Johnson C Smith Awarded a $500k Bank of America Grant

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant to support student-centered initiatives at Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). The Bank of America grant will fund the university’s Career-to-Career Program, as well as help fund the renovation of the historic Dr. George E. Davis House.

Each year nearly 85 percent of the entering class at JCSU qualifies for need-based aid and 70 percent of the students come from low-income households. The funding from Bank of America will launch the school’s College-to-Career Program which will provide professional development and training for students to help them become a part of the university’s current and future workforce as a way to help pay for their education.

“We are charged as an urban university with providing access to highly motivated and talented students from all walks of life and that includes helping our students find ways to finance their education,” said Dr. Ronald L. Carter, president of Johnson C. Smith University. “We are grateful to Bank of America for helping to remove some of the financial barriers facing our students as they gain career readiness experience through on-campus employment.”

“College credentials and degrees can make all the difference in helping young workers to be successful in an already competitive workforce and we’re dedicated to helping connect young people to career advancement opportunities,” said Charles Bowman, North Carolina and Charlotte market president, Bank of America. “By partnering with Johnson C. Smith University on their student employment program and the renovation of the Dr. George E. Davis House, students will have the resources to learn professional skills outside of the classroom that will help them meet their financial needs while further preparing them for careers after school.”

A portion of the Bank of America grant will help the renovation of the historic Dr. George E. Davis House, which serves as the administrative hub for the Foster Village Network Center. Administered by the university’s Department of Social Work, the center is designed to increase retention and graduation rates for students who are emancipated from foster care. The National Center for Education Statistics estimates that only 7-13 percent of foster care students enroll in higher education and only about two percent earn bachelor’s degrees.

About Johnson C. Smith University

Founded in 1867, Johnson C. Smith University is an independent, close-knit urban university located in Charlotte, N.C. It has a growing national reputation for integrating the liberal arts with business, the sciences and technology in ways that empower tomorrow’s diverse entrepreneurial citizens and leaders. Offering 22 fields of study to nearly 1,500 students from a variety of ethnic, socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds, the university’s excellent academic programs focus on servant leadership, civic engagement and global responsibility. For more information about JCSU, visit www.jcsu.edu or follow the university on social media sites Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.   

About Bank of America Corporate Social Responsibility

Bank of America’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a strategic part of doing business globally. Our CSR efforts guide how we operate in a socially, economically, financially and environmentally responsible way around the world, to deliver for shareholders, customers, clients and employees. Our goal is to help create economically vibrant regions and communities through lending, investing and giving. By partnering with our stakeholders, we create value that empowers individuals and communities to thrive and contributes to the long-term success of our business. We have several core areas of focus for our CSR, including responsible business practices; environmental sustainability; strengthening local communities with a focus on housing, hunger and jobs; investing in global leadership development; and engaging through arts and culture. As part of these efforts, employee volunteers across the company contribute their time, passion and expertise to address issues in communities where they live and work. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about and follow us on Twitter at @BofA_Community.