North Carolina A&T State University

Dr. John O. Crosby; N.C. A&T's First President (1892–1896)

North Carolina A&T's history can be traced back to 1890 when the United States Congress passed the Second Morrill Act. Aimed mainly at the Confederate states, the second Morrill Act of 1890 required that each state show that race was not an admissions criterion, or else to designate a separate land-grant institution for persons of color.[24] In order to comply with the Second Morrill Act and yet prevent admission of African Americans to the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now known as North Carolina State University, the college's Board of Trustees were empowered to make temporary arrangements for students of color.[10][25]

On March 9, 1891, the Agricultural and Mechanical College for the Colored Race was established by an act of the North Carolina General Assembly as an annex of the private Shaw University in Raleigh.[10] The act read in part: "That the leading objective of the college shall be to teach practical agriculture and the mechanic arts and such learning as related thereto, not excluding academic and classical instruction." The college, which started with four teachers and 37 students, initially offered instruction in agriculture, English, horticulture, and mathematics.[10] The college continued to operate in Raleigh until the Board of Trustees voted, in 1892, to relocate the college to Greensboro. With monetary and land donations totaling $11,000 and 14 acres (0.057 km²), the new Greensboro campus was established the following year and the college's first President, John Oliver Crosby, was elected on May 25, 1892.[10]

An early image of students learning to make butter.

The college granted admission to both men and women of color from 1893, until the Board of Trustees voted to restrict admission to males only in 1901. This policy would remain until 1928, when female students were once again allowed to be admitted.[10] In 1899, The college conferred its first degrees to seven graduates.[10]

In 1904, the college developed a 100-acre (0.40 km²) farm equipped with the latest in farm machinery and labor-saving devices. The university farm provided much of the food for the campus cafeteria.[26] In 1915, the North Carolina General Assembly changed the name of the college to Negro Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina.[10]

The College Building built in 1893, was one of the campus' first buildings. It was destroyed by fire in 1930.

In 1925, Dr. Ferdinand D. Bluford was selected as the third president of the college, and A&T became a member of the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association (now known as the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association). The next year, the College's National Alumni Association was established. In 1928, the 27-year ban on female students was lifted as the college once again was granted co-educational status. By December 1931, female students were allowed, for the first time, to participate in the student government as members of the student council.[10] In 1939, the college was authorized to grant the Master of Science degree in education and certain other fields. Two years later, the first Master of Science degree was awarded.[10]

An early image of Noble Hall, originally the Agricultural Building, now houses the School of Nursing

The 1940s and 1950s saw the college expand its land holdings. In 1946, the college acquired 96 acres (0.39 km²) of land adjacent to the original 14-acre (5.7 ha) campus.[10][27] In 1953, The School of Nursing was established, with the first class graduating four years later. 1955 saw more changes, as Dr. Warmoth T. Gibbs was selected as the fourth President of the College. Two years later, the college experienced another name change to the "Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina". In that same year, the college's first white student, Rodney Jaye Miller of Greensboro, was admitted.[10] In 1959, the college was fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).[10]

On February 1, 1960, four male freshmen helped spark the civil rights movement in the South. Ezell Blair (Jibreel Khazan), Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, and David Richmond "sat in" at an all white eating establishment (Woolworth's) and demanded equal service at the lunch counter. The actions of the four freshmen gained momentum as other students of the university joined them in their non-violent protest to desegregate Woolworth's lunch counter, which became known as the Greensboro sit-ins. By the end of July 1960, Blair, McNeil, McCain and Richmond were dubbed the A&T Four.[27]

In 1964, John A. Steinhauer, a science teacher, was the first white student to earn a degree from A&T, earning the Master of Science in Education with a concentration in Chemistry.[10] The following year, the college acquired the land of the former Immanuel Lutheran College, a coeducational junior college located adjacent to the college campus.[10][29] In 1967, The college was designated a Regional University by the NC General Assembly. The college was renamed "North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University,"

A&T Student Eddie Evans being taken into protective custody after members of the North Carolina National Guard raid W. Kerr Scott Hall

