Claflin University News August 15, 2010 CUIAA Donates $25,000 to Claflin University Claflin University alumni presented its alma mater with a $25,000 donation Monday. "We are glad we can give back to our university. We applaud our alumni for raising these funds each year and helping Claflin students continue to excel," said Liz Zimmerman Keitt, president of the Claflin University International Alumni Association. The amount is a $5,000 increase from last year's gift and Keitt said she hopes the organization is able to give even more in the coming years. The CUIAA makes a donation to Claflin at the beginning of each school year to support the University's campus activities. This year the funds will be distributed among scholarships, freshman orientation, the Pre-Alumni Council, the Founders' Day Celebration and the FOCUS 100 student fund. Claflin University has one of the highest alumni giving rates in the nation at nearly 40 percent, earning it a number one ranking by U.S. News and World Report among Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The university is strategically working toward becoming the first HBCU with a 50 percent annual giving rate. "We are very fortunate to have alumni who care enough about their alma mater to give back," said Claflin President Dr. Henry N. Tisdale. "Alumni giving at this rate encourages others to give. Their loyalty and support continue to assist us in sustaining a quality education for our students." SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/meeting-form.html for the October 24-26, 2010 HBCU Library Alliance 4th Membership Meeting and the "Conference on Advocacy" pre-conference in Montgomery, AL. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.