BENEDICT COLLEGE Benedict College is committed to being the best college it can be. It is committed to establishing and maintaining high quality programs of teaching, research, and public service. Benedict is distinguished by its continued commitment to facilitate the empowerment, enhancement, and full participation of African Americans in American society. President’s Report 2007 VISION Benedict College is committed to being the best college it can be. It is committed to establishing and maintaining high quality programs of teaching, research, and public service. Benedict is distinguished by its continued commitment to facilitate the empowerment, enhancement, and full participation of African Americans in American society. MISSION TEACHING. The College is committed to providing instruction that leads to the baccalaureate degrees in the arts and sciences and professional areas. In addition, we are committed to providing continuing education that will lead to certificates and other special designations that may be useful for a career in the external environments. It is our intent to prepare students to enter career paths that will result in leadership positions in business, education, church, government, community, and professional organizations, or prepare them for further graduate and professional study. We seek to instill in students a life-long commitment to self-development and a commitment to being the best and a desire for public service. Our graduates should be committed to making the world a better place. They should be powers for good in society. We continue our historic emphasis on providing educational opportunities that will prepare African-American students for full and complete participation in American society. We explicitly accept the admissions challenge of providing the broadest possible access to all students consistent with maintaining the highest quality. Benedict College is an equal opportunity educational institution. We seek geographic, international, and racial diversity in our student body. RESEARCH. We are committed to undertaking faculty and student research that will contribute to the knowledge required to achieve the full and complete participation of African Americans in American society. We aim to improve instruction by incorporating the African American experience and perspective. We seek to stimulate increased and improved discussion and consideration of matters of importance to achieving a full and equal opportunity society. Benedict College hopes that its research will contribute to discovery and implementation of better policies and programs in the public and private sectors to advance African Americans to full and complete equality. We also encourage our scholars to undertake research to keep current in their fields and to contribute to the general advancement of knowledge in their disciplines. SERVICE. Benedict College is committed to utilizing its faculty, students, and administrative resources to provide service to improve conditions in the African-American community. We seek to provide direct service in the local community and throughout South Carolina. Our service emphasis is on education, social and family service, community and economic development, justice, and crime reduction, and youth development. We seek to demonstrate and develop innovative approaches to providing services that can have a profound and positive impact. 2 BENEDICT Table of Contents COLLEGE Vision and Mission ......................................2 President’s Message ....................................4 Chairman’s Message ....................................5 Introduction ................................................6 Strategic Direction 1....................................8 Strategic Direction 2..................................14 Strategic Direction 3..................................17 Strategic Direction 4..................................20 Strategic Direction 5..................................22 Strategic Direction 6..................................26 Strategic Direction 7..................................28 Strategic Direction 8..................................30 Strategic Direction 9..................................32 Statement of Financial Position.................34 Statement of Activities 2003-2006 ...........35 Board of Trustees .......................................36 President’s Cabinet ....................................36 Appendix: Additional Construction by Year...............38 Property Acquisitions ..............................38 Renovations/Upgrades/Projects ..............38 Credits .......................................................39 3 President’s Message Dear Benedict Family and Supporters, The first students to enter the doors of Benedict College were just five years from emancipation and were ready to forge a new future for themselves and their descendants. That was 1870, and 138 years later, there is much left to be done, much of it is related to unshackling the minds of our young people and enabling them to cut a path leading to cultural and personal independence. The challenges remain and the opportunities are more fulfilling than ever. Our obligation is to educate and empower our students to build better lives for themselves and future generations. In short, we claim our role in helping to make America and the world a better place for all. This report is presented in the context of our strategic directions; these guidelines keep us focused and direct our efforts to achieve our goals and objectives for the mission and vision of the College. We invite you to peruse this book thoroughly and see what we have accomplished. Note that our physical plant has never been better. From the renovated and newly constructed buildings to the beautiful foliage and flowers, Benedict is on the move. Our noble heritage and bright future as a school of choice continues to catch the attention of prospective students. We were fortunate to process more than 4,000 applications for the 20072008 academic year, a thousand more than the previous year. This flies in the face of data suggesting that enrollment of African-American students has declined in the States’ institutions of higher education. Please visit our campus. Attend one of our athletic events in our state-of-the-art Charlie W. Johnson Stadium. Join one of the clubs and/or societies that provide service to the College. Hear our award-winning choirs during our official and traditional events such as the Fall Convocation, Founder’s Day, the annual Christmas Concert and Commencement. Become a part of us; lend us your talents, your support and your good wishes. Together we can be the “Power” for all that is “Good” in our “Society.” Sincerely, David H. Swinton, Ph.D. President and CEO 4 BENEDICT COLLEGE Chairman’s Message Dear Benedict Family and Supporters, You have before you the newest President’s Report, outlining what Benedict College has accomplished, under the administration of Dr. David H. Swinton. Dr. Swinton came to the Columbia campus in 1994 and since then, the school has renovated and built new facilities, increased the strength and size of its faculty, grown its student body and continues to have an astonishing impact on the greater community. I invite you to drive around the neighborhoods surrounding our campus. Revitalization is too tame a word to describe what’s happened around the Benedict College campus. “Extreme makeover” might be closer. And that’s just the buildings. Remember, there are people inside those buildings, living and working and helping others live a better life, too, in outreach that extends beyond working in the community to living there, too. Benedict is truly helping to create a whole new Columbia. The College has given me the opportunity to share in the blessing that is uniquely Benedict. We have given thousands of African Americans for generation’s similar opportunity. Benedict continues to command affection and respect from its alumni and supporters, generating more than $25 million in contributions in just the past three years. Many of these gifts come from alumni now working in careers that don’t command large salaries: teachers and ministers, social workers and counselors, to name just a few. These are people in jobs that have a huge impact on the people – young and old – they serve, and on our society as a whole. And they know that Benedict has helped empower them to do well, and to do good. One of the things I appreciate most about Benedict is the diversity of learning and service the school offers its students and the community, all within the context of giving our students a superior college education. These are promising students to be sure, but they come here with much to learn. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “Genius without education is like silver in the mine.” With your support, Benedict continues to grow as a place where genius is mined and futures are forged. