Chancellor: Construction, New Degree Programs Will Be Prominent in 2023-24

Note: A presentation shared at the media availability is available here.

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Aug. 23, 2023) – Numerous construction projects, new degree programs and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s ongoing rapid development as a doctoral research university will dominate the landscape this year at the nation’s largest historically Black university (HBCU).

Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. shared details on those projects this morning at a media availability on the first day of N.C. A&T’s fall semester. Now in his 15^th year as A&T’s leader, Martin is the longest serving chancellor in the UNC System and among all HBCUs nationally.

“Our university will mark its 133^rd year in 2023-24, but that will be far from the only thing we will celebrate,” said Martin. “Visitors to our campuses and satellite locations in East Greensboro will see numerous changes this year, including construction projects that will change the face of our university.”

A&T has more than $350 million in projects on the table this year, including a new $64 million residential complex and a $13 million urban community food processing complex at the University Education and Research Farm. University officials will break ground on both projects this fall.

Three projects at the university’s Gateway Research Park – South Campus will also take shape in 2023-24: a $38 million Community Education Center in collaboration with Guilford County Schools, a $110 million data analytics “Dream Center” in collaboration with Impact Data, and a $1.5 million biotechnology training center with Merck pharmaceutical corporation.

In the state budget pending in the General Assembly, legislators are considering funding for a $125 million health sciences center for A&T. This complex will provide a new home for the John R. and Kathy R. Hairston College of Health and Human Sciences, which is the university’s largest college.

Martin also discussed the newly released total of research and sponsored program grants for the recently completed fiscal year: $147.4 million, a $50 million increase over FY2022 and a 138% increase over the past four years.

“Those funds increasingly support advanced, high-impact science at A&T ranging from nanomaterials research, bioengineering including synthetic tissue generation, autonomous vehicles, food and nutritional science and more,” Martin said. “In the best spirit of land-grant universities, the vast majority of our research portfolio includes practical, applied science with an ability to improve lives and enhance the human condition.”

Martin said eight degree programs are either enrolling their first students, beginning to accept applications or going to the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors for review and approval this year. Seven of the eight are doctoral and master’s degree programs. The programs are: 

• B.S. in business analytics, launching this fall
• M.S. in data and business analytics, launching this fall
• M.S. in physician assistant studies, pursuing provisional accreditation
• M.S. in criminal justice, pending BOG approval
• Ph.D. in criminal justice, pending BOG approval
• Ph.D. in sociology, pending BOG approval
• Ph.D. in applied psychology, pending BOG approval
• Doctor of Nursing Practice, pending BOG approval

A&T remains the largest historically Black university in the nation. Its degree programs, campus and satellite locations continue growing to meet the needs of students, faculty and staff in alignment with the university’s mission to advance the human condition and facilitate economic growth in North Carolina and beyond.