Valerie Kinloch, President, Johnson C. Smith University

Invest: spoke with Valerie Kinloch, president of Johnson C. Smith University, about the pressures reshaping higher education, how the university is aligning academics with workforce needs, and its long-term role as an economic engine for Charlotte and beyond. “We have to do the work ourselves and invite others to join us,” Kinloch said.

What have been some of the biggest changes or trends shaping higher education in the region over the past year?

Affordability is the major issue, and it is affecting higher education in the region and across the nation. The conversation has moved beyond whether families can afford college to what happens if federal financial aid is reduced or no longer available for students who need it. There are also concerns about the future of the Department of Education and what that could mean for access and support.

Additionally, institutions are navigating bans against diversity, equity, and inclusion. These issues are often approached in ways that are not critically inclusive of the people who have benefited from these initiatives and who still need to benefit from them. For our region, we are at an inflection point when we think about P-12 education and higher education together and the ecosystem we need to ensure people have access to the resources they deserve.

With those shifts in mind, how are you shaping strategy for Johnson C. Smith University over the next few years?

Much of what we are doing is grounded in what I call a new era of excellence. At Johnson C. Smith University, that means centering students, faculty and staff, families, and communities. It takes a larger community of people to understand what we need to prioritize and what we need to protect.

In August 2025, I announced our campaign called Better Together. Initially, it was designed to help people understand what unrestricted dollars mean for a university and how they strengthen unrestricted net assets. Unrestricted support also helps us address the hard concerns that university leaders face, especially infrastructure and deferred maintenance.

We were founded in 1867, and deferred maintenance at historically Black colleges and universities is severe and significant. It is not that we have not addressed it historically, but we have not always had the resources to do so at the scale required. Better Together is a bold effort to raise unrestricted dollars so we can make meaningful progress on those priorities.

You’ve expanded the Better Together campaign more recently. What does that broader vision look like today?

As of January 2026, I extended Better Together beyond fundraising to a larger call about who we want to be and how we show up for each other: students, faculty, staff, and community partners. If you believe in humanity and equity and the rights of people to engage fully in the world, then we are always better together.

That framing matters because we are dealing with affordability concerns and uncertainty around financial aid. We need to create pathways so students can access higher education and complete a degree. I can’t wait for someone to come and save us. We have to do the work ourselves and invite others to join us.

For me, Better Together connects to economic development, academic excellence, scholarship and affordability, transportation, safety, wellness, and mental health. It is about addressing the full set of needs that come with higher educational access in this region and beyond.

How are your academic programs evolving to align with Charlotte’s workforce needs and the regional economy?

We are focused on providing strong academic experiences and aligning them with market needs. We have three academic colleges: STEM; Business and Professional Studies, which includes our graduate program in social work; and Liberal Arts.

We assess our programs against the needs of Charlotte, the state, and the global economy. Social work is a strong example. It prepares students not only to work in communities but to be advocates and agents of change. That matters for families and communities that need support at multiple levels.

We are also expanding our work with artificial intelligence. Through our honors program, we launched a course in collaboration with other North Carolina institutions that brings AI into the classroom for students and faculty across two historically Black colleges and universities. We cannot ignore the role AI plays in the workforce, and we want our students prepared to lead in that space.

In the College of Business and Professional Studies, the dean works closely with an advisory group made up of corporate and industry leaders across Charlotte. Their guidance helps shape experiences that connect students directly to the business community. A major goal is to ensure that by 2029, every student has access to an internship. Employers want a diverse pipeline of future leaders, and we are focused on preparing graduates who can step into those roles.

The humanities also play an essential role. Our students and faculty are engaged in initiatives like a Black-Jewish alliance that emphasizes working across differences and understanding multiple identities. Markets benefit when graduates are prepared to engage thoughtfully across communities, cultures, and industries.

How are partnerships helping you build career pathways and support economic mobility for students?

One initiative that illustrates this work is Becoming Kings. It addresses the declining enrollment of Black boys and men in higher education by creating an immersive summer experience. Students are integrated into the college environment and visit companies across Charlotte, allowing them to envision themselves as future employees and leaders.

That exposure is where career pathways begin. We build curriculum and career maps that show students how their interests connect to real opportunities. Partnerships with organizations like Fifth Third, TD Bank, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo support financial literacy, experiential learning, and internships.

These relationships are designed to be mutually beneficial. Employers gain access to a prepared and diverse talent pool, and students gain exposure, skills, and confidence that support long-term economic mobility.

You’ve also emphasized global partnerships as part of career pathways. What does that look like in practice?

In summer 2025, I led a delegation to West Africa to deepen curricular connections and global career pathways. We met with partners in Nigeria and Ghana and signed memorandums of understanding that create pathways for students to complete degrees at Johnson C. Smith University and participate in global exchanges.

These partnerships support student and faculty collaboration and address practical barriers such as travel through the use of technology. They also expand how we think about STEM, technology, management, and leadership in a global context. The more we build these alliances, the more we create opportunities for careers that extend beyond traditional boundaries.

How do you envision the university’s long-term role as a talent engine and economic anchor for the region?

Our long-term direction is grounded in clarity of mission and vision. We are in the process of aligning those statements into a single framework supported by a refreshed strategic plan. That alignment helps ensure our priorities are clear and measurable.

As a historically Black university, our role is to create global citizens and serve as a beacon of opportunity. When we live that mission, we become a stronger economic engine. Research from organizations like UNCF shows that HBCUs drive significant economic impact by producing graduates who contribute across industries and communities.

Our goal is sustainable transformation. That includes expanding academic programs, investing in facilities, increasing visibility through initiatives like Golden Bull TV, and strengthening community connections through campus expansion and redevelopment in the historic West End. We are not doing this work alone. Community vitality and workforce readiness are deeply connected.

Are there other initiatives that reflect how the university is extending its reach?

One important partnership is with Roxbury Community College in Boston. We signed a memorandum of understanding that supports research collaboration, teaching opportunities, and guaranteed admissions pathways for Roxbury students. Boston does not have an HBCU, and this partnership opens the door to expanding access and presence in new markets.

These efforts reflect how we are thinking about growth nationally and globally while staying rooted in our mission. The work is about creating opportunity, strengthening communities, and ensuring Johnson C. Smith University continues to serve as a powerful engine for education and economic advancement.