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and to read this report. Please consider taking the time to visit the campus, too, either in person or on the Web at www.benedict.edu. Stop by to hear some “joyful noise” at Antisdel Chapel from the hearts and souls of our award-winning gospel choir. And stop by the new football stadium and hear some “joyful noise” there, too, as we cheer on our Tigers! Sincerely, Dr. Charlie W. Johnson Board of Trustees, Chairman 5 BENEDICT Introduction COLLEGE At Benedict College, we’re in an enviable position. Over the past 10 years, one-third of Benedict graduates have enrolled in graduate school. We’re graced with an illustrious history, steeped in tradition nearly a century and a half strong. Legendary scholars and citizens call themselves Benedict alumni, with more graduate success stories being written each day. Only the current reality and bright future are equal peers to its past. Over the past ten years, we’ve witnessed unprecedented growth at Benedict College, physical and academic expansion yielding Benedict deserving national recognition. Our students help ensure this recognition is a deserved one. They fill new state-of-the art laboratories in Alumni Hall, restored pews in Antsidel Chapel; and the classrooms taught by Benedict’s award-winning faculty. In my last report, I presented you with a work in progress; a foundation on which to build upon over the next few years. I’m pleased to report that foundation is complete. Still, progress should never become complicated, stagnate or satisfied. Simply put: Laurels should be received as motivators, not reasons to rest. Thus, I welcome you to the next phase of Benedict College. Go Tigers. Strategic Direction 1: Strategic Direction 2: Strategic Direction 3: Strategic Direction 4: Strategic Direction 5: Strategic Direction 6: Strategic Direction 7: Strategic Direction 8: Strategic Direction 9: 6 Right-size the College Educational and Academic Support Programs Student Affairs Research and Public Service Physical Resources Private and Public Partnerships Financial Resources High-Quality Management Institutional Effectiveness BENEDICT COLLEGE Benedict was ranked one of the top ten producers of African American Physics majors in the country, as reported by the Education and Employment Statistic Division of the American Institute of Physics. Benedict is only the second HBCU to receive national accreditation for its Environmental Health Science Program among the nation’s 25 institutions of higher learning. 7 Strategic Direction 1 Right-Size the College MEETING THE CHALLENGE Today’s technology-powered, global job environment demands a workforce to match. Colleges and universities nationwide are faced with creating a student body prepared to handle this challenge, a collection of future leaders possessing both diverse skill sets and academic backgrounds that empower them to excel. Not surprisingly, four-year degrees are becoming prerequisites for this challenge. Record-breaking numbers of students enroll at undergraduate colleges and universities each year, with these numbers expected to grow exponentially. The National Center for Education Statistics, in fact, predicts a dramatic 20 percent gain in undergraduate student enrollment over the next half-decade. “ The legacy of any college always begins and ends with its students. Benedict’s more-active recruitment and retention efforts will help ensure that this legacy not only continues, but grows.” – Dr. David H. Swinton 8 BENEDICT COLLEGE BUILDING PAST SUCCESSES INTO FUTURE ONES As the nation’s fourth-largest Historically Black College and University (HBCU), Benedict College both recognizes this challenge and is well on its way to meeting it head-on. Who do we recruit? How should we recruit them? Under the leadership of President David H. Swinton, Benedict’s Office of Admissions and Student Marketing actively increased efforts to both attract and retain top students. These efforts are paying dividends. Benedict College experienced an 18.5 percent increase in the number of applications from 2006 to 2007, combined with an equally impressive 48 percent rise in the number of mail responses from students targeted by Benedict as future scholars at the Columbia campus. Miss Colombia South America, Vanessa Mendoza, flew to the United States with her mother, family members and friends to celebrate the graduation of her younger sister, Verily Mendoza , an accounting major who recently accepted a position with Price Water House-Coopers in Washington, DC. Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, a national magazine devoted to minority issues in academe, recently released its annual “Top 100 Undergraduate Degree Producers” and “Top 100 Graduate Degree Producers” rankings. Using graduation data reported by 4000 two- and four-year institutions to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics for the 2005-06 academic year, the magazine ranked universities not only on how many degrees were granted overall to minority students, but also gave separate rankings by race, specifically African American, Asian American, Hispanic and Native American, for specific fields of study. • Benedict ranked 13th for granting undergraduate degrees in Physical Sciences to African Americans. • The College ranked 41st for granting undergraduate degrees in Computer and Information Sciences to African Americans. • Benedict College ranked 42nd for granting undergraduate degrees in BiologyBiomedical Sciences to African Americans. © Copyright 2007 by DiverseEducation.com 9 Strategic Direction 1 Who do we recruit? How should we recruit them? Under the leadership of President David H. Swinton, Benedict’s Office of Admissions and Student Marketing actively increased efforts to both attract and retain top students. These efforts are paying dividends. Benedict College experienced an 18.5 percent increase in the number of applications from 2006 to 2007, combined with an equally impressive 48 percent rise in the number of mail responses from students targeted by Benedict as future scholars at the Columbia campus. Nearly 4,000 students accepted admission at Benedict College in the Fall of 2007, a thousand more than the same period only two years earlier. In contrast, African-American student populations at South Carolina’s state universities steadily declined over this same period while Benedict College has stabilized its enrollment. A similar trend can be found within Benedict’s impressive male enrollment. While most colleges and universities struggle to recruit and retain male students, Benedict’s undergraduates are a near-perfect gender split. Still, educational success is never measured by application, acceptance or enrollment figures. While the largest private undergraduate college in South Carolina, Benedict College retains a mission of individualized dedication to its unique student populations, past and present. Several areas around campus, such as the plaza around the library, allow students to enjoy a wireless connection to the Internet. 10 Right-Size the College BENEDICT COLLEGE Posted on Tue., May 29, 2007 At black colleges, door open for whites By KATRINA A. GOGGINS Associated Press Writer Michael Roberts has done more than study finance at historically black Benedict College. He’s played football for the college, joined a fraternity and proposed to his girlfriend. Pretty typical, except that Roberts is one of the few whites who attend one of the nation’s traditionally black colleges. “When I tell people I attend Benedict, they comment, ‘Well, you’re not black,’” Roberts said. “But it’s still a school, I’m still getting an education. You don’t have to be black to attend.” Officials for the nation’s historically black schools say Roberts’ experience is not that unusual. White students are being actively recruited, and attracting them has become easier for a variety of reasons, including the offer of scholarships and lower tuitions than those paid at non-black schools. Private, historically black schools cost an average of $10,000 less per year than their traditionally white counterparts, according to the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. Michael Roberts is a rising senior who plays on the football team, is a part of Benedict’s ROTC program and a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. fraternity. SUPPORTING THE MISSION OF CREATING NEW LEGACIES The College’s open enrollment policy combined with its intervention strategies serve to provide and sustain opportunity for its students. This opportunity is the legacy of Benedict College, a 138-year tradition of opening higher education doors for men and women aspiring for a college education. Of Benedict’s 2006 freshman class, 95 percent were first-generation college students. The head of the association says lower costs are not the only thing the schools have to offer. Whites who attend the schools are preparing for an “increasingly black and brown world,” said Lezli Baskerville, the association’s president and CEO. “If you want to know how to live in one, you can’t grow up in an all-white neighborhood, go to a predominantly white school, white cultural and social events, go to a predominantly white university and then thrive in a world that is today more black, more brown than before,” Baskerville said. White students say they’ve taken valuable experiences from their time at black colleges. Skin color, the students say, is much more of a factor away from the campuses than it is on them. “You should get to know people based on who they are,” Roberts said. “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” Maximizing this opportunity can be a difficult task, as financial and academic challenges often go hand-in-hand. Our HOPE and LIFE Scholarship recipients receive regular check-ins on their classroom performance, which serve as constant measures of success from freshman orientation to senior commencement. Backed by a committed staff, these support programs achieve resounding, measurable success. Retention rates for HOPE Scholarship recipients increased more than 200 percent these past few years, resulting in ten times the funding to support future scholarship beneficiaries. Similar figures underscore LIFE Scholarship students; a nearly 150 percent increase in student retention plus $600,000 in available LIFE funds. 