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Johnson C. Smith University’s Homecoming 2025 will be remembered not only for the Golden Bulls’ thrilling 69–13 victory over Bluefield State University, but also for a moving moment that transcended play-by-play competition - a heartfelt tribute to the late Pettis B. Norman ’62, one of JCSU’s most storied alumni and a pioneer in professional football.

Members of the Johnson C. Smith University National Alumni Association painted the Queen City blue in the inaugural Diner en Bleu event during Homecoming 2025. The exclusive event featured African drummers who led the gallant parade of patrons into the sprawling parlor. JCSU alumni from the 1960s to 2020s arrived adorned in a kaleidoscope of blue: sapphire gowns, cobalt ties, royal blue dresses, true-blue suits, and Oxford blue pocket squares.  Alumni came ready to party and to give. 

Johnson C. Smith University, a proud member of UNCF (United Negro College Fund) announced this week that it will benefit from a landmark $70 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to UNCF. The gift will be invested in the UNCF Members Pooled Endowment Fund, a groundbreaking initiative designed to strengthen the long-term financial health of all 37 private UNCF-member historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Johnson C. Smith University President Valerie Kinloch set a powerful tone for the State of Black Health Conference, held during September 2025 at the Charlotte Westin Uptown. In her opening address, President Kinloch called on attendees to see education, health, and equity as deeply interconnected struggles that demand courage, love, and collective action, particularly in the Black community.

On September 11, 2025, the Johnson C. Smith University Office of Institutional Advancement and University Communications and Marketing brought together Charleston-born leaders Councilman Malcolm Graham ‘85, President Valerie Kinloch, Ph.D. ‘96, and the Honorable Harvey Gantt in a powerful dialogue on faith, race, and resilience. 

The Johnson C. Smith University community congratulates Dr. Valerie Kinloch, 15th President of JCSU.  The Aspen Institute announced today that President Kinloch has been named a 2025 Aspen Ascend Fellow, a prestigious fellowship and honor.

The College of Business and Professional Studies is opening the doors of opportunity to Johnson C. Smith University students.  On September 10, 2025, CBPS held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the College of Business and Professional Studies Finance/Tech Lab.  The lab is designed to increase student understanding of and facility with finance and financial markets while strengthening student connections to the financial industry.

It began with the rhythmic beat of African drums, their cadence echoing down the corridor from Biddle Hall to the 100-year-old Jane M. Smith Memorial Church on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University. The music carried the crowd in a regal processional, the preamble to Freshman Convocation.

Johnson C. Smith University made history in Boston on Saturday, August 30, 2025 defeating Morehouse College 45–9 in the first HBCU football game played at Harvard Stadium since the 1970s. The matchup was the centerpiece of the Essence HBCU Classic Weekend, a celebration of culture, history, and community that drew approximately 12,000 students, alumni, and supporters from across the country, including an enthusiastic collective of JCSU alumni. 

World leaders in entertainment, education, journalism and business took the stage at Wealthcon in Boston during Essence HBCU  Classic Weekend!  In a panoply of high-profile panels, community leaders  - including Chief Content Officer of Essence Ventures, Michele Ghee, Valerie Mosley of BrightUp and Dr. Valerie Kinloch, 15th President of Johnson C. Smith University - tackled educational empowerment, financial literacy and community engagement. Leaders engaged in candid conversation about the transformative role of education in shaping opportunity, mobility, and leadership.