Dr. Henry Tisdale, president of Claflin University, and his wife, Alice Tisdale, came to Claflin University with the vision of making the school one of the premiere liberal arts institutions in southeastern United States. Under his leadership, the university has enjoyed increased student enrollment, new state-of-the-art buildings, innovative academic programs and a high graduation rate. The Honors College, a program Alice Tisdale chairs, recruits some of the best and brightest students.
Clafin University is one of the 11 historically black colleges and universities supported by The United Methodist Church's Black College Fund.