11 Strategic Direction 1 A FEW OF OUR FINEST The investment in Benedict’s students is richly rewarded through their outstanding accomplishments to society. Current Benedict College undergraduates include NASA interns, Rohn and HAAS Chemistry Award prize winners, athletic trainers with professional football teams, and top-tier genetic researchers. Similarly, the best of role models can arguably be found in the footsteps of those who went just before you. Here we offer Antonio Ellis, a 2005 graduate studying law at Georgetown University. Gina Green-Davis, a 2006 Benedict alum, is a master’s student at Harvard University. Elena Span, who completed Benedict in 2005, is in her second year as a Ph.D. student in economics at Ohio State University. All proud Benedict College graduates and future national leaders. Current Benedict students are following up on these accomplishments through their own dedication to academic performance. Four-year graduation rates at Benedict College have more than doubled over the last five years. Their future is bright, and through them, so is that of their college. 12 Right-Size the College BENEDICT COLLEGE Benedict to awards new degrees Benedict awarded its first five electrical engineering degrees during the May 2007 graduation program. The school will now be eligible to seek accreditation, and for which dean Stacey Jones has high hopes. The private, historically black college in the heart of Columbia will award those new degrees among the 280 it plans to hand out today in Charlie W. Johnson Stadium. Ceremonies begin at 9 a.m. at the stadium on Two Notch Road at Read Street. The speaker for the commencement is U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn. Jones, who has master’s degrees in math and science from Johns Hopkins University and a doctorate in computer sciences from George Washington University, can hardly contain her pride in the five graduates, all of whom plan to enter graduate school. The five earned scores between 730 and 790 on the Graduate Record Exam, for which 800 is a perfect score in math. Jones aims to prove that students can excel at an institution that has an open admissions policy, which means Benedict accepts students with marginal academic backgrounds. Adura Sopeju, who transferred to Benedict from the University of Lagos in Nigeria, has 10 scholarship offers, seven of which are fully funded, from universities including Virginia, Florida, Cornell University and Purdue. And, he has participated in research at the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland, where Benedict plans to send more engineering students for hands-on experience. The five students also have had opportunities to interact with students from engineering powerhouses like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech and Cornell. They say they often feel a lack of respect for the Benedict program, and they plead with the engineering world to give them a chance to prove themselves. “Don’t judge us until you see what we’ve done,” said graduate Aderele Fapohunda. Some people automatically think they’d prefer someone from MIT,” Fapohunda said. “Just give us a chance.” Jones said that, for starters, her electrical engineering program was approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, a key accreditation agency. The program can now seek accreditation by ABET Inc., the recognized accrediting agency for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering and technology. – by James T. Hammond The State newspaper 13 Strategic Direction 2 Educational and Academic Support Programs The success of Benedict College is best determined through our most-prized assets: the College’s students and faculty. We’re pleased to continue the academic momentum from previous years, a testament to the stronger national presence Benedict College is fast achieving. NATIONAL PRESENCE, NATIONAL RECOGNITION Under the skillful hand of Dr. Janeen Witty, Benedict’s School of Education has strengthened its curricula, partnerships with area public schools and overall vision. These efforts resulted in a resounding statement of support by the National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE): national accreditation of Benedict’s education program. It also didn’t take long for one of our recent graduates to make her mark. Denise Covert was honored as Williamsburg County (S.C.) School District’s First Year Teacher of the Year. Education Professor, Dr. Gloria Boutte, was named Chair of the Multicultural Committee for the American Association for College of Teacher Education (AACTE). Finally, the school’s Elementary Program received national recognition status from the Association for Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI). 14 Dr. Janeen Witty, Dean of the School of Education, also teaches students in the new Continuing Education program designed to help adult learners to complete their bachelor’s degree. BENEDICT COLLEGE “ The Benedict experience is a unique blend of scholarly vigor and community awareness. Our goal is to produce informed, participating, contributing citizens, who expand their learning beyond our campus and enrich the community with their deeds and words.” Another program to make its national accreditation mark was the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department’s undergraduate degree in recreation and leisure services. The program, led by Drs. William F. Gunn, Jr. and Ifeanyi Emenike, is now accredited until 2011 by both the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and the American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation Council on Accreditation. Similar success can be found across the campus curricula. Benedict’s Environmental Health Science program received national accreditation by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC), likewise re-accreditation was earned by the Benedict College Social Work program from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Several Benedict College programs also began forging their own new success stories. More than 14 new degree programs were created, including a Continuing Education program located within a newly renovated building near the Benedict College Business Development Center. Meanwhile, in May 2007 Benedict College awarded its first five degrees in electrical engineering. All five recipients planned to enter graduate school in the next academic year. – Dr. David H. Swinton TEACHING BY EXAMPLE It takes top-notch faculty to support growth throughout the academic department. Benedict is fortunate to attract and retain scholars to its faculty ranks. For instance, Dr. Samirusubas Raychoudury, professor of biology, was named a 2006 recipient of the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU). Excellence in Teaching Award. Benedict College’s faculty are also involved in the “Town and Gown” connection, offering services in outreach to the community. In that effort, Drs. Alma Byrd, professor of English and French and Norma Jackson, director of international programs, were both honored for their commitments to community service. Dr. Ronald high, professor of music, received a Fulbright Scholar grant to lecture at the University of Music and Drama in Hannover, Germany. Not surprisingly, our students thrive under the tutelage of Benedict’s outstanding faculty. Benedict College is the second-highest producer of African American physics majors in the country as reported by the Education and Employment Statistic Division of the American Institute of Physics. In addition, the 2006 Benedict College Honda Campus All Star Challenge Team finished fifth out of 64 competing teams and emerged from the Floridabased tournament undefeated. Dr. Samirusuba Raychoudury, who received an Excellence In Teaching Award shows off his country’s flag during International Day. During the December 2006 Commencement Ceremony, Miss Kamilah Fabian was voted Outstanding Senior by her peers in the senior class. 15 Strategic Direction 2 Educational and Academic Support Programs INVESTMENT IN SELF AND COMMUNITY In addition to the faculty, many of our students cite Benedict’s unique service learning initiative as an important co-curriculum program adding to their success. We aspire to create top scholars and citizens, with several programs in place to help students meet their expectations, and ours. Benedict College’s Service Learning Program requires all undergraduates to complete 120 hours of community service during their matriculation at the College. Increased exposure to the community means a greater ability to apply classroom skills in a realworld environment. Perhaps most importantly, it instills in Benedict College students a culture of good citizenry that transcends beyond both the campus and collegiate life. People have noticed. NASA cited the Benedict service learning program for its excellence, awarding it the Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA) Award for outreach efforts to Richland School District One here in Columbia. Benedict’s Service Equals Effort (SE2-square) project supplements the College’s service learning requirement by rewarding underclassmen for academic rigor. Designed to motivate and retain students during early and often difficult collegiate years, the SE2 initiative increased retention, number of credit hours enrolled, and overall academic achievement for Benedict College undergraduates. Supplemented by Benedict’s new Continuing Education Program, School of Honors, and Offices of Academic Support and Special Support Service, the College now boasts an unprecedented number of mechanisms in place to assist Benedict students in reaching their goals, in the classroom and beyond. 