In 1969, student protesters from the college, in addition to students of nearby James B. Dudley High School, were involved in a four-day conflict with the Greensboro Police and the National Guard in which there was one casualty. The conflict, referred to as the 1969 Greensboro uprising lasted May 21 through May 25, was sparked by perceived civil rights issues at the segregated high school, when a popular student council write-in presidential candidate was denied his landslide victory allegedly because school officials feared his activism in the Black Power Movement.[30][31] Starting on the campus of Dudley High School, the uprising spread to A&T's campus, where students had stood up in support of the Dudley protest. Escalating violence eventually led to an armed confrontation and the subsequent invasion of the campus. Described at the time as "the most massive armed assault ever made against an American university," The uprising ended soon after the National Guard raided the 505-room male dormitory, W. Kerr Scott Hall, taking hundreds of students into protective custody.[32]

In 1971, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation bringing all 16 public institutions that confer bachelor's degrees into The University of North Carolina System.[10] As a result of the consolidation, N.C. A&T became a constituent institution and Lewis Carnegie Dowdy, the college's sixth president, was reappointed as the college's first chancellor in July of the following year.[33] The 1988 school year saw N.C. A&T set an enrollment record with 6,200 students. The following year, the college bested its record with a total of 6,500 students.[10]

In 2003, N.C. A&T announced the creation of a Joint Millennial Campus, with neighboring UNC Greensboro, with the intent to focus on regional economic development. The following year, the university was classified as a doctoral/research intensive university by the Carnegie Foundation, in addition to forming a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service.[10] On May 1, 2006, Lloyd V. Hackley was named interim chancellor of the university. Hackley served in the position until his successor, Stanley F. Battle, was installed as the 11th Chancellor on April 25, 2008.[10] Under the Battle administration, the university was awarded an $18 million grant from the National Science Foundation for an Engineering Research Center, the first time an HBCU has been a lead institution for such a center.[10]

On May 22, 2009, Dr. Harold L. Martin, Sr. was elected as the twelfth Chancellor of the University. The following year, N.C. A&T received approval to establish a Ph.D. program in Computational Science and Engineering beginning in the fall of 2010.[10] That same year, the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN) opened with 17 students in the doctoral program in nanoscience and one student in the professional master's program in nanoscience. According to the National Nanotechnology Initiative, The JSNN became one of fewer than 10 schools nationally to offer degree programs in nanotechnology, and is the only program created and operated collaboratively by two universities.[10] In 2011, North Carolina A&T received approval from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors for its Master of Science in Nanoengineering program, Offered through the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN). In addition to the M.S. degree the university was approved to offer a doctoral program in Nanoengineering.[10]

In 2011, Martin began implementation of "A&T Preeminence 2020," a groundbreaking strategic plan that set ambitious goals for the university in enrollment, research funding, diversity, academic quality and more. As the plan took root, N.C. A&T began a remarkable evolution that saw it become the nation's largest HBCU in 2014, a position it has held ever since. In 2018, it became America's top-ranked public HBCU by U.S. News & World Report magazine, and in 2019, it moved into the numerical rankings of national research universities for the first time in A&T's history. Martin oversaw creation of a new strategic plan in 2018, "A&T Preeminence: Taking the Momentum to 2023." It established a new set of growth goals relative to A&T's mission as a doctoral research university, including expansion of A&T's research programs and increasing the size of the student body to 14,000.

In 2020, MacKenzie Scott donated $45 million to North Carolina A&T. Her donation is the largest single gift in the university's history and the second largest ever to an HBCU.[34]

The James B. Dudley Memorial Building, is named for the university's second president, houses the university art galleries.

