Students moving into North Carolina A&T residence halls and apartments earlier this month encountered a host of welcome developments and pleasant surprises: A&T invested $30 million in housing and upgrades over the past 12 months, from new HVAC systems to enhanced internet access and restroom renovations, to make sure their homes-away-from-home were ready for the new year.

Many improvements were completed over the summer when occupancy levels are low. It was gratifying to see student and parent reactions to the very visible changes as I met many of them during move-in weekend. A new move-in process contributed to the upbeat mood, making what is always a hectic weekend efficient, hassle free and downright fun.

Identifying resources to meet Housing’s needs was truly a team effort between our divisions of Business and Finance and Student Affairs. The success of that work is reflected in the breadth of what was completed: 1,500 HVAC units were serviced or replaced, mold remediation completed in nearly 420 rooms and more than 60 significant trade projects brought to fruition in plumbing, electrical, locksmithing, roofing replacement and general construction.

On the technology side, network cabling was upgraded in six residence halls and new WiFi access points added in 42 buildings around our main campus’ perimeter, dramatically improving connectivity and network performance. Technology was upgraded in 46 smart classrooms and validated in another 208 classrooms, while 1,538 computers were updated in halls and student labs across campus.

 "A&T’s growth and development means our campus environment will continue to evolve to accommodate the needs of an ever-larger student body. We will lean into the possibilities."

Perhaps most importantly, we invested significantly in upgrades specifically requested by students. Those “student satisfaction improvements” included new ice machines in every residence hall, video game areas and equipment and student lounge upgrades. Going forward, amenity investments will be guided by student and resident assistant feedback, as well as suggestions from student government leadership.

Our housing upgrades are important for several reasons. North Carolina A&T houses a much higher percentage of our student body than our predominantly white counterparts – more than 50% of our undergraduate population, roughly double the national average for public universities.

Because of persistent underfunding throughout our history, A&T often lacked resources to make major housing improvements and fully address deferred maintenance issues. But growing enrollment, success in private fundraising and outstanding management of university resources has created a much stronger financial environment in recent years. That new financial reality is strongly reflected in our new AA general bond classification from Fitch Ratings.

Later this academic year, we will complete Bluford Hall, a four-story, 405-bed residential complex on the historic west side of our campus that will include dining and retail on its first floor. It will be the cornerstone of prominent enhancements for residential and commuting students, including a new parking garage, a recreation and wellness complex, student services building and construction of or major renovations to nine academic buildings.

A&T’s growth and development means our campus environment will continue to evolve to accommodate the needs of an ever-larger student body. We will lean into the possibilities, as we continue to set the standard for what an exponential, doctoral research, land-grant HBCU can be.

James R. Martin II, Ph.D., M. ASCE, is chancellor of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

When North Carolina’s single-largest job announcement ever was unveiled in June – official notification that the groundbreaking aviation company, JetZero, had selected Greensboro as the manufacturing home for its revolutionary all-wing design jet, the Z4 – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University was front and center.

Chancellor James R. Martin II and the N.C. A&T Division of Strategic Partnerships and Economic Development contributed significantly to the massive recruiting effort that landed JetZero. That successful courtship will yield an estimated 15,000 advanced manufacturing jobs in Greensboro over the next five years.

“Today’s announcement from JetZero is an enormous win for everybody in the Piedmont Triad. It’s strong validation of the fact that we have become gravitational as a region for the aviation industry, for advanced manufacturing and for new partnerships,” said Martin, who was on hand for the announcement. “We worked together as a region and as a state to attract JetZero, and its major new presence here will have significant impact, as well as help attract other new aviation businesses for the Triad.”

For A&T, the timing could not have been better: The university’s newest degree program, a B.S. in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, had been approved by the UNC System Board of Governors the previous month and became a strong sidebar for the main story. Launching this fall and led by Sun Yi, A&T’s Boeing Endowed Professor of Design and Performance, the program will represent fertile local hiring grounds for a company with a deep need for aviation professionals with advanced education.

As the nation’s No. 1 producer of Black STEM graduates and engineers, A&T is ground zero for employee recruitment for some of the best known high-tech and advanced manufacturing brands in the world. A&T is known for producing grads who are not only well educated and prepared to have workplace impact from the beginning of their careers, but who in most instances bring an element of diversity to the companies they work for.

JetZero’s $4.7 billion investment for a production facility at Piedmont Triad International Airport will support the manufacture of Z4 jets, which will each boast seating for 250 passengers and deliver up to 50% better fuel efficiency than today’s commercial tube-and-wing jets. JetZero plans to begin construction on the facility in the near future and have its first commercial Z4s delivered by the early 2030s.

Following its June announcement, JetZero revealed in July that it would move the company's headquarters to Greensboro, too -- more evidence of the "gravitational" pull of the Piedmont Triad for the aviation industry.

Click here to learn more about JetZero's move to Greensboro. 

The first students in North Carolina A&T's new B.S. in artificial intelligence recently began the fall 2025 semester, one of many milestones the university plans to reach this year in AI.

The UNC System Board of Governors approved the new degree in late 2024, making A&T the only North Carolina university to offer such a program. Over this spring and summer, the university executed a cluster hire of six new faculty members to support the program and expand AI instructional and research capacity in the colleges of Engineering and Science and Technology.

Students can pursue two degree paths: AI in computing and engineering systems through Engineering and applied AI through Science and Technology.

AI instruction isn't limited to those two colleges. In disciplines ranging from economics to English, faculty are promoting AI literacy and encouraging colleagues to use AI for problem solving, to enhance teaching processes and to improve the classroom experience.

In Information Technology Services, leaders have launched the AI Accelerator, an initiative designed to create strong AI literacy among professional staff and faculty and help them become more agile and adept in its use. The AI Accelerator includes a virtual lounge where employees are challenged to "Raise Your AIQ" and both live instructor-led trainings and on-demand videos and coursework.

The Division of Academic Affairs will host the 2025 AI Conference, Exponential Intelligence: Advancing AI Beyond Boundaries and Disciplines, Sept. 25-26 at Greensboro's Koury Conference Center. Open to educators, researchers, industry professionals and innovators, the conference will explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping teaching, learning and research across disciplines.

A&T's growing interest in AI includes a central focus that distinguishes its work from others: A special focus on the relationship economy. Previous generations of Americans first experienced the agrarian economy, followed by the industrial economy and today the information/knowledge economy. With AI increasingly able to perform roles once confined to humans, a new value is emerging for strong, trust-based connections between customers, employees and businesses as a primary driver of success, rather than just transactional exchanges.

A&T seeks to combine AI expertise with elements of the relationship economy to leapfrog past other organizations focusing exclusively on AI's technical dimensions. From an instructional standpoint, that will help the university better prepare students for the world of the future. 

“Artificial intelligence and machine learning are increasingly part of everyday life with the potential for profound and far-reaching impact on virtually every facet of society,” said Chancellor James R. Martin II. “Collaborating with federal and state agencies, major industry leaders and fellow research universities, we have created a rich AI learning environment that is well informed by the latest in science and policy. Our new bachelor’s degree will prepare students for immediate impact, especially in the critical area of human interaction with AI.”

Click here to learn more about the Sept. 25-26 AI conference or email aiconference2025@ncat.edu.