Rep. Adams Secures $1,031,000 for Johnson C. Smith University

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12) today announced that Johnson C. Smith University has received $1,031,000 in federal Community Project Funding for its Workforce Skills Enhancement through Equipment Initiative, an investment designed to strengthen STEM education, undergraduate research and career preparation at the university.

The federal investment will support the purchase and integration of advanced equipment for student training and research in environmental chemistry, biology, agriculture and related STEM disciplines. The project includes laboratory instrumentation, microscopy and molecular analysis equipment, greenhouse enhancements, and drones equipped for geospatial, LIDAR, water-quality and environmental research.

"Johnson C. Smith University has been educating generations of leaders and creating pathways to opportunity in Charlotte and beyond," said Congresswoman Adams. "As a longtime educator and champion for HBCUs, I know that our students excel when we invest in our institutions and give them the resources they need to compete. This federal investment will give JCSU students greater access to the technology, research opportunities and hands-on training that will prepare them for high-demand careers and help strengthen our workforce and economy."

The funding will also support undergraduate research projects and specialized equipment training, helping students develop practical experience alongside their classroom education. The federal award is intended to strengthen JCSU's capacity to prepare a new generation of STEM professionals and expand research connected to environmental science and agriculture.

The investment is particularly significant for the Charlotte region. According to the federal award documentation, approximately 60 percent of JCSU students are from North Carolina, and the vast majority of graduates remain in the state. Seventy-five percent of JCSU students are Pell Grant eligible, and 45 percent are first-generation college students.

"This funding is about opportunity," Adams continued. "It is about ensuring talented students have access to the tools, technology and training that will prepare them to lead in STEM fields while strengthening economic mobility in Charlotte and across North Carolina. I am proud to help bring these federal resources home to North Carolina's 12th Congressional District."

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Johnson C. Smith University is located at 100 Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte, in North Carolina's 12th Congressional District. The federal award is administered through the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Congressionally Identified Projects program.