Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
Thunderous applause welcomed James R. Martin II, the new chancellor of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, at the annual Faculty/Staff Institute preceding the beginning of the current 2024-2025 academic year.
Inside Corbett Sports Center on his second day as leader of America’s largest historically Black university, the chancellor danced from his seat to the stage for a boisterous clarion call and response of “Aggie Pride,” an audible validation of the event’s theme of Momentum.
As A&T’s 13th chancellor, Martin emphatically shared his vision of intensifying the recognized academic and research inertia the university achieved under the leadership of his predecessor Chancellor Emeritus Harold L. Martin Sr. “We have momentum … A&T is preeminent,” he said, explaining A&T’s stature will grow, attracting greater corporate partnerships and academic input from around the world. He challenged faculty and staff to “disrupt complacency” with vision and hard work, saying, “Greatness is a choice.”
To a standing ovation from more than 2,000 cheering faculty and staff members, the new chancellor concluded his remarks, directing his gaze upward while pointing to heavens, saying, “I am at home here. This is where I’m supposed to be.”
A&T introduced Martin as the new chancellor on June 21, 2024, following a national search. He succeeds Chancellor Emeritus Harold L. Martin Sr., who retired in June after a legendary 15-year tenure that lifted A&T further on the national scene as one of America’s leading research universities.
Chancellor James Martin comes to A&T from the University of Pittsburgh, where he served as vice chancellor for STEM Research and Innovation, and where he led transformative initiatives ranging from developing the university’s core STEM landscape to leading research strategy and development for Pitt’s four regional campuses around Pennsylvania.
Faculty/Staff Institute is an annual tradition that kicks off each school year, bringing together administrators, faculty and staff to celebrate recent accomplishments, recognize new employees and hear an address from the chancellor. Following the institute, leadership, faculty and staff for A&T’s nine colleges and two schools convene for individual meetings across campus, orienting each for the year ahead.
