Rate this HBCU Day 8: Johnson C. Smith University

[get these nets]

Dr. Valerie Kinloch named as 15th President | Johnson C. Smith University

www.jcsu.edu

Dr. Valerie Kinloch named as 15th President​

06/21/23
Johnson C. Smith University’s Board of Trustees announced today the selection of Dr. Valerie Kinloch as the university's 15th president, effective Aug. 1, 2023.

Kinloch is a graduate of Johnson C. Smith University (‘96) and a member of its Board of Trustees, giving her deep insight into the strengths and challenges of the 156-year-old college, founded to serve formerly enslaved Black people and now educating more than 1,100 students annually with 22 degree programs, including a Master’s in social work.

Kinloch currently serves as Dean of the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh, where she oversees 300 full- and part-time faculty and staff, and nearly 1,000 students. She has led academic transformation, recruited top faculty, exceeded fundraising goals, overhauled operations, and overseen more than $9 million in capital projects and renovations. Previously, she held positions as associate dean and professor at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, and as a faculty member at Teachers College-Columbia University in New York City and at the University of Houston-Downtown.

“It’s a dream come true to be invited to lead one of the finest Historically Black Colleges and Universities in America – and at the same time come home,” Kinloch said. “My years at JCSU were some of the best of my life. This university set me on course to grow beyond anything I could imagine, so it is incredibly gratifying to return and give back to the institution that helped make me who I am.”

 

[get these nets]

Johnson C. Smith University is Laying the Blueprint for HBCU Esports​

theGrio
Nov 17, 2023
Johnson C. Smith University is the first HBCU to offer a degree in esports and gaming management. Dr. BerNadette Lawson-Williams, the founder and coordinator of Esports and Gaming Trifecta at JCSU, and Kyla Thomas, a sophomore who is the business president of the school’s Esports and Gaming Trifecta, join the program to provide further details about the institution and the program.

 

[get these nets]

 

[get these nets]

. Another large source of funds came from the Duke Endowment, the same source of funding for Duke University. The endowment requires 4% of the money go to JCSU each year which helps explain the relatively large endowment for its size for a HBCU.

I must have missed this when I first read the profile. This is one the most unique deals I've ever heard of. And Duke has never reneged.
Davidson College and Furman U. also receive funding from the Duke Endowment.

 

[get these nets]

The Duke Endowment Makes $25 Million Grants To Davidson, Furman & Johnson C. Smith University​

Jan 18, 2024

The Duke Endowment announced today that it’s making individual $25 million grants to Davidson College, Furman University and Johnson C. Smith University.

Along with a $100 million gift for Duke University last November, these latest donations mark the beginning of a yearlong celebration of The Duke Endowment, which was established by James B. Duke 100 years ago.

“We are excited to launch our centennial year and celebrate the lasting legacy of James B. Duke and the Duke family. One of the cornerstones of the Endowment’s enduring vision is its steadfast commitment to higher education,” said Charlie Lucas, chair of The Duke Endowment’s Board of Trustees, in the press release.

Lucas noted the endowment has partnered with the four schools named in Mr. Duke’s Indenture of Trust with a century of gifts focused on the priorities identified by each one. “The breadth of our funding includes supporting key institutional strategies and initiatives, student scholarships and financial aid, faculty recruitment and development, and capital building projects. We work alongside these schools to promote their long-term success so they may effectively serve their students and the Carolinas,” said Lucas

Johnson C. Smith University ​

At Johnson C. Smith University, a private HBCU in Charlotte, the $25 million centennial gift will help fund the “Gold(en) Blueprint,” the university’s strategic plan.

That plan is coordinated with Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles’ Racial Equity Initiative, which aims to help the institution become a top-tier HBCU by growing its academic offerings, partnering with regional employers and implementing a recruiting and retention strategy to promote better student engagement.


“As Johnson C. Smith continues to serve as a critical higher education partner to Charlotte and surrounding areas, its work with the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative is vital. Aligned with this vision, the Endowment is committed to ensuring that Johnson C. Smith students have academic and other supports and opportunities that will allow them to thrive,” said Valerie Kinloch, president of Johnson C. Smith University.