Located inside the James B. Dudley Memorial Building, the university galleries are home to the Mattye Reed African Heritage and the H. Clinton Taylor Collections. Founded in the late 1960s, the Reed African Heritage Collection is dedicated to the ancestral and contemporary arts of Africa and the Caribbean.[37] The Reed Collection houses around 3,500 artifacts, art, and craft items from more than 35 African and Caribbean nations.[38] The collection is named for Mattye Reed, the site's first curator and director. Reed helped collect a great number of the pieces through soliciting donations from friends and former colleagues on behalf of the university.[38] The Taylor Collection, named for the founder of the university's art department, presents rotating exhibits by both established and upstart African-American Artists, in addition to work created by the university students and faculty.[37]

The University of North Carolina spends roughly $227 million a year on energy.[39] In 2009, the UNC Board of Governors adopted environmental policies reflective of the UNC System's commitment to lead the State of North Carolina to a more sustainable future.[39][40] The goal of the initiative is to reduce energy consumption by 30 percent at all UNC institutions and affiliates by 2015.[41]

Since 2003, North Carolina A&T has reduced energy use by 21 percent.[42] According to research conducted by the university, the energy efficiency measures in place inside the 123 buildings on the campus have saved enough energy to meet the power needs of 760 households for a year.[42] In the 2011–12 fiscal year alone, a 32.5 billion BTU reduction in energy helped the university avoid $386,274 in costs.[42] Under the university's Strategic Energy Plan, N.C. A&T has implemented energy efficiency measures such as: comprehensive energy audits to identify improvement needs; development of a retro-commissioning process for existing buildings; energy-efficient lighting retrofits throughout the campus; and the development of green network strategies.[42]

In the area of green building, the university is in the process of developing a green building policy that will require the use of sustainable and green building practices wherever feasible and practical on future construction.[42] As of 2015, there are four green building initiatives being conducted by the university. The Proctor School of Education Building utilizes green roof technology in addition to other sustainable components aimed at reducing storm water runoff and energy demands for air conditioning in the summer months.[42] Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN) Building located at the off-campus Joint Millennial Campus site, was certified as a LEED Gold level building in 2013.[43] In addition to the school of education and Nanotechnology buildings, the university is planning an environmentally-friendly student center and opened its new student health center in 2015. The two-story, 27,548-square-foot building is LEED silver level certified, and the university's first completely green facility.[43][44]

Through these efforts towards sustainability and environment friendly university management, N.C. A&T was ranked 10th, out of 301 institutions from 61 countries, in the 2013 The Universitas Indonesia (UI) GreenMetric World University Sustainability Ranking.[45][46] Additionally, the university ranked 5th among 164 institutions in the category of Campus Setting (Urban) and 9th among 224 institutions in the Comprehensive Higher Education category.[46]

Harold L. Martin Sr., Chancellor of North Carolina A&T State University.

Each of the UNC campuses is headed by a chancellor who is chosen by the Board of Governors on the president's nomination and is responsible to the president. The current Chancellor of N.C. A&T is Dr. Harold L. Martin Sr.[33] In 2009, Martin became the 12th chancellor of the university, and first alumnus to serve in the position, following the resignation of his predecessor, Stanley F. Battle.[47] Martin marked his 10th year as chancellor in 2019, a decade marked by strong enrollment growth, increased national recognition of the university's academic quality and contributions in STEM disciplines and its evolution as a land grant, doctoral research university.

Prior to his appointment as chancellor, Martin was the senior vice president for academic affairs at The University of North Carolina, General Administration where he led the development and implementation of the university's academic mission, including teaching, research, international programs and student affairs.[47] Martin currently serves on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on Colleges and Schools and on the boards of technology nonprofit MCNC and Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation. Previously, he served on advisory committees of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, chaired the board of directors of the Southern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering, and served on the boards of trustees of the NC School of Science and Mathematics, the NC Board of Science and Technology, and the NC Biotechnology Center Advisory Board.[33]

In the UNC System, each university has their own board of trustees. N.C. A&T's Board of Trustees consists of eight members elected by the Board of Governors, four appointed by the governor, and the president of the student body, who serves as an ex officio member.[48] The current Chair of the Board is Vanessa Harrison, an AT&T executive. Other Trustees include Tim King, a retired Dow Chemical executive, and Hilda Pinnix-Ragland, a retired Duke Energy corporate affairs and business executive who serves as vice chairwoman of the board.

