CHARLOTTE.NC/AUGUST 7, 2026 - Twenty young men arrived at Johnson C. Smith University late June 2026 as incoming freshmen. Seven weeks later, they emerged from the Becoming Kings summer experience with college credit, a marketable skill set, and bonds of brotherhood to last a lifetime.
JCSU celebrated Becoming Kings Cohort 5 during the culminating 2026 Becoming Kings Brunch held inside JCSU’s Grimes Lounge. The event brought together 20 scholars, their families, and dedicated faculty and staff to reflect on a plethora of victories.
“This cohort was special,” said Lex Bibbs ‘05, Program Coordinator for Becoming Kings. “This is actually our fifth cohort… They took two courses: Public Speaking and Smith Seminar. Outside of that, they got to learn and be around My Brother’s Keeper and they brought six different guest speakers throughout the summer. They got some cool swag. They got polo shirts. We did headshots. They were in financial literacy over the summer, as well. So, it’s a great group.”
The Becoming Kings scholars participated in activities designed to develop them academically, socially and professionally. Students come to Charlotte from far-away places like Florida and from cities close-to-home like Gastonia. Many are members of JCSU’s International Institution of Sound Marching Band, while others enter JCSU as scholar-athletes in basketball, football and track.
Bibbs, who helped launch the Becoming Kings program in 2022, describes it as a living-learning community where students can establish a support system and problem-solving tools before their first traditional semester begins.
“Twenty strangers showed up at the end of June on Johnson C. Smith’s campus,” Bibbs said. “I always say it’s not just a program, it’s a brotherhood.”
The scholars lived together, attended classes and shared meals together.
“They grind together, they sacrifice together,” Bibbs said. “What I love about them is they hold each other accountable.”
Nicole Patterson, Assistant Director for First and Second Year Experience, Family Engagement and Living Learning Communities, watched the bonds of brotherhood grow.
“When they first started, I could see the confusion on their faces,” Patterson said. “They weren’t certain about what to expect.”
By the end, “they seem comfortable, confident, and they know where they’re going,” she said.
First-year student Paris McGruder of Atlanta, Georgia, experienced that transformation firsthand.
“When I first came in, I was a little nervous,” McGruder said. “I was very shy. I wasn’t really a talkative or very communicative person.”
Lex Bibbs was given a momento as a token of appreciation for his mentorship of students in the Becoming Kings Program
Seven weeks later, a more confident, assertive young man emerged.
“I’ve learned a lot more about myself and grown from it,” McGruder said.
For Jason Mitchell from West Palm Beach, Florida, Becoming Kings offered practical preparation for college life.
“It was very engaging. It taught me a lot about how to manage college life,” Mitchell said. “It taught me a lot about how to handle my finances.”
Mitchell also participated in a pitch competition that challenged scholars to develop entrepreneurial concepts. He pitched a concept for an animation studio.
“We got to pitch our business ideas—something that can make us money on the side,” Mitchell said. “I pitched an animation studio.”
The pitch competition winner received $250.00 to invest in his business concept. Mitchell did not win the top prize, but he took home a valuable reward: an opportunity to develop his entrepreneurial vision.
President Valerie Kinloch, Ph.D., reminded the scholars that the brotherhood they formed through Becoming Kings will build as they immerse themselves in the culture at JCSU. They will build bonds and grow as professionals and intellectuals.
“You are not in this alone,” Kinloch told them. “At Johnson C. Smith University, you are never doing anything by yourself, even if you think you are.”
Kinloch encouraged students to seek support when facing challenges – academic, social, or financial.
“We do not judge at Johnson C. Smith University,” Kinloch said. “We support, we elevate, and we uplift.”
Bianca Miller, Director of the Center for Student Success and Academic Excellence, reinforced that message.
“Our Becoming Kings scholars arrived on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University as incoming freshmen,” Miller said. “Today, they leave this program not only better prepared, but more connected and ready to officially begin their journey as Golden Bulls.”
“Ask questions, seek help, lean on your Becoming Kings brothers and your peer mentors, and most importantly, remember that you belong here,” Miller added.
The culminative moment of the Cohort 5 summer experience was especially meaningful for Bibbs. The dedicated JCSU alumnus announced he is leaving the position after leading five cohorts through the Becoming Kings program. It was an emotional moment for Becoming Kings scholars in the room – old and new.
“These young men are special. This program is special,” Bibbs said. “My mom dropped me off here 25 years ago, and I had no idea what I was about to experience.”
25 years ago, Bibbs arrived from Washington, D.C., as a first-generation college student ready to take on the world. The launchpad was JCSU. Bibbs came expecting an education. He found a family. That experience shaped Bibbs’ approach to campus leadership.
“When I’m hard on you guys, when I’m on you, when I’m behind you, I’m speaking from a place of family,” Bibbs told them. “I love each and every one of you, and I’m grateful for this.”
McGruder said Bibbs made an impression he will carry beyond the summer.
“I love Mr. Bibbs,” McGruder said. “He’s a very stand-up guy, an honest man. I hope to see him do great things, and I hope that he gets to see me do great things as well with my future.”
For Bibbs, the brunch was an opportunity to celebrate before turning toward the work ahead.
“Families are here, students are here, and we’re just going to love on each other and kind of put a bow on this amazing summer,” he said.
Now, Cohort 5 will carry those lessons into the fall semester and toward an even bigger milestone: graduating together as members of the Class of 2030.
They arrived as 20 incoming freshmen. They leave Becoming Kings as brothers—and die-hard Golden Bulls.