16 The beautiful Miss Tina Sanders, Miss Benedict College 2006 Strategic Direction 3 BENEDICT COLLEGE Student Support Service As the proverbial foundation supports the greatest of structures, so too does a strong student affairs component helps to underpin a college’s mission, vision and objectives. Benedict is no exception. A DECADE OF STRONG SUPPORT The ability to enable our students outside the classroom is vital both to their academic and personal wellbeing, knowledge that led Benedict College to complete a comprehensive, 10-year assessment of its student affairs programs. The results of this study produced very definitive and favorable results. As Benedict has grown, so, too, have the student affairs mechanisms to support this expansion. With student enrollment increasing exponentially, the College expects the need for housing to grow in tandem. Aggressive renovations and upgrades to existing facilities and simultaneous location of new residential options occur on a daily basis. “ The service learning initiative is unparalleled anywhere in the country. For our students, this is not simply a graduation requirement. It becomes part of their Benedict identity.” – Dr. David H. Swinton Two-dozen Community Life staff guide these initiatives, providing 24-hour coverage for all Benedict College dormitories and the 65 percent of Benedict students who call campus housing their home away from home during the school year. The Benedict College Campus Police Department supplements these efforts, continuously ensuring the safety of all Benedict College students, faculty and staff. Community-oriented policing, mandatory dormitory inspections and a state-of-the-art security monitoring system are all recent initiatives to keep our campus a safe, enjoyable place to learn and live. A COMMITMENT TO SERVICE AND SELF Through the school’s award-winning service learning initiative, Benedict students are extending their campus experiences to South Carolina and beyond. Now in its twelfth year, a record-breaking amount of service learning hours are completed every semester by Benedict undergraduates. The College has responded as well, appropriating approximately $1.4 million each year to support service learning projects. 17 Strategic Direction 3 Student Support Service In April 2007, a group of Benedict College students teamed up with Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild New Orleans homes ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. Eighty Benedict students applied for 18 available slots. Related, a 2006 freshmen service learning project successfully resulted in providing new school supplies to replaces much-needed goods stolen from The Good Samaritans organization in Bishopville, S.C. As a testament to its success, several service learning initiatives have grown into annual events at Benedict College. Over a decade strong, Benedict’s PLUS (Preparation for Leadership through Unity and Service) Day attracts 600+ volunteers who help beautify neighboring communities in Columbia. A similar success story is found in Benedict’s annual “It’s Your Health” Day. Attendance tripled at this yearly health fair that provides the Benedict College community with free tips, screenings and resources on health issues vital to African Americans. ROAR TIGERS, ROAR! One of Benedict College’s proudest bragging points stems from the amazing accomplishments of its student athletes, both on and off the court. Benedict now fields a total of 10 teams each year, highlighted by the action in Tiger football’s new home at beautiful Charlie W. Johnson Football Stadium. Likewise housed in this stadium is Assistant Football Coach John Montgomery’s annual NFL camp for area youth. The summer camp offers 80 kids lessons in athletics and in life itself. Benedict College men’s and women’s basketball produced stellar seasons in 2006-2007, finishing 1st and 3rd, respectively, in their divisions while netting spots in the NCAA Division II Tournament. Fred Watson, men’s head basketball coach and Benedict College alum, was named SIAC Coach of the Year two years in a row. Benedict’s Tigers are certainly no slouches in the classroom either. Seven student athletes were named to the SIAC academic and all-conference team, with women’s track and field earning the title of 2005-2006 SIAC academic champions. Their combined GPA was an impressive 3.46. 18 Men’s Basketball Coach and Benedict Alum, Fred Watson, was named SIAC Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2007. BENEDICT COLLEGE Best program isn’t the biggest Men’s and women’s teams have tall postseason expectations By CHRIS DEARING Special to The State Quick, off the top of your head, name the most successful basketball program – men and women’s combined – in the Palmetto State this season. Winthrop or College of Charleston? Nope. They have solid men’s programs, but the women lack success. How about Francis Marion or Charleston Southern? Neither one would qualify. Furman or Wofford? Not even in the discussion. Don’t even try to bring the two big schools, South Carolina or Clemson, into the mix. Try tiny Benedict, whose men’s and women’s squads are in the field of 64 for the NCAA Division II tournament. The women’s team is 20-10 and earned the automatic berth that went with winning the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament. They will play today as the No. 8 seed in the South Region and face the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed, Florida Gulf Coast (29-0). Head Football Coach, Stanley Conner talks to the media during his first press conference. The men’s team won the regular-season SIAC title with a 25-4 record to earn a No. 3 seed and will play No. 6 seed Eckerd (25-5) on Saturday. “Both of our programs are on the rise,” fifth-year men’s coach and Benedict alumni Fred Watson said. “We’ve gotten good backing from the administrators, and they’ve given us the things we need to be successful. I guess it would be safe to say that we have one of the better combined programs in the state.” The women’s team was the runner-up in the SIAC during the regular season. It overcame several key injuries during the early part of the season. Natasha Gray missed time with a hip injury, Val McQueen, the top perimeter shooter on the team, had a couple of injuries that set her back, and Aja Trotter missed time with a pulled hamstring. Throw in a couple of rolled ankles, and it took a while for every thing to come together. The Tigers have won 10 of 11 entering the tournament. “We certainly started off slower than we anticipated,” said second-year coach and former Eau Claire star Felicia Jenkins said. “We had everybody coming back, so we were looking for a big season until the injury bug bit us. Bennie Lewis was recently named to the SIAC 2007-2008 Pre-Season All-Conference Basketball Team. “As we got healthier and worked harder, the brighter side started coming at the right time, and we’re peaking when we need to.” 19 Strategic Direction 4 Research and Public Service Service to community is a commitment that Benedict College holds as a sacred component in its mission. For almost 140 years, Benedict faculty and students have maintained a tradition of outreach extending the college beyond its campus walls by supporting area residents and businesses. The past few years have seen a dramatic growth in these efforts, as Benedict College committed an unprecedented amount of funds to public service initiatives. BUILDING HOPE, REBUILDING NEIGHBORHOODS The Benedict College Center of Excellence for Community Development celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2007, marking a decade of investment in the Columbia community upwards of $20 million. Under the leadership of Dr. Jabari Simama and in partnership with BenedictAllen Community Corporation, the center continues to offer new hope and opportunity for South Carolinians. “ At the end of the each day, we feel we’ve done something special at Benedict College. We’ve simultaneously empowered our students, our neighbors, our entire community, and one person at a time, a piece of our nation’s economic future.” – Dr. David H. Swinton A notable example is the center’s contribution to help build the first new, affordable home in over 30 years in Columbia’s Ridgewood section. The house is but one step in a much larger revitalization project for one of the city’s oldest and most historic sections. To date, nearly 70 affordable houses have been built by the center around the community and purchased by Columbia-area residents. THE BUSINESS OF OPPORTUNITY Benedict College’s Business Development Center tells a similar story of success. The center recently welcomed David Palmer as its new director, and with him, renewed our continued commitment to helping new entrepreneurs looking for a business, technical and/or financial leg up. Four unique loan programs comprise the center’s new Benedict Minority Revolving Loan Fund (BMRLF), a program instituted in early 2007. Technology forums supplement these assistance efforts, the most recent analyzing the role of broadband in supporting economic development. Over the past four years alone, the Business Development Center raised $410,000 in capital while serving 119 business and entrepreneurs across the state. It first opened its doors to new facilities of its own and a business incubation program in December 2006. TRUCK DRIVER PROGRAM HITS HIGH GEAR Inarguably the highest profile program for the Business Development Center is its Entrepreneurial Truck Driver Training Initiative. This revolutionary project, a partnership between Benedict College and C.W. Johnson XPress, offers direct job placement for those who successfully complete the demanding program. 