Location & Contact Information

Address:
100 Beatties Ford Road
Charlotte, North Carolina 28216
Main Phone: (704) 378-1000
Main Contact: James Burrell
Website:http://www.jcsu.edu

Campus Queens

Student Members

Alumni Members

Johnson C. Smith University

Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) is a private, co-ed, four-year liberal arts institution of higher learning located in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. JCSU is also a historically black college. JCSU offers an assortment of academic programs, aimed at ensuring that its graduates are prepared for success in the workforce. JCSU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and Council on Social Work Accreditation (CSWE). The school awards Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Social Work degrees to its graduates. The school also presents many internship opportunities for its students.

Quick Facts

Undergrad Population: 1624
Graduate Population: 0
Student Body: Coed
In State Tuition: $17368
Out of State Tuition: $17368
Room & Board: $6762
Applications Due: Rolling Admissions ($25)
Conference: Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association (CIAA) Conference
Mascot: The Golden Bull
Accreditations:
Online Classes: no
Percent Men: 45%
Percent Women: 55%
Majors Offered

College of Arts and Letters
-Communication Arts
-Dance
-English
-History
-Interdisciplinary Studies
-Music
-Political Science
-Psychology
-Spanish
-Visual and Performing Arts

College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
-Biology
-Chemistry
-Computer Engineering
-Computer Science and Information Systems
-Information Systems Engineering
-Mathematics

College of Professional Studies
-Business Administration
-Criminology
-Economics
-Public Health
-Sport Management

Sports & Extra Curricular Activities
Choral Groups, Marching Band, Pep Band, Radio Station, Sororities
College History
Johnson C. Smith University was established on April 7, 1867 as the Biddle Memorial Institute at a meeting of the Catawba Presbytery in the old Charlotte Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Mary D. Biddle, a churchwoman, donated $1,400 to the school. In appreciation of this first contribution, friends requested Mrs. Biddle to name the newly established school after her late husband, Major Henry Biddle. Two ministers, Rev. Samuel C. Alexander and the Rev. Willis L. Miller, saw the need for a school in the south and after the birth of the school they were elected as some of the first teachers. Its coordinate women's school was Scotia Seminary (now Barber-Scotia College).

In 1876, the charter was changed by the Legislature of the State of North Carolina and the name became Biddle University, under which name the institution operated until 1923.

In 1891, Biddle University elected Dr. Daniel J. Sanders as the first African-American as President of a four-year institute in the south.

From 1921 to 1922, Jane Berry Smith donated funds to build a theological dormitory, a science hall, a teachers' cottage and a memorial gate. She also provided an endowment for the institution in memory of her late husband, Johnson C. Smith. Up until her death she donated funds for five more buildings and a campus church. In recognition of these generous benefactions, the Board of Trustees voted to change the name of the institution to Johnson C. Smith University. The charter of the school, accordingly, was amended on March 1, 1923, by the Legislature of the State of North Carolina.

In 1924, James B. Duke established the Duke Endowment. While the largest share of that the Endowment's earnings are allocated to support Duke University, Duke's donation required that 4% of its earnings be given to the university. Over the years, this share of the Endowment's distributions has exceeded $90 million.

In 1932, the university's charter was amended, providing for the admission of women. The 65-year-old institution for men then became partially coeducational. The first residence hall for women, named in memory of James B. Duke, was dedicated in 1940. In 1941, women were admitted to the freshman class. In 1942, the university was a fully coeducational institution.

JCSU joined the United Negro College Fund in 1944 as a founding member. This fund was organized primarily to help church-related schools of higher learning to revamp their training programs, to expand their plants, to promote faculty growth and to create new areas of service.

In Fall 2000, JCSU launched the IBM Laptop Initiative becoming one of few colleges in the country and the first historically black college to provide an IBM laptop computer to every student. Known as "ThinkPad U", JCSU gives students and their computers complete access to the campus-wide network and the Internet. Since 1994, the ratio of computers to students improved from 1:10 to 1:1.1.[citation needed] With this new initiative and the commitment to integrate technology throughout the curriculum, JCSU gained national recognition. It also ranked #10 among Top HBCU's.
More Campus Photos
Unique Programs
News and Upcoming Events at Johnson C. Smith University

Johnson C Smith University leader pushes school past its gates
Published by Herbert L. White Johnson C. Smith University is no longer a gated community. In 2010, the 143-year-old school launched a series of ...
Pursuit of Happyness Movie has JCSU Connection
The Pursuit of Happyness Movie has JCSU Connections - December 15, 2006 When moviegoers watch Actor Will Smith and his son Jaden Smith play real l ...
JohnsonC. Smith earns SACS accreditation for more master's degrees
Johnson C. Smith University was recently approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) for continued a ...
Johnson C. Smith University comprehensive campaign exceeds $150M milestone
Johnson C. Smith University is proud to announce that the Tomorrow is What WE Make It comprehensive campaign—launched in 2010 by the JCSU Board of Tru ...
SACSCOC Reaffirms Accreditation of Johnson C. Smith University
Regional Association Issues Stamp of Approval for Institution and Education Programs Johnson C. Smith University today announced the Southern Asso ...
The Wall
Future spot for testimonials, comments, pictures, video