DURHAM – For Chancellor Johnson O. Akinleye, North Carolina Central University is a great university for a number of reasons:  Strong faculty.  Talented, intelligent students.  And an impressive set of academic offerings.

“We have a great flagship law school.  We have two major research institutes that you don’t often find on a campus of our size,” Akinleye says in the accompanying video.

“Additionally, we also have great programs in STEM – we have a great program in electrical and mechanical engineering and physics, a Three + Two program we started with North Carolina State University.  We also offer an environment that is vibrant … that supports the learning of our students.”

Akinleye points out that NCCU is also in a great location – the Research Triangle – at the intersection of higher education, government and private industry.  “So when you put all that together, I will tell you that NCCU is a great institution and in a great position,” he says.

The chancellor says NCCU wants to expand its academic portfolio further and provide even greater access to students, even though it is already good at recruiting low-income and rural students.

“To be even greater, we want to extend beyond our region.  So we are developing a vibrant and robust online platform that will extend our footprint even beyond the state of North Carolina internationally, to be able to recruit students overseas and to be able to play on the international stage.”

Through a high quality existing program in criminal justice, for instance, Akinleye envisions a new program in cybersecurity.  And expanding the university’s geospatial sciences program.  He notes that two years ago, the university created a joint degree in business and computer science.

“[This is] because we know that this will provide the jobs of the future and the students for the workforce,” he says.

The university seeks partnerships with industry to increase the talent pool, Akinleye says.  “Service learning – how can we develop them in such a way that with their degree, they also have the soft skills that are necessary for the marketplace?”

“We have so much potential and so much to be proud of – when we look at all of our indicators, we are moving in the right direction. We have the bright, brightest students.  We have a vibrant campus that is growing.  We have great, great alumni that are very supportive of the institution,” Akinleye says.

“We’re just in a great place, and we look forward to doing more.”