20 Dr. Jabari Simama, Vice President of Community Development and Executive Vice President of External Relations, shows Congressman James E. Clyburn the architectural rendering and future plans for the LeRoy Walker Health and Wellness Complex. Dr. Swinton is joined by Mr. William Dudley Gregory (formerly) of SC HUD; Dr. Simama; new Business Development Center resident, Mr. Gene Dennis of Prestige Insurance Agency and Mr. Larry Salley, Executive Director of the Benedict Allen CDC, at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the official opening of the Benedict College Business Development Center. BENEDICT COLLEGE Enrollees receive five weeks of classroom training followed by 10,000 miles of hands-on driving leading to a commercial driving license. The program also supports students via job skills training and credit counseling. Successful graduates of the Johnson XPress program receive a starting salary of $42,000 – well above the national average for this growth industry. The School-to-Work Internship Program and the School-to-Work Transportation Training and Careers Program were recognized for their excellence at the 2007 National Transportation Summit in Charlotte, N.C. This program received the Summit’s National Partnership Award for its contribution to the country’s transportation workforce. SUPPORTING TOMORROW’S STUDENTS TODAY South Carolina’s children – and prospective Benedict students! – are our future, of course, and are at the loving heart of Benedict College’s community service programs. Benedict’s Child Development Center serves 70 children annually, providing them with comprehensive school readiness training and cultural enrichment courses. The center recently received reaccreditations by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Dr. Charlie W. Johnson conducts an interview with a reporter about how the Driving for Inner City Development –Truck Driver Training Initiative program works. As a sister program, the Center of Excellence for Education and Equity of African American Children (CEEAS) provides South Carolina educators with critical training geared toward servicing its diverse and minority populations. The state recognized this program’s accomplishments via a $1.5 million grant to CEEAS from the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. Research stemming from this program provides equal proof of its potency. In 2006 alone, four publications and eleven professional, scholarly presentations emerged from CEEAS efforts. Perhaps no Benedict College community service initiative has a greater legacy than its TriO Program. For more than three decades, the TriO Program’s wide range of offerings has brought academic and life opportunities to countless South Carolina students. Benedict was one of only a few schools that was awarded $435,000 for the next four years, totaling $1.6 million from the US Department of Education. More than 800 students each year benefit from its Upward Bound, March to Manhood, Educational Talent Search and 21st Century Community Learning Center, all aimed at helping low income and/or first generation, college-bound middle and high school students achieve their dreams of going to college. 21 Strategic Direction 5 Physical Resources To anyone who’s ever said, “I’ll believe it when I see it,” come take a look. The latest expansion and improvements of Benedict’s physical facilities continue what has indeed become an source of pride of the school for and its surrounding neighborhood. A HOME BEFITTING A CHAMPION The new Charlie W. Johnson Football Stadium – standing prominently on 61 acres of open land at Two Notch Road and Read Street – is the centerpiece of the College’s most with physical expansion in several decades. Named after Benedict’s current board chairman, Charlie Johnson, for his outstanding commitment and support to the College, the spectacular 11,000-seat, $13.6 million facility becomes without a doubt the premier stadium in all of Division II football. The Charlie W. Johnson Football Stadium features a dramatic, five-story entrance, state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, and a professional-grade artificial turf surface. New Head Football Coach Stanley Connor guides the Tigers in their new environs. Connor previously led Alabama A&M to several SWAC Eastern Division titles, including a SWAC Championship in 2005. TIGER TRADITIONS The new stadium, along with a new but, seasoned coach continues to add marks of achievement and pride for the 12 year old Tiger football program. A far cry from the current purple and gold, Tiger frenzy accompanying home football contests, Benedict football first took to the gridiron in 1911 thanks only to the efforts of then-Professor Ralph Fleming Bates. Bates founded the College’s baseball team four years earlier. In 1938 the mascot – originally a Deacon – was changed to a Tiger. Benedict did not field a football team for three full decades, from 1965-1995. “ The College’s aggressive approach to physical plant upgrades is essential to its future. The Charlie W. Johnson Stadium and the Alumni Hall labs are testaments to this thrust. They are landmarks for the ‘new’ Benedict College. They speak to the generosity of resources and spirit that propels Benedict toward a bright future.” – Dr. David H. Swinton 22 BENEDICT COLLEGE BRICK BY BRICK, OUR CAMPUS GROWS Head Football Coach, Mr. Stanley Conners; Athletic Director, Mr. Willie Washington; Palmetto Capital City Classic MVP and Quarter Back Mr. Markus Webb; President Swinton; and Mr. Willie Jefferies, Executive Director, 2007 Palmetto Capital City Classic The new stadium trumps a new era in Benedict College athletics, the first piece of a much larger $25 million LeRoy Walker Health and Wellness Complex. Dr. Walker, 88, was an AllAmerican at Benedict in three sports, first as a Deacon, then a Tiger from 1937-1940. Former chancellor of North Carolina Central University, Walker coached more than 100 All-Americans, 40 national champions, and 12 Olympians from six different countries. He also served as the President of the 1995 Olympic games, held in Atlanta, Georgia. He has been elevated to emeritus status as a member of the Benedict College Board of Trustees. Additional physical developments are planned for the Walker Complex area, including a MainStays Suites Hotel and significant retail shopping. These developments cap several years of renovation and revitalization by Benedict and City of Columbia and others of the Two Notch Road area adjacent to the College. Read Street is now lined with new homes. The same holds true for the former Saxon Homes public housing complex, replaced by the Celia Saxon neighborhood. More than $10 million has been spent in landscaping which lines the streets of Two Notch Road from Taylor Street to Beltline Boulevard. Finally, the new Drew Health and Wellness center, one of the city’s finest such facilities, welcomes hundreds daily through its doors for swimming, and aerobics, weight training, compliments the campus neighborhood. The Health and Wellness Complex is named after Board of Trustees Emeritus, Dr. LeRoy T. Walker, who was the President of the United States Olympic Committee Games and a 1940 graduate of Benedict College. 23 Strategic Direction 5 Physical Resources Within the Benedict College campus walls, outstanding development continues. Having completed Phase I, the College is taking historic Antisdel Chapel into its second and final restoration phase for the foreseeable future. A campus landmark since 1932, the chapel stands as a religious and spiritual landmark for the College’s past, present and the years to come. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, CUTTING-EDGE RESULTS The Benedict community reaps the benefits of the College’s most dramatic technology infrastructure upgrade in its 138-year history. Granted an APC Silver Award for its efforts, Benedict computing boasts new, blazing-fast servers, expansive computer access, campus-wide wireless accessibility, and a potent firewall, all backed by a gamut of support services. The inarguably gem in this new technology infrastructure are the five Alumni Hall learning labs within the School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The Pearl B Cox Laboratory for Biomedical Research houses equipment valued over $1 million, tools currently aimed at studying cancer prevention in pregnant women and children. The Cox Lab is the recipient of several National Institute of Health grants including the Minority Biomedical Research Support, Research Infrastructure in Minority Institution, Academic Research Enhancement Award, and Extramural Associate Research Development Awards. Research from this lab has appeared in the Journal of Environmental Science and Health and the Journal of South Carolina Academy of Science. 24 Dr. Stacey Franklin Jones, Dean of the School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and winner of the 2007 Governor’s Award for Excellence, introduces a high school student to an interactive robot that was built by the students and faculty in the STEM program. BENEDICT COLLEGE Simultaneously, the Gladys Butler Goforth Laboratory for Chemical Research and Teaching explores principles of organic, analytical, physical and inorganic chemistry. Powered by the latest in spectroscopic equipment, the Goforth Lab is funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Defense, Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and NASA. Not to be outdone, the Freeda Moore Johnson Laboratory for Environmental Science Research aspires to be South Carolina’s premier research center for “green” technologies and their impact on reducing environmental pollution. The Johnson lab’s unique equipment is funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. The premier James F. Littles Laboratory for Engineering Discipline Integrated Teaching (EDIT) may be the only lab of its kind dedicated to instruction in design testing, simulation, and building of circuits and other prototype technologies. Created according to the standards of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the Littles Lab is backed by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Finally, the Ethel Mae Taylor Laboratory for Computer Science Research explores issues in and the teaching of mobile computing, artificial and real intelligence, and embedded systems. The Taylor Lab is also home to Team STACIE (Science and Technology Activity Centered Interactive Education), a collaboration of Benedict College engineering students, faculty and industry partners joined in creating unique extracurricular and teaching experiences on this topic. One would be hard pressed to find a better setting to discuss research findings from these state-of-the-art facilities than the new Juanita Scott Simmons Conference Room, housed near these five Alumni Hall labs. Dr. Simmons, esteemed professor of biology, served Benedict in several critical administrative capacities for nearly 40 years. Her efforts also resulted in more than $7 million in grants, some of which paid for renovations to the building that now houses the conference room bearing her name. Mrs. Freeda Moore Johnson, class of 1949, proudly stands in front of the new Environmental Science Laboratory that bears her name resulting from her generous support to its renovation. Dr. Taylor, class of 1946, greeted guests at the grand opening of the new Ethel Mae Taylor Computer Science Research Laboratory, which was made possible through her financial support of the program. 