Charlotte, NC/August 1, 2025 - On August 1, 2025, five groups of ambitious young scholars took the stage at Johnson C. Smith University, prepared to pitch their business ideas—and their futures. The event marked the culmination of the Becoming Kings Program, a transformative six-week summer initiative designed to prepare incoming Black male students for college life through mentorship, leadership development, corporate site visits, and cultural enrichment.
Held inside Grimes Lounge at the Mary Joyce Taylor Crisp Student Union, the final pitch competition brought together a full house of faculty, staff, business leaders, and supporters eager to witness the students’ ingenuity and growth.
Funded by the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative (MREI), the Becoming Kings program is coordinated by JCSU alumnus Lex Bibbs and aims to foster confidence, community, and college readiness among its participants.
"The pitch competition has been a core component of the Becoming Kings Summer Program since its inception. It’s designed to foster an entrepreneurial mindset among the young men, while also encouraging collaboration and teamwork. The experience ties directly into their Public Speaking course and is enriched by the exposure gained from our corporate site visits throughout the summer," Bibbs explained.
The pitch competition gave students the opportunity to showcase their entrepreneurial skills while competing in teams:
Thrive Track Scholars – A support group for injured student-athletes
Million Dollar Moves – A platform supporting young athletes managing NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals
Desk Flex Pro – A modern, innovative desk designed for today's student
Clearer Connections – A mental health clinic focused on supporting young Black men
PhotoNix – Portable charging solutions for students on the go
The 2025 winning team was the Clearer Connections team. Evaluation Criteria included: Originality, Presentation Layout, Pitch Delivery, Business Model, Competitive Advantage, and the group's ability to respond to judges' questions.
One standout team, led by incoming freshman Phillip Williams, presented Desk Flex—a multifunctional workspace solution built for the modern student.
“It’s convenient, reliable, and broad—a comfortable desk with built-in charging, dual monitor arms, and extra storage,” said Williams. “It’s everything a desk should be in this generation.”
For Williams, the Becoming Kings experience exceeded expectations.
“I would 100% rather be here than at home,” he said. “We had guest speakers, business trips, and learned so much—especially that there’s no one path to success. Your career journey doesn’t have to be linear.”
When asked about his outlook on the fall semester, Williams didn’t hesitate.
“I’m very excited. If college is anything like Becoming Kings, I’m ready to start tomorrow.”
Cameron Dillard, a program participant and first-year computer science major from Charlotte, echoed those sentiments. His team’s pitch, DriveChat Scholars, was an innovative mental wellness app for injured student-athletes.
“We created it to offer emotional and annual support,” said Dillard. “When athletes are injured, they often get down on themselves. We want to partner with 25+ schools and community programs to make a difference.”
Dillard admitted he was initially nervous about being away from home—but the program changed his mindset.
“I live just 15 minutes away, but at first, I was still scared to come,” he shared. “Now I see the difference between high school and college. The classes, the business trips, the mentors—it’s been amazing.”
He added that the lessons learned were not just academic but deeply personal and motivational.
“I learned how to think like an entrepreneur. We came up with ideas and had mentors walk us through the process. It was pretty cool.”
Dillard is now looking ahead—and already thinking about giving back.
“I would recommend this program to anyone,” he said. “One day, I’d love to be a mentor myself—to inspire the young men coming behind me.”
The 2025 winning Group: Clearer Connections. Lex Bibbs says, "Overall, it’s been a powerful and rewarding summer. I’m looking forward to building on this momentum during the academic year.
As they prepare to officially begin their journeys as Golden Bulls, these students are already setting the tone for leadership, excellence, and legacy. The Becoming Kings program has done more than prepare them for college—it has ignited their purpose and empowered them to lift others as they climb.
