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Just a few short months ago, $200,000 stood between 35 Claflin University students and their trip of a lifetime to China to sing before audiences in Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai and at the Great Wall as part of a pre-Olympic tribute.
How do college students, who are mostly receiving financial aid, go about raising that sum of money? The greatest challenge for each of the students was to raise $1,000 toward the goal, which they accomplished. With $165,000 remaining, they did what they do best – sing.
They sang, sang and sang -- singing at churches, meetings, breakfasts, reunions and anywhere else they were invited. In between performances, the students – members of the Claflin University Concert Choir – washed cars, held bake sales and sold copies of their CD. They also accepted an outpouring of heartfelt donations from local communities and businesses, including attire, goodwill bags, pharmaceutical kits, luggage tags and name badges.
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When asked about raising $200,000 for the trip, one student replied, “What Claflin teaches you almost immediately is to turn your dreams into goals – and achieve them. We had the ‘Claflin confidence’ about raising $200,000.”
According to Dr. Isaiah McGee, Claflin’s choral director, “The entire experience of fund raising, meeting people, being ready to lift voices at 6:30 in the morning and again at 6:30 in the evening was an inspiring and educational experience unto itself.” And every performance brought the students closer to realizing the dream that they were truly on the road to China.
Supporters and the university will give the students a proper send-off on the campus on at 5:30 p.m. Friday, June 6, as they depart for the 10-day tour and concert performances.
For a few of the students, it’s their first time flying. For many, it is their first time traveling outside the United States. Still, they know what they hope the experience will bring as goodwill ambassadors for Claflin University and Orangeburg, S.C.
The choir’s repertoire of songs includes baroque, traditional spirituals, 20th century compositions and a few international pieces thrown into the mix, including traditional South African folk songs and Brazilian arrangements.
The Claflin University Choir is the only Historically Black College or University concert choir invited to participate in a choral tribute to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The Olympic games begin Aug. 8 and run through Aug. 24.