News

JCSU alumnus Andrew Smith and the Network and Chill Foundation will host a networking and mentorship event featuring a pitch competition in celebration of Juneteenth on June 17, 2023, beginning at 2 p.m. at the Charlotte Arts League.

When Dr. Ruth Greene began her journey at Johnson C. Smith University in 1979, she had no idea the legacies she would light along the way.

Now officially named one of the few professors emerita in the University’s history following her May 2023 retirement after 44 years of service as a professor, grantsman, researcher and mentor, Greene looks back on her time at JCSU fondly.

Johnson C. Smith University’s newest mentor initiative, the Becoming Kings program, earned the institution the 2022 FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA).

Only one organization, institution or individual from each state receives the award each year, which speaks to the selectivity and prestige of this award. The award was presented in early May at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Two-hundred students, 20 of whom earned their Master of Social Work degrees, crossed the stage at Bojangles Coliseum on Sunday, May 21, 2023, to receive their degrees from Johnson C. Smith University.

The keynote speaker was Grammy®-Award-winning multiplatinum singer, songwriter, producer, author and actor Anthony C. Hamilton, who delivered an empowering speech to graduates urging them to answer those who ask “what are you doing here,” with “I am here to give you the best of me.”

Graduates and their families joined JCSU faculty and staff the evening of Friday, May 19, 2023, in the Jane M. Memorial Church for the University’s sesquicentennial Baccalaureate Service featuring a sermon from the Rev. Dr. L. Bernard Jakes.

The Baccalaureate Service, an annual tradition within the Christian faith, is a religious send-off to graduates who are transitioning from the life of a student to that of a professional. Jakes’ powerful sermon focused on preserving the history of African- and Black Americans.

Dr. Cheryl Curtis is no stranger to military life.

She is the spouse of an Army veteran and is heavily involved in initiatives and organizations that serve the military population in Charlotte. Most notably, she serves as Johnson C. Smith University’s director of Veterans and Military Affairs.

Her ties to the military and experience in higher education landed her an important job in the Marine Corps latest recruitment campaign.

Johnson C. Smith University students flooded James B. Duke Memorial Library on Thursday, April 28, 2023, to receive a free laptop from Eliminate the Digital Divide (E2D).

E2D is a company that was founded in 2013 to address the digital divide in Mecklenburg County. Since its inception, the company has supplied more than 35,000 laptops to North Carolina residents.

Eric Lloyd came from humble beginnings in a small town in Virginia. Today, he serves as president of the global asset management firm, Barings. But his journey to Barings came with many high, lows, changes and decisions that formed him into the leader he is today. 

He took time on Monday, April 24, 2023, to discuss his path to leadership during the inaugural Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series sponsored by Barings. During the discussion, which was moderated by Clarence D. Armbrister, Johnson C. Smith University’s 14th president, Lloyd highlighted the tenants of good leadership.

The Gardner-Webb University Department of Physician Assistant (PA) Medicine has announced a partnership with Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). Through this new agreement, JCSU graduates who are interested in a career as a certified PA can apply for a Reserve Applicant spot with the Gardner-Webb PA program and waive a total of $1,700 in fees.

Some memories remain clear years after we’ve experienced them. For Dr. Frederick V. Engram Jr. ’05, his decision to join the Alpha Omicron (AO) chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is a memory he’ll never forget.