N.C. A&T On Point Newsletter
A MONTHLY UPDATE ON EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND IMPACT

VOL. 3 / NO. 8/ DECEMBER 2020  

Chancellor's Message
Chancellor's Message

Enhancing Our Value Proposition
  yellow img line  

N.C. A&T Chancellor Martin Sr.In its 2014 report, “Top Strategic Issues Facing HBCUs, Now and into the Future,” the American Governing Board used survey data from leaders of historically black colleges and universities and a gathering at AGB’s National Conference on Trusteeship to identify leading concerns our campuses would need to address to sustain their futures.

The report’s very first section spoke memorably to “Enrollment and the Value Proposition,” saying, in part, “Marketing and branding … were cited by many presidents throughout the survey and during the focus group as key strategic issues that influence the overall value of HBCUs and, inevitably, impact enrollment. Said one president, there is a ‘need to clarify the HBCU value proposition’ for each individual institution and the entire HBCU community writ large.”

I think about that often in our work to raise the profile of North Carolina A&T with regard to the critical education, research and service efforts on and around our campus. That work can have a powerful impact on our value proposition to the degree we capture it through our marketing programs and translate those efforts into external media coverage. It is one thing for prospective students and their families to hear your claims regarding the educational experience at your institution; it is quite another for them to see that experience manifest through outstanding storytelling that has the ability to inspire their hearts and engage their minds.

Top Strategic Issues Facing HBCUs, Now and into the FutureWe at A&T were delighted this year by the increase in external visibility our university enjoyed and the opportunities it helped make possible for us, as you can tell from the Data Points infographic below. Attracted by A&T’s hard-fought, strategically driven competitiveness and success, media told our story in print, broadcast and digital channels, expanding our reputational footprint and opening doors, conversations and new horizons.

I hope you join me in looking forward to reading, watching and hearing more about our university in the year ahead. We have an incredible story to tell, and I believe 2021 will surface more and more visible opportunities to share with both friends and with others not yet aware of the very special place that is North Carolina A&T.

With light now emerging at the end of a very challenging 2020, I wish you a new year every bit as promising, exciting and impactful as the one we envision for A&T.

- Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr.

+ To learn more about North Carolina A&T, please visit iTunes and subscribe to the On Point with Chancellor Harold L. Martin podcast.
 
Data Points
Data Points
North Carolina A&T moved aggressively into the national spotlight this year, grabbing headlines and prominent feature treatment in some of the best-known media outlets across the country. Here are some of the highlights from A&T year in the news.February. Mister A&T: University names its business school for alum Willie Deese. A&T names the Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics after its most prominent donor. April. Charlotte Observer. Historically black colleges across US awarded $7.7 million for preservation projects. A&T received more than $750K in National Park Service funds to renovate historic Dudley, Morrison and Murphy halls; Morrison will also be renamed. June. University Innovation Alliance “Weekly Wisdom” Podcast. Interview with Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. The A&T chancellor is featured in the national prominent podcast from the prestigious UIA, an elite association of 11 major nationalcampuses.  June. CBS Moneywatch. Juneteenth emerges as company holiday as Nike, Citigroup and others commemorate black history. Deese College Dean Kevin L. James provides expert perspective on this movement, calling it an “acknowledgement of the stain of slavery and a celebration of Black American freedom.”July. Triad Business Journal. North Carolina A&T among 11 universities to share in Dominion Energy’s $35 million initiative. A&T receives $3 million as part of Dominion’s “HBCU Promise” program. July. Triad Business Journal. Triad university secures $3.25 million to boost minority nurse population. Health and Human Sciences Dean Lenora Campbell lands major federal funding to expand full scholarships to worthy nursing students.  August. Chancellor Harold L. Martin, on His Plan to Safely Open the Nation's Largest HBCU During COVID-19. Martin is the focus of TIME’s “Leadership Brief” in the magazine’s August issue, telling the A&T story to 26 million readers of its print edition and millions more online. September. Inside Higher Education. HBCUs experiencing better student compliance with COVID restrictions. The influential higher ed website explores why A&T, as well as other HBCUs, are faring better than predominantly white campuses in the COVID pandemic. September. Fox 8-Atlanta. NC A&T faculty, students develop low-cost fever detection equipment to help fight the spread of COVID-19. An A&T engineering team’s novel approach to redesigning digital thermometers gets major regional exposure.  October – NPR. Some HBCUs See Lower COVID-19 Rates, Higher Enrollment Than Other Universities. The A&T/COVID story goes big on National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition with Scott Simon, along with discussion of its unprecedented enrollment growth in recent years. November. ‘Everybody Is Biting Their Nails’: College Leaders Weigh Response as Nation Holds Its Breath Chronicle of Higher Education. Chancellor Martin is one of a select group of higher ed leaders tapped for their perspective on how this year’s elections will affect colleges and universities. November. Boston Business Journal and the national Business Journal Chain. THE INTERVIEW: Harold Martin sees cuts — and opportunity — ahead for the nation's largest HBCU. Chancellor Martin explores the university’s growth plans, racial justice and effects from COVID in this nationally prominent discussion. December – Washington Post. ‘Transformational’: MacKenzie Scott’s gifts to HBCUs, other colleges surpass $800 million. The Post uses Scott’s $45-million donation to A&T as the opening for a story on the philanthropist’s mammoth investment in higher education and community organizations. December – McClathchy Newspapers Chain, incl. Charlotte Observer and Raleigh News & Observer. NC’s Regan, top EPA pick, promises environmental policy that serves ‘every person’. Chancellor Martin shares his perspective on A&T alumnus Regan ’98, President Biden’s pick for EPA administrator, a Cabinet-level position.


CHANCELLOR
Dr. Harold L. Martin Sr.

CHIEF OF STAFF
Erin Hill Hart
 
ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR
Todd Hurst Simmons

GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Kimberly "Nikki" Pressley

WEB MANAGER
Yvonne L. Halley

STAFF WRITERS
Tonya D. Dixon
Jordan M. Howse
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a land-grant university that is ranked by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as a Doctoral University: High Research Activity.

N.C. A&T does not discriminate against any person on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. For inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies, contact the Title IX Coordinator at titleixcoordinator@ncat.edu.

N.C. A&T is an AA/EEO employer, and it is an ADA compliant institution; thus, facilities are designed to provide accessibility to individuals with physical disabilities.