News

At the National Association of Black Journalists Region III Conference held April 10–12 at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC, more than 100 journalists gathered for a series of dynamic discussions. Among them was a standout panel titled “How to Power Forward in Political Reporting,” moderated by Walter Smith Randolph, Executive Producer of Investigations at CBS New York.

August 6, 2025, was a momentous day that echoed the bold spirit of August 7, 1867, the day of Johnson C. Smith University’s founding, originally the Freedmen’s College of North Carolina, later Biddle Memorial Institute, Biddle University, then Johnson C. Smith University. 

In 2025, the African drummers and the robed promenade of faculty, staff, students and dignitaries signaled back to the auspicious day 158 years prior.

Johnson C. Smith University sent five students—Holiness Mhlanga, Dejha Canty, Shaun Moore, Amauri Hampton and David Santos—along with staff advisor Jerrica Turner, to Austin in mid-March to compete in the 2025 HBCU Battle of the Brains.

In honor of Social Work Month, JCSU will spotlight a student from the Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work programs each week in March. Today’s spotlight features Eliana Moultrie, an El Paso, Texas, native and a senior in JCSU’s Bachelor of Social Work program. 

The JCSU Competing Members of the Debate Team – Kirksey Beaty, Ananasa Dobson Holiness Mhlanga, Shanitra Scott and Symphonie Whitted – had one of their best team performances in years at the 14th Annual North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU) Ethics Bowl in Raleigh.

Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in the Virgin Islands, Omar Sanchez struck gold in the USA, right here on Beatties Ford Road. As a sophomore international business major, Sanchez was able to acquire the Barings scholarship, securing a promised $10,000 per academic year that he is enrolled at Johnson C. Smith University.

Since early August, the Johnson C. Smith University Department of Veterans and Military Affairs, under the direction of Dr. Cheryl Harris Curtis, has undergone a remarkable transformation, experiencing exponential growth and significant changes. One significant change was the hiring of Veterans Services Coordinator Rikketta Franklin, M.Ed., on Aug. 19, 2024. After Franklin’s position, an additional four were granted through the Veterans Administration (VA). The department scaled from a single person to a team of six within one semester. 

B. Simone, also known as Braelyn Simone, arrived on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University on the evening of October 15, 2024, to drop big knowledge on the crowd. The comedian, entrepreneur, and social media influencer came to share her story and enlighten students.

The excitement of college can sometimes turn to stress if we are not careful. Dean Anita Bledsoe-Gardner of the JCSU College of Liberal Arts, had an idea that would offer respite for the tired mind and stressed soul. It’s called the Zen Den, and it’s located inside the Edward E. Crutchfield Center for Integrated Studies on the JCSU campus.