Charlotte, N.C./July 24, 2023 – James ’78 and Valerie ’80 Vanderhall met on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University as undergraduate students.
They dated throughout their time at JCSU. James joined Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., while Valerie joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. They focused on their academics, graduated, married and started their careers. Decades later, the couple found themselves and their business, V&D Corporation, back on campus assisting in the renovations of the residence halls they stayed in as students.
“About three years ago, I came over to meet Ms. Perkins-Jones and she and I started working together,” said James Vanderhall. “We still had to do bids and quotes to make sure my price was in range with the project budgets, but I ended up being blessed enough to do a lot of work for my alma mater.”
The residence hall updates are a part of a massive Summer Renovation Project spearheaded by Erna Perkins-Jones, director of the Department of Facilities. The department is working diligently to transform campus into a reimagined space while celebrating the legacies left behind by Smithites like Vanderhall.
Vanderhall’s team focused heavily on Greenfield and New Residence Halls by installing new flooring, repainting the interior of the building and renovating several bathrooms. The company also took on a complete remodel of the bathrooms in Sanders and Myers Halls last summer, which gave James the opportunity to visit his old room in Myers.
“I almost started crying,” he said. “I’m just pleased to have had the opportunity to make a difference here.”
James and his team did a few pro-bono projects for the University as a way of giving back, including the renovation of several RA suites.
The Office of Residence Life says that the updates completed by James and his company will make it much easier for freshmen students to form strong social bonds and academic commitment.
“The biggest thing for freshman retention is to make sure they feel like they’re a part of the community,” said Terry McPherson ’83, director of Residence Life. “Being on campus provides you the opportunity to meet lifelong friends. By living on campus, students have more opportunity to get involved in student activities and connect with the University and their fellow students.”
Before the renovations, rooms in Greenfield Hall were single-occupancy which, according to Ashley Booth ’17, coordinator of housing and operations for the Office of Residence Life, made it hard for freshman students to feel connected.
“Some of our students come from places like California or New York, and they don’t have any friends when they move in,” she said. “Now, freshmen living in Greenfield Hall will have that first friend in their roommate. There is also more furniture in the lobby, allowing them to mingle and spend time together in their residence hall.”
Outside of Greenfield, Myers and Sanders Halls, important renovations have taken place in New Residence Hall and Mosaic Village. New Residence Hall has received new flooring, countertops, mirrors, sinks, living room furniture, roofing, new HVAC systems and a keyless locking mechanism. Mosaic Village has also received new flooring and roof repairs, as well as restoration of the student lounges and new furniture.
Summer visitors have been in awe of the improved facilities and splashes of school spirit in the rooms and lobby spaces. McPherson, who has been working at the University for several decades, said this project has been the biggest upgrade he’s seen in his tenure.
“This is an exciting time,” he said. “It’s a wonderful feeling to see the upgrades that have taken place. When students and parents come this summer to visit, they have looked at the rooms and seen the upgrades. It is overwhelming to know they’re excited about this upcoming year.”
“Parents can sometimes be nervous when they’re dropping off their students for the first time,” added Booth. “But the fact that the residence halls are more appealing, I think it will make them feel comfortable that they have a nice place to stay that is fully accessible to their classes and social programming.”
Vanderhall said he and his wife are excited to be a part of the process of renovating campus before students return in the fall.
In fact, the Vanderhalls have decided to fund an endowment that will pay for the upkeep of Greenfield Hall’s courtyard. The couple is proud to work with their alma mater and with Perkins-Jones to get their projects completed just prior to their 44th wedding anniversary on Aug. 9, 2023. Perkins-Jones, with the help of contractors like James, is excited to continue building upon the excellence of JCSU throughout the remainder of the Summer Renovation Projects.
“Johnson C. Smith University has given me so much,” he said. “It helped me with my life skills. But my wife is the best gift that JCSU could have given to me. So, it’s an honor to know we can come back to campus during homecoming and take our friends to the beautiful courtyard behind Greenfield.”
“I’m so grateful to be able to give back to the school and that the school has Ms. Perkins-Jones,” he added. “She has a heart for the kids. Johnson C. Smith University’s facilities wouldn’t be where they are today if it wasn’t for her. She is striving to get JCSU to the top!”