The 2017-2018 expenditures totaled $288 million. The state of North Carolina provided $99 million of support in appropriations and other aid. Tuition and fees and sales and services provided an additional $100 million. N.C. A&T received $95 million from contracts and grants, with $57 million of that earmarked for student financial aid. Other sources of income for the university include gifts, income from investments. As of 2018, the university endowment was valued at just over $57 million.[49]

McNair Hall, constructed in 1987, is named for A&T alumnus Dr. Ronald E. McNair and houses the College of Engineering.

The university offers 54 Undergraduate, 29 master, and nine doctoral degrees through its nine professional colleges.[17][18] The colleges and schools function as autonomous units within the university, and adheres to the university's mission and philosophy. Bachelor and Master degree programs are offered through the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES); College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS); Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics (CoBE); College of Education (CEd); College of Engineering (CoE); College of Health and Human Sciences (CHHS) and the College of Science and Technology (CoST).[57] Doctoral programs are offered through the CAES, CoE, CoST, The Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering and The Graduate College.[57]

In 2020, N.C. A&T dedicated its first named college, Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics. The college is named for the 1977 alumnus, retired pharmaceutical executive and renowned philanthropist.

Since 1968, A&T's academic programs were divided among nine different academic divisions.[10] During this time, the university added a number of schools including of the School of Business and Economics in 1970; School of Technology in 1987; and the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering in 2010.[10] This realignment would remain until 2016, when the university again realigned its academic programs in an effort to meet the objectives of their Preeminence 2020 strategic plan.[58] All courses at the university are on a credit hour system.

Institutional rankings of North Carolina A&T vary, depending on the criteria of the publication. According to the 2020 issue of U.S. News and World Report's Best Colleges, N.C. A&T was ranked No. 1 as the best public historically black university (HBCU) in the nation and the 6th best HBCU overall; criteria include tuition and fees, total enrollment, fall acceptance rate, retention, and graduation rates. Among national universities, it is tied for 281 and one of only a few HBCU represented in the National University rankings.

N.C. A&T was ranked No. 3 by Money Magazine for highest early career earnings among campuses in the UNC System in the Best Colleges for Your Money 2019 rankings.[59] The Wall Street Journal also named N.C. A&T a No. 2 public U.S. university in combining research and teaching in 2016.[60]

Admission to North Carolina A&T is rated as "less selective" by U.S. News and World Report.[62] According to the University of North Carolina System, the university received over 11,000 applications and admitted 61.0 percent of those that applied in 2018.[61] The university maintains a Rolling Admissions program. Of those students admitted, SAT scores average 1030 while ACT scores average 19.[63] According to the US News, in 2016, 85.0 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid, and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $7,258.[64]

Incoming freshmen are eligible to receive the Lewis and Elizabeth Dowdy, Cheatham-White or the National Alumni Association scholarships. The Lewis and Elizabeth Dowdy Scholarship, named after the university's sixth chancellor and his wife, covers the full cost of tuition and is available to students with a 3.75 high school GPA and a minimum 1200 SAT or 26 ACT score.[65] The National Alumni Association Scholarship, provided by the N.C. A&T National Alumni Association, also covers the full cost of tuition and is available to students with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 1000 or 22 ACT score.[65] The Cheatham-White Scholarship is named for Henry P. Cheatham and George H. White, two African Americans who represented North Carolina in the United States Congress around the turn of the 20th century. From difficult beginnings – Cheatham was born enslaved, and White, the son of a mother whom historians say was also likely enslaved – each worked hard to earn a university education before launching careers in teaching, law and ultimately public service. The scholarship is a fully funded four-year award that covers the costs of tuition, student fees, housing, meals, textbooks, a laptop computer, supplies, travel and personal expenses. Scholarships also provides four summers of fully funded enrichment and networking opportunities that may include international travel and study. It is truly a complete award, meant to recognize academic achievement and potential at the highest levels.[66]

Roughly 42 percent of students live in university owned, operated, or affiliated residence halls, apartments and residential communities.[73]

