pa ge one

F O U N D E R S D AY

MARCH 12, 2021 | CLINTON COLLEGE CELEBRATING 127 YEARS

In order to secure harmony of action among educators of colored youth and to advance the educational

interest of the colored youth of America, we the under-signed ministers and friends of the A.M.E. Zion

Church of the York District, in view of the past condition of servitude of the colored people of the

South, and to excite interest to a higher conception in the last ministerial meeting held in the City of

Rock Hill, S.C. on the 10th day of April, 1894, by ministers of said District, a committee of three was

appointed to present the view and resolutions of said meet-ing to the public earnestly urge upon them the

importance of immediate action, that we may not be behind in securing the interest of our people and

raise the education-al standard to a higher plane, a resolution was passed that the Conference School be

located in the above named City, having had the concurrence of the other Districts in the establishment

and location of said school by a commission of 3 men from each District. After seeing what the white

citizens of Rock Hill had offered as an induce-ment to locate there it was found they propose donation 4

1/2 acres of land and $50; subscription $145, ministers of York District $120 all to erect a Dormitory for

colored youth. A resolution was also passed appointing Friday, July 27, as a day of fasting and prayer for

the success of the school, and that Sunday, July 29th, be designated as a grand rally day in each Sabbath

school and congregation. All money collected on this day will be forwarded to Rev. W. M. Robinson,

Rock Hill, S.C. We hope that every pastor and superintendent will work accordingly.

M. INGRAM W.M. ROBINSON Y.J.P. COHEN

A.M. MOORE

N.A. CROCKETT, Chairperson

P RO C L A M AT I O N TO E S TA B L I S H C L I N TO N C O L L E G E HISTORY

Clinton College was one of many schools established by the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church during Reconstruction years, to help eradicate illiteracy among freedmen. The College has operated continuously for more than 125 years. In 1894, Presiding Elder Nero A. Crockett and Rev. W.M. Robinson founded Clinton Institute and named it for Bishop Isom Caleb Clinton, the Palmetto Conference presiding bishop at the time.

Incorporated as Clinton Normal and Industrial Institute on June 22, 1909, the school was authorized to grant state teacher certificates. By the late 1940’s, the College attracted 225 students per year and owned approximately 19 acres, several buildings, and equipment valued at several million dollars. Under Dr. Sallie V. Moreland, who retired in 1994 after 47 years of stellar service, the school charter was amended to create Clinton Junior College. When Dr. Cynthia L. McCullough Russell assumed leadership, the school prepared for accreditation, attained during the tenure of Dr. Elaine Johnson Copeland.

May 2013, the Transnational Association for Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) approved the College to offer two four-year programs: a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. In view of the four-year programs, the school’s name was changed from Clinton Junior College, to Clinton College.

In keeping with its tradition, Clinton College offers an academic environment that not only promotes intellectual growth, but also fosters positive moral, ethical, and spiritual values. The school has a proud heritage as a Christian College, striving to prepare men and women to be lifelong learners, active participating citizens, and good stewards of society.

pa ge two pa ge th re e

Dr. Lester A. McCornPresident, Clinton College, Rock Hill, South Carolina

The Reverend Dr. Lester Agyei (Ahd-JAY-ee) McCorn is a visionary leader, scholar, author, activist and college president. He is the 13th President of Clinton College in Rock Hill, SC. He is a native of Worcester, Massachusetts. An alumnus of Morehouse College, Yale Divinity School and Chicago Theological Seminary, he holds the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) from United Theological Seminary. He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Ethical and Creative Leadership, with a concentration in Martin Luther King Jr. Studies and Social Change, at Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, Ohio. For several years, he served as an adjunct professor/mentor of doctoral students at United Seminary. Dr. McCorn is the author of “Standing on Holy Common Ground: An Africentric Ministry Approach to Prophetic Community Engagement.” (MMGI Press, Chicago). He had a 31-year career as a pastor in the A.M.E. Zion Church, including serving in the major cities of Boston, Chicago, Atlanta and Baltimore. He came to Clinton College after having served as the Senior Pastor of the historic Pennsylvania Avenue A.M.E. Zion Church in Baltimore, Maryland from 2008 to 2017.

Dr. McCorn was appointed as the Acting President of the College in June of 2017. He was elected by the Board of Trustees in August of 2018 and inaugurated as the 13th President on November 9, 2018. Dr. McCorn was chosen in December of 2017 to be a part of a delegation of HBCU presidents to premier universities in China in order to expand the HBCU-China exchange program. At the 2018 commencement ceremony President McCorn awarded the Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Clinton College after she delivered the commencement address. Dr. McCorn was recently chosen to be a part of the 2019 cohort of the Harvard University Seminar for New Presidents. The HBCU Campaign Fund named President McCorn as one of the “Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders of 2019.”

