Students restart education in Claflin program
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Posted By: How May I Help You NC on May 08, 2017 Norman Frasier Jr. saw the end in sight. It was 2013. He’d been at Claflin University since 2009 and he was one semester from earning his bachelor’s degree. Then the orders arrived. As a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, he was to report to active duty at Fort Jackson. After basic training, he headed across country to Fort Lewis, outside Tacoma, Washington, where he and his family still live. School and graduation would have to wait. Duty called. “I made a commitment to serve my country,” Frasier said. “It was time to go.” But not finishing school continued to nag Frasier. “My mom always told me to finish what I started,” he said. But he was more than 2,000 miles away from Orangeburg. And he had a wife and child to support. He found out about Claflin's Center for Professional and Continuing Studies, which offers online and on-campus degree programs for working adults. Frazier will be among more than 65 CPCS students who will receive bachelor's degrees at Claflin's 147th Commencement Ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 13, at the South Atlantic Seventh-day Adventist Worship and Convention Center, 514 Neeses Highway, Orangeburg. The CPCS was launched in 1997 and began offering online classes in the summer of 2014. Claflin now offers bachelor’s degrees in organizational management, criminal justice, psychology and nursing through the online program. Students can earn graduate degrees in education, business administration and, starting in the 2017 Fall semester, criminal justice. "Programs offered through the CPCS are a viable option for working adults seeking to earn college degrees," said Dr. Cindye Richburg Cotton, executive director of the CPCS. "We provide non-traditional students the flexibility and convenience they need to continue their education. Research shows that adult students, age 25 and older, will comprise 50 percent of the U.S. college enrollment in the next 20 years,” she said. Benjamin Baker had dropped out of college, but wanted to return. However, his work schedule prevented him from attending classes when they are routinely scheduled. “I attended classes that were offered at 6 p.m. which afforded me time to work during the day and attend classes at night,” Baker said. “I wanted the face-to-face learning because I didn’t think I was disciplined enough to take online classes. Besides, even though I am older, I wanted to experience the campus environment.” During Claflin's 2016 Homecoming, Baker represented the CPCS as Mr. Professional and Continuing Studies. The organizational management major also led a team of student entrepreneurs to an impressive finish in a Shark Tank-themed competition for business students at Claflin. Like Baker, Ashley Myers was invited to join several campus honor societies and she even joined a campus sorority. “My line sisters didn’t know I was an older student,” said the mother of two. “I looked like I was their age. I fit in.” Myers represented the university as the 2016 Miss Professional and Continuing Studies. The CPCS has coaches that work with students individually, offering them assistance including tutoring, help with computers and even someone to talk to. After a 20-year stint in the military, Jamie Kennerly didn’t need computer assistance, but he was thankful for the CPCS individualized success plans. “Dr. Richburg and her staff sat me down and set up a plan so I could graduate,” said Kennerly, who is a school resource officer. “They made things easy for me. I just had to do the work.” http://thetandd.com/ If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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How May I Help You NC
Management, See Moss Interactive Bellarmine University class of 2021 Member Since January 2011 |
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