The majority of residence halls on campus are coeducational. Of the remaining residence halls, 18 percent are female only and 9 percent are single sex male residence halls. Students can also apply to live in living-learning communities, which consists of specially-themed residential areas with specially designed academic and social activities for its residents such as The Honors and International Programs Community; Teaching Fellows Program; and communities which focus on creating unique living experiences.[74] Each residence hall has its own hall government, with representatives in the Residence Hall Association. Despite the availability on-campus housing, the residence halls are complemented by a variety of housing options. 65 percent of students live off-campus,[75] mostly in the areas closest to campus, in either apartment communities or former single-family homes. The university residence halls offer a variety of living options, from double occupancy traditional to single occupancy suite and apartment living. The area known as North Campus provides Traditional, Suite, and Apartment style living options for students residing on campus. North campus residence halls include: Cooper Hall, Alex Haley Hall, and The Aggie Village.[76] The Aggie Village, commonly referred to as simply "The Village," are the newest residence halls built on campus. Completed in 2005, the centrally located six building complex contains four three-story residential buildings, two administrative buildings with offices and classroom space.[77] The four residential units within the complex are named for Ezell Blair, Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, and David Richmond; collectively known as the A&T Four and replaced the former W. Kerr Scott Hall which was ceremoniously demolished on July 11, 2004.[77][78] South campus provides all Traditional style residence halls. South campus residence halls include: Barbee, Curtis, Holland, Morrison, Morrow, and Vanstory Halls. Barbee Hall, built in 1980, is the tallest building on campus, besides BB&T Stadium. The six story residence hall is named for Zoe Parks Barbee, one of the first African American commissioners of Guilford County, houses 388 students.[79] East campus provides suite and apartment-style living to students. The residence halls on East Campus are: Pride Hall, The Aggie Suites, and Aggie Terrace. Both the Aggie Suites and Pride hall were financed through the North Carolina A&T University Foundation and were completed in 2001 and 2005, respectively.[80][81]

The North Carolina A&T State University Student Government Association, commonly referred to as simply the SGA, is the undergraduate student government of N.C. A&T. The present SGA is an outgrowth of the Student Council of N.C. A&T, which was restructured in 1935 from an earlier organization by the same name.[82] The mission of the SGA is to Create an atmosphere of freedom that allows students to move beyond the limits of traditional interests by being a creative and contributing individual; Aid in a meaningful interpretation of the concept of the university community; Provide opportunities for each student to participate in activities that develop and realize potentialities; and create awareness of national and international affairs and of their significance for the individual.[82]

The Blue and Gold Marching Machine at the 2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City

Student organizations are registered through the Office of Student Activities, which currently has a registry of over 120 student organizations that covers a variety of organizations including national honor and drama societies; departmental, social and hometown clubs; performance groups; student military; fraternities and sororities; residence councils; the Student Union Advisory Board; and classes.[83]

The Council of Presidents serves as the governing body of registered and recognized student-run organizations at North Carolina A&T. The council is a participatory body composed of the student organization presidents designed to serve as a liaison which assists, governs, and advocates for the registered and recognized student organizations on the campus of N.C.A&T and their respective memberships.[84]

The Blue and Gold Marching Machine, the university's marching band program provides music for campus events. Established in 1918, the 200 plus member marching band, has performed on national stages such as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,[85] Honda Battle of the Bands,[86] and the Bank of America 500.[87]

The A&T Register and "The Voice" WNAA 90.1 FM are the official media outlets of the university. Students of the university contribute to both "The Register" and the campus radio station. The Register was first published in 1894. Currently, the student newspaper is published digitally with two print editions during each fall and spring semesters.[88] The A&T Register has won numerous awards over its history, and is recognized locally, statewide, and nationally as one of the premier HBCU publications. In 2013, The Register was awarded first place in newswriting and second place in Opinion writing by the North Carolina College Media Association.[89] The Register also earned awards from the 2014 National HBCU Student News Media Conference. The paper was awarded second in the "Best News Coverage" and "Best Student, Non-regular production, Newspaper" categories; and third in the "best design tabloid or broadsheet" category.[89]

