Chancellor’s Message

from NCCU Now Summer 2021

by North Carolina Central University

Giving

Greetings,

The first half of 2021 continued to challenge us in ways that we never imagined. We followed and adapted to ever-changing guidelines as we slowly and carefully transitioned and adjusted our lives during COVID-19. At North Carolina Central University, the pandemic may have changed our modes of academic delivery and created physical-distancing requirements on campus, but our resiliency and innovation, along with our students’ commitment to maintaining their health and well-being, led us safely through the 2020-2021 academic year. We opened the NCCU COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic on March 9, 2021, and began vaccinating our students, faculty, staff – as well as residents of the Durham and Triangle communities. As of August 2021, more than 4,200 doses of all three available vaccines had been administered at NCCU. Despite the pivots and adjustments, we stayed the course and recorded numerous successes throughout the Spring 2021 semester, including:

 NCCU received several large corporate grants in 2021, including a $1 MILLION GIFT FROM TIK-TOK, a leading online destination for short-form mobile videos. The funds are used to support students pursuing degrees in health care (see on page 14). NCCU also received a $5 MILLION GIFT, payable over the next five years, from Intel Corporation. The gift establishes a Tech Law and Policy Center in the School of Law (read more on page 59).

 The university, our men’s basketball team and head coach LEVELLE MOTON were featured in an eight-part docuseries, “Why Not Us,” that was presented by The Undefeated and ESPN+ beginning in February. The series placed

NCCU in an international spotlight and brought increased attention to our championship-winning athletics program (see page 60).

 We celebrated the graduating classes of SPRING 2020 AND SPRING 2021 at Commencement ceremonies (pages 18-21).

 In late June, NCCU’s health disparities team expanded their outreach to address underserved areas across North Carolina using with a new MOBILE HEALTH UNIT, which is operated through the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology

Research Institute (BBRI) and ADVANCED CENTER FOR COVID-RELATED DISPARITIES (ACCORD) PROGRAM.

 The university broke ground on a NEW SCHOOL OF BUSINESS on June 30, 2021. The 76,608-square-foot, state-of-theart facility is scheduled for completion in fall 2022.

As we begin a fresh academic year and we welcome new Eagles to the nest, we are ready to thrive and soar as our campus and communities reopen.

In Truth and Service.

Johnson O. Akinleye, Ph.D. Chancellor

PICTURE OPPOSITE PAGE / 1 / Students, staff and faculty as well as area residents are vaccinated against COVID-19 during special clinic sessions on campus. University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans tours the vaccine clinic. / 2 / A new mobile health unit enabled NCCU to reach more communities throughout the region. / 3 / The campus community watched with much interest as the first new Student Center in more than 50 years was constructed. / 4 / Chancellor Akinleye welcomed students of the class of 2025 to campus for orientation. / 5 / A groundbreaking also took place for the new School of Business. Pictured (L-R) SGA President Derrick C. Stanfield, Vice Chancellor Akua J. Matherson, Provost David H. Jackson Jr., Trustee and Chairman Kevin M. Holloway and Chancellor Johnson O. Akinleye.