JCSU holds inauguration for new president Dr. Kinloch
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Classes were canceled at Johnson C. Smith University on Thursday and Friday to allow students to attend scheduled events for the inauguration of the school’s 15th president Dr. Valerie Kinloch.
The university is hosting the official inauguration ceremony at the Charlotte Convention Center on Friday at 10 a.m.
Kinloch graduated from JCSU in 1996. Since then, she’s held positions at the University of Pittsburgh and Ohio State University in Columbus.
In the two years before her appointment, Kinloch served on the school’s board of trustees. She was selected unanimously for this new role.
Queen City News sat down with Kinloch in a one-on-one interview to discuss the direction she wants to take the school.
She described herself as a student-first leader, saying she remembers feeling cared for by all faculty and staff while she was a student at JCSU and wants to ensure current and future feel the same.
“When I make decisions, I am thinking about students. When I am about to decide on something that will change the trajectory of our institution, I never do that without thinking about and talking with students. One of the things that they want me to do is to be who I am and to listen to their voices and perspectives,” said Kinloch.
Kinloch also said she hopes to elevate JCSU into conversations not just locally, but nationally and internationally.
“When we talk about economic empowerment, when we talk about community change, preservation, gentrification, when we talk about businesses, when we talk about black health and black wealth, when we talk about the ways in which we already give back to communities, but now we have to understand the connection between what do we do in communities and what we do at this university, those are the types of conversations I want to position Johnson C. Smith in,” she said.
Kinloch replaced Clarence Armbrister following his retirement last summer.
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