Started in 1966 as WANT 620 AM, The campus radio station started with the donation of a refurbished radio console from local radio station WEAL.[90] Because The FCC mandated that college radio stations could not compete with commercial radio, WANT was transmitted out of Price Hall on closed circuit A.M. radio transmitted to strategic buildings on campus via cable.[90] The first day's broadcast carried, in part, remarks from the campus Board of Trustees and then president Lewis C. Dowdy.[90] WANT continued operation until 1979, when the campus station switched to an F.M. format, and became WNAA 90.1 FM.[91] In 1982 the station transitioned from the conventional 18-hour college radio format to a full 24-hour broadcast format, and in 1984 installed a new tower to increase wattage from 10 to its current 10,000 watts of power, being able to broadcast as far as 45 miles (72 km).[91][92] Today, WNAA is broadcast both over the air and on-line, serving the Greensboro, High Point Winston-Salem metropolitan radio market.[93]

Through the Journalism and Mass Communication department, students manage "The JOMC Journal," a student generated multimedia news platform, a state-of-the-art high definition television studio, and The Aggie Media Group, a public relations agency that provides services including: Media Relations, Quantitative and Qualitative research; social media, community, publicity campaigns and event planning.[93]

The Greek System at North Carolina A&T dates back to the 1910s, and is home to 18 recognized organizations including eight of the nine of the historically African-American National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) Fraternities and Sororities, national service, honorary, and professional organizations. Currently, roughly 1.4 percent of undergraduate male students are members of a Fraternity, while roughly 1.2 percent of undergraduate female students are members of a Sorority.[94]

Active fraternities at N.C. A&T include Alpha Phi Omega, a national co-ed community service fraternity; Kappa Kappa Psi, a national honorary Band fraternity; and Pershing Rifles, is a military fraternal organization for college-level students: and social fraternities Alpha Phi Alpha, the oldest Greek lettered organization on the campus, chartered in 1929;[95] Phi Beta Sigma, Iota Phi Theta, Kappa Alpha Psi, Lambda Chi Alpha; Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music; Omega Psi Phi, and Groove Phi Groove.[96]

Active sororities at the university include Chi Eta Phi, a professional association for registered professional and student nurses; Tau Beta Sigma, a national honorary band sorority; and social sororities Alpha Kappa Alpha; Delta Sigma Theta; Zeta Phi Beta; Sigma Gamma Rho; and Swing Phi Swing.[96]

Then-First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama was presented a hood signifying her honorary doctoral degree by N.C. A&T Chancellor Harold L. Martin in 2012

Annual events on the campus celebrate North Carolina A&T traditions, alumni, sports, and culture. In early March, the university celebrates Founders' Day, which observes the anniversary of the founding of the university.

Homecoming, which usually occurs in the month of October, coincides with a home football game, and festivities such as tailgating, class and departmental events, nightlife and social functions, musical and comedy concerts, pep rallies, student showcases, fraternity and sorority step shows, a parade, and the coronation of Mister and Miss North Carolina A&T, the university's Homecoming King and Queen. Dubbed the "Greatest Homecoming on Earth" by students and alumni, the week-long celebration brings in an influx of 20,000 to 40,000 alumni and guests to the city. In a 2011 study conducted by the Greensboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, the economic impact from homecoming was measured at $11.3 million.[97]

Commencement exercises date back to the university's first graduating class in 1899.[10] In 2018, the university awarded 2,149 total bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees.[14] Two commencement programs are scheduled each year for the university. Students who complete degree requirements during the summer sessions and the fall semester are invited to participate in the December commencement exercise, while students who complete degree requirements in the spring are invited to participate in the May commencement services.[98] Notable speakers include Dr. Mary Elizabeth Carnegie,[99] distinguished educator and champion for the preservation of the history of African-American nurses; Frank Porter Graham,[100] Former president of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and senator; Donna Brazile,[101] political analyst and Vice Chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee; and First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama.[102]