Academics
The match between Johnson C. Smith University and its Charlotte home is a good one; the former is well-known for integrating liberal arts with business and applied science while the latter is a hub for finance, banking, and technological development. Thanks to this proximity, JCSU is able to regularly partner with industry leaders like Apple and Red Ventures to provide an exceptionally rich backdrop for experiential learning and progressive curriculum. Academic life at JCSU is defined by a culture of scholarship and rigorous investigation. The Smith Institute for Applied Research supports faculty-led and student-mentored research, and awards pilot funding grants that support faculty and paid student internships. The institute’s Centers of Excellence also promote cutting-edge research to facilitate workforce and small business development, homeland security through the lens of STEM, minority health and family wellness, and global education. For those seeking international opportunities, programs that provide academic credit are available during two-week summer programs in Italy, Egypt, Israel, the West Caribbean, and South Africa. This innovative academic experience is also matched with a high level of student support. The Biddle Freshman Program facilitates opportunities for meaningful contact with faculty and staff for assistance and advising, and students also receive the benefit of personalized instruction with a low student-to-faculty ratio of 13 to 1.
Career
Given that one of JCSU’s goals it to develop global citizens with a strong sense of social and civic responsibility, the college actively recruits staff, students, and faculty from around the globe, bringing a diversity of experiences from India, Egypt, Europe, and South America (among others). The campus is also known for its environmental awareness. Green initiatives have included an energy conservation competition among residence halls that helped measure and demonstrate energy use. Students take their green knowledge to the metropolitan community, too, through housing rehabilitation programs that help owners identify energy-saving renovation measures. The Center for Renewable Energy & Sustainability immerses students in progressive experiences that address climate change. Food service and food availability is part of the sustainability culture, and students benefit from the close proximity of The Rosa Parks Farmers Market as well as an on-campus food bank supported by a major retail grocer to fight food insecurity. The college also embraces religious life, making services and activities available through the Spiritual Life Center and organizations such as the Muslim Student Association, Fellowship of Christian Men, University Choir, and more.
Culture
The Center for Career and Postgraduate Readiness prepares students for the workplace and entry to graduate school. Coaching and presentations shed light on test-taking strategies and the structures of law, dental, and medical school admission exams, along with the GRE, a requirement at many grad schools. The center also offers professional development workshops with mock interviews, personal branding and networking, and career-specific sessions that span social media management, research, healthcare administration, and more. Students get hands-on assistance with resumes, professional etiquette, and even how to dress for job interviews. JCSU alumni have had distinguished and notable careers, such as journalist and war correspondent Trezzvant Anderson; civil rights activist, lawyer, and first Black female judge in Alabama Faya Ora Rose Touré; and the first African American to become an Ambassador of the United States, Edward R. Dudley.
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