For 21-year-old Claflin University senior Brittany Pringle of Summerville, the opportunities she receives while attending a Historically Black College and University are priceless.

“I think it’s very important to attend an HBCU … what I receive from an HBCU is invaluable. The opportunities I’ve been presented with … I’ve traveled to London for free and I travel to California every year to represent the School of Business for an ethics competition. I’ve been flown out to Chicago and New York from different scholarships I’ve received for attending an HBCU … ,” Pringle said, “and if I was at another school, I would not have been presented with these opportunities.”

But for Pringle, attending an HBCU isn’t merely a matter of going places geographically-speaking – it’s about grasping the experiential tools and knowledge to creating a successful career path.

At Claflin, an HBCU founded in Orangeburg in 1869, Pringle says she discovered the tools she needs for success and a network of professionals to help her reach her goals.

“You have people who are pushing for you, who are rooting for you and making sure that you are placed in different positions so you may excel,” she said.

Annually, Claflin organizes events to celebrate and promote the university and HBCUs. National recognition of HBCU began under President Jimmy Carter’s administration in 1980 with an executive order ,and presidents since have made efforts to promote HBCUs.

Last week, President Barack Obama proclaimed Aug. 30-Sept. 5 as National HBCU Week.

As part of National HBCU Week, Claflin held events Thursday which included a National HBCU Week kick-off at Panther Plaza, a pre-college access presidential luncheon at the Orange Maroon Club, a “Claflin in the Community” promotion at the Prince of Orange Mall and an HBCU forum at Ministers’ Hall.

Pringle said she’s attended several of the university’s HBCU celebrations in the past but this year marked her first time to participate in Claflin’s schedule of HBCU activities.

She and Shanelle Proctor, 21, of Gaffney, a senior majoring in sociology, manned a display presented by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority during the Prince of Orange Mall event. Proctor said she is proud to attend an HBCU because of its diversity, its international student population and a required African-American culture class.

Gwendolyn B. Phillips, this year’s program committee chair, said some of the advantages of attending an HBCU such as Claflin include personal attention to students and an array of programs to encourage students to be academically successful, graduate and obtain gainful employment.

“I think because we are a little bit more personal with the students, we get to know them, we nurture as well as protect … it’s just like a big old family. In a large university, you can get lost,” she said.

Phillips, director Claflin’s TRIO programs and GearUp, is also a grant administrator for the division of student development and services.

Devin Randolph, a Claflin alum who serves as an admissions counselor and recruiter for the university, said students “really need to know what they’re looking for. Some kids really don’t want the small environment, a family-oriented environment, and that’s okay, but what we’re about is that we really want to prepare our kids’ future globally to be visionaries and to do that, we find that it has to be an environment where people feel they are a part.”

When Randolph started as a Claflin student in 2002, he was part of the SOAR program provided through Upward Bound. He was required to meet with GearUp and support services leaders. His freshman year ended with a 2.3 GPA (on a 4-point scale). Randolph said through hard work, a supportive academic family and determination, he graduated with a 3.8 GPA in business management and entrepreneurship. He is concentrating now on earning an MBA and ultimately a Ph.D., with the goal of launching an international nonprofit organization.

Randolph says the goal of Claflin is to “prepare students to become visionaries.”

T&D Correspondent Martha Rose Brown can be reached by e-mail at marfawose@aol.com. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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