A North Carolina historically Black university has under two weeks to raise $250,000 for financial aid and scholarships after experiencing its highest enrollment in years.
Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte is urgently calling for donations to assist at least 300 students in registering for classes before the fall semester begins on Aug. 30, the school announced on Sunday.
The university's goal is to raise $250,000 for its General Scholarship Fund, which offers emergency financial aid for tuition, housing, books, and other essential needs. Without these funds, many students may be unable to register for the semester.
"The Emergency Fund was sparked by a record number of incoming students for the 2024-2025 academic year," Cheryl Butler-Brayboy, director of university communications and marketing, told University Herald on Monday.
JCSU, which has had an enrollment of between 1,000 and 1,100 students in recent years, is expecting a significant increase to approximately 1,350 students this year, university President Valerie Kinloch told WBTV.
Kinloch will host a special Zoom call on Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. to provide more details about the fund.