Dr. McCorn has received many awards and honors. He was a 2018 fellow of the Higher Education Leadership Foundation. He was also an inaugural fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation’s Next Generation Leadership Program (which included CNN host Van Jones and NAACP Legal Defense Fund President Sherrilyn Ifill) and Leadership Greater Chicago. He has served on the Boards of the United Way, Urban League and as chair of the Anti-Racism Task Force of the Illinois Conference of Churches. He is an inductee of the distinguished Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers of Morehouse College. He is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., initiated at Morehouse College (Alpha Rho Chapter) in 1986 and was one of the featured “steppers” in the iconic Spike Lee movie “School Daze.” Rev. Dr. Lester A. McCorn is married to Mrs. Charlene M. McCorn, an elementary school teacher in Fort Mill, South Carolina. They are the proud parents of three children William Elijah Benjamin, Maliaka (Mal-LIE-ah-kah) Kenyetta, and John-Charles Wesley.

PROGRAM

Prelude..................................................................................................................................................................“God of Our Fathers” Dr. Tony McNeill, piano

Dr. Jaret Fite, trumpet

Opening Hymn ......................................................................................................................................... “Lift Every Voice and Sing” Clinton College Choir

Scripture .......................................................................................................................................................... Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV) Miles Jones, Clinton College Student

Prayer .................................................................................................................................................................... Rev. James Williams, Clinton College Student

Greetings and Introduction of College President .............................................................................................. Dr. Alvin McLamb,

Vice-President Academic Affairs

Clinton College Student Reflection ................................................................................................................................Latasia White

Selection ........................................................................................................................................... “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”Clinton College Choir

Katherine Shindeldecker and Carey Quarles, trumpet

Strategic Plan Video Presentation

The State of Clinton College Address ............................................................................................................. Dr. Lester A. McCorn, President Clinton College

Clinton College Student Reflection ...............................................................................................................................Hector Garcia Selection.......................................................................................................................................................................“The Great I Am” Clinton College Choir

Presentation of Founders’ Day Gifts......................................................................................Dr. Benjamin Dixon, Vice-Chairman Clinton College Board of Trustees

Remarks..........................................................................................................................................................President Lester McCorn “Clinton College Alma Mater”..........................................................................................................................Clinton College Choir

Remarks and Benediction.............................................................................................................................Bishop Mildred B. Hines

SPEAKER

pa ge fou r pa ge f i v e

Lift ev’ry voice and sing,

‘Til earth and heaven ring,

Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;

Let our rejoicing rise

High as the list’ning skies,

Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.

Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,

Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;

Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,

Let us march on ’til victory is won.

Stony the road we trod,

Bitter the chastening rod,

Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;

Yet with a steady beat,

Have not our weary feet

Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?

We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,

We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,

Out from the gloomy past,

‘Til now we stand at last

Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years,

God of our silent tears,

Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;

Thou who has by Thy might

Led us into the light,

Keep us forever in the path, we pray.

Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,

Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;

Shadowed beneath Thy hand,

May we forever stand,

True to our God,

True to our native land.

Clinton, our dear old school,

For thee we reign and rule,

For thee we take our stand,

To honor thee.

We’ll honor cherish thee,

As down life’s path we flee,

Clinton, our dear old school,

We love you so.

When we enter her gate,

When we our classes take,

We pledge allegiance true,

To honor thee.

We’ll honor cherish thee,

As down life’s path we flee;

Clinton, our dear old school,

We Love you so.

LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING ALMA MATER

pa ge s ix pa ge s e v en

C O L L E G E

1 8 9 4

C O L L E G E

1 8 9 4

1029 Crawford RdRock Hill, SC 29730

FOUNDERS’ DAY COMMITTEE President Dr. Lester A. McCorn

Dr. Alvin McLambArchinya Ingram

Adrian ScottCheryl McCullough

Dr. Tony McNeillErin Giddens

Dontavius WilliamsKendra Craig

Rev. Jerret FiteDarin Kent

BOARD MEMBERS Bishop Mildred Hines, Chair

Dr. Benjamin Dixon, Vice ChairRev. Sandra SistareRev. Sandra Benton

Rev. Sharon BrowningRev. John Paul Ruth

Dr. Robert ScottRev. Eldren MorrisonDr. Reginald Morton

Dr. Brenda SmithRev. Otha SmithDr. Victor Wilson

Rev. Robert ChristianRev. William Cox

Rev. Lelar Brooks JohnsonMr. Terrence Murchison