25 Strategic Direction 6 Private and Public Partnerships Good news travels fast. As proof of this adage, Benedict College’s recent accomplishments are generating significant buzz in both local and national media. This buzz is tangible product of Benedict’s more aggressive approach to public relations and advertising, efforts that in turn have helped attract key political figures, artists, events, musicians and even astronauts to the Columbia campus. SPREADING THE WORD Local newspaper coverage of Benedict College has increased 65 percent over the past decade, with national stories tripling over this same period. Benedict Tiger athletics are likewise reaping this benefit, now appearing twice as often in these same media outlets. In turn, journalists are looking toward Benedict faculty and staff as experts for their stories. Members of the Benedict family featured in such stories have tripled. Benedict College President David H. Swinton and the College’s Community Development Center (CDC) received front-page coverage in Black Issues in Higher Education. Similar, front-page attention was attained in Marketwise magazine, where Benedict was lauded for its contribution to the citizens of South Carolina. Benedict’s unique “Call Me Mister” program was highlighted by WLTX-TV during Teacher Appreciation Week. “Call Me Mister” helps place African American men into elementary school classrooms. Benedict alum Nicholas Gillespie, a graduate of the program and local third-grade teacher, was prominently featured in the story. Two decades and counting, Benedict’s Dr. Marianna White Davis continues to put Benedict College on the map with her annual Black History Makers Teleconference. The 2007 version of this worldwide broadcast featured a number of distinguished panelists including Randall Kennedy, author and Harvard Law professor; and former NFL star and current entrepreneur Robert Porcher III. “ The secret is out about Benedict College, and we couldn’t be more pleased. Our nationwide recognition has never been greater, likewise the level of our accomplishments.” – Dr. David H. Swinton 26 Rev. Jesse Jackson was among several nationally renowned speakers to come to campus to speak to students about the 2008 Presidential election and the importance of voting. BENEDICT COLLEGE Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton embraces Miss Nadia Muhammad, Miss Benedict College, after Miss Muhammad introduced the presidential candidate during one of her visits to Columbia. NATIONAL VENUE, NATIONAL ATTENTION With such continuous positive coverage, people are coming to see for themselves. Campus visits have more than doubled, with the historic campus on Harden Street is now a must-stop for elite newsmakers and the media which cover them. Presidential candidate John Edwards featured Benedict College as a significant stop on his 2007 Town Hall Meeting tour. Several Benedict students were featured in the stories this significant news item generated. Nadia Mahammad – Benedict senior and Miss Benedict College – introduced Senator Hillary Clinton during her own 2007 presidential campaign visit at neighboring Allen University. Miss Benedict poses with presidential candidate, Mr. John Edwards, before he spoke to students and the Columbia community at Town Hall meeting hosted by Benedict College. NASA astronaut Charles Bolden, a senior Marines commander, returned to his hometown to introduce Benedict College’s third Annual XTreme Technology Week Assembly. Bolden, a veteran of three space flights including the deployment of the Hubble telescope, kicked off the famed science competition attracting high school students from three states. Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan led a rally at Benedict College to stir up support for the 10th Anniversary of the Million Man March. Black Entertainment Television (BET) featured Benedict College students in their reality program “The Road Show.” Two sold-out performances of “Dreamgirls,” the 2006 AcademyAward winning sensation, wowed the audience at Benedict’s Henry Ponder Fine Arts Theater. Moreover, locally born but internationally acclaimed, Larry Lebby brought a mini-retrospective of his legendary paintings to Benedict College. Lebby – whose works depict everyday African American existence in the South – was commissioned to create a portrait of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Several Lebby paintings also adorn the walls of the Vatican. SGA President, Mr. Joshua Strohman (far left) poses with Rev. Jesse Jackson and his cabinet during a reception in the President’s Dinning Room following Jackson’s speech to the campus and Columbia community. Finally, Benedict College played host to two of South Carolina’s most prominent cultural events. Spiritual Rising, a symposium and celebration of African American spirituals, beautifully echoed South Carolina’s official state music at historic Antisdel Chapel. And over 400 attendees came to Benedict College to participate in the 2005 Young People’s Christian Assembly. The annual summer program is a 40-year tradition celebrating Baptist Christian faith. The FIVE PILLARS of SUCCESS EXCELLENCE …TIMES FIVE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Without an doubt the most important public relations campaign at Benedict College, occurs every day, with little fanfare and no reporters to speak of. Benedict’s students, faculty and staff pride themselves on upholding the new “Five Pillars of Success,” a campus-wide communications initiative encouraging excellence in self and community. Success = Personal Accountability Success = Commitment to Excellence Success = Effort Success = Tiger Pride Success = Community Engagement 27 Strategic Direction 7 Financial Resources TIGERS OF THE PAST… LENDING A PAW TO THE PRESENT Every year, Benedict College alumni the world over return to campus, amazed at the tremendous growth of their beloved alma mater. Restoration and expansion projects fill the campus, likewise the surrounding Edgewood community in which Benedict’s neighbors reside. The handsome Charlie W. Johnson Football Stadium’s dramatic façade greets these visitors, likewise the beautiful restoration inside Antisdel Chapel. Finally and perhaps most importantly, they stop to interact with the promising students as well as the outstanding faculty that are currently a part of the Benedict college family and the collegiate environ. Members in both groups are winning national awards and acclaim in areas of research, debate, the arts and sports. These noteworthy achievements further point to a bright future for the College, the best is yet to come. All of these assets, however, require financial stability to sustain such growth. Alumni support, foundation grants and proper budgetary planning combine to ensure that Benedict College continues the momentum it’s gained in recent years. Indeed, the momentum is building. Due to aggressive fiscal management by the administration, Benedict announced a $1 million budget surplus for 2007: a dramatic change from budget concerns of years past. The College is also reducing long-term debt through ongoing refinancing efforts. TRUSTEES AND ALUMNI AGREE TO A $7,400,000 CHALLENGE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS The Benedict College Board of Trustees and the National Alumni Association unanimously approved a $7.4 million Challenge over the next three years. Both organizations have agreed to raise $2.0 million this year, $2.4 million in 2009 and $3.0 million in 2010. E-GIVING IS ACTIVATED The Division of Institutional Advancement announced that all supporters of the college can now make their gifts online at www.benedict.edu. Just click on the Challenge banner and you are there! It is fast, simple and secure. DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA RECOGNIZED FOR GIFTS TO BENEDICT COLLEGE The recruitment and arrival of Mr. Love Collins, III as the newly appointed Executive Vice President for the Division of Institutional Advancement, has added marked momentum to the development and execution of a significantly enhanced fundraising program. Mr. Collins has lead several fundraising teams and three successful campaigns at other institutions exceeding $200MM. Upon his arrival and after completing an internal fundraising audit last summer, he has quickly proposed a fundraising strategy that promises to enhance private support in all giving areas. Overall fundraising results are running ahead of where the College was at this time last year. Mr. Collins will also lead the Institutional Advancement team and Board of Trustees through a competitive Kresge/ UNCF Capacity Building grant program later this year. Benedict College is a semi-finalist among nine other Colleges competing for six $1MM plus awards to enhance Alumni and Board giving. Love Collins, III Executive Vice President Institutional Advancement Benedict alumna – Freeda Johnson, class of 1949 – was recognized by the Kresge Foundation as one of the nation’s top donors to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). ENJOY CHARTER DAY - April 2, 2008 - WITH A TOUCH OF DISNEY! Make your plans to attend our Charter Day gala on April 2, 2008. The College is pleased to host Mr. John E. Pepper, Jr., Chairman of the Board, The Walt Disney Company. He also is Co-Chair of the Board of National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. He has also served as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of The Procter & Gamble Company. Mr. Pepper also serves on the board of Boston Scientific Corp. 28 Mr. John E. Pepper, Jr., scheduled Charter Day Dinner Speaker on April 2, 2008 BENEDICT COLLEGE The Half Century Club also continues its outstanding support for Benedict College. Several club members purchased naming rights to the five new, specialized labs in Alumni Hall. Members of the Heritage Society, not to be outdone, contributed generously, as well. To date, nearly $70,000 has been bequeathed to Benedict College. Benedict’s Charter Club welcomed both Steve Roberts, author, businessman and owner of WZRB-TV in Columbia, and former “The Apprentice” contestant Kwame Jackson to help kick off recent Charter Day fundraisers for the College. This annual event each year celebrates the chartering of Benedict College by the South Carolina Legislature back in 1894. Members of the Benedict family are increasingly as generous, their giving reflecting their support of the mission of the College. Faculty donations have tripled, and both businesses and religious organizations have significantly increased their financial support of the College. Finally, the College Fund/United Negro College Fund – in a partnership with South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford – continues to support Benedict student success. Their combined efforts have produced more than $6.4 million in assistance during the past decade. A PATH WORTHY OF A LEGACY Future paths leading to fundraising successes are literally being paved by each successive graduating class. The new Benedict College Millennium Walk is a testament to the effort of touching tomorrow-today. The Seniors gives are constant reminder of the dedication by our newest alumni to the College’s future. President Swinton poses with Governor Mark Sanford at the first UNCF Governor’s Luncheon which was created for the UNCF member institutions in South Carolina. The event raised $75,000 for the five historically Black colleges in the state. More than $100,000 in gifts have been given by graduating Benedict seniors, now on their way to helping to ensure their gifts and the future of their College. The Class of 2001 funded Antisdel Chapel’s melodious chimes. A classic, bronze bust of our illustrious founder – Bathsheba Benedict – came from the Class of 2002. The Class of 2003 contributed a pair of magnificent, solid-orange marble tiger sculptures honoring the school mascot. Benedict College’s Alumni Commons and the prized Van Bergen clock within its center are a gift of the Class of 2005. Finally, the two life-sized, bronze tigers adorning the entrance to Charlie W. Johnson Football Stadium are legacies of the Class of 2006-2007. Supporters from the Columbia Business community pose for a photo at the Annual Charter Day dinner, which celebrates the 1894 chartering of the College by the SC Legislature. 29 Strategic Direction 8 High Quality Management Outstanding colleges are backed by outstanding leaders. These individuals help shape the vision of these institutions, simultaneously enabling faculty progress and student growth. As Benedict College moves into its next phase of evolution, these leaders are integral to ensuring this transition is successful. Through their active participation in conferences, training, associations and related activities, Benedict’s leaders remain role models for their students and their peers across the landscape of higher education. LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE One of our most prominent leaders is also one of our newest. Dr. Jabari Simama was tabbed as vice president of community development, director for the Center for Excellent in Community Development, and leader of the Center of Excellence for the Education and Equity of African American Students. In these capacities, Dr. Simama oversees more than $25 million in funds. Prior to joining the Benedict family, Dr. Simama created and directed Atlanta’s first multimillion dollar cable access program. He also served two terms on the Atlanta City Council, playing an integral part in the city’s successful bid for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Dr. Simama maintains an active research and conference agenda analyzing the impact of advanced technology on minority and rural communities. Welcoming Dr. Simama to the College was Dr. Norma Lozano Jackson, director of international programs and assistant professor of comparative literature. Dr. Jackson, writer of the first Fulbright grant received by Benedict College, was recognized by the YWCA for her outstanding contributions to community service and business leadership. “ Faculty and student leadership at Benedict College is unmatched at any institution in South Carolina, possibly nationwide. The dedication of our leaders is extraordinary and their contributions are no less than remarkable.” – Dr. David H. Swinton 30 President Swinton greets Charter Day keynote speaker, Mr. Kwame Jackson, who is nationally recognized as one of the final contestants on the acclaimed Donald Trump television series “The Apprentice.” Early in the day, Mr. Jackson held a round table discussion with business majors about what it takes to succeed in the world of business. BENEDICT COLLEGE Our most recent Fulbright scholar was Dr. Ronald High, associate professor of fine arts and music. He spent Spring 2005 in Germany, lecturing on and performing African American vocal music. Meanwhile, Benedict President Dr. David Swinton, Dr. Warren Robinson and Professor Sybil Rosado all were recognized by the National Association of African American Honors Program (NAAHP). President Swinton received the 2006 NAAHP President’s Award, and Dr. Robinson was named vice president for the organization. Finally, Professor Rosado was named NAAHP Faculty Member of the Year for 2006. Additionally, President Swinton was the recipient of the National Economic Association’s Samuel Z. Westerfield and was recently inducted into the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame. Of course, our greatest pride is in our students, including the winners of the 2006 NAAHP debate competition and recipients of its Best Delegation Award. The same student body also provided the members of the 2005-2006 South Carolina Collegiate Honor Concert Band, who presented their musical handiwork at Clemson University’s Brooks Center for the Performing Arts. Several individual Benedict faculty nabbed awards of their own. Gary Callahan, assistant dean for the School of Education, was appointed chairman for the Tripartite Council by the National Network for Education Renewal’s Arts and Sciences. Benedict Ensemble Excels at Festival of Choirs Concert Included Four Local Choirs By COURTNEY S. DANFORTH, Free Times Four choirs participated in the 2007 Festival of Choirs at First Baptist Church, representing Columbia’s secular choral community from high school to college to “professional volunteer.” The delightful surprise of the evening was Benedict College’s Concert Choir. Conducted by Linda Kershaw, this group had the finest blend, balance, color and dynamic range of the ensembles represented – remarkable especially since more than half of the choir’s soprano section was absent. Perhaps because of the small size of the ensemble, the emotional connection between conductor and musicians was obvious and appreciated. “O For a Faith” (arranged by Nathan Carter) introduced the audience to the precision of this group. Their performance of “In Bright Mansions” (arranged by Roland M. Carter) was emotionally moving and demonstrated impressive dynamic control. They ended with an upbeat “Non Nobis Domine” (adapted from Rosephanye Powell) that was delivered enthusiastically and ably. 31 Strategic Direction 9 Institutional Effectiveness CUMULATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT 2007 “ Prepared by: Mr. Jesse Bellinger and Dr. Corey R. Amaker It has been 138 years since the founding of Benedict College, an institution that has drastically grown from its humble beginnings with a student population of 10 students in 1870 to over 2,600 students in 2007. During the first quarter century of the College’s existence, its mission was to train teachers and preacher, and its first curriculum included, the basic necessity of reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, and religion. Today, Benedict College offers bachelor’s degrees in 28 areas of study and a Continuing Education program to assist adult learners with the completion of their undergraduate degrees. When assessing its cumulative economic impact, Benedict College focuses on the following four dimensions: Dimension Definition Direct Budget Expenditures This figure reflects the fact of the College’s direct spending. The College is also a major employer, providing 471 full and part-time opportunities for faculty and staff. Indirect Multiplier Effect Benedict College’s direct expenditures have a multiplier effect as each dollar cycles through the local economy numerous times creating a rippling effect across the service area and region. Educational Earnings Enhancement The educational earnings enhancement is the scope and result of the College’s education activities-degree programs, continuing education, and special/sponsored programs. Dynamic Investment Attraction Dynamic effects are created indirectly by firms that are located within the Counties of Lexington and Richland because of the presence and national reputation of Benedict College, its faculty and staff, its training, education, programs, and services. That being said, Benedict College’s cumulative value of impact is