After a year marked by record growth and the launch of Vision 2030: Soaring to New Heights, North Carolina Central University (NCCU) spent 2025-2026 turning momentum into measurable progress across academics, student success, campus operations, financial stewardship, leadership and community engagement.

The year began with new Board of Trustees leadership and renewed governance engagement, helping set the stage for a year focused on execution, accountability and long-term institutional strength. Across campus and beyond, NCCU advanced priorities connected to student achievement, academic growth, public safety, alumni engagement, philanthropy, partnerships and national visibility.

"This year has been about turning ambition into action," said NCCU Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon. "Across our university, we are seeing progress that reflects the discipline, talent and commitment of our students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters. NCCU is growing with purpose, investing in its future and strengthening the foundation for the next generation of Eagle leaders."

Student Success and Academic Momentum

NCCU continued to experience strong enrollment momentum while advancing work to help students persist, graduate and prepare for meaningful careers.

In fall 2025, NCCU surpassed the 9,000-student mark for the first time in its 115-year history, reflecting growth in graduate education, online learning, military-affiliated enrollment and student retention. Online programs remained one of the university's fastest-growing areas, reinforcing NCCU's commitment to expanding access for working adults, transfer students, military-affiliated students and others seeking flexible pathways to a degree.

Retention also improved, with student retention rising four percentage points to 77%. The university continued re-enrollment campaigns and streamlined readmission to support students ready to return.

Academic growth continued with the launch of new programs aligned with workforce demand, including the Ed.D. in counseling, counselor education and supervision and the Bachelor of Science in formulations and packaging science. These programs expand NCCU's capacity in mental health leadership, biotechnology, health innovation and product development.

NCCU also strengthened academic leadership. Dr. Joseph Grant was appointed as dean of the NCCU School of Law, bringing experience in legal education, fundraising, stakeholder engagement and bar exam preparation. His leadership will support work to improve student outcomes, strengthen bar passage performance and deepen engagement with alumni and legal partners.

NCCU's nursing program continued to receive national visibility for outcomes and innovation. PBS NewsHour highlighted how the program uses artificial intelligence to prepare the next generation of health professionals. The program also achieved a 96% passage rate on the NCLEX professional exam for calendar year 2025, the highest among HBCU nursing programs in North Carolina. The December 2025 accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing cohort achieved a 100% passage rate, marking the program's second consecutive year of perfect results.

An all-woman NCCU team won the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge National Championship, earning a $100,000 institutional grant. Student-athletes continued to show excellence in competition and in the classroom, with NCCU Athletics achieving a 992 Division I Academic Progress Rate for 2024-2025 and nine programs earning perfect scores of 1,000. The men's tennis team also captured the 2025 HBCU Men's Tennis National Championship.

The arts carried NCCU's name beyond campus as the University Choir performed in Austria, reflecting the global reach of student talent.

As more students choose NCCU, the university strengthened planning around the student experience, including enhanced housing communications and expanded support for students exploring on-campus and off-campus options.

A Stronger Campus and Sustainable Future

Moody's affirmed NCCU's A3 credit rating with a stable outlook, and NCCU received a clean audit from the N.C. State Auditor, its first since 2022. The university also remains on track to add $2.8 million to institutional reserves this year.

At the same time, NCCU continued addressing campus infrastructure needs that affect students, employees and visitors. The university received State Capital and Infrastructure Fund, or SCIF, support for HVAC replacement projects for five campus buildings, representing an investment of more than $61 million.

Campus improvements also included work on residence halls, academic buildings, common areas, auditoriums, building systems, accessibility, grounds and other high-use spaces. Projects across campus addressed long-standing maintenance needs while supporting a safer, more functional and more welcoming environment.

Safety also remained a key priority. The university named Robert E. Gaddy Jr. '93, '26 as chief of police, following a search process that included students, faculty, staff and community stakeholders. His appointment reflects NCCU's continued emphasis on community-based policing, communication and a safer campus environment.

The university also made safety and operational adjustments to The Ultimate Homecoming Experience. Following those changes, Homecoming was celebrated with strong participation and no major incidents. Additional safety efforts include lighting repairs and upgrades, expanded training and emergency notification system testing.

NCCU also made additional appointments designed to strengthen capacity in operations, business and finance, advancement and execution of Vision 2030.

Engagement, Advocacy and Long-Term Impact

NCCU's progress also extended beyond campus through government relations, alumni engagement, philanthropy, research visibility, global activity and partnerships that support the university's mission.

Throughout the year, university leaders engaged with lawmakers, UNC System partners, higher education leaders, alumni and supporters to advance priorities connected to student success, public higher education, HBCU investment and institutional growth.

Dr. Kuldeep Rawat was appointed as vice chancellor for transformative partnerships and economic development, a cabinet-level role designed to help NCCU become a first-choice partner for industry as the university pursues R2 Carnegie Classification and builds on its proximity to Research Triangle Park. Rawat brings more than 25 years of experience across industry, academic research and teaching. He has served as a professor, department chair, dean and chief research officer, secured nearly $80 million in external funding and developed partnerships that support academic programs, research growth and workforce development.

The university also relaunched the NCCU Board of Visitors, creating another pathway for accomplished leaders to serve as ambassadors for the university and support NCCU's mission and strategic priorities through their networks.

Alumni and donor engagement remained essential to NCCU's momentum. The university continued strengthening relationships with alumni chapters, Greek-letter organizations, regional networks and supporters across North Carolina and beyond. NCCU also strengthened philanthropic leadership through new appointments to the NCCU Foundation Inc. Board of Directors, helping align private support with the goals of Vision 2030.

NCCU's national visibility also continued to grow through innovation, research and global engagement. The Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research helped shape national conversations about AI literacy, workforce readiness and the role of HBCUs in emerging technology. The university hosted a first-of-its-kind AI summit for HBCUs with OpenAI Academy, convening students, faculty, industry leaders, policymakers and community members from across the nation.

Faculty and staff also represented NCCU through research presentations, professional convenings and programmatic innovation across the nation and around the world.

The university is also preparing to tell a broader story of impact through work with external partners on an economic impact study. That effort will help document NCCU's role in Durham, the region and the state as an educational institution, workforce engine, employer, research partner and community anchor.