Fight for a few underdogs
anyway. 8. What you spend years building may be de-
stroyed overnight: Build anyway. 9. People really need
help but may attack you if you do help them: Help them
anyway. 10. Give the world the best you have and you will
get kicked in the teeth: Give the world the best you have
anyway.
Obviously, Dr. Tisdale has modeled these command-
ments in faith and proved himself as an outstanding leader
not just to the Claflin University family but also to the larger
community by setting an example, by not just demanding
that his co-workers follow these commandments but show-
ing them how to incorporate them in their daily lives. In
addition, since it is human to forget or overlook these prin-
ciples for selfish reasons or at times for no reason, Dr. Tisdale
reminds us time and again of his belief: Life would be a lot
happier if we praised the good we see, for there’s such a
lot of goodness in the worst of each one.
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
He admonishes us to be kinder and fair. In the words
of “I Know Something Good about You,” a poem he
shares with us, he asks, “Wouldn’t it be nice to practice
this fine way of thinking too—‘You know something good
about me. / I know something good about you!’” While
speaking at the 2002 Matriculation Day convocation, he
read the poem “The Cold Within” to stress the impor-
tance of unity. (“The Cold Within” is about six people
trapped by coincidence in black and bitter cold. Each one
possesses a stick of wood. While their dying fire is in need
of logs, everyone holds his/her log back, for the first one
notices that one of the others is black; the next man sees
one who doesn’t go to his church; the third one sits in
tattered clothes and asks why his log should be put to use
to warm the idle rich. The rich man just sits back and
thinks of the wealth that he has earned and how he keeps
what he has earned from the “lazy shiftless poor”; the black
man’s face speaks revenge as the fire passes from his sight,
for all he sees in his stick of wood is a chance to spite the
white men; and the last man in this forlorn group believes
in giving only to those who give. Holding their logs in their
tight fists, all six die, not from the cold without, but from
the cold within. As the unknown poet puts it, their acts
were “a proof of human sin.”)
Dr. Tisdale concluded his address by enumerating
the lessons learned through the building of Noah’s ark.
Dr. Tisdale always stresses the importance of co-workers
getting along and working together as a family, the Claflin
University family.
As Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Conner has
stated, “Make each day a good day. Try to do a little
good each day, for you don’t know how many more days
you have got on this earth.”
Our time on earth is precious and limited, so make it
strategic and execute it wisely. As we end each day, let’s
thank the people that lend a hand to justice and teach us
how to be positive contributors. Let’s pray and thank the
Lord for the bounty of kindness and love He has placed
on this earth to make each life specially gifted, precious
and worth living.
It is always better to light a
candle than to blame the darkness.
Page 17
“Revivification” adorns Art Center entrance
By Mandakini Hiremath
On the afternoon of
Wednesday, November 27, Dr.
Kod Igwe, professor of art at
Claflin University, helped
Orangeburg Mayor Paul Miller
unveil the sculpture “Revivification”
at the Orangeburg County Fine
Arts Center. Saying, “The
sculpture fits with the city’s
revitalization efforts…. This gives
a nice new setting to the front of
the Arts Center,” the Mayor added,
“I want to accept this treasure that
we will have for many, many years Claflin University Professor Dr. Kod Igwe and “Beauty is in the eye of the
to come.” Parks and Recreation Orangeburg Mayor Paul Miller unveil the sculpture beholder.” Sculptor Igwe’s
Director Buster Smith said the new “Revivification” at the Orangeburg County Fine Arts sculpture “Revivification,” an
landscaping and Igwe’s sculpture Center.
add color to Edisto Memorial Gardens. Orangeburg
County Fine Arts Center Executive Director Beth Thomas
opined that the sculpture and landscaping give another
attractive entrance to the gardens.
By donating this beautiful piece of abstract art, Dr. Igwe
desires to create an environment where we as people will
continue to know that art is very important in the city of
Orangeburg. Beneath the psychology of the conscious
mind, what the eyes see is different from the true nature of
an object. We only see what is on the surface, not what is.
MASS COMMUNICATIONS – continued from page 13
Claflin students had several meetings with various BU offi-
cials throughout the trip. The BU officials included Mass
Communications Exchange Program Coordinator and Pro-
fessor Jo O’Connor, Dr. Kenn Elmore, Dean of Students;
Dr. Tom Fiedler, Dean of the College of Communication;
Dr. Urbain (Ben) De Winter, the Associate Provost for the
International Programs, and Ms. Katherine Kennedy, the
director of the Howard Thurman Center for Race, Culture
& Ethnicity.
The purpose
of the trip was
to generate
interest in the
Student &
Team Claflin members meet with BU officials Faculty Ex-
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
This abstract piece of art will
continue to stump interpretive
minds. Great interpretation is
sealed with a plea of confidence.
It conveys the message of life,
growth, prosperity, and the
struggle in between. This art
represents growth, which is an
element of existence; in art, this
growth is seen as a continuation
of existence in the life of the city of
Orangeburg. It is said, “Beauty in
things exists merely in the mind
Larry Hardy/T&D which contemplates them” and
abstract work of art, stands
proudly symbolizing the City of Orangeburg, its coming to
life and resurgence; it invites varied symbolic interpretations
from different beholders.
Dr. Igwe says, “In my art, I seek perfection. I believe
that my art will endlessly continue to express the impressions
that are visualized by the human mind and captivated by my
thoughts. As aspects of my world continue to evolve, I bring
my vast emotions to formulate my timeless art, which speaks
to my soul. For my art, growth is my element of existence.”
And we all know growth is evidence of life.
change Program and the Seamless Graduate School Ma-
triculation Program, to meet with BU officials to begin to
finalize the procedures for the exchange, and to get answers
to questions that students have concerning the program.
The second initiative is the Cooperative Learning Pro-
gram at the BMW Corporation. Mass Communications major
Sharon Hadden is the first Claflin University student to be
selected to participate in this program. As a result, the de-
partment faculty and chair and the Dean of the School of
Humanities and Social Sciences together with Academic
Affairs, Student Affairs, and the Career Development Of-
fice have been working together to develop and implement
guidelines for this program. Ms. Hadden is currently onsite
at BMW and works in the test analysis division.
Page 18 Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter

Remembering Dr. Preston Blakely

From the Department Chair, Dr. Donna L. Gough
I had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Preston Blakely for learned from him knows how special he was. Thank you
only a short time. But even so, Dr. Blakely made an impact for everything, dear brother.”
on me with his kindness, sharp wit and indomitable spirit. And another wrote, “Dr. Blakely, Thank You for being
As the chair of the department, I knew that Dr. Blakely had such a great person and working so well with me my first
devoted his life to the media profession and to teaching year of college. I will never forget you or the hard work
students. you made me put in. I remember all of
He began his career at Hampton the times I’ve made you laugh and smile
University, where he taught classes and and I’ll never forget them. I’m very glad
produced television programs and to say I have had the opportunity to have
special videos for the university in you in my life as a leader and an
conjunction with the local ABC affiliate. outstanding professor.”
Then, Dr. Blakely became a marketing One of the most moving tributes was
sales representative for Viacom from his former colleagues at Morgan
Cablevision in Nashville, Tennessee. State University:
Later, he became a general manager for On behalf of the Morgan State
WCLK-FM, the National Public Radio University Community, I express to the
affiliate at Clark Atlanta University in family of Dr. Preston Blakely our
Atlanta, Georgia; and then, he became condolences on his sudden passing. For
the general manager at WEAA-FM, many years, Dr. Blakely was one of the
the National Public Radio affiliate at major intellectual forces on Morgan’s
Morgan State University in Baltimore, campus as general manager of the
Maryland. Dr. Blakely made his way award-winning WEAA-FM Radio
to Claflin University in 2006 and served Dr. Preston Blakely Station and, later, as assistant professor
as the department chair during the of communication studies. Dr. Blakely
2007-2008 school year. Dr. Blakely played a major role in mentoring a
promoted the importance of media education to both generation of radio personalities and professionals and in
Dr. Preston Blakely
students and the community. He spent most of his working training a generation of mass communications graduates at
life in and around universities and influenced the Morgan. They bear the imprint of his professionalism and
lives and minds of many. his inspiring instruction and guidance. Though we have lost
I went to the online tribute for Dr. Blakely that was his physical presence and will miss his “individual being,”
published by The Morning Journal in Lorain, Ohio, Dr. we are comforted to know that the presence of his absence
Blakely’s hometown. There I read the tributes to Dr. Blakely does not mean the absence of his presence in our lives.
from his friends, colleagues and former students. Preston will live with us forever, and the records of Morgan
One person wrote, “I am deeply saddened of the news State University will always speak of his remarkable
of Dr. Preston Blakely. A great man who taught me so much. contribution to the education of our students.
He was a mentor, co-worker and friend. I miss him already. But the tribute with which I most identify was the one
His legacy will live on through his family, his students and that said, “Dear Preston: The last time we spoke, I was
those of us whom he molded into professionals. teasing you. I always got a kick out of seeing you smile.
Another wrote, “Preston hired me as his Music Director Most of the time you had a very serious look on your face.”
of WEAA/Morgan State University - my first job out of I remember one afternoon, shortly after I had arrived
college. He gave me the break that, after sending 51 resumes at Claflin, Dr. Blakely came to see me. I, too, thought that
and air check tapes and hearing nothing back, I thought I he looked like a very stern and serious no-nonsense person.
would never get. For this I am eternally grateful. In his own But, before our meeting was over, the two of us were almost
special way, Preston led and developed the next generation rolling on the floor because we were laughing so hard. I
of professionals. Anyone who has worked with him or
See, DEPARTMENT CHAIR, page 19
This newsletter is available on the website http://www.claflin.edu/Academic/School_Hum-SocialSciences.html
Page 19
Remembering Dr. Blakely -- continued from page
DEPARTMENT CHAIR - continued from page 18
don’t even remember what we were laughing about, but
I remember the twinkle in Dr. Blakely’s eye and the smile
on his face.
I saw that twinkle again when we were in meetings
and later, when he and I attended the Broadcast
Education Association National Convention in Las Vegas.
The two of us were meeting to divide up sessions between
us so that we could cover more presentations and
represent Claflin at both of the district meetings.
While we were talking, I asked him how his trip had
been and how he was enjoying Las Vegas. In his very
minimal and quiet way, he told me that things were fine.
I, of course, saw my opportunity to tease him. I told him
that I thought his account of his trip was more than a bit
boring and if that was all that he was going to say, then I
was going to come back to Claflin with a big story about
him, a Las Vegas show girl and the police. Of course, he
admonished me with a very strong, “Don’t you dare!”
But I noticed once again the twinkle in his eye and the
smile on his face.
Dr. Blakely worked hard, always cared for and about
students, especially during the times when he had to be
tough, assisted young people with employment
opportunities and always, always had time for a good
laugh. We will miss him very much.
Dr. Blakely, you will be truly missed
Although I only had the pleasure of being in a class
of six students with Dr. Blakely for one semester, I’ll
never forget his unique teaching approach. His students
would be sure to hear the frequent “But why?” or “I just
don’t understand” partnered with a puzzled expression.
I can say he was the first professor I’ve had that declined
to sugarcoat his advice on my personal career path. I
remember turning in my final the last week of school and
saying, “See you next semester,” anticipating his next
course. It finally hits hard that I won’t be able to receive
any more of his much appreciated insight. Dr. Blakely,
you will be truly missed.
By Jeremy Holder
Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter
Dr. Blakely will certainly be missed
I first met Dr. Preston Blakely in 2006, when he came
to Claflin to interview for the position of associate pro-
fessor of mass communications. Over the next few years,
I really got a chance to know him well. He often came
by my office to discuss academic issues and policies.
Through our visits, I became aware that he was a seri-
ous, humble, caring and warm-hearted gentleman with a
keen sense of humor. We shared many laughs over the
years. Dr. Blakely was diligent in teaching his students.
From 2007-2008, he served as acting chair of the Mass
Communications Department. Dr. Blakely will certainly
be missed for his unwavering loyalty and support of his
dean and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences,
the professional and personal mentoring of our mass
communication students and the overall contributions
that he made to Claflin University.
By Dr. Peggy S.Ratliff
Your presence will truly be missed
Your presence will truly be missed
They are all gone into the world of light,
And I alone sit lingering here;
Their very memory is fair and bright,
And my sad thoughts doth clear.
Dr. Preston Blakely, your presence will truly be missed
and you have definitely touched several lives in the
Department of Mass Communications. You were a great
leader, colleague and father figure.
By Michael Fairwell
Dr. Blakely was a very private
but highly respected person
Although Dr. Blakely was a very private person, he
was highly respected by the Department of Mass
Communications. His students loved him. I believe that
he would want the faculty and staff to press on to the
goal that President Tisdale spoke of earlier this school
year – that is, the goal of making Claflin a world-class
institution.
By Dr. Julian M. Williams
Page 20 Humanities and Social Sciences Newsletter

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Love Hope Joy Peace

To those
we love --
and see each day
And other loved ones
far away
To all good friends
whose friendship means so much
And those with whom
we are somehow out of touch

Season’s Greetings from

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Wishing you every happiness this holiday season

and throughout the coming year

This newsletter is available on the website http://www.claflin.edu/Academic/School_Hum-SocialSciences.html