approximately $106.71 million dollars. A strong, yet very valid interpretation of this result suggests that Benedict College has a very significant sphere of influence, positively affecting the economic and social environment of numerous citizens, businesses, and industries within the Midlands Area of South Carolina. The detailed information support this assertion is presented below: Indirect Multiplier Effect $38.52 million Direct Budget Expenditures $52.76 million 32 Educational Earnings Enhancement $14.19 million Dynamic Investment Attraction $1.24 million Benedict College’s annual cumulative economic impact is approximately $106.71 million dollars.” – Dr. David H. Swinton BENEDICT COLLEGE 33 Statement of Financial Position FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: Years Ended June 30, 2003 - 2006 ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents Investments Accounts receivable, net: Students Grants and sponsored programs Interest and other Assets limited as to use Contributions receivable, net Student loans receivable, net Notes receivable Prepaid expenses Beneficial interest in assets held by others Property and equipment, net Deferred financing costs, net 932,942 15,820,453 $ 1,452,199 18,607,863 $ 368,200 18,281,728 $ 385,294 18,450,490 74,895,646 2,853,456 1,567,128 1,149,247 1,143,500 22,315,561 794,081 8,107,820 56,847 217,840 664,718 76,961,546 2,700,817 1,177,820 1,374,176 1,083,888 8,842,814 696,557 4,498,114 628,169 720,234 83,661,477 1,977,503 $133,033,399 $134,230,864 $134,329,033 $123,496,536 $ $ 5,595,591 1,126,654 1,125,666 1,781,812 2,611,851 84,017,495 880,388 124,417 $ 7,131,766 1,398,177 1,195,457 1,797,247 3,544,056 1,806,030 83,117,941 340,683 1,117,394 120,847 $ 93,513,159 97,263,874 101,569,598 95,576,374 Net assets: Unrestricted Temporarily restricted Permanently restricted 26,416,304 6,159,532 6,944,404 25,661,620 4,184,275 7,121,095 23,233,590 2,282,358 7,243,487 19,382,049 2,192,549 6,345,564 Total net assets 39,520,240 36,966,990 32,759,435 27,920,162 $133,033,399 $134,230,864 $134,329,033 $123,496,536 Total assets LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Accounts payable and accrued expenses Student balances Accrued compensated absences Accrued interest payable Deferred revenue Line of credit Notes and bonds payable Asset retirement obligation U. S. government loan funds refundable Funds held for others Total liabilities Total liabilities and net assets 34 $ 2006 2005 2004 2003 1,125,784 2,771,226 141,482 28,150,651 894,888 8,468,506 59,767 - 799,440 1,336,326 87,053 23,802,156 896,633 9,122,122 240,601 137,369 71,661,604 3,006,096 3,726,331 1,116,216 998,109 1,824,253 2,056,247 82,833,913 848,753 109,337 4,175,315 1,465,264 1,072,351 1,703,922 3,441,487 4,200,000 77,998,198 340,683 1,146,236 32,918 Statement of Activities 2003-2006 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: Years Ended June 30, 2003 - 2006 2003 2004 2005 2006 $ 27,416,469 9,651,799 3,631,381 10,147,635 865,644 1,267,568 1,411,449 - $ 28,715,739 8,446,823 2,564,533 9,917,006 769,514 625,152 1,484,709 - $ 28,401,682 8,289,198 2,134,373 10,461,421 977,263 1,795,501 1,179,992 - $ 23,908,309 7,896,168 2,552,439 10,459,998 1,027,010 1,086,783 1,110,956 - 54,391,945 52,523,476 53,239,430 48,041,663 EXPENSES: Educational services: Instruction Student services Auxiliary enterprises Research Public service 9,712,879 11,067,664 9,792,751 1,095,477 1,566,879 9,226,354 12,942,815 10,684,576 1,104,164 1,637,064 9,591,378 12,151,956 11,435,274 584,498 2,121,673 8,643,180 9,900,820 9,467,531 960,888 979,305 Support services: Institutional support Academic support 13,848,839 5,754,492 13,617,804 6,311,574 16,293,472 5,638,104 16,552,549 6,251,694 Total expenses 52,838,981 55,524,351 57,816,355 52,755,967 1,552,964 (3,000,875) (4,576,925) (4,714,304) 351,996 447,625 710,053 (124,969) 1,904,960 (2,553,250) (3,866,872) (4,839,273) 37,615,280 39,520,240 36,626,307 32,759,435 $ 39,520,240 $ 36,966,990 $ 32,759,435 $ 27,920,162 SUPPORT AND OPERATING REVENUE: Tuition and fees, net of discount Government grants and contracts Private gifts, grants and contracts Auxiliary enterprises Investment return within spending rate Interest on student loans Other Net assets released from restrictions Total support and operating revenue Expenses under (over) support and operating revenue Excess of investment return over spending rate INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS NET ASSETS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR NET ASSETS AT END OF YEAR 35 BENEDICT COLLEGE Board of Trustees 2007-2008 President’s Cabinet 2007-2008 Mr. Mitch Adams Mrs. Pearlie Allen Mr. G. Tyrone Bonds, Secretary Mr. Anthony T. Burroughs Attorney Valoria Cheek Mr. James E. Clark Mrs. Frances Close Dr. S. C. Cureton Dr. William P. Diggs Dr. Paul W. Drummond Mr. Vince Ford Ms. Sheryl L. Good Dr. Lewis P. Graham Dr. Willie J. Hill, Jr. The Honorable Darrell Jackson Mr. Charles B. Johnson Dr. Charlie W. Johnson, Chairman of the Board Dr. Milton Kimpson, Vice Chairman of the Board Mr. Stephen G. Morrison Dr. Rufus G. Pettis Dr. Lucy Perez, Assistant Secretary Ms. Britney Rouse, Student Trustee Mr. Donald Rozier Dr. Harry Singleton, III, Faculty/Staff Trustee Dr. Eunice S. Thomas Mr. William L. Thomas Mr. Emory L. Waters Dr. Lucille S. Whipper, President Mr. William B. Whitney Mr. Mack I. Whittle The Reverend Dr. Aidsand F. Wright-Riggins, III Dr. David H. Swinton, President and CEO Dr. Ruby W. Watts Executive Vice President TRUSTEE EMERITUS Dr. LeRoy T. Walker 36 Mr. Love Collins, III Executive Vice President, Institutional Advancement Dr. Burnett Joiner Vice President, Academic Affairs Mr. Gary Knight Vice President, Institutional Effectiveness Mrs. Barbara C. Moore Vice President, Institutional Advancement Dr. Jabari Simama Vice President, Community Development Mrs. Brenda Walker Vice President, Business and Finance Mr. Willie T. Washington Athletic Director Dr. David H. Whaley Vice President, Student Affairs Mr. Leonard Williams Interim, Chief Financial Officer 37 Appendix 1996-2007 Renovations/Upgrades/Projects The College has successfully managed largescale construction and maintenance projects. The following lists some of the projects that were completed within the allotted budgets and on a timely fashion. Additional Construction Facility Year Oak Street Honors Complex 1996 Parking Garage 1996 Mini Dormitory 1997 Swinton Campus Center 1998 Haskell Dormitory 1999 Administration building 2001 Business development Center 2002 Community Park 2003 Park House (2317 Laurel) 2004 Health and Wellness Center (Stadium Complex) 2006 Property Acquisitions Facility Year Child Development Center 1998 Fitness Center 1998 Center of Excellence 2000 Bentley Court Apartments 2001 English Meadows Apartments 2001 Courtyard West Apartments 2003 Visitors Center 2003 Houses (Approximately 45) 38 Facility Dormitory Renovations/Repairs - (Summer & Mid-Winter) Morgan Hall Pratt Hall ROTC Building Dormitory Renovations/Repairs - (Summer & Mid-Winter) Duckett Hall Stuart hall Dormitory Renovations/Repairs - (Summer & Mid-Winter) Gressette Leadership Center Dormitory Renovations/Repairs - (Summer & Mid-Winter) Fire Sprinkler System Installation Dormitory Renovations/Repairs - (Summer & Mid-Winter) Dormitory Renovations/Repairs - (Summer & Mid-Winter) Dormitory Renovations/Repairs - (Summer & Mid-Winter) Jenkins Hall Dormitory Window Replacement: Stuart, Goodson, Jenkins, Gambrell Dormitory Renovations/Repairs - (Summer & Mid-Winter) Campus Security Lighting Upgrade Community Park House (2317 Laurel St) Dormitory Electronic Surveillance System Dormitory Furniture Replacement Dormitory Renovations/Repairs - (Summer & Mid-Winter) Football Operations (1706 Heidt) Mather Hall Fan Coil Units Replacement Mini Dorm Radio/TV Station (1625 Two Notch Road) Visitors Center Antisdel Chapel Dormitory Renovations/Repairs - (Summer & Mid-Winter) Alumni Hall Phase III Antisdel Chapel Dormitory Renovations/Repairs - (Summer & Mid-Winter) Mather Hall Air/Heat Fan Core Units Replacement Mather Hall Columns Painting/Furniture Refurbishment Cafeteria Area Campus Street Security Lights Upgrade Dormitory Renovations/Repairs - (Summer & Mid-Winter) Lamar Building Main Transformer Replacement Oak Dorm 4th Floor fire Damage Repairs Dormitory Appliance Replacements Dormitory Renovations/Repairs - (Summer & Mid-Winter) Haskell Dorm Shower Repairs Lamar Building Sprinkler System Upgrade Bacoats Hall Alumni Hall Year 1996 1996 1996 1996 1997 1997 1997 1998 1999 1999 1999 2000 2001 2001 2001 2002 2002 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 1998/2003 1999/2004 This publication was produced by The Office of the President and The Office of Communications and Marketing President: Dr. David H. Swinton Executive Vice President of Institutional Advancement: Mr. Love Collins, III Director of Communications and Marketing: Ms. Kymm Hunter Art Direction: Ms. Addie W. Rosenthal Blind Squirrels Production Group Photographers: Bennie Brown Photography Mr. Larry Cameron Printing: R.L. Bryan Special thanks to: Mrs. Barbara C. Moore Mrs. Doris Wright Johnson Mr. Mark Rapport Benedict College is an equal opportunity in education and employment institution that does not discriminate for such non-merit reasons as race, sex, national origin, religion or disability. Persons who need assistance with this material may contact the Office of Communications and Marketing. Benedict College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; Telephone number 404.679.4501 to award: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Social Work. Office of the President 1600 Harden Street, Columbia, SC 29204 803.705.4681 www.benedict.edu 35 BENEDICT COLLEGE Office of Institutional Advancement Benedict College 1600 Harden Street Columbia, SC 29204 NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID COLUMBIA